[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4022 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4022
To establish an interagency task force on expediting disaster relief
funding, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 5, 2026
Mr. Budd (for himself and Mr. Warnock) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an interagency task force on expediting disaster relief
funding, 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 ``Disaster Recovery Improvement Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Numerous programs administered by Federal agencies,
while not dedicated exclusively to disaster recovery, play a
critical role in supporting and expediting recovery efforts.
(2) The delayed delivery of Federal disaster relief funding
to local communities in the wake of recent natural disasters,
including Hurricane Helene, revealed new and longstanding
bottlenecks in Federal disaster response.
(3) State and local governments should have greater input
in how the Federal Government administers disaster relief
assistance and responsibility for responding to natural
disasters.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Federal
agencies must incorporate recommendations from State and local
governments to improve their disaster response capability.
SEC. 3. DISASTER RECOVERY IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency shall establish an interagency task force on
expediting disaster relief funding to be known as the ``Disaster
Recovery Improvement Task Force''.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The interagency task force established
under subsection (a), shall consist of--
(A) a senior official from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, appointed by the Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to serve as
chair;
(B) a senior official, appointed by the head of the
respective agency of the official, experienced in
handling disaster recovery matters from each of--
(i) the Small Business Administration;
(ii) the Department of Housing and Urban
Development;
(iii) the Department of Agriculture;
(iv) the Department of Health and Human
Services;
(v) the Department of Labor;
(vi) the Department of Transportation;
(vii) the Department of Commerce;
(viii) the Department of the Treasury;
(ix) the Department of the Interior;
(x) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(xi) the Army Corp of Engineers; and
(xii) the Office of Management and Budget;
(C) 4 state governors, jointly appointed by the
Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives, representing States that,
during the 3-year period immediately preceding
appointment to the interagency task force, have
experienced a major disaster, as defined in section 401
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), of which--
(i) 1 was a hurricane;
(ii) 1 was a wildfire;
(iii) 1 was a tornado; and
(iv) 1 was an earthquake; and
(D) 4 county commissioners, jointly appointed by
the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives,
representing a county in a State that, during the 3-
year period immediately preceding appointment to the
interagency task force, have experienced a major
disaster, as defined in section 401 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5170), of which--
(i) 1 was a hurricane;
(ii) 1 was a wildfire;
(iii) 1 was a tornado; and
(iv) 1 was an earthquake.
(2) Advisory members.--Members of Congress representing the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
of the House of Representatives may serve on the interagency
task force established under subsection (a) as advisory members
in a non-voting capacity.
(c) Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the interagency task force established
under subsection (a) shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the
House of Representatives and make publicly available a report
that--
(A) identifies the programs, including temporary
programs, for which Congress appropriates funds to aid
recovery purposes relating to the consequences of
natural disasters;
(B) contains recommendations for Federal agencies
on the most effective way to expedite disaster relief
efforts, including recommendations to--
(i) streamline the establishment and
administration of temporary programs;
(ii) improve the timeliness, accessibility,
and clarity of applications for funding; and
(iii) reduce delays in the review and
obligation of funds with respect to
applications received;
(C) identifies the different types of funding
mechanisms for which Congress provides appropriations
to Federal agencies for disaster relief, including
grants, loans, reimbursements, and contract authority;
(D) contains recommendations to Federal agencies
and Congress on the most effective way to expedite the
expenditure of the funds identified under subparagraph
(C) toward disaster relief;
(E) contains recommendations for Federal agencies
and Congress to strengthen State capacity to prepare
for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters;
(F) identifies factors that cause delays in
disaster relief program funding being made available or
obligated, including during transitions from one
presidential administration to another presidential
administration;
(G) includes recommendations on how outgoing and
incoming Presidential administrations can equip
themselves to set up and deliver disaster relief aid
without delay, including an assessment of actions
required of both outgoing and incoming Presidential
administrations to ensure continuity and uninterrupted
delivery of disaster relief funding;
(H) evaluates barriers within Federal agencies and
across Federal agencies that delay the obligation or
expenditure of disaster relief funds and provides
recommendations to address those barriers; and
(I) assesses specific actions taken by Federal
agencies over time that have improved or hindered
interagency coordination, State and local engagement,
and the timely delivery of disaster relief funding.
(2) Recommendations.--In making recommendations for the
report under paragraph (1), the interagency task force shall
make recommendations for ways to expedite making available and
obligating specific funding appropriated by Congress to certain
agencies, including--
(A) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
including with respect to Public Assistance funding
under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172)
and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding under
section 404 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 5170);
(B) to the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, including with respect to funding under
the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery
program;
(C) to the Department of Agriculture, including
with respect to funding for necessary expenses relating
to losses of revenue or quality or production of crops
as a consequence of a major disaster, as defined in
section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170);
(D) to the Department of Agriculture, including
with respect to Forest Service operations, forest and
rangeland research, state, private, and tribal
forestry, and National Forest System funding for
necessary expenses relating to the consequences of
disaster relief;
(E) to the Department of Labor, including with
respect to Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant
funding under section 170 of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225);
(F) to the Department of Commerce, including with
respect to Economic Development Administration funding
under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.);
(G) to the Department of the Interior, including
with respect to National Park Service Historic
Preservation Fund and construction funding for
necessary expenses relating to the consequences of
disaster relief; and
(H) to the Environmental Protection Agency,
including with respect to Clean Water State Revolving
Fund funding under title VI of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.).
(3) Implementation report.--Not later than 180 days after
the date on which the interagency task force submits the report
under paragraph (1), the interagency task force shall submit to
the congressional committees described in that paragraph a
report detailing--
(A) which of the recommendations contained in the
report under paragraph (1) shall be implemented by
Federal agencies and why those recommendations in the
report not being implemented are not selected for
implementation;
(B) how the recommendations selected for
implementation will be carried out; and
(C) legislative recommendations for Congress to
support the recommendations selected for
implementation.
(d) No Additional Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this Act.
(e) Termination.--The interagency task force established under
subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 90 days after the
date on which the interagency task force submits the report under
subsection (c)(3).
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