[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8526 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8526

   To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 
  direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish an Office of Disaster 
                   Recovery, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2022

  Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Gimenez, and Mr. Neguse) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 
  direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish an Office of Disaster 
                   Recovery, 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 ``Office of Disaster Recovery Act''.

SEC. 2. DISASTER RECOVERY OFFICE.

    (a) In General.--Title V of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 508. DISASTER RECOVERY OFFICE.

    ``(a) Disaster Recovery Office.--The Secretary shall establish an 
Office of Disaster Recovery to direct and implement the Economic 
Development Administration's post-disaster economic recovery 
responsibilities pursuant to sections 209(c)(2) and (e) and 703, 
economic recovery support function activities as directed under the 
National Disaster Recovery Framework, and as necessary to administer 
disaster appropriations made available for such purposes.
    ``(b) Appointment and Compensation.--
            ``(1) Appointment.--The Secretary is authorized to appoint 
        such temporary personnel as may be necessary to implement post-
        disaster economic recovery responsibilities, without regard to 
        the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
        States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service 
        and compensation of personnel.
            ``(2) Conversion of employees.--Notwithstanding chapter 33 
        of title 5, United States Code, or any other provision of law 
        relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of 
        individuals in the competitive service, the Secretary is 
        authorized to convert a temporary employee appointed under this 
        subsection to a permanent appointment in the competitive 
        service in the Economic Development Administration under merit 
        promotion procedures if--
                    ``(A) the employee has served continuously for at 
                least 2 years under one or more appointments under this 
                subsection; and
                    ``(B) the employee's performance has been at an 
                acceptable level of performance throughout the period 
                or periods referred to in subparagraph (A).
            ``(3) Compensation.--An individual converted under this 
        subsection shall become a career-conditional employee, unless 
        the employee has already completed the service requirements for 
        career tenure.''.
    (b) Grants for Economic Adjustment.--Section 209 of the Public 
Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3149) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Federal Share for Disaster Recovery.--In the case of a grant 
provided under this section for a project for economic recovery in 
response to a major disaster or emergency declared under the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 
et seq.), the Secretary shall increase the Federal share to 100 percent 
of the cost of the project.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations for Disaster Economic Recovery 
Activities.--Section 703 of the Public Works and Economic Development 
Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3233) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(c) Special Rule for Federal Share of Disaster Recovery.--The 
Federal share of the cost of a project for economic recovery in 
response to a major disaster or emergency declared under the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 
et seq.) funded with amounts made available under subsection (a) shall 
be 100 percent.''.
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