[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 215 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7264-H7268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SAFEGUARDING TOMORROW THROUGH ONGOING RISK MITIGATION ACT

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 3418) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act to allow the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency to provide capitalization grants to States 
to establish revolving funds to provide hazard mitigation assistance to 
reduce risks from disasters and natural hazards, and other related 
environmental harm.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3418

       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 ``Safeguarding Tomorrow 
     through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act'' or the ``STORM Act''.

     SEC. 2. GRANTS TO ENTITIES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF HAZARD 
                   MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS.

       Title II of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
     Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131 et seq.) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 205. GRANTS TO ENTITIES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF HAZARD 
                   MITIGATION REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS.

       ``(a) General Authority.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator may enter into 
     agreements with eligible entities to make capitalization 
     grants to such entities for the establishment of hazard 
     mitigation revolving loan funds (referred to in this section 
     as `entity loan funds') for providing funding assistance to 
     local governments to carry out eligible projects under this 
     section to reduce disaster risks for homeowners, businesses, 
     nonprofit organizations, and communities in order to 
     decrease--
       ``(A) the loss of life and property;
       ``(B) the cost of insurance; and
       ``(C) Federal disaster payments.
       ``(2) Agreements.--Any agreement entered into under this 
     section shall require the participating entity to--

[[Page H7265]]

       ``(A) comply with the requirements of this section; and
       ``(B) use accounting, audit, and fiscal procedures 
     conforming to generally accepted accounting standards.
       ``(b) Application.--
       ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
     capitalization grant under this section, an eligible entity 
     shall submit to the Administrator an application that 
     includes the following:
       ``(A) Project proposals comprised of local government 
     hazard mitigation projects, on the condition that the entity 
     provides public notice not less than 6 weeks prior to the 
     submission of an application.
       ``(B) An assessment of recurring major disaster 
     vulnerabilities impacting the entity that demonstrates a risk 
     to life and property.
       ``(C) A description of how the hazard mitigation plan of 
     the entity has or has not taken the vulnerabilities described 
     in subparagraph (B) into account.
       ``(D) A description about how the projects described in 
     subparagraph (A) could conform with the hazard mitigation 
     plan of the entity and of the unit of local government.
       ``(E) A proposal of the systematic and regional approach to 
     achieve resilience in a vulnerable area, including impacts to 
     river basins, river corridors, watersheds, estuaries, bays, 
     coastal regions, micro-basins, micro-watersheds, ecosystems, 
     and areas at risk of earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, severe 
     storms, and wildfires, including the wildland-urban 
     interface.
       ``(2) Technical assistance.--The Administrator shall 
     provide technical assistance to eligible entities for 
     applications under this section.
       ``(c) Entity Loan Fund.--
       ``(1) Establishment of fund.--An entity that receives a 
     capitalization grant under this section shall establish an 
     entity loan fund that complies with the requirements of this 
     subsection.
       ``(2) Fund management.--Except as provided in paragraph 
     (3), entity loan funds shall--
       ``(A) be administered by the agency responsible for 
     emergency management; and
       ``(B) include only--
       ``(i) funds provided by a capitalization grant under this 
     section;
       ``(ii) repayments of loans under this section to the entity 
     loan fund; and
       ``(iii) interest earned on amounts in the entity loan fund.
       ``(3) Administration.--A participating entity may combine 
     the financial administration of the entity loan fund of such 
     entity with the financial administration of any other 
     revolving fund established by such entity if the 
     Administrator determines that--
       ``(A) the capitalization grant, entity share, repayments of 
     loans, and interest earned on amounts in the entity loan fund 
     are accounted for separately from other amounts in the 
     revolving fund; and
       ``(B) the authority to establish assistance priorities and 
     carry out oversight activities remains in the control of the 
     entity agency responsible for emergency management.
       ``(4) Entity share of funds.--
       ``(A) In general.--On or before the date on which a 
     participating entity receives a capitalization grant under 
     this section, the entity shall deposit into the entity loan 
     fund of such entity, an amount equal to not less than 10 
     percent of the amount of the capitalization grant.
       ``(B) Reduced grant.--If, with respect to a capitalization 
     grant under this section, a participating entity deposits in 
     the entity loan fund of the entity an amount that is less 
     than 10 percent of the total amount of the capitalization 
     grant that the participating entity would otherwise receive, 
     the Administrator shall reduce the amount of the 
     capitalization grant received by the entity to the amount 
     that is 10 times the amount so deposited.
       ``(d) Apportionment.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided by this 
     subsection, the Administrator shall apportion funds made 
     available to carry out this section to entities that have 
     entered into an agreement under subsection (a)(2) in amounts 
     as determined by the Administrator.
       ``(2) Reservation of funds.--The Administrator shall 
     reserve not more than 2.5 percent of the amount made 
     available to carry out this section for the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency for--
       ``(A) administrative costs incurred in carrying out this 
     section;
       ``(B) providing technical assistance to participating 
     entities under subsection (b)(2); and
       ``(C) capitalization grants to insular areas under 
     paragraph (4).
       ``(3) Priority.--In the apportionment of capitalization 
     grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall give 
     priority to entity applications under subsection (b) that--
       ``(A) propose projects increasing resilience and reducing 
     risk of harm to natural and built infrastructure;
       ``(B) involve a partnership between two or more eligible 
     entities to carry out a project or similar projects;
       ``(C) take into account regional impacts of hazards on 
     river basins, river corridors, micro-watersheds, macro-
     watersheds, estuaries, lakes, bays, and coastal regions and 
     areas at risk of earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, severe 
     storms, and wildfires, including the wildland-urban 
     interface; or
       ``(D) propose projects for the resilience of major economic 
     sectors or critical national infrastructure, including ports, 
     global commodity supply chain assets (located within an 
     entity or within the jurisdiction of local governments, 
     insular areas, and Indian tribal governments), power and 
     water production and distribution centers, and bridges and 
     waterways essential to interstate commerce.
       ``(4) Insular areas.--
       ``(A) Apportionment.--From any amount remaining of funds 
     reserved under paragraph (2), the Administrator may enter 
     into agreements to provide capitalization grants to insular 
     areas.
       ``(B) Requirements.--An insular area receiving a 
     capitalization grant under this section shall comply with the 
     requirements of this section as applied to participating 
     entities.
       ``(e) Environmental Review of Revolving Loan Fund 
     Projects.--The Administrator may delegate to a participating 
     entity all of the responsibilities for environmental review, 
     decision making, and action pursuant to the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
     and other applicable Federal environmental laws including the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and 
     the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. 
     300101 et seq.) that would apply to the Administrator were 
     the Administrator to undertake projects under this section as 
     Federal projects so long as the participating entity carries 
     out such responsibilities in the same manner and subject to 
     the same requirements as if the Administrator carried out 
     such responsibilities.
       ``(f) Use of Funds.--
       ``(1) Types of assistance.--Amounts deposited in an entity 
     loan fund, including loan repayments and interest earned on 
     such amounts, may be used--
       ``(A) to make loans, on the condition that--
       ``(i) such loans are made at an interest rate of not more 
     than 1 percent;
       ``(ii) annual principal and interest payments will commence 
     not later than 1 year after completion of any project and all 
     loans made under this subparagraph will be fully amortized--

       ``(I) not later than 20 years after the date on which the 
     project is completed; or
       ``(II) for projects in a low-income geographic area, not 
     later than 30 years after the date on which the project is 
     completed and not longer than the expected design life of the 
     project;

       ``(iii) the loan recipient of a loan under this 
     subparagraph establishes a dedicated source of revenue for 
     repayment of the loan;
       ``(iv) the loan recipient of a loan under this subparagraph 
     has a hazard mitigation plan that has been approved by the 
     Administrator; and
       ``(v) the entity loan fund will be credited with all 
     payments of principal and interest on all loans made under 
     this subparagraph;
       ``(B) for mitigation efforts, in addition to mitigation 
     planning under section 322 not to exceed 10 percent of the 
     capitalization grants made to the participating entity in a 
     fiscal year;
       ``(C) for the reasonable costs of administering the fund 
     and conducting activities under this section, except that 
     such amounts shall not exceed $100,000 per year, 2 percent of 
     the capitalization grants made to the participating entity in 
     a fiscal year, or 1 percent of the value of the entity loan 
     fund, whichever amount is greatest, plus the amount of any 
     fees collected by the entity for such purpose regardless of 
     the source; and
       ``(D) to earn interest on the entity loan fund.
       ``(2) Prohibition on determination that loan is a 
     duplication.--In carrying out this section, the Administrator 
     may not determine that a loan is a duplication of assistance 
     or programs under this Act.
       ``(3) Projects and activities eligible for assistance.--
     Except as provided in this subsection, a participating entity 
     may use funds in the entity loan fund to provide financial 
     assistance for projects or activities that mitigate the 
     impacts of natural hazards including--
       ``(A) drought and prolonged episodes of intense heat;
       ``(B) severe storms, including hurricanes, tornados, wind 
     storms, cyclones, and severe winter storms;
       ``(C) wildfires;
       ``(D) earthquakes;
       ``(E) flooding, including the construction, repair, or 
     replacement of a non-Federal levee or other flood control 
     structure, provided that the Administrator, in consultation 
     with the Army Corps of Engineers (if appropriate), requires 
     an eligible entity to determine that such levee or structure 
     is designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with 
     sound engineering practices and standards equivalent to the 
     purpose for which such levee or structure is intended;
       ``(F) shoreline erosion;
       ``(G) high water levels; and
       ``(H) storm surges.
       ``(4) Zoning and land use planning changes.--A 
     participating entity may use not more than 10 percent of a 
     capitalization grant under this section to enable units of 
     local government to implement zoning and land use planning 
     changes focused on--
       ``(A) the development and improvement of zoning and land 
     use codes that incentivize and encourage low-impact 
     development, resilient wildland-urban interface land 
     management and development, natural infrastructure, green 
     stormwater management, conservation areas adjacent to 
     floodplains, implementation of watershed or greenway

[[Page H7266]]

     master plans, and reconnection of floodplains;
       ``(B) the study and creation of agricultural risk 
     compensation districts where there is a desire to remove or 
     set-back levees protecting highly developed agricultural land 
     to mitigate for flooding, allowing agricultural producers to 
     receive compensation for assuming greater flood risk that 
     would alleviate flood exposure to population centers and 
     areas with critical national infrastructure;
       ``(C) the study and creation of land use incentives that 
     reward developers for greater reliance on low impact 
     development stormwater best management practices, exchange 
     density increases for increased open space and improvement of 
     neighborhood catch basins to mitigate urban flooding, reward 
     developers for including and augmenting natural 
     infrastructure adjacent to and around building projects 
     without reliance on increased sprawl, and reward developers 
     for addressing wildfire ignition; and
       ``(D) the study and creation of an erosion response plan 
     that accommodates river, lake, forest, plains, and ocean 
     shoreline retreating or bluff stabilization due to increased 
     flooding and disaster impacts.
       ``(5) Establishing and carrying out building code 
     enforcement.--A participating entity may use capitalization 
     grants under this section to enable units of local government 
     to establish and carry out the latest published editions of 
     relevant building codes, specifications, and standards for 
     the purpose of protecting the health, safety, and general 
     welfare of the building's users against disasters and natural 
     hazards.
       ``(6) Administrative and technical costs.--For each fiscal 
     year, a participating entity may use the amount described in 
     paragraph (1)(C) to--
       ``(A) pay the reasonable costs of administering the 
     programs under this section, including the cost of 
     establishing an entity loan fund; and
       ``(B) provide technical assistance to recipients of 
     financial assistance from the entity loan fund, on the 
     condition that such technical assistance does not exceed 5 
     percent of the capitalization grant made to such entity.
       ``(7) Limitation for single projects.--A participating 
     entity may not provide an amount equal to or more than 
     $5,000,000 to a single hazard mitigation project.
       ``(8) Requirements.--For fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal 
     year thereafter, the requirements of subchapter IV of chapter 
     31 of title 40, United States Code, shall apply to the 
     construction of projects carried out in whole or in part with 
     assistance made available by an entity loan fund authorized 
     by this section.
       ``(g) Intended Use Plans.--
       ``(1) In general.--After providing for public comment and 
     review, and consultation with appropriate government agencies 
     of the State or Indian tribal government, Federal agencies, 
     and interest groups, each participating entity shall annually 
     prepare and submit to the Administrator a plan identifying 
     the intended uses of the entity loan fund.
       ``(2) Contents of plan.--An entity intended use plan 
     prepared under paragraph (1) shall include--
       ``(A) the integration of entity planning efforts, including 
     entity hazard mitigation plans and other programs and 
     initiatives relating to mitigation of major disasters carried 
     out by such entity;
       ``(B) an explanation of the mitigation and resiliency 
     benefits the entity intends to achieve by--
       ``(i) reducing future damage and loss associated with 
     hazards;
       ``(ii) reducing the number of severe repetitive loss 
     structures and repetitive loss structures in the entity;
       ``(iii) decreasing the number of insurance claims in the 
     entity from injuries resulting from major disasters or other 
     natural hazards; and
       ``(iv) increasing the rating under the community rating 
     system under section 1315(b) of the National Flood Insurance 
     Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4022(b)) for communities in the 
     entity;
       ``(C) information on the availability of, and application 
     process for, financial assistance from the entity loan fund 
     of such entity;
       ``(D) the criteria and methods established for the 
     distribution of funds;
       ``(E) the amount of financial assistance that the entity 
     anticipates apportioning;
       ``(F) the expected terms of the assistance provided from 
     the entity loan fund; and
       ``(G) a description of the financial status of the entity 
     loan fund, including short-term and long-term goals for the 
     fund.
       ``(h) Audits, Reports, Publications, and Oversight.--
       ``(1) Biennial entity audit and report.--Beginning not 
     later than the last day of the second fiscal year after the 
     receipt of payments under this section, and biennially 
     thereafter, any participating entity shall--
       ``(A) conduct an audit of the entity loan fund established 
     under subsection (c); and
       ``(B) provide to the Administrator a report including--
       ``(i) the result of any such audit; and
       ``(ii) a review of the effectiveness of the entity loan 
     fund of the entity with respect to meeting the goals and 
     intended benefits described in the intended use plan 
     submitted by the entity under subsection (g).
       ``(2) Publication.--A participating entity shall publish 
     and periodically update information about all projects 
     receiving funding from the entity loan fund of such entity, 
     including--
       ``(A) the location of the project;
       ``(B) the type and amount of assistance provided from the 
     entity loan fund;
       ``(C) the expected funding schedule; and
       ``(D) the anticipated date of completion of the project.
       ``(3) Oversight.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administrator shall, at least every 
     4 years, conduct reviews and audits as may be determined 
     necessary or appropriate by the Administrator to carry out 
     the objectives of this section and determine the 
     effectiveness of the fund in reducing natural hazard risk.
       ``(B) GAO requirements.--A participating entity shall 
     conduct audits under paragraph (1) in accordance with the 
     auditing procedures of the Government Accountability Office, 
     including generally accepted government auditing standards.
       ``(C) Recommendations by administrator.--The Administrator 
     may at any time make recommendations for or require specific 
     changes to an entity loan fund in order to improve the 
     effectiveness of the fund.
       ``(i) Regulations or Guidance.--The Administrator shall 
     issue such regulations or guidance as are necessary to--
       ``(1) ensure that each participating entity uses funds as 
     efficiently as possible;
       ``(2) reduce waste, fraud, and abuse to the maximum extent 
     possible; and
       ``(3) require any party that receives funds directly or 
     indirectly under this section, including a participating 
     entity and a recipient of amounts from an entity loan fund, 
     to use procedures with respect to the management of the funds 
     that conform to generally accepted accounting standards.
       ``(j) Waiver Authority.--Until such time as the 
     Administrator issues final regulations to implement this 
     section, the Administrator may--
       ``(1) waive notice and comment rulemaking, if the 
     Administrator determines the waiver is necessary to 
     expeditiously implement this section; and
       ``(2) provide capitalization grants under this section as a 
     pilot program.
       ``(k) Liability Protections.--The Agency shall not be 
     liable for any claim based on the exercise or performance of, 
     or the failure to exercise or perform, a discretionary 
     function or duty by the Agency, or an employee of the Agency 
     in carrying out this section.
       ``(l) GAO Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
     which the first entity loan fund is established under 
     subsection (c), the Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives a report that examines--
       ``(1) the appropriateness of regulations and guidance 
     issued by the Administrator for the program, including any 
     oversight of the program;
       ``(2) a description of the number of the entity loan funds 
     established, the projects funded from such entity loan funds, 
     and the extent to which projects funded by the loan funds 
     adhere to any applicable hazard mitigation plans;
       ``(3) the effectiveness of the entity loan funds to lower 
     disaster related costs; and
       ``(4) recommendations for improving the administration of 
     entity loan funds.
       ``(m) Definitions.--In this section, the following 
     definitions apply:
       ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
     Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
       ``(2) Agency.--The term `Agency' means the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency.
       ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(A) a State; or
       ``(B) an Indian tribal government that has received a major 
     disaster declaration during the 5-year period ending on the 
     date of enactment of the STORM Act.
       ``(4) Hazard mitigation plan.--The term `hazard mitigation 
     plan' means a mitigation plan submitted under section 322.
       ``(5) Insular area.--The term `insular area' means Guam, 
     American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.
       ``(6) Low-income geographic area.--The term `low-income 
     geographic area' means an area described in paragraph (1) or 
     (2) of section 301(a) of the Public Works and Economic 
     Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3161(a)).
       ``(7) Participating entity.--The term `participating 
     entity' means an eligible entity that has entered into an 
     agreement under this section.
       ``(8) Repetitive loss structure.--The term `repetitive loss 
     structure' has the meaning given the term in section 1370 of 
     the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4121).
       ``(9) Severe repetitive loss structure.--The term `severe 
     repetitive loss structure' has the meaning given the term in 
     section 1366(h) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 
     (42 U.S.C. 4104c(h)).
       ``(10) State.--The term `State' means any State of the 
     United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
       ``(11) Wildland-urban interface.--The term `wildland-urban 
     interface' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of 
     the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
       ``(n) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2022 through 2023 to carry out this section.''.


[[Page H7267]]


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


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Madam 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 S. 3418.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3418, the Safeguarding 
Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act, or STORM Act.
  This bipartisan and bicameral bill introduced in the Senate by 
Senators Gary Peters and Ron Johnson, and in the House by 
Representatives Angie Craig, Rodney Davis, and Rick Crawford, would 
amend the Stafford Act to provide another opening for local governments 
to fund mitigation and resilience projects.
  Modeled after the highly successful Drinking Water and Clean Water 
State Revolving Funds managed by the Environmental Protection Agency, 
this bill would allow States and Tribal governments to apply for 
capitalization grants to establish revolving funds that would then be 
used to fund a variety of infrastructure projects.

                              {time}  1215

  The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure under both 
Democratic and Republican majorities has examined the rising cost of 
disasters and reforms necessary to address them.
  Time and again, we have arrived at the similar conclusion: 
Investments in mitigation have a quantifiable and significant return on 
investment in reducing disaster response and recovery costs.
  The current sources of Federal funding available for pre-disaster 
mitigation are highly competitive and extremely limited due to the 
backlog of worthwhile projects identified across the Nation.
  The State revolving loan funds will be established by this litigation 
and would allow States to offer low-interest loans to cities and 
counties for projects to mitigate a wide variety of hazards.
  Since 2000, there have only been 3 years during which we have seen 
fewer than 100 Presidentially declared events under the Stafford Act, 
and there is no indication that the frequency or severity of these 
disasters is on the decline. The record-setting year we just endured 
points to the contrary.
  Madam Speaker, while future disasters will inevitably cause large-
scale damage and require costly recoveries, by providing new 
opportunities for investments in pre-disaster mitigation, this bill 
encourages resilience at the community level and will contribute to a 
considerable reduction in the cost of future recoveries.
  Madam Speaker, I support S. 3418, and urge my colleagues to do the 
same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, thank you to the chair of the Highways and Transit 
Subcommittee, Ms. Holmes Norton, for her support for this bill.
  I also really thank my good friend and colleague from the great State 
of Minnesota, Congresswoman Angie Craig, with whom I was happy and 
proud to be the colead of H.R. 3779, the Resilience Revolving Loan Fund 
Act of 2019. This is the House companion bill to the bill that we are 
now debating, S. 3418, the STORM Act. I thank Congresswoman Craig for 
her leadership on this legislation and for allowing me to be the colead 
on this bill with her that ensures that much-needed support is 
available to our rural communities.
  This bill will prevent catastrophes across the country before 
disaster strikes, saving lives, livelihoods, and heartache for many 
Americans.
  Madam Speaker, imagine this: Communities that are prone to consistent 
disasters on an annual basis can now have a pot of money to make their 
community safer before disasters hit, thus, investing on the front end 
to save taxpayer dollars on the back end. This bill is going to 
establish that revolving loan fund to support these important disaster 
mitigation efforts, and in most areas in my district, that usually 
means my rural communities.
  Upfront investment, as I just mentioned, in mitigation has been 
proven to reduce disaster costs and save lives, and that is why this 
bill is so important.
  While Congress has worked in the past to increase support for 
mitigation, many local projects still go unfunded. Unfortunately, 
localized disasters that hit communities like those in my district, 
while devastating, may never receive a major disaster declaration. We 
have passed reforms to address this issue, including my bill, the 
Disaster Declaration Improvement Act, but more reforms are obviously 
needed.
  S. 3418 will provide these communities more options in mitigating the 
impact of disasters that have left so many communities without relief. 
And with the flexibilities built into the bill, this bill will ensure 
key projects will be eligible for these loans.
  I also take this opportunity to thank one of my constituents for his 
advocacy on this bill, and that is Mayor Rick Eberlin of Grafton, 
Illinois. Grafton, Illinois--the Key West to the Mississippi, I like to 
call it--is a prime example of a community that would benefit greatly 
from this piece of legislation.
  Mayor Eberlin has tirelessly fought for the people of Grafton and was 
the individual who brought this partnership and this legislation to my 
attention. I have no doubt that the funds made available under this 
bill will ensure Grafton and its surrounding communities are better 
protected during the next flood season.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett), my friend.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues, and while I am 
happy to support measures to improve resiliency in the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, a committee on which I serve, I am 
disappointed that this bill is not inclusive of U.S. territories other 
than Puerto Rico in the normal operation of this new resiliency 
program.
  Under the Stafford Act, the Virgin Islands and all other U.S. 
territories and the District of Columbia are defined and treated as 
States. This legislative amendment to the Stafford Act should be no 
different. That is why the House version of this bill was amended in 
committee, so that this new program is equally inclusive of all 
jurisdictions that are already treated as States by the Stafford Act. 
That was not what was approved by the committee but passed by this 
House in H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act.

  Madam Speaker, the Virgin Islands and the other smaller territories 
have been devastated by unprecedented natural disasters in recent 
years. All of these American jurisdictions have tremendous need for 
hazard mitigation projects that reduce risks for homeowners, 
businesses, nonprofits, the cost of insurance claims, and Federal 
relief payments from extreme weather-related disasters.
  I believe it is unfair to have a program that first makes grants to 
Indian Tribes, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to improve 
resiliency, and then tells the four remaining smaller jurisdictions, 
defined as States already, that they get to have what amounts to 
pennies maybe left over from the 2 percent set aside of funding that 
first is going to be spent on administrative costs and technical 
assistance to give the resiliency program to everyone else.
  Madam Speaker, as a practical matter, of course, that will amount to 
nothing left for the people of my district, American Samoa, Guam, the 
Northern Marianas, and the smaller territories.
  Madam Speaker, I understand and have been told that the committee is 
willing to work and try to find a technical fix to this both in the 
House and the Senate. I urge that that occurs. While I support this 
measure, once again, you cannot continue to forget the smaller 
territories.

[[Page H7268]]

  

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the 
balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I do say, first off, I truly appreciate the words and 
the passion from my good friend from the U.S. Virgin Islands (Ms. 
Plaskett). I am disappointed to see that this bill came back from the 
Senate without the provisions that we supported on her behalf in the 
committee.
  Madam Speaker, I, too, would like to echo to the Senate and to the 
House as we move into the future: Let's address this concern. There is 
bipartisan support for what Ms. Plaskett is asking for.
  These are the types of bipartisan issues that we usually try and 
solve in the House, but, unfortunately, we got this from the Senate. We 
will let them be the ones to admit they screwed this up with a 
technical error.
  But let's fix it. That is the key. Let's work together to make that 
happen.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, S. 3418 will help support critical 
mitigation projects in local communities, including rural communities 
that are hit and devastated by these natural disasters. This will save 
lives and prevent damage and loss to farmers, businesses, and 
homeowners across the country, and it is also going to save, long term, 
billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars that are going, time and 
time again, to help communities recover from events we know are going 
to happen.
  Let's do something on the front end and save taxpayer dollars for the 
next generation on the back end.
  Madam Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't thank the staff on both 
sides of the aisle for their work to get this bill to a good place and 
with the Senate: on the majority side, Aaron Davis; on our own side, 
Johanna Hardy; and in my office, Jimmy Ballard. I really appreciate all 
these folks and what they have done to help districts like mine.
  I also thank some folks who really worked hard on this bill, too, 
that are with me here today from the committee: Corey Cooke and her 
number one fan, her puppy, Coda Cooke; and also Tara Hupman and her 
number one fan, her puppy, Chester Hupman. I certainly hope my number 
one fans, when I get home, Rider and Julia Davis, one day get a chance 
to meet theirs.
  But it takes people working together to get things done, and these 
are the types of issues that show our success in this institution.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, first of all, I appreciate the words of my colleague 
on the other side of the aisle with respect to Ms. Plaskett's notion. I 
don't know why the notion of pennywise and pound foolish--if that is 
the reason why this bipartisan bill that was sent to the Senate was 
sent back to us absent some Americans. I understand they will be 
working to try to fix this, but we don't fix it when we allow disasters 
to move forward in the part of our country where disasters are more 
likely to affect. They are not most likely to take effect in places 
like the District of Columbia where we just had a snowstorm and hardly 
a little bit of snow. They are far more likely to take effect in Ms. 
Plaskett's district in the Virgin Islands.
  Madam Speaker, I pledge with my good friend on the other side, with 
whom I have worked closely in the past, to do everything I can to make 
sure that all of us, including all of our territories, not only Puerto 
Rico, are included in this bill, as the House intended.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, 
notwithstanding the issues that both sides here in the House have with 
it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CRAIG. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3418, 
the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act or the 
STORM Act, as amended.
  I want to thank Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman 
Peter DeFazio, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, 
and Emergency Management Chair Dina Titus and Ranking Members Sam 
Graves and John Katko for their work on this bill to get us to where we 
are today.
  I also want to thank fellow T&I Member Rodney Davis for being a 
strong partner with me on this from the outset. I am also grateful to 
Majority Leader Hoyer for scheduling a vote on this bill.
  Finally, I also want to thank the diligent members of the Committee's 
staff, particularly Aaron Davis, for helping us reach this historic 
milestone. I also want to thank a former member of my staff, Natalie 
Martinez, for helping to lead the introduction of this bill and my 
Legislative Director Will Mitchell for helping to bring the bill across 
the finish line.
  Madam Speaker, by way of background, the original version of the 
STORM Act was introduced last July as H.R.3779, the Resilience 
Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2019 following a catastrophic spring where 
Minnesota experienced one of the most devastating flood seasons on 
record.
  In response, I worked closely with local mayors in Minnesota dealing 
with the aftermath of this flooding to develop the concept of a 
resilience fund and establish a low-interest loan program for states to 
fund pre-disaster mitigation projects which greatly reduce the risks 
and costs of natural disasters. Revolving fund loans will be available 
for projects that minimize the risks of wildfires, earthquakes, floods, 
storm surges, tornadoes, and other events deemed catastrophic by FEMA.
  The revolving fund concept is modeled after similar state revolving 
funds authorized and funded by Congress for projects that have resulted 
in a significant increase in the capacity and capabilities of water 
infrastructure in communities across the nation.
  It is our hope that our colleagues on the Appropriations Committee 
will see the wisdom in the revolving fund concept and fully capitalize 
this program starting in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 so that disaster 
mitigation can see that same significant return on investment.
  Madam Speaker, another benefit of this bill is that it opens up 
mitigation funds to a new set of eligible folks. Currently, most FEMA 
hazard mitigation programs restrict Public Assistance mitigation funds 
if projects may accrue to the benefit of homeowners and businesses--
which can create challenges, particularly in rural areas of my 
Congressional District with lower populations and large areas of 
farmland. The revolving loan fund before us today is specifically 
intended to reduce risks for homeowners, businesses, nonprofit 
organizations and communities.
  As a matter of process, Madam Speaker, I'm pleased that our bill, 
like the STORM Act, moved through regular order on the Committee and 
attracted bipartisan, unanimous support when it passed the House. Since 
March of this year when the STORM Act was introduced, staff members on 
the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee worked closely together to 
iron out technical differences and present a final bill that can be 
signed into law by the President.
  Throughout the process, we attracted and maintained the support of a 
number of groups that partnered together to build the political will 
necessary to pass this bill. In particular, I want to thank the 
American Council of Engineering Companies, The American Institute of 
Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of 
Landscape Architects, City Parks Alliance, Ecological Restoration 
Business Association, Interstate Council on Water Policy, Mississippi 
Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative, National Recreation and Park 
Association, The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Chamber of Commerce for 
their support.
  As part of the Mississippi Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative, I want 
to give special thanks to Executive Director Colin Wellenkamp and 
outgoing Red Wing Mayor Sean Dowse--who were also instrumental in this 
effort.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, passage of the STORM Act will be an 
important step in making our towns and cities more resilient. I'm 
thrilled to be leading the bipartisan effort for smart, proactive 
investments in disaster-resilient infrastructure.
  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, S. 3418.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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