119 S2247 IS: Disaster AID Act
U.S. Senate
2025-07-10
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.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act
or the Disaster AID Act
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Definitions.TITLE I—Disaster mitigationSec. 101. State hazard mitigation officer funding.Sec. 102. Hazard mitigation grant program sliding scale.Sec. 103. Hazard mitigation.Sec. 104. Report on hazard mitigation grant program reform.Sec. 105. Predisaster hazard mitigation.Sec. 106. Regulations.TITLE II—Public assistanceSec. 201. Public assistance management costs.Sec. 202. Advance assistance; training.Sec. 203. Technical assistance pilot program.Sec. 204. Simplified procedures.Sec. 205. Simplified procedures pilot program.Sec. 206. Regulations.TITLE III—Other provisionsSec. 301. Substantially damaged structures.Sec. 302. Eligibility of subgovernmental units for assistance.Sec. 303. General administration of disaster and emergency assistance.Sec. 304. Deduction for traveling expenses for Federal disaster relief workers away from home for more than 1 year.Sec. 305. Dual compensation.Sec. 306. Excess funds for management costs.Sec. 307. Timeline for award of management costs.Sec. 308. Regulation simplification.Sec. 309. Report on advance assistance.2.In this Act:(1)The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.(2)Appropriate congressional
committeesThe term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.(3)Chief Executive; Governor; State; Indian
tribal governmentThe terms Chief Executive
, Governor
, State
, and Indian tribal government
have the meanings given the terms in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).(4)High-capacity jurisdictionThe term high-capacity jurisdiction means a jurisdiction that has sufficient resources to administer projects funded with assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) with minimal support, as determined by the Governor or Chief Executive of the State or Indian tribal government in which the jurisdiction is located and based on criteria established by the Administrator.(5)Low-capacity jurisdictionThe term low-capacity jurisdiction means a jurisdiction that faces structural barriers to planning for, securing, implementing, or sustaining public investments in disaster resilience due to limited staffing, institutional partnerships, fiscal resources, or access to technical expertise that make it difficult to administer projects funded with assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)—(A)as determined by the Governor or Chief Executive of the State or Indian tribal government in which the jurisdiction is located; and(B)based on criteria established by the Administrator.(6)The term public assistance means assistance awarded under the programs under section 403, 406, 407, and 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (5170b, 5172, 5173, 5192).<enum>I</enum><header>Disaster mitigation</header><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id59ad2d03ef07404e92e2684ca68a85b4"><enum>101.</enum><header>State hazard mitigation officer funding</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Tile II of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5131">42 U.S.C. 5131 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCFA01C3E78B1404C82898D4507BDD948"><section id="id251afc5bace14e2d936519af0c06fde9"><enum>207.</enum><header>State hazard mitigation office funding</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb09b7b87f5664f38831a8daf0f22d09e"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definition</header><text>In this section, the term <term>State hazard mitigation office</term> means the official office or representative of a State or Indian tribal government that is the primary point of contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other Federal agencies, and local governments in mitigation planning and implementing mitigation programs and activities required under this Act.</text></subsection><subsection id="idb69f478dfa6a4a3381e455ea2f2aa7db"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Funding</header><text>The President may award financial assistance to States and Indian tribal governments for the purpose of funding the State hazard mitigation office of the State or Indian tribal government.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7aac8260243e44c7921ff6956e5f98a6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Amount</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amount of financial assistance awarded to each State or Indian tribal government under subsection (b)—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0cd3be9d4f5649ed8afbc164590631c9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall be not less than 1 percent of the total financial assistance awarded under that paragraph in any fiscal year; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9d8bcd5dd95e42e98642ab6b6e4f2786"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">after satisfying paragraph (1), shall be proportional to the population of each State and Indian tribal government.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id813cfed0159848edbe4dc28a0f3245b0"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="idbbe3900c019946c4b7ce3e740fe418ff"><enum>102.</enum><header>Hazard mitigation grant program sliding scale</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 404(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170c">42 U.S.C. 5170c(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2c240acab299412bb66bcf8bf3d6c2a0"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>The President may</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3301014769C14E168DEE6FF27AC31C7F"><paragraph id="idb4bf00e5dc6d43dc986129dae556495a"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Financial assistance</header><text>Subject to paragraph (2), the President may</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idffe73f42fd644eb9bf2bde8d898937b8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC17FD8B7D271410BB820902E59A18630"><paragraph id="id7383f14ee4f44d15bd1cc20e593bce98"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Sliding scale</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President may increase the percentage contributed towards hazard mitigation measures under paragraph (1) to not more than 85 percent for low-capacity jurisdictions (as defined in section 2 of the <short-title>Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act</short-title>).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="id345d2b07-493d-45d6-a6eb-b651ce55ae39" changed="not-changed" commented="no"><enum>103.</enum><header>Hazard mitigation</header><subsection changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc4a9f7eff64a454aae5ae0f9d004f1ac"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Program administration by States</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 404(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170c">42 U.S.C. 5170c(c)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB0DA15E9DE4546D58639EA3B1ABBD27D"><paragraph id="id6139dbe6846b48619a5809a46ab6f10b"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Multiple awards</header><text>With respect to a State or Indian tribal government that receives multiple concurrent contributions under subsection (a), the State or Indian tribal government may—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2bda9fb5e2ea4db195db3bc07ea1578e"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">combine amounts from each of those contributions to create a single fund for management costs (as defined in section 324(a)) and audit purposes; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id94f0bdadf7d5481392f3ad116e06196f"><enum>(B)</enum><text>apply any project completion, auditing, or reporting deadline associated with the most recent contribution to any other concurrent contribution.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb06f4a575ccf44af8b9c6f7aa8e5b1d7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Advance assistance</header><text>Section 404(e) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170c">42 U.S.C. 5170c(e)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>25 percent</quote> and inserting <quote>50 percent</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="id8e750fc368d14545a3a150ef17dc7081"><enum>104.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Report on hazard mitigation grant
program reform</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with State hazard mitigation offices (as defined in section 404(h) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as added by this Act), State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, and other stakeholders, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on necessary reforms to reduce administrative burdens and enhance the delivery of assistance under the program established under section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170c">42 U.S.C. 5170c</external-xref>).</text></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id721a8cad3aed46edbce56ac337ae247a"><enum>105.</enum><header>Predisaster hazard mitigation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 203(i) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5133">42 U.S.C. 5133</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idca2ebd0981514e51924ba5d9dbb53424"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>may set aside</quote> and inserting <quote>shall set aside</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida356568166e648159b0ccef34454e40d"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idFDE8BEFF5BE5432981E7DEEFDBFC88A3"><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf50624a97d5f4e8d800afd65b7d55397"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President may not use amounts set aside under paragraph (1) for a purpose other than a purpose described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1e981ad086db428185e8aa913e011e64"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>Of the amounts set aside under paragraph (1) each fiscal year, the President shall obligate not less than the lesser of—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc033a53f6233453ba43d10f6e630dbcf"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">10 percent; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide496f045b2d545b492c977ff96e5c7cc"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$500,000,000, as adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="id1512747177014d5894df7711995fc821"><enum>106.</enum><header>Regulations</header><subsection id="idd426f5357522420ab850602e644fca3c"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 540 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a final rulemaking that implements this title and the amendments made by this title.</text></subsection><subsection id="id943cfcbce2b64f48b9d53d483cebdfd2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Interim guidance</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue interim guidance to implement this title and the amendments made by this title that expires upon the earlier of—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7563291b29a4402e9b12e42c47158d43"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">540 days after the of enactment of this Act; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide7b768bcfe394e559fc1ef7f3180e828"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the issuance of the final rulemaking under subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id01744735d60f4621aadc58e94a5d104d"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Guidance</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Administrator issues the final rulemaking under subsection (a), the Administrator shall issue any necessary guidance related to the rulemaking.</text></subsection><subsection id="ide8f18dc9dce64a5ba1d66775291e389c"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report summarizing the rulemaking and guidance issued under subsections (a) and (c).</text></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Public assistance</header><section id="id07ff8cfc71444bdaa0ad709e63350900"><enum>201.</enum><header>Public assistance management costs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 324(b)(2)(B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5165b">42 U.S.C. 5165b(b)(2)(B)</external-xref>)—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd1973145a5844d1bb8d6467df4fbdc84"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>12 percent</quote> and inserting <quote>15 percent</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf18d5636579b40b1ada32cb83fa6f10f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>7 percent</quote> and inserting <quote>10 percent</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id848cdea0d8b9405eaa46f6159b59fb18"><enum>202.</enum><header>Advance assistance; training</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title III of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5141">42 U.S.C. 5141 et seq.</external-xref>), is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8d766ef507784b108611d38793624d27"><section id="idc8f088fd7870459a82fa67c7032fe49f"><enum>328.</enum><header>Training</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id64790e9b48f94763a08921598ea67865"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 30 days after the date on which the President declares a major disaster under section 401 with respect to a jurisdiction and upon the request of the Governor or Chief Executive of the jurisdiction, the President shall conduct an intensive training for the jurisdiction and any governmental agency of the jurisdiction.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4f70c9b46d584511984eb9c9d3e149a1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Supplement</header><text>The training conducted under subsection (a) for a jurisdiction shall supplement any training or briefing convened by the jurisdiction.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida295df06b0f34b1bae0920ad1bc59535"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Contents</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The training conducted under subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, explain—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id81f90eea066c428e81564275623a86aa"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the process of receiving resources and financial assistance relating to a major disaster under this Act, beginning with the declaration of the major disaster and ending with the disbursement of resources or financial assistance;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id637e1c65b1cc4aa09184abe66718041a"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each resource and financial assistance award available to the jurisdiction under this Act;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida3a3066e8def4757bde33180d366a8fa"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the required documentation and eligibility criteria for each resource and financial assistance award available to the jurisdiction under this Act;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id00ad57a053a04ae791b9025ec9732554"><enum>(4)</enum><text>acronyms and other terms of art regularly used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida6a1d1db4acf46778308fc967e7c7469"><enum>(5)</enum><text>any other concepts or processes the President determines necessary.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida5bcd24d175b41fdaef560fd9e16125e"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Virtual offering</header><text>The training required under subsection (a) may be offered virtually when reasonably practicable.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id562d0669361f4ac4a4a2bd2e02461e47"><enum>329.</enum><header>Advance assistance</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ideffd07f03f444ddb983adc675d52f4d9"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Public assistance
defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>public assistance</term> means assistance awarded under the programs under section 403, 406, 407, and 502.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7040cc253b56447d915dca9f87edb7e0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Advance assistance</header><text>With respect to a grantee or subgrantee of public assistance using the public assistance for a project, the President—</text><paragraph id="id84a2c70cc8b14504b256572add8e3174"><enum>(1)</enum><text>may provide not more than 75 percent of the estimated cost of the project before costs are incurred; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id4bc49f2a59c74a77ad447e3cfe1e197e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>upon request of the grantee or subgrantee, shall provide not less than 25 percent and not more than 75 percent of the estimated cost of a project before costs are incurred if the grantee or subgrantee sustains damage, as measured by a preliminary damage assessment, which may include the sum of multiple preliminary damage assessments for projects using public assistance in the jurisdiction, that is—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idaf682823c5b74b9bb86c40d02fd3e205"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with respect to a project being performed in a jurisdiction with a population of not more than 2,000, not less than the annual budget of the grantee or subgrantee during the preceding fiscal year;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idce7c6dbb8df0446a85b3c9ba269e438d"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with respect to a project being performed in a jurisdiction with a population between 2,001 and 3,500, not less than 2 times larger than the annual budget of the grantee or subgrantee during the preceding fiscal year; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id031d8b6f4e014e8aa605a59500e0b7d2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>with respect to a project being performed in a jurisdiction with a population between 3,501 and 5,000, not less than 3 times larger than the annual budget of the grantee or subgrantee during the preceding fiscal year.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc47267110e5e4b85bcb25ff97656f6ba"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Safeguards</header><text>A grantee or subgrantee of public assistance receiving assistance under subsection (b) shall provide to the Administrator methodology of the grantee or subgrantee to ensure safeguards against waste, fraud, and abuse.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="id33f30f711da844b287b8bb33e38f053b"><enum>203.</enum><header>Technical assistance pilot program</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1c47b66d2c6946978bca919c78c71147"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Establishment</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator may establish a program under which, upon the request of a Governor or Chief Executive of a State or Indian Tribal government, the Administrator may award assistance to the State or Indian tribal government that includes—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id458b4db7bf9f4ae98dc90253bc2cd64d"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the assignment of employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the State or Indian tribal government to provide technical assistance for low-capacity jurisdictions throughout the public assistance process, including with the respect to—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb2ed07b7630a40cea2081308858dadaa"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">project scoping;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idde3f91edef01443680cccb933b3bcb60"><enum>(B)</enum><text>damage documentation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida713df926fca47b1ba65ceeb44fef69d"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">training State or Indian tribal government personnel to be knowledgeable about all available programs under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5121">42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5dd08ddf6d6647ffb832502b21d0eded"><enum>(D)</enum><text>other related tasks; or</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id54b88ab0b72e4e569f35cd64b8f9710f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>funding to hire additional employees or contractors of the State to help low-capacity jurisdictions navigate the process of applying for and receiving for assistance under this Act, including—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide8315e4b6631464086078412af0f0fa5"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">project scoping;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id451a4259cdb2407a9793676e8018aa64"><enum>(B)</enum><text>damage documentation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida0cbbfcacdcd4e7090f7dfa2e3648ecd"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the grant application process; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3ec5618ed960470fb59b289b88e73092"><enum>(D)</enum><text>other related tasks.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0b54dd9bc2514ddab4b58cdfa3016048"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Selection</header><text>In selecting States and Indian tribal governments to which to award assistance under this section, the Administrator shall determine the need of the State or Indian tribal government for assistance based on—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id454bb13b9c9a483293995e9b40baa571"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the hazard risk of the State or Indian tribal government based on the National Risk Index;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id49ea2ee69ef24372b1ef9e57ade5e906"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the existing disaster management capacity of the State or Indian tribal government, as measured by the number of available personnel and the amount of resources of the State or Indian tribal government;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8f1a6e03726f4ffaa6da46bb6ffdf0a3"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the availability of a nongovernmental disaster response and recovery capacity in the State or Indian tribal government; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8e9628cd5b954c4f8057534c21e91492"><enum>(4)</enum><text>any other factor determined necessary by the Administrator.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1e1ddf9dfb5b47ccb9159f873d0969c1"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Termination</header><text>The program established under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the establishment of the program.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5b503881b96e4af7968fe9eb8f03f3ab"><enum>(d)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment of the program under subsection (a), and annually thereafter until the date described in subsection (d), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the program that includes—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida403a954cc114e15a7a2cea66ac3f682"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a list of the States and Indian tribal governments that have received assistance under the program; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id18d265b4b4e04dcca0f27bc962e57bb8"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an account of the form and scope of the assistance provided under the program to each State and Indian tribal government.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida0c3a66c1f60484a8e2d1d9d57afaee0"><enum>(e)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">GAO Audit</header><text>Not later than 3 years after the date of the establishment of the program under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0bf4204693b345d0a8f121a48edf170f"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">conduct an audit of the program;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc22f9e8098a4449b8a6e2882eed4ca82"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">study the effectiveness of the program; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida698a6167ecc4c009e8608c66477b2a3"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">submit to the appropriate congressional committees a recommendation whether to extend or expand the program.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf1b9f17519ee438a84fa9b71ad4bf159"><enum>(f)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Authorization of
appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this section.</text></subsection></section><section id="id7caa788fe0194c3da5f89d6f233d94ce"><enum>204.</enum><header>Simplified procedures</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 422 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5189">42 U.S.C. 5189</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (a) and the undesignated matter preceding subsection (b) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3343e81c98fa47fabe8b0d135df63b77"><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida878723ce2364b8c8b030df8856ae027"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id82c4823ee31248dab941d2fe3dc82c66"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Eligible project</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this subsection, the term <term>eligible project</term> means a project—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide2ff60e518e142d6877c4daab5254fb5"><enum>(A)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idf9f9a870f42147b2925633abce4bdc9c"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">under section 406 that includes repairing, restoring, or replacing any damaged or destroyed public facility or private nonprofit facility;</text></clause><clause indent="up1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id43993099b7414282b8411728e632c790"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with emergency assistance under section 403 or 502; or</text></clause><clause indent="up1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc06444eb156746ad9a09c2b12c292f14"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">under section 407 relating to debris removal; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph indent="up1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id467b9fdc84d948fb9702715caa076d2d"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Federal cost estimate of which is less than the greater of—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8a9d5f25a0894c4c8e92b6d374ffde47"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$1,000,00, which shall be adjusted to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers by the Department of Labor—</text><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id93427ccd2ca746bbbc71da81d811c41a"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">on the date of enactment of the <short-title>Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act</short-title> for the period between October 10, 2022, and such date; and</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf9cb7947a4b14631b273dbcd6a674dad"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">annually thereafter; and</text></subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id20ed7985855e4d71a666cde5a5aa81a6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has established a threshold under subsection (b), the amount established under subsection (b).</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0bc8ebdca02c41119ee077cc3520db3a"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Cost coverage</header><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idedf0a1b46c23445d9ba10cbf99656101"><enum>(A)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">On application by a State or local government that performs an eligible project, the President may make the contribution of the State or local government under section 403, 406, 407, or 502, as the case may be, on the basis of the cost incurred from the performance of the eligible project.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4f87e9a006534f3ab162592a313404b3"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Limit</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amount of the contribution under subparagraph (A) with respect to an eligible project may not exceed 150 percent of the Federal cost estimate of the eligible project.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf101433a42274f0fbafc40b45479b0aa"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Exception</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Paragraph (2) shall not apply with respect to a State or local government if the cost of the performance of an eligible project by the State or local government exceeds the cost estimate of the eligible project as a result of poor management, fraud, or waste.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="idb9b0bf58a7164a8e85ab921c77e717f4" commented="no"><enum>205.</enum><header>Simplified procedures pilot program</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id660c3a8a6caf4ba58674b03f4bb3f8f5"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Establishment</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, notwithstanding the amount specified under section 422(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5189">42 U.S.C. 5189(a)</external-xref>), the Administrator shall establish a pilot program under which the Administrator may select high-capacity jurisdictions performing a project under section 403, 406, 407, or 502 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170b">42 U.S.C. 5170b</external-xref>, 5172, 5173, 5192), the cost of which is less than $10,000,000, to be eligible for the contribution described in such section 422(a).</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id76f6237db5c940cab89cd9206d404a40"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Adjustment of amount</header><text>Not less frequently than annually, the Administrator shall adjust the amount specified in subsection (a) to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor.</text></subsection><subsection id="idd2474c39042342458cb8abfba704def5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Safeguards</header><text>A high-capacity jurisdiction selected under subsection (a) shall provide to the Administrator methodology of the high-capacity jurisdiction to ensure safeguards against waste, fraud, and abuse.</text></subsection><subsection id="idaf7896dbee4646f4a13ac1abefaf79ef"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Termination</header><text>The program established under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the establishment of the program.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf9024e0341f846d68f00330f858b3507"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment of the program under subsection (a), and annually thereafter until the date described in subsection (d), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the program.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb49a0f075f43460ea0b3255d76299dd1"><enum>(f)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">GAO Audit</header><text>Not later than 3 years after the date of the establishment of the program under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id48fd3f13f0ab4976a3ff5764904a7133"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">conduct an audit of the program;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id24f79d8a0da44ec9a11ba6cb36cc0b1f"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">study the effectiveness of the program; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8e2d6831599847768fdca33aa1fe577d"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">submit to the appropriate congressional committees a recommendation whether to extend or expand the program.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idcbdb81fb45ce49b58657369533be2daa"><enum>206.</enum><header>Regulations</header><subsection id="idae474ba072034aca92ec63261c9fa52b"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 540 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a final rulemaking that implements this title and the amendments made by this title.</text></subsection><subsection id="id931398b928dd408eac312b8b38ce18f8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Interim guidance</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue interim guidance to implement this title and the amendments made by this title that expires upon the earlier of—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd88c007d4a8147a1ba05e64193206e3d"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">540 days after the of enactment of this Act; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ideea949eb878548e8bf6df8981395b177"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the issuance of the final rulemaking under subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idb471301b7ca04329bc2c31a6cda6eb8b"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Guidance</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Administrator issues the final rulemaking under subsection (a), the Administrator shall issue any necessary guidance related to the rulemaking.</text></subsection><subsection id="ida10bca6ca70f49f9a2c74c922e475db6" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report summarizing the rulemaking and guidance issued under subsections (a) and (c).</text></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Other provisions</header><section id="id2ee54dd4530542e1b5e14ad3251d2fe6" commented="no"><enum>301.</enum><header>Substantially damaged structures</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id64cd5f7100f445ac91ca3fe0e10f0415"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Facility defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>facility</term> means a facility that provides critical services, including—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf1f2d5eae4b6403f9a13e6cd799022d9"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">power;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idfe9dff9ee60d4fdfa000245f597a8edd"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">water, including water provided by an irrigation organization or facility described in section 206.221(e)(3) of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id668812c751004b0f9759e58eb4976bae"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">sewer;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8a0286fa265149d39eab7c951c4a8b0d"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">wastewater treatment;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd429964dce65458c8ef39bb4db337806"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">communications;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id881e48326aba4afc82a5eef24932880c"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">medical care;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida6587dbad9704724bdcffa3a0c5656ef"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">fire response; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida1b540b404684b5c9eea017f04b675b6"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">other emergency rescue services.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2b066f9598ec4f5596be371f8ea761fe"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Requirement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With respect to the approval of funding and requirement to restore a destroyed facility at a new location described in section 206.226(g) of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall approve the funding and require that restoration with respect to a facility if—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id122316775d194b6b9d113fb868ef6182"><enum>(1)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id39c63c25c6954482b56b4d1505be993e"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the facility sustains not less than 30 percent damage on not less than 2 occasions; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph indent="up1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="iddba379a1a0104f2c8a0c275a086634c1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the facility sustains not less than 50 percent damage; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida4607e87800049bd95aa90d7f6641655"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the State or Indian tribal government with jurisdiction over the facility requests the restoration at a new location.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idbb7a184d1cc946e78413a29c35ace1e5"><enum>302.</enum><header>Eligibility of subgovernmental units for assistance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 102(8) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5122">42 U.S.C. 5122(8)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id78bd28ee59b94d27a3f28017a458a521"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id29057ad30c23428d94b431e53ad92d4f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb06033561f884a00bfb92e317752cdfb"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf9314884c14f4651af8ffa7d1e2bdc50"><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idede51a25ae1144ccb8d563407093f881"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">includes any State or political subdivision of a State authorized by a local government to submit an application under this Act and serve as an agent on behalf of the local government.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide7b192737e964e54bbfe4bbce8583dc6"><enum>303.</enum><header>General administration of disaster and emergency assistance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title III of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5141">42 U.S.C. 5141 et seq.</external-xref>), as amended by title II, is further amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd2310e52165b4714a6968d123dd2dbf8"><section id="id9662777dfe814a10b53b8dd09f94a98d"><enum>330.</enum><header>Requirement to notify during prolonged pause in disaster
assistance</header><subsection id="idca1c221adb194fcea13ed99aaad7c1b9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="id4ca84430f1a74e488be2c9cc10257a26"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Pause</header><text>The term <term>pause</term> means any action to pause, freeze, cancel, suspend, terminate, or otherwise impede the disbursement of appropriated Federal funds to States and Indian tribal governments awarded under grants, executed contracts, or other executed financial obligations.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2d89b77755f642e385f472e593912b74"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Prolonged</header><text>The term <term>prolonged</term> means a cumulative period of not less than 26 business days during any fiscal year.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id09a8a8ab71e64b049f3af3914de5c24e"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>In the event of a prolonged pause in the disbursement of Federal funds appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act, not later than 5 business days after the date on which the pause becomes prolonged, the President shall make the following information publicly available:</text><paragraph id="idecb77d2dfac44b3aa369a09f59bcad45"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The rationale for the pause.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfad6f06623944fb9bb9d4002463f8f2c"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The expected duration of the pause.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8df14bdb97074adc8a67ba3e16bcff59"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The legal authority for the pause.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id65ee464298ea44f995376160660680d9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Resources to check the status of the pause.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="H303FFB22BE254E7E84CC9109B59B096C" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>304.</enum><header>Deduction for traveling expenses for Federal disaster relief workers away from home for more than 1 year</header><subsection id="H8A2A1D7D620A455CB97286529E9C9A19"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/162">Section 162(a)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting <quote>or is certified by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as traveling on behalf of the United States in temporary duty status to respond to a federally declared disaster (as defined in section 165(i)(5)(A))</quote> after <quote>a Federal crime</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H9EA71A8F28A84B3781E4625492A77E40" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id46ff43518e274586ba8f90c5646d602f"><enum>305.</enum><header>Dual compensation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Administrator may waive the application of subsections (a) through (h) of section 8344, or subsections (a) through (e) of section 8468, of title 5, United States Code, on a case-by-case basis, for—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6fba14d484374cdf9a4bee10cf5c4b9b"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a position for which there is exceptional difficulty in recruiting or retaining a qualified employee; or</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5a3cc31e401f4d4fb71ef02190ef9369"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency serving on a temporary basis, but only if, and for so long as, the authority is necessary due to an emergency involving a direct threat to life or property or other unusual circumstances.</text></paragraph></section><section id="iddef98bebdeb14cc48a6ced06979c728d" commented="no"><enum>306.</enum><header>Excess funds for management costs</header><subsection id="H92ABB183F18041C6944A90E6FBC5ED13" changed="not-changed"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5165b">42 U.S.C. 5165b</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3F8274767C3440F1AD2CE99C7A355755"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (b)(2), as amended by title I of this Act—</text><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9FB47B46ABB74A4AA665B92F2D9673E9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5835A728E09A4C00940878FB8B356EEB"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the matter preceding clause (i), as so redesignated, by striking <quote>provide the following percentage rates</quote> and inserting</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H897BBD0273064281979FB829512A6058" display-inline="yes-display-inline"><text>provide—</text><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8C4520FA1B174BFBA48D26D3C383DB09"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">excess funds for management costs as described in subsection (c); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAC8CE7F2BDCD4D8F81CF6DD95B99B899"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the following percentage rates</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H2F1A6C02837542D7994B54D75E131D60" changed="not-changed"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCB3FB907DBC641288AF929EE5DF13438" changed="not-changed"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (b) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H00BFAC78BE264B46B7CF470D1DEF1172" changed="not-changed"><subsection id="HD3CD54BD56AF4AA0A621D77DA3D5A865" changed="not-changed"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Use of excess funds for management costs</header><paragraph id="H5928D77B3CEA41EF9B19614B4A728A75" changed="not-changed"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Definition of excess funds for management costs</header><text>In this subsection, the term <term>excess funds for management costs</term> means the difference between—</text><subparagraph id="HDA8E9D2081B649C485A6C4369BAA317A" changed="not-changed"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the amount of the applicable specific management costs authorized under subsection (b)(1) and subsection (b)(2)(B); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H19DD95F398EC4449A0570311BA643330" changed="not-changed"><enum>(B)</enum><text>as of the date on which the grant award is closed, the amount of funding for management costs activities expended by the grantee or subgrantee receiving the financial assistance for costs described in subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD0A6AE1732EA4B50BA7540E055E5CB17" changed="not-changed"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Availability of excess funds for management
costs</header><text>The President may make available to a grantee or subgrantee receiving financial assistance under section 403, 404, 406, 407, 409, or 502 any excess funds for management costs.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB62095F8055949138DA647B26B2A4607" changed="not-changed"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>Excess funds for management costs made available to a grantee or subgrantee under paragraph (2) may be used for—</text><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H901CE97B0B934A2B8E76448F7CFAB3E5"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">activities associated with building capacity to prepare for, recover from, or mitigate the impacts of a major disaster or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEFD282909B2943B5A0E689833E0049C8"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">management costs associated with any—</text><clause changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB66FDE3CF7B047338D2E21FFCD97BE12"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">major disaster;</text></clause><clause changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H764CB780409E4F9EA8E92ED1DA6DADC8"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">emergency;</text></clause><clause changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H713B63B6C442435D88A21A47371CF5F5"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">disaster preparedness measure; or</text></clause><clause changed="not-changed" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEDA0AD58D05F4E0A8F0BF99D41D15644"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">mitigation activity or measure authorized under section 203, 204, 205, or 404.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD197CD55D54448BD98DF6640EC120255" changed="not-changed"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any grant award in relation to a major disaster or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170">42 U.S.C. 5170</external-xref>, 5191) the declaration of which is made on or after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="id43c5a20ebc3146dc85654eb9ae9868e5"><enum>307.</enum><header>Timeline for award of management costs</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 324(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5165b">42 U.S.C. 5165b(b)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block id="id9A0FFC2172C347389965FA87E8B76673" display-inline="no-display-inline" style="OLC"><paragraph id="id9fd8f65c1da4418ba1db544423334960"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Management cost increments</header><text>The President may award a grantee under section 404, 403, 406, 407, or 502—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8944c84469674bf89aec30eb1e905a5e"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by the date that is 30 days after the date on which the President declares the applicable major disaster under section 401, 50 percent of the amount of the applicable management costs described in paragraph (2);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id20b3f8934fc7482788a5e5b41d880106"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by the date that is 180 days after the date on which the President declares the applicable major disaster under section 401, 75 percent of the amount of the applicable management costs described in paragraph (2); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5811041a75d74aa1b6f214bd0192ef79" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by the date that is 1 year after the date on which the President declares the applicable major disaster under section 401, 100 percent of the applicable management costs described in paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc776f6d6d744425298de0971c2f76f3b"><enum>308.</enum><header>Regulation simplification</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5e8f8126c3614dbc81926e925047385e"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a review of the regulations promulgated by the Administrator; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idfb59e8c6379a499ba274c75633175105"><enum>(2)</enum><text>recommendations for modifying or eliminating regulations promulgated by the Administrator that are redundant or overly burdensome, particularly for low-capacity jurisdictions.</text></paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8461c5b302ce4de5b274ccb51c9d455e"><enum>309.</enum><header>Report on advance assistance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2c96b612617649bca4587f6f66e5320e"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">on the exercise of the authority of the Administrator to provide advance assistance under—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id20930b3c08ae408e822e617f6b67d7b6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>section 404(e) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170c">42 U.S.C. 5170c(e)</external-xref>); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id43cd599a796d4bd792b9af98949eabe2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>section 329 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as added by this Act; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idf426a6c06143431db103d8f15ab5c2b9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>that includes a comprehensive account of the frequency and extent of invocation of the authority described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></section>