118 HR 10087 IH: Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act of 2024
U.S. House of Representatives
2024-11-01
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I
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10087
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 1, 2024
Ms. Foxx (for herself, Mr. Griffith, and Mr. McCormick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide for certain procedures following the declaration of a major disaster, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act of 2024”.
2.

Major disaster assistance programs
(a)

Application of other laws
Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“431.

Application of other laws
(a)

Jones Act
Notwithstanding sections 12103, 12112, and 55102 of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall exempt a vessel from the requirements of such sections if the Secretary determines that the owner or operator of the vessel has reasonably demonstrated that the exemption is needed to provide disaster relief to an area affected by a major disaster declared under this title for a period of 180 days after the declaration of such major disaster.
(b)

Davis-Bacon Act
With respect to a major disaster declared under this title, any requirement under subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code (commonly referred to as the “Davis-Bacon Act”), shall not apply with respect to any project carried out under this title that is related to the repair of damage caused by such major disaster.” .
(b)

Emergency Recovery Board
Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“432.

Emergency Recovery Board
(a)

In general
Not later than 30 days after the first declaration of a major disaster under section 401, for each category of disaster in any calendar year, the President shall establish a board to review the process and procedures related to recovery following such category of disaster.
(b)

Members
Each board established under subsection (a) shall include the following members:
(1)
The Secretary of Transportation.
(2)
The Secretary of Homeland Security.
(3)
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(4)
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(5)
The State officials in areas affected by the category of disaster who are equivalent to the officials described in paragraphs (1) through (3).
(6)
Local officials in areas affected by the category of disaster.
(7)
An employee of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker in consultation with the minority leader.
(8)
An employee of the Senate appointed by the majority leader in consultation with the minority leader.
(c)

Report
(1)

Initial report
Not later than 30 days after the establishment of each board under subsection (a), such board shall submit to Congress and to the heads of each agency described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b) a report providing recommendations on any immediate barriers that the Federal and State governments may remove to aid recovery.
(2)

Secondary report
Not later than 90 days after the establishment of each board under subsection (a), such board shall submit to Congress a report providing recommendations on any legislative or regulatory changes to aid in the recovery of future disasters in the category of disaster.
(d)

Category of disaster defined
In this section, the term category of disaster means each individual type of disaster described in the definition of “major disaster” in section 102 of this Act.” .
(c)

Hazard mitigation
Section 404(d)(1) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(d)(1)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
by striking “that applicable environmental reviews” and inserting the following:
“(i)
that applicable environmental reviews”; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:
“(ii)
compliance with any applicable requirements under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and”; and
(2)
in subparagraph (B) by inserting “, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),” after “1969”.
(d)

Repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities
Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(f)

Allowance for prescheduled technological improvements
(1)

In general
For purposes of the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of a facility carried out under this section, the President shall install any prescheduled technological improvement to such facility during any such repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement.
(2)

Prescheduled technological improvement defined
In this subsection, the term prescheduled technological improvement means a technological improvement to a facility that was scheduled, procured, and had funding set aside for installation before the major disaster declaration.”.