[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1897 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1897

To allow for expanded uses of funding allocated to Louisiana under the 
hazard mitigation program while preserving the goals of the program to 
        reduce future damage from disasters through mitigation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 30, 2007

  Mr. Vitter introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To allow for expanded uses of funding allocated to Louisiana under the 
hazard mitigation program while preserving the goals of the program to 
        reduce future damage from disasters through mitigation.

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

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION OF RESTRICTION ON USE OF AMOUNTS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), and notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall not prohibit the use by the State of Louisiana 
under the Road Home Program of that State of any amounts described in 
subsection (e), based upon the existence or extent of any requirement 
or condition under that program that--
            (1) limits the amount made available to an eligible 
        homeowner who does not agree to remain an owner and occupant of 
        a home in Louisiana; or
            (2) waives the applicability of any limitation described in 
        paragraph (1) for eligible homeowners who are elderly or senior 
        citizens.
    (b) Procedures.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall identify and implement mechanisms to simplify 
the expedited distribution of amounts described in subsection (e), 
including--
            (1) creating a programmatic cost-benefit analysis to 
        provide a means of conducting cost-benefit analysis by project 
        type and geographic factors rather than on a structure-by-
        structure basis; and
            (2) developing a streamlined environmental review process 
        to significantly speed the approval of project applications.
    (c) Waiver.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in 
        using amounts described in subsection (e), the President shall 
        waive the requirements of sections 206.434(c) and 206.438(d) of 
        title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (or any corresponding 
        similar regulation or ruling), or specify alternative 
        requirements, upon a request by the State of Louisiana that 
        such waiver is required to facilitate the timely use of funds 
        or a guarantee provided under section 404 of the Robert T. 
        Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5170c).
            (2) Exception.--The President may not waive any requirement 
        relating to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, 
        or, except as provided in subsection (b), the environment under 
        paragraph (1).
    (d) Savings Provision.--Except as provided in subsections (a), (b), 
and (c), section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) shall apply to amounts 
described in subsection (e) that are used by the State of Louisiana 
under the Road Home Program of that State.
    (e) Covered Amounts.--The amounts described in this subsection is 
$1,170,000,000 provided to the State of Louisiana because of Hurricane 
Katrina of 2005 or Hurricane Rita of 2005 under the hazard mitigation 
grant program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under section 
404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c).
                                 <all>