[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5774 Received in Senate (RDS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5774
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 15, 2022
Received
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to ensure that unmet needs after a major disaster are
met.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expediting Disaster Recovery Act''.
SEC. 2. UNMET NEED ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 431. UNMET NEEDS ASSISTANCE.
``(a) In General.--After the declaration of a major disaster, the
President may direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency to provide to the State, subject to amounts made
available from appropriations, assistance necessary for meeting unmet
needs as a result of such disaster.
``(b) Funding.--
``(1) Amount of funding.--Subject to appropriations and not
later than 30 days after a declaration is made under section
401, the President acting through the Administrator may
allocate an amount that equals up to 10 percent of the
estimated aggregate amount of the grants to be made pursuant to
sections 406 and 408 for the major disaster in order to provide
technical and financial assistance under this section and such
set aside shall be deemed to be related to activities carried
out pursuant to major disasters under this Act.
``(2) Estimated aggregate amount.--Not later than 180 days
after each major disaster declaration pursuant to this Act, the
estimated aggregate amount of grants for purposes of paragraph
(1) shall be determined by the President and such estimated
amount need not be reduced, increased, or changed due to
variations in estimates.
``(3) No reduction in amounts.--The amount set aside
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not reduce the amounts
otherwise made available for sections 403, 404, 406, 407, 408,
410, 416, and 428 under this Act.
``(c) Unmet Needs.--Financial assistance provided under this
section may be used to provide assistance, in addition to other amounts
made available under this Act, for the following unmet needs:
``(1) Disaster-related home repair and rebuilding
assistance to families for permanent housing purposes,
including in conjunction with eligible expenditures under
section 408.
``(2) Disaster-related unmet needs of families who are
unable to obtain adequate assistance from other sources.
``(3) Other services that alleviate human suffering and
promote the well-being of disaster victims.
``(4) Economic and business activities (including food and
agriculture) after a disaster to implement post-disaster
economic recovery measures, including planning and technical
assistance for long-term economic recovery plans,
infrastructure improvements, business or infrastructure
financing, market or industry research, and other activities
authorized under a comprehensive economic development strategy.
``(d) Accounting and Fiscal Controls.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after receipt of
funds and every 6 months thereafter until all such funds are
expended, a State shall submit a report to the Administrator
that includes--
``(A) the criteria established for determining how
the funds are spent;
``(B) the allocation of those funds; and
``(C) the process for public notice and comment.
``(2) Compliance.--Any individual who receives assistance
pursuant to this section shall comply with section 312(b).
``(3) Administrative costs.--A State that receives funds
under this section may expend not more than 5 percent of the
amount of such funds for the administrative costs of providing
financial assistance to individuals and households in the
State.''.
(b) Applicability.--This section and the amendments made by this
section shall apply to funds appropriated on or after the date of
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. REPAIR AND REBUILDING.
(a) In General.--Section 408(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i) by striking ``to a safe
and sanitary living or functioning condition'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``A recipient
of'' and inserting ``(i) Evidence of other means of
assistance.--A recipient of''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(ii) Coordination with other assistance.--
Assistance allowed under this paragraph may be used in
coordination with other sources for the repair and
rebuilding of an owner-occupied residence.''; and
(2) in paragraph (4) by striking ``in cases in which'' and
all that follows through the end of the paragraph and inserting
``if the President considers it a cost effective alternative to
other housing solutions, including the costs associated with
temporary housing provided under this section, and long-term
rebuilding costs associated with section 431.''.
(b) Applicability.--This section and the amendments made by this
section shall apply to funds appropriated on or after the date of
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. REVIEW BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review on the
fiscal controls by States that receive funds under section 431 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and
shall make recommendations to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 5. DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS.
Section 312(b)(4) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155(b)(4)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(D) Limitation on use of income criteria.--In
carrying out subparagraph (A), the President may not
impose additional income criteria on a potential grant
recipient who has accepted a qualified disaster loan in
determining eligibility for duplications of benefit
relief.''.
Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2022.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.