[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2562 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2562

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to direct the Director of the Federal Emergency 
   Management Agency to establish a minority emergency preparedness 
             demonstration program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2001

   Mr. Bishop (for himself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mrs. 
  Christensen, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Davis of 
Illinois, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Lee, Mr. Watt of North Carolina, Mr. 
Cummings, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Owens, Ms. Waters, Mr. Payne, Ms. 
McKinney, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Carson of Indiana, 
   Mr. Rush, Mr. Towns, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Solis, Mr. 
 Serrano, Mr. Clyburn, and Ms. DeLauro) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to direct the Director of the Federal Emergency 
   Management Agency to establish a minority emergency preparedness 
             demonstration 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Minority Emergency Preparedness Act 
of 2001''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

    Subtitle B of title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5197-5197g) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 629. MINORITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director shall establish a minority 
emergency preparedness demonstration program to research and promote 
the capacity of minority communities to provide data, information, and 
awareness education by providing grants to or executing contracts or 
cooperative agreements with eligible nonprofit organizations to 
establish and conduct such programs.
    ``(b) Activities Supported.--An eligible nonprofit organization may 
use a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded under this 
section--
            ``(1) to conduct research into the status of emergency 
        preparedness and disaster response awareness in African 
        American and Hispanic households located in urban, suburban, 
        and rural communities, particularly in those States and regions 
        most impacted by natural and manmade disasters and emergencies; 
        and
            ``(2) to develop and promote awareness of emergency 
        preparedness education programs within minority communities, 
        including development and preparation of culturally competent 
        educational and awareness materials that can be used to 
        disseminate information to minority organizations and 
        institutions.
    ``(c) Eligible Organizations.--A nonprofit organization is eligible 
to be awarded a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this 
section with respect to a program if the organization is a nonprofit 
organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)) and exempt from tax under 
section 501(a) of such Code, whose primary mission is to provide 
services to communities predominately populated by minority citizens, 
and that can demonstrate a partnership with a minority-owned business 
enterprise or minority business located in a HUBZone (as defined in 
section 3(p) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(p))) with respect 
to the program.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant, contract, or 
cooperative agreement awarded under this section may only use the 
proceeds of the grant, contract, or agreement to--
            ``(1) acquire expert professional services necessary to 
        conduct research in communities predominately populated by 
        minority citizens, with a primary emphasis on African American 
        and Hispanic communities;
            ``(2) develop and prepare informational materials to 
        promote awareness among minority communities about emergency 
        preparedness and how to protect their households and 
        communities in advance of disasters;
            ``(3) establish consortia with minority national 
        organizations, minority institutions of higher education, and 
        faith-based institutions to disseminate information about 
        emergency preparedness to minority communities; and
            ``(4) implement a joint project with a minority serving 
        institution, including a part B institution (as defined in 
        section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1061(2))), an institution described in subparagraph (A), (B), 
        or (C) of section 326 of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1063b(e)(1) (A), 
        (B), or (C)), and a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 
        section 502(a)(5) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5))).
    ``(e) Application and Review Procedure.--To be eligible to receive 
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, an 
organization must submit an application to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Director may 
reasonably require. The Director shall establish a procedure by which 
to accept such applications.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2002 
and such funds as may be necessary for fiscal years 2003 through 2007. 
Such sums shall remain available until expended.''.
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