119-hr316

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 316 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 316

To authorize the President to provide disaster assistance to States and 
 Indian Tribes under a major disaster recovery program, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 9, 2025

 Mr. Rouzer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To authorize the President to provide disaster assistance to States and 
 Indian Tribes under a major disaster recovery program, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Natural Disaster 
Recovery Program Act of 2025''.

    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Natural Disaster Recovery Program.

Sec. 3. Unmet needs assistance.

Sec. 4. Further considerations for disaster declarations.

Sec. 5. Repair and rebuilding.

Sec. 6. FEMA Emergency Home Repair Program.

Sec. 7. Appeals of individuals and households program benefits.

Sec. 8. Report to Congress on major disaster declarations.

Sec. 9. Review by Comptroller General.

Sec. 10. GAO study on timing of closing out disaster recovery.

SEC. 2. NATURAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end of title IV the following:

``

SEC. 431. NATURAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM.

 ``

    (a) Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of 
 the United States an account to be known as the Natural 
 Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund (in this section referred to as 
 the `Fund').
 ``

    (2) Amounts.--The Fund shall consist of--
 ``
        (A) any amounts appropriated, and deposited in 
 the Fund, for a specific major disaster declared under 
 

section 401; and
 ``
        (B) amounts deposited into the Fund pursuant to 
 paragraph

    (4) .
 ``

    (3) Use of funds.--Amounts in the Fund shall be 
 available, pursuant to a declaration of a major disaster--
 ``
        (A) to States and Indian tribal governments for 
 unmet need related to a major disaster is declared 
 under 

section 401; and
 ``
        (B) with respect to grantees that have been 
 allocated assistance for such unmet need, for technical 
 assistance and capacity building under subsection
            (c) (2) to facilitate planning and increase capacity to 
 administer assistance under this section.
 ``

    (4) Unused amounts.--If any amounts made available for 
 assistance under this section to grantees remain unexpended on 
 the earlier of--
 ``
        (A) the date that the grantee of such amounts 
 notifies the President that the grantee has completed 
 all activities; or
 ``
        (B) except as provided in paragraph

    (5) , the 
 expiration of the 6-year period beginning when the 
 President obligates such amounts to the grantee, the 
 President shall transfer such unexpended amounts to the 
 Secretary of the Treasury for deposit into the Fund, 
 except that the President may permit the grantee to 
 retain amounts needed to close out the grant.
 ``

    (5) Extension of period for use of funds.--The period 
 under paragraph

    (4)
        (B) may be extended by not more than 4 years 
 if, before the expiration of such 6-year period, the President 
 waives this requirement and submits a written justification for 
 such waiver to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
 Representatives and the Senate that specifies the period of 
 such extension.
 ``

    (b) Assessment of Unmet Need.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--To assess unmet need with respect to a 
 major disaster under section, not later than 90 days after the 
 declaration of such a disaster, the President shall coordinate 
 with other Federal agencies, as determined appropriate and 
 including the Administrator of the Small Business 
 Administration, to obtain data on all recovery needs and the 
 amount of such recovery needs that are unmet, including--
 ``
        (A) all data on damage caused by the disaster;
 ``
        (B) information on how any Federal assistance 
 provided in connection with the disaster has been 
 expended;
 ``
            (C) information on the effect of the disaster on 
 education, transportation capabilities and dependence, 
 housing needs, health care capacity, and displacement 
 of persons; and
 ``
            (D) the extent of the unmet need remaining in 
 relation to such disaster.
 ``

    (2) Public availability.--The President shall make 
 publicly available the data described in paragraph

    (1) for any 
 major disaster for which assistance is provided from the Fund 
 under this section.
 ``

    (3) Protection of personally identifiable information.--
 In carrying out this subsection, the President and any 
 recipient of funds under this section shall take such actions 
 as may be necessary to ensure that personally identifiable 
 information regarding recipients of assistance provided under 
 this section is not made publicly available by any agency with 
 which information is shared pursuant to this subsection.
 ``
            (c) Administrative Costs.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--A State or Indian tribal government 
 receiving a grant under this section may use not more than 13 
 percent of the amount of grant funds received, or within such 
 other percentage as may be established pursuant to subparagraph
        (B) , for administrative costs, including costs related to 
 audits, reviews, oversight, evaluation, and investigations.
 ``

    (2) Discretion to establish sliding scale.--The President 
 may establish a series of percentage limitations on the amount 
 of grant funds received that may be used by a grantee for 
 administrative costs, but only if--
 ``
        (A) such percentage limitations are based on the 
 amount of grant funds received by a grantee; and
 ``
        (B) such series provides that the percentage that 
 may be used is lower for grantees receiving a greater 
 amount of grant funds and such percentage that may be 
 used is higher for grantees receiving a lesser amount 
 of grant funds.
 ``

    (3) Technical assistance; capacity building.--From funds 
 made available for use under this section, the President may 
 provide--
 ``
        (A) necessary technical assistance to grantees to 
 ensure grantees are compliant with Federal law; and
 ``
        (B) capacity building assistance, including 
 assistance regarding contracting and procurement 
 processes, including providing solicitation and 
 contractual templates that conform to Federal 
 requirements for use by grantees.
 ``
            (d) Allocation, Process, and Procedures; Coordination.--
 ``

    (1) Allocation.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The President shall allocate 
 funds under this section proportionally to grantees 
 based on their level of unmet need as determined under 
 subsection

    (b) .
 ``
        (B) Grantee use of funds.--Each grantee--
 ``
            (i) shall be solely responsible for 
 determining how funds provided under this 
 section are prioritized and expended; and
 ``
            (ii) shall not be required to provide an 
 action or spending plan to the President before 
 or after funds are allocated.
 ``
            (C) Limitation.--Notwithstanding 

section 312, a 
 loan shall not--
 ``
            (i) be considered a duplication of 
 benefits with funds provided by a Federal 
 agency; or
 ``
            (ii) limit or otherwise impact the 
 ability of a recipient to receive any other 
 Federal assistance.
 ``

    (2) Procedure for provision of funds.--An entity awarded 
 a grant under this section shall be provided an initial amount 
 that equals 50 percent of total grant amount allocated under 
 paragraph

    (1) . To be eligible for the remaining 50 percent of 
 the allocation, a grantee shall submit to the Committees on 
 Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, 
 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
 of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and 
 Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Inspector General 
 of the United States a report containing--
 ``
        (A) a detailed description of how such amount was 
 spent; and
 ``
        (B) a certification from an auditor of the State 
 or Indian tribal government that none of the funds were 
 wasted or used inappropriately.
 ``

    (3) Requirements.--Each State and Indian tribal 
 government that receives funds under this section shall 
 establish or adhere to existing guidelines for procurement 
 processes and procedures and require that subgrantees--
 ``
        (A) provide for full and open competition and 
 require cost or price analysis;
 ``
        (B) specify methods of procurement and their 
 applicability, but not allow cost-plus-a-percentage-of 
 cost or percentage-of-construction-cost methods of 
 procurement;
 ``
            (C) include standards of conduct governing 
 employees engaged in the award or administration of 
 contracts; and
 ``
            (D) ensure that all purchase orders and contracts 
 include any clauses required by Federal statute, 
 Executive order, or implementing regulation.
 ``

    (e) Funding.--Any funds provided under this section--
 ``

    (1) shall supplement and not supplant any other 
 assistance provided by the President or any other Federal 
 agency in response to a major disaster; and
 ``

    (2) may not be considered a duplication of assistance.
 ``

    (f) Environmental Review.--Any Federal agency or recipient of 
funds received under this section that fund or use funds to supplement 
funds provided under 

section 402, 403, 404, 406, 407, 408
            (c) (4) , 428, 
or 502 may adopt, without review or public comment, any environmental 
review, approval, or permit performed by a Federal agency.
 ``

    (g) Best Practices.--The President shall identify best practices 
for grantees on issues including developing action plans, establishing 
financial controls, building grantee technical and administrative 
capacity, procurement, and use of grant funds as local match for other 
sources of Federal funding. Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the President shall publish a compilation of 
such identified best practices and share with all relevant grantees to 
facilitate a more efficient and effective disaster recovery process.
 ``

    (h) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) State auditor.--The term `State auditor' means the 
 individual selected by the Governor or head of an Indian tribal 
 government to submit a certification in accordance with 
 subsection
            (d) (2)
        (A)
            (ii) .
 ``

    (2) Unmet need.--The term `unmet need'--
 ``
        (A) means any necessary expenses for activities 
 related to disaster relief, resiliency, long-term 
 recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, 
 mitigation, and economic revitalization related to a 
 major disaster declared by the President under 

section 401; and
 ``
        (B) may include--
 ``
            (i) any unresourced item, support, or 
 assistance that has been assessed and verified 
 as necessary for a survivor to recover from a 
 major disaster, including food, clothing, 
 shelter, first aid, emotional and spiritual 
 care, household items, home repair, or 
 rebuilding; and
 ``
            (ii) cleaning and removing debris from 
 rivers, creeks, streams, and ditches.''.

    (b) Limitation.--No amounts made available by an appropriations Act 
that provide funding for any activity not authorized by law for the 
program established under 

section 431 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (as added by this Act) may 
be expended.

SEC. 3. UNMET NEEDS ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--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:

``

SEC. 432. UNMET NEEDS ASSISTANCE.

 ``

    (a) In General.--In any major disaster, the Governor or the Chief 
Executive of the Indian tribal government may request a grant from the 
President to provide assistance to meet unmet needs resulting from a 
major disaster.
 ``

    (b) Funding.--
 ``

    (1) Amount of funding.--The President may set aside from 
 the Disaster Relief Fund, with respect to each major disaster, 
 an amount equal to 10 percent of the estimated aggregate amount 
 of the grants to be made pursuant to sections 406 and 408 of 
 the major disaster in order to provide technical and financial 
 assistance under this section and such amounts 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 declared 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, 406, 407, 408, 410, 
 416, and 428 under this Act.
 ``
            (c) Unmet Needs.--A State or Indian tribal government may use 
unmet needs grants to provide assistance, in addition to other 
assistance made available under this Act, for the following unmet needs 
resulting from a major disaster:
 ``

    (1) Disaster-related home repair and rebuilding financial 
 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 disaster-related 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, each State or Indian tribal government receiving such 
 funds shall submit to the Administrator a report that 
 includes--
 ``
        (A) the criteria established for determining how 
 the funds are spent;
 ``
        (B) the allocation of such funds; and
 ``
            (C) the process for public notice and comment.
 ``

    (2) Administrative costs.--A State or Indian tribal 
 government 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. 4. FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS.

    (a) In General.--In making recommendations to the President 
regarding the declaration of a major disaster or emergency pursuant to 

section 401 or 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170; 5191) or the proposed non-
Federal share of the cost of carrying out activities with assistance 
provided under such Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall give greater weight and consideration to severe 
local impact resulting from such disaster or emergency and, in the 5-
year period preceding such disaster or emergency, whether multiple 
other disasters or emergencies have occurred in the affected area.

    (b) Revisions to Guidance, Policies, and Regulations.--The 
Administrator shall take such actions as are necessary to revise any 
policies, guidance, or regulations of the Agency to implement 
subsection

    (a) .
            (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate a report on the implementation of this section and shall include 
in such report a description of--

    (1) changes made to guidance, policies, or regulations 
 pursuant to subsection

    (b) ; and

    (2) the number of major disasters and emergencies that have 
 been declared pursuant to 

section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act based on the 
 criteria described in subsection

    (a) .

SEC. 5. 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) by amending paragraph

    (2) to read as follows:
 ``

    (2) Repairs.--
 ``
        (A) Financial assistance for repairs.--The 
 President may provide financial assistance for the 
 repair of owner-occupied private residences, utilities, 
 and residential infrastructure (such as a private 
 access route) damaged by a major disaster, or with 
 respect to individuals with disabilities, rendered 
 inaccessible by a major disaster.
 ``
        (B) Direct assistance for repairs.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--The President may 
 provide direct assistance to individuals and 
 households who are unable to make use of 
 financial assistance under subparagraph
        (A) and 
 when there is a lack of available resources, 
 for--
 ``
            (I) the repair of owner-occupied 
 private residences, utilities, and 
 residential infrastructure (such as a 
 private access route) damaged by a 
 major disaster, or with respect to 
 individuals with disabilities, rendered 
 inaccessible by a disaster; and
 ``
            (II) eligible hazard mitigation 
 measures that reduce the likelihood and 
 future damage to such residences, 
 utilities, and infrastructure.
 ``
            (ii) Eligibility.--A recipient of 
 assistance under this subparagraph shall not be 
 eligible for assistance under paragraph

    (1) , 
 unless otherwise determined by the 
 Administrator.
 ``
            (iii) 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.
 ``
            (C) Relationship to other assistance.--A 
 recipient of assistance provided under this paragraph 
 shall not be required to show that the assistance can 
 be met through other means, except insurance 
 proceeds.''; 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) Eligibility.--

Section 408

    (b)

    (1) of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174

    (b)

    (1) ) is 
amended--

    (1) by striking ``rendered uninhabitable'' and inserting 
 ``damaged by a major disaster''; and

    (2) by striking ``uninhabitable, as a result of damage 
 caused by a major disaster'' and inserting ``damaged by a major 
 disaster''.
            (c) 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. 6. FEMA EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--

Section 403

    (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b

    (a) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (3) --
        (A) in subparagraph
            (I) by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) in subparagraph
        (J) by striking the period and 
 inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (K) minor repairs up to habitability of owner-
 occupied homes damaged by the disaster in order for 
 survivors to safely shelter in place, subject to the 
 availability of appropriations.''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (5) Sheltering and housing options.--Not later than 15 
 days after a declaration of a major disaster, the Federal 
 coordinating officer shall identify all sheltering and housing 
 options available under this section or 

section 408 to a State 
 Governor, or the designated State coordinating officer.
 ``

    (6) === Definitions. ===
-In this subsection, the term `minor 
 repairs up to habitability' means the minimum standards for 
 permanent housing described in 

section 576.403
            (c) of title 24, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).''.

    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall issue final regulations to implement the amendments made 
by this section.

SEC. 7. APPEALS OF INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM BENEFITS.

    (a) Period of Assistance.--Clauses
            (iii) and
            (iv) of 

section 408
            (c) (1)
        (B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174
            (c) (1)
        (B) ) are amended by striking ``18-
month period'' and inserting ``24-month period''.

    (b) Appeals.--The Administrator shall revise 

section 206.115 of 
title 44, Code of Federal Regulations, to require the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to provide to any applicant who appeals a 
determination of eligibility of assistance--

    (1) any documentation used to make such determination, 
 including any inspection documents that exist;

    (2) a description of--
        (A) the reasons for such determination; and
        (B) recommended steps that could be taken to remedy 
 a determination of ineligibility, including, as 
 applicable, a list of additional documentation that the 
 applicant may provide; and

    (3) any inspection documents that exist not later than 10 
 days after the completion of the inspection.
            (c) Applicability.--This section and the amendment made by this 
section shall apply to funds appropriated on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 8. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS.

 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a 
report containing the following information with respect to each major 
disaster declared pursuant to 

section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) during 
the 5-year period preceding such date of enactment:

    (1) The process used by the Federal Emergency Management 
 Agency to determine individual household need.

    (2) An itemization of the most common reasons for denial of 
 individual and household assistance pursuant to 

section 408 of 
 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
 Act (42 U.S.C. 5174).

    (3) The rate of appeals of denial of such assistance.

    (4) The amount of time the Agency takes to issue a decision 
 regarding eligibility for individual assistance, disaggregated 
 by each such major disaster.

    (5) Information on the use of Disaster Legal Services and 
 the number of applicants who were eligible for such services.

    (6) The total number of Disaster Legal Services volunteers 
 as of such date of enactment.

    (7) The number of such volunteers who were activated for 
 each such major disaster.

    (8) The amount of time taken after the declaration of each 
 such major disaster to set up disaster recovery centers that 
 provide access to individual assistance.

    (9) The number of disaster recovery centers opened for each 
 such major disaster.

    (10) The process used for selecting the location of such 
 disaster recovery centers.

    (11) The average amount of time disaster recovery centers 
 remained open.

    (12) The average amount of time individual survivors spend 
 at such centers.

    (13) A description of outreach efforts in low-income, 
 rural, and underserved communities regarding the availability 
 of assistance provided by the Federal Emergency Management 
 Agency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
 Emergency Assistance Act.

SEC. 9. 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--

    (1) conduct a review of the fiscal controls of States that 
 receive assistance under 

section 432 of the Robert T. Stafford 
 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as added by 
 

section 3; and

    (2) make recommendations regarding the program established 
 under such section 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. 10. GAO STUDY ON TIMING OF CLOSING OUT DISASTER RECOVERY.

 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
report on how long it takes the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to officially close out each major disaster declared 
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) pursuant to 

section 705 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5205).
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