[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3092 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.3092

                    One Hundred Seventeenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
          the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two


                                 An Act


 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
  Act to improve the provision of certain disaster assistance, 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 ``FEMA Improvement, Reform, and 
Efficiency Act of 2022'' or the ``FIRE Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act--
        (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the 
    Agency;
        (2) the term ``Agency'' means the Federal Emergency Management 
    Agency;
        (3) the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
            (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
            (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and 
        the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives;
        (4) the term ``emergency'' means an emergency declared or 
    determined to exist by the President under section 501 of the 
    Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
    U.S.C. 5191);
        (5) the terms ``Indian tribal government'', ``local 
    government'', and ``State'' have the meanings given such terms in 
    section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122); and
        (6) the term ``major disaster'' means a major disaster declared 
    by the President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
    Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170).
SEC. 3. REPORT ON RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report 
regarding the use of relocation assistance under sections 203, 404, and 
406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5133, 5170c, 5172) for wildfire risk to the appropriate 
committees of Congress.
    (b) Contents.--The report submitted under subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
        (1) Any information on relocation projects that have been 
    carried out due to fire risks or denied by the Agency, including 
    the number and value of projects either carried out or denied.
        (2) A discussion of the possible benefits or disadvantages of 
    providing relocation assistance that may reduce, but not eliminate, 
    the risk of loss due to wildfires.
        (3) A discussion of how the Agency may optimize relocation 
    assistance when entire States or geographic areas are considered 
    subject to a fire risk.
        (4) An analysis of whether other mitigation measures are more 
    cost-effective than relocation assistance when the applicant is 
    applying to move from a high-risk to a medium-risk or low-risk area 
    with respect to wildfires.
        (5) An analysis of the need for the Federal Government to 
    produce wildfire maps that identify high-risk, moderate-risk, and 
    low-risk wildfire zones.
        (6) An analysis of whether other mitigation measures promote 
    greater resilience to wildfires when compared to relocation or, if 
    additional data is required in order to carry out such an analysis, 
    a discussion of the additional data required.
        (7) A discussion of the ability of States, local governments, 
    and Indian tribal governments to demonstrate fire risk, and whether 
    the level of this ability impacts the ability of States, local 
    governments, or Indian tribal governments to access relocation 
    assistance, including an assessment of existing fire mapping 
    products and capabilities and recommendations on redressing any 
    gaps in the ability of the Agency to assist States, local 
    governments, and Indian tribal governments in demonstrating fire 
    risk.
        (8) An evaluation of--
            (A) the scope of the data available to the Agency regarding 
        historical wildfire losses;
            (B) how such data is utilized in benefit-cost analysis 
        determinations by the Agency;
            (C) what additional data, if any, may be pertinent to such 
        determinations; and
            (D) what, if any, alternative methods may be relevant to 
        the determination of cost effectiveness.
        (9) A discussion of the extent to which the decision process 
    for relocation assistance appropriately considers the change in 
    future risks for wildfires due to a changing climate.
        (10) An analysis of whether statutes and regulations regarding 
    relocation assistance by the Agency present barriers for States, 
    local governments, or Indian tribal governments trying to access 
    funding to reduce wildfire risk.
        (11) An analysis of--
            (A) how, if at all, the Agency has modified policies and 
        procedures to determine the eligibility of proposed relocation 
        or mitigation projects with respect to wildfires;
            (B) the cost effectiveness of such projects, in light of 
        the increasing losses and obligations for wildfires in recent 
        years; and
            (C) the effectiveness of any modifications described in 
        subparagraph (A).
        (12) An analysis of how, if at all, recent changes in the 
    availability of fire insurance has resulted in modifications of 
    policy or procedure with respect to determining the cost efficacy 
    of relocation assistance for wildfires.
        (13) An analysis of how to define repetitive loss and 
    repetitively damaged properties in the context of wildfires.
        (14) Other related issues that the Administrator determines 
    appropriate.
SEC. 4. RED FLAG WARNINGS AND PREDISASTER ACTIONS.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator, in coordination with the National Weather Service of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall--
        (1) conduct a study of, develop recommendations for, and 
    initiate a process for the use of forecasts and data, including 
    information that supports the Red Flag Warnings of the National 
    Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and similar weather alert 
    and notification methods, to establish--
            (A) plans and actions, consistent with law, that can be 
        implemented prior to a wildfire event, including pre-impact 
        disaster declarations and surge operations, that can limit the 
        impact, duration, or severity of the fire; and
            (B) mechanisms to increase interagency collaboration to 
        expedite the delivery of disaster assistance; and
        (2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
    comprehensive report regarding the study described in paragraph 
    (1), including any recommendations of the Administrator, and the 
    activities of the Administrator to carry out paragraph (1).
SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE FOR WILDFIRE DAMAGE.
    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress 
regarding--
        (1) the application for assistance and consistency of 
    assistance provided by the Agency in response to wildfires; and
        (2) the kinds of damage that result from wildfires.
SEC. 6. GAO REPORT ON GAPS.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that examines--
        (1) gaps in the policies of the Agency related to wildfires, 
    when compared to other hazards;
        (2) disparities in regulations and guidance issued by the 
    Administrator, including any oversight of the programs of the 
    Agency, when addressing impacts of wildfires and other hazards;
        (3) ways to shorten the period of time between the initiating 
    of and the distribution of assistance, reimbursements, and grants;
        (4) the effectiveness of the programs of the Agency in 
    addressing wildfire hazards;
        (5) ways to improve the ability of the Agency to assist States, 
    local governments, and Indian tribal governments to prepare for, 
    respond to, recover from, and mitigate against wildfire hazards;
        (6) revising the application process for assistance relating to 
    wildfires to more effectively assess uninsured and underinsured 
    losses and serious needs; and
        (7) ways to improve the disaster assistance programs of 
    agencies other than the Agency.
SEC. 7. CRISIS COUNSELING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
    (a) In General.--Section 416 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5183) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``The President'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) In General.--The President''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Training.--Each State, local agency, or private mental health 
organization providing professional counseling services described in 
subsection (a) shall ensure that, any individual providing professional 
counseling services to victims of a major disaster as authorized under 
subsection (a), including individuals working for nonprofit partners 
and recovery organizations, is appropriately trained to address impacts 
from major disasters in communities, and to individuals, with socio-
economically disadvantaged backgrounds.''.
    (b) Rule of Applicability.--The amendments made by this section 
shall apply with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 8. CASE MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
    (a) In General.--Section 426 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189d) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``The President'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) In General.--The President''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Training.--Each State, local government agency, or qualified 
private organization providing professional counseling services 
described in subsection (a) shall ensure that any individual providing 
case management services to victims of a major disaster as authorized 
under subsection (a), including individuals working for nonprofit 
partners and recovery organizations, is appropriately trained to 
address impacts from major disasters in communities, and to 
individuals, with socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.''.
    (b) Rule of Applicability.--The amendments made by this section 
shall apply with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 9. STUDY AND PLAN FOR DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
    (a) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall--
        (1) conduct a study and develop a plan, consistent with law, 
    under which the Agency will address providing housing assistance to 
    survivors of major disasters or emergencies when presented with 
    challenges such as--
            (A) the presence of multiple families within a single 
        household; and
            (B) the near loss of a community, with the majority of 
        homes destroyed in that community, including as a result of a 
        wildfire, earthquake, or other event causing a major disaster; 
        and
        (2) make recommendations for legislative changes needed to 
    address--
            (A) the presence of multiple families within a single 
        household; and
            (B) the near loss of a community, with the majority of 
        homes destroyed in that community, including as a result of a 
        wildfire, earthquake, or other event causing a major disaster.
    (b) Comprehensive Report.--The Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that provides a detailed 
discussion of the plans developed under subsection (a)(1) and the 
recommendations of the Administrator under subsection (a)(2).
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after submission of the 
report and recommendations under subsection (b), the Administrator 
shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the findings and 
any recommendations made pursuant to this section.
  SEC. 10. REIMBURSEMENT.
    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress 
regarding the extent to which the Agency is using housing solutions 
proposed by a State or local government to reduce the time or cost 
required to implement housing solutions after a major disaster.
  SEC. 11. PERMIT APPLICATIONS FOR TRIBAL UPGRADES TO EMERGENCY 
      OPERATIONS CENTERS.
    (a) In General.--Section 614(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5196c(a)) is amended--
        (1) by inserting ``and Indian tribal governments'' after 
    ``grants to States''; and
        (2) by striking ``State and local'' and inserting ``State, 
    local, and Tribal''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.