[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5859-H5861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HOUSING SURVIVORS OF MAJOR DISASTERS ACT OF 2020

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2914) to make available necessary disaster assistance for 
families affected by major disasters, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2914

       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 ``Housing Survivors of Major 
     Disasters Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) FEMA.--The term ``FEMA'' means the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency.
       (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of FEMA.

     SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

       (a) Financial Assistance.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, individuals and households described in 
     subsection (c) may be eligible for assistance made available 
     under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) in connection 
     with a major disaster declared by the President under section 
     401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including Hurricane Maria 
     of 2017.
       (b) Use of Funds.--Any assistance provided pursuant to 
     subsection (a) may include costs relating to obtaining title 
     for a property described in subsection (c)(1), including the 
     cost of land surveys and any other taxes or fees associated 
     with obtaining the title for such property.
       (c) Eligible Individuals or Households.--With respect to 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), an individual or household 
     described in this subsection is an individual or household 
     who--
       (1) is residing on a property located in the area for which 
     the major disaster was declared but does not have documented 
     ownership rights to such property and is not renting such 
     property; or
       (2) is or was residing in an area for which a major 
     disaster has been declared by the President under section 401 
     of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), during the designated 
     incident period, including residing in any housing 
     accommodation or property upon which a housing accommodation 
     is located, including any living quarters, boardinghouse, 
     bunkhouse, manufactured home, mobile home, or travel trailer.
       (d) Evidence.--
       (1) Consideration.--In making a determination to provide 
     assistance pursuant to this Act, the Administrator shall 
     consider a wide range of evidence.
       (2) Alternative forms of evidence.--In determining if an 
     individual or household is eligible for assistance pursuant 
     to this Act, the Administrator shall accept either a 
     declarative statement or the presentation of at least one 
     item of alternative evidence, including the following:
       (A) A utility (including gas, electric, sewer, or water) 
     bill with the name and address of the individual.
       (B) A merchant's statement (including a credit card, 
     delivery notice, or first class mail) with the name and 
     address of the individual.
       (C) A pay stub from an employer with the name and address 
     of the individual.
       (D) A current driver's license or State-issued 
     identification card of the individual.
       (E) The deed or title for the applicable property.
       (F) A mortgage payment booklet or another mortgage 
     document.
       (G) Property title of mobile home certificate of title.
       (H) A real estate property tax receipt.
       (I) A school registration containing the address of self, 
     child, or children.
       (J) A will and testament with the name and address of the 
     individual.
       (K) In a State that does not require a will and testament 
     for the transfer of immovable property, a death certificate 
     and birth certificate that establishes an automatic transfer 
     of legal ownership.
       (L) Medical records that list the name and address of the 
     individual.
       (M) A charitable donation receipt that list the name and 
     address of the individual.
       (N) Any other documentation, certification, identification, 
     or proof of occupancy or ownership not included on this list 
     that can reasonably link the individual requesting assistance 
     to the applicable property.
       (e) Applicability.--This section shall apply to funds 
     appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.

       (a) Development of Declarative Statement.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall create, in 
     coordination with the appropriate authorities of the 
     applicable jurisdiction, and distribute, where necessary, a 
     declarative statement form that an applicant for assistance 
     provided pursuant to section 3 may use to self-certify such 
     applicant's eligibility for assistance pursuant to this Act.
       (2) Prohibition of notarization.--The Administrator may not 
     require the declarative statement form created under 
     paragraph (1) to require notarization by the applicant.
       (b) Exemptions.--A declarative statement form created under 
     subsection (a)(1) is exempt from publication notice, public 
     comment periods, and agency information collection review and 
     approval by the Office of Management and Budget required by 
     the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
       (c) Guidance.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall provide 
     written notification and guidance to employees of FEMA 
     regarding the requirements of this Act.
       (d) Publication.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall--
       (1) make the declarative statement form created under 
     subsection (a)(1) available in Spanish and English at all 
     active Disaster Recovery Centers; and
       (2) publish in English, Spanish, and any other locally 
     predominant languages on the website of FEMA and on social 
     media the declarative statement form and instructions on how 
     applicants can reopen or seek further appeal of relevant 
     determinations.
       (e) Past Disasters.--For applicants of assistance provided 
     pursuant to section 3 since January 1, 2017, the 
     Administrator shall provide an applicant not fewer than 180 
     days to submit the declarative statement form to reopen or 
     appeal a case after such applicant has received notice of the 
     right to do so.

     SEC. 5. REPAIR AND REBUILDING.

       Section 408(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) by striking ``to a safe and 
     sanitary living or functioning condition'' and inserting ``to 
     ensure that such residences are habitable during longer term 
     recovery (including through coordination with other sources 
     for repair and rebuilding of such residences)''; and
       (2) in paragraph (4) by striking ``in cases in which'' and 
     all that follows through the end and inserting ``if the 
     President determines such assistance is a cost effective 
     alternative to other housing solutions, including the costs 
     associated with temporary housing provided under this 
     section.''.

     SEC. 6. POST-DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE ANALYSIS AND REPORT.

       (a) Analysis.--The Administrator, in coordination with the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall conduct an 
     analysis comparing the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of 
     assistance provided under the Disaster Housing Assistance 
     Program, including any case management services provided, 
     with other temporary housing options provided by the 
     Administrator under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
       (b) Provision of Data.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     public housing authorities

[[Page H5860]]

     engaged in carrying out the Disaster Housing Assistance 
     Program relay data concerning the extent and effectiveness of 
     case management services in transitioning individuals and 
     households toward self-sufficiency under the Program compared 
     to other alternative disaster assistance programs available 
     under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that contains the 
     analysis required under subsection (a) and an analysis of the 
     oversight mechanisms, program integrity checks, and financial 
     management measures utilized in carrying out the Program 
     compared to alternative disaster housing assistance programs 
     under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).

     SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Missouri 
(Mr. Graves) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.

                              {time}  1645


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2914, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2914, the Housing Survivors of 
Major Disasters Act, introduced by Mr. Espaillat of New York and Miss 
Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico.
  This bipartisan legislation is aimed at reducing the bureaucratic 
burden placed on the disaster survivors when applying for Federal 
assistance. In the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and several other 
disasters in the continental United States, including wildfires near 
California or near Oregon, many disaster survivors have struggled to 
produce documents necessary to prove their residency. This is 
particularly difficult when those disasters have decimated all of their 
possessions and records.
  Additionally, qualified survivors have had trouble registering for 
assistance because they resided in homes passed down from generation to 
generation, in areas where title record-keeping hasn't been adequately 
maintained to track these transfers. We have seen this issue time and 
again over the last decade and a half since Hurricane Katrina.
  FEMA has worked to address these challenges, but all efforts to this 
point have been ad hoc. H.R. 2914 formalizes the home certification 
process that FEMA has developed over the years, allowing survivors to 
self-certify their residency with an expanded list of acceptable 
supported documentation.
  Survivors should not be expected to wade through bureaucratic red 
tape after their lives have been upended by a disaster.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 2914, and I would ask my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2914, which would help 
disaster victims verify residency and homeownership following a 
disaster. When disasters strike, essential property and possessions are 
often destroyed. Disaster victims may not be able to easily obtain the 
paperwork needed for them to verify their residency, which delays 
needed assistance and the recovery process.
  This bill is going to clarify how the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency addresses alternate verification.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico, Miss Gonzalez-
Colon, for her work with Mr. Espaillat of New York on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I would urge support of the legislation, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), my good friend.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Norton for her contributions 
to this bill. I also want to extend my appreciation to Ranking Member 
Graves, Chairwoman Titus, Subcommittee Ranking Member Katko, and 
committee staff for advancing this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, Aaron Davis with the committee has been particularly 
helpful to my team, my staff, for the past year and a half to get this 
bill over the line. I know it would have been very difficult without 
his help and expertise.
  Since Hurricanes Maria and Irma devastated the island of Puerto Rico 
in the fall of 2017, I have visited the island several times, including 
with some of my congressional colleagues. I have spoken about this with 
the Congresswoman from Puerto Rico, Miss Gonzalez-Colon, who has 
command of this issue.
  I have seen firsthand how public policy failures, our failures, have 
manifested on the island. The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, 
which I was proud to introduce with Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon, 
addresses some of these policy failures within the housing assistance 
programs our government deploys after natural disasters.
  Some of these programs' shortcomings have left thousands of Americans 
in Puerto Rico without the means to rebuild their homes. Our bill aims 
to fix this. Currently, folks applying for assistance must furnish the 
deed of their home and/or notarized statements confirming the ownership 
of their home.
  Mr. Speaker, I vividly remember when Hurricane Sandy struck my home 
State of New York. The last thing people were thinking about as they 
sought cover was where to find pieces of paper. And I can attest to the 
hurt of communities in Puerto Rico, Florida, and elsewhere, in the wake 
of Hurricanes Maria and Irma were devastating.
  How can we expect families to find their deeds through rubble, 
destruction, and pain left by these storms?
  I am equally stretched by the idea that in the most vulnerable time 
and in the wake of destruction, the American Government is asking its 
citizens to find a notary before they can receive help.
  What is more, in places like Puerto Rico, thousands of individuals 
have no formal documentation, properties and ownership is passed on 
generation to generation, very often five and six generations. Given 
all these challenges, we crafted this bipartisan legislation to remove 
these barriers and establish new and more realistic standards for 
natural disaster survivors applying for Federal housing assistance.
  Along with Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, my colleagues on 
the Committee, and Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon, I thank Senator 
Elizabeth Warren, her staff, and the numerous advocates for their 
tireless efforts in crafting and advancing this legislation over the 
past 2 years, which is vital if we wish to make the people of Puerto 
Rico whole again and avoid similar calamities in the future.

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Mr. Speaker, I thank again my 
ranking member and his staff for all the help to make this bill able to 
come to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2914, the Housing Survivors of 
Major Disasters Act. I thank Representative Espaillat for leading this 
bill with me, to ensure not just people in the Nation, but actually on 
the island of Puerto Rico, constituents that I do represent here in 
Congress and those affected by Hurricane Maria have increased 
flexibility in providing ownership of property when applying for 
Federal disaster funding. This was a major issue, and actually still 
is, many times.

[[Page H5861]]

  FEMA changed the way the documents were going to be accepted. Then 
they changed it again. And they did that more than five times during 
the course of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. So at the beginning, no papers 
were accepted, and then they changed it. So there was a difficult 
situation for people, even in the center of the island.
  The documents that were requested in the north part of the island 
were different from those in the south, from those in the west, or in 
the countryside. And that is the reason this bill is so important.
  This bill will provide necessary flexibilities in the form of 
documents that individuals that were residing in the area during the 
natural disaster got to apply for disaster assistance. Individuals may 
now use their driver's license, deeds, or title to properties, 
utilities bills, or any of the 13 forms included in this bill as 
evidence of occupancy.
  In our case, you got many people that were affected. There was no 
doubt in terms of FEMA or the government that they were affected by the 
hurricanes, yet they did not have the papers at the time because they 
lose them because of disaster, and it was so difficult to get the 
government actually to use or redo those papers in time. So that took 
almost a year for many of the individuals affected by hurricanes in 
Puerto Rico just to provide the documents.
  As you may know, many of the dates expired. Most of the people didn't 
qualify then to receive the Federal funds that were available for 
disaster survivors. That is the reason H.R. 2914 also includes language 
for a report on the Disaster Housing Assistance Program, and how 
effective this program is. The Federal Emergency Management Agency 
decided against using this disaster housing program in Puerto Rico 
following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as the agency looks to other 
efficient programs to more effectively meet the immediate needs of 
those affected by the two hurricanes.
  After those crazy 1 and 2 years, I may say that FEMA is helping and 
providing and using many of the forms that are now included in this 
bill to get those funds available. But, again, that can change if we 
don't have it in law, and that is the reason this bill is so important.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, Representatives Espaillat, and 
leadership on the Committee, as well as my ranking member for 
supporting this legislation and working with me and my staff to improve 
this bill for the past year. I urge its passage.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2914 is going to help speed up the recovery 
following a disaster by helping disaster victims who have lost their 
personal records, and likely much more, to verify residency and 
homeownership. It is a very good piece of legislation, and I would urge 
support of this, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2914, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________