119 HR 4480 IH: Improving Disaster Assistance for Veterans Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-07-17 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4480IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 17, 2025Mr. Barrett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureA BILLTo amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President to designate a Veteran Advocate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Improving Disaster Assistance for Veterans Act.

2.

Designation of Veterans Advocate

(a)

In general

Title III of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (15 U.S.C. 5141 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

328.

Designation of veteran advocate

(a)

In general

The President shall designate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency a Veteran Advocate. (b)

Responsibilities

The Veterans Advocate shall be an advocate for the fair treatment of veterans in the provision of assistance under this Act. (c)

Duties

The Veterans Advocate shall— (1)participate in the disaster declaration process under section 401 and the emergency declaration process under section 501 to ensure that the needs of veterans are being addressed; (2)serve as the primary point of contact between veterans service organizations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; (3)identify opportunities for expanded veteran recruitment for Federal Emergency Management Agency employment, including Federal Emergency Management Agency reservist positions; and (4)conduct such other activities as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency considers appropriate.

. (b)

Statutory construction

Nothing in this section or the amendment made by this section shall be construed to authorize major disaster or emergency assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that is not authorized as of the date of enactment of this Act.