119 HR 5395 IH: Disaster Relief Disbursement Accountability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-16 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. 5395IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 16, 2025Mr. Hernández (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of New York, and Mr. Stanton) 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 expedient disbursement of funds, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Disaster Relief Disbursement Accountability Act .

2.

Expedient disbursement of funds

Title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5195 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

630.

Expedient disbursement of funds

(a)

In general

The Administrator shall take any actions that are necessary to ensure that funds are disbursed to eligible entities as expediently as possible after a project is approved under this Act, including the hazard mitigation grant program under section 404 and the public assistance program under sections 403, 406, 407, 428, and 502. (b)

Report to Administrator

(1)

Retroactive report

For each major disaster or emergency for which a declaration was made under section 401 or 501 and for which assistance is being disbursed as of the date of enactment of this section, each recipient of assistance for such major disaster or emergency under the hazard mitigation grant program under section 404 or the public assistance program under sections 403, 406, 407, 428, or 502 shall, not later than 1 year after such date of enactment, submit to the Administrator a report that describes the average amount of time the recipient takes to disburse such assistance to a subrecipient. (2)

Annual report

For each major disaster or emergency for which a declaration is made under section 401 or 501 after the date of enactment of this section, each recipient of assistance for such major disaster or emergency under the hazard mitigation grant program under section 404 or the public assistance program under sections 403, 406, 407, 428, or 502 shall submit to the Administrator, on an annual basis, a report that describes the average amount of time the recipient takes to disburse such assistance to a subrecipient. (c)

Report to Congress

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report containing a summary of the information provided under subsection (b).

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