[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 175 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8482-H8483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DISASTER RESILIENCY PLANNING ACT

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (S. 3510) to require the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance with respect to 
natural disaster resilience, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3510

       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 Resiliency Planning 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 306 of title 5, United States Code.
       (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Office of Management and Budget.
       (4) Real property.--The term ``real property'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 1.856-10 of title 26, Code 
     of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.

     SEC. 3. GUIDANCE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish guidance 
     requiring the head of each agency to incorporate natural 
     disaster resilience into real property asset management and 
     investment decisions made by the agency.
       (b) Contents.--The guidance required under subsection (a) 
     shall direct each head of an agency to incorporate 
     assessments of natural disaster risk information conducted by 
     the agency, such as from vulnerability and other risk 
     assessments, into real property asset management investment 
     decisions made by the agency.
       (c) Modification.--The Director may periodically update the 
     guidance required under subsection (a) as the Director may 
     determine necessary for the purpose of further enhancing 
     natural disaster resilience.
       (d) Consultation.--In developing the guidance required 
     under subsection (a), the Director may consult with 
     appropriate entities, including--
       (1) the Comptroller General of the United States;
       (2) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
     Agency; and
       (3) any other relevant entities, as determined by the 
     Director.
       (e) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report that describes 
     the guidance required under subsection (a).
       (2) Briefing.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall brief the 
     appropriate congressional committees on the implementation of 
     the guidance required under subsection (a) across agencies.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Keller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.

[[Page H8483]]

  



                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 3510, the Disaster Resiliency Planning Act, was 
introduced by my colleague and counterpart in the Senate, Chairman Gary 
Peters, along with Senator Rick Scott, and it passed the Senate by 
unanimous consent in June. Our colleague, Representative Troy Carter, 
is leading companion legislation in the House, which is also 
bipartisan.
  This commonsense, bipartisan bill takes action to implement an 
important recommendation made by the Government Accountability Office 
last year. In 2021, GAO issued a report on the efforts of Federal 
agencies to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars by mitigating 
the impact of natural disasters on Federal property and assets like 
buildings, roads, bridges, and levees.
  In the 5 years leading up to the report, billions of taxpayer dollars 
were spent repairing the damage done to Federal assets by natural 
disasters, and current trends demonstrate that the frequency and 
severity of natural disasters are increasing as a result of climate 
change.
  As the largest real property owner in the United States, the Federal 
Government's fiscal exposure to natural disasters is deeply concerning. 
The Federal Government lacks a comprehensive, strategic approach to 
resilience, which is key to addressing this risk and protecting 
taxpayer dollars.
  Fortunately, agencies have made good progress in creating action 
plans that identify extreme weather vulnerabilities and steps that can 
be taken to address them. GAO's report recommended the crucial next 
step that agencies should be directed to incorporate these assessments 
into their asset management investment decisions.
  That recommendation remains open today, but this bipartisan bill will 
ensure that it finally gets done. Within 180 days, OMB would be 
required to establish guidance for the incorporation of natural 
disaster resilience into the real property asset management and 
investment decisions of Federal agencies. As recommended by GAO, 
agencies would be required to incorporate their natural disaster risk 
information assessments into such decisions.
  This commonsense, good government bill has been informed by years of 
GAO analysis and will protect taxpayer dollars by prioritizing cost-
effective resilience strategies. We must implement these action plans 
before the next superstorm or wildfire deals yet another blow to our 
Federal assets.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3510, the Disaster Resiliency 
Planning Act.
  Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires cause significant damage 
across the country to Federal real property assets. According to the 
Government Accountability Office, over the past 5 years, Congress has 
spent billions of dollars to repair Federal assets damaged by natural 
disasters. Yet, for decades, Federal agencies have made minimal efforts 
to prepare for natural disasters and make their real property assets 
more resilient. This is unacceptable.
  Billions in taxpayer dollars have been wasted to repair assets left 
unprepared in the face of reoccurring and predictable risk posed by 
natural disasters and extreme weather events.
  Natural disasters are a fact of life, and the U.S. Government 
maintains a sprawling footprint of buildings and facilities across our 
great Nation. We must recognize these realities. The Disaster 
Resiliency Planning Act does this.
  It tasks the Office of Management and Budget with issuing guidance 
requiring Federal agencies to incorporate natural disaster resilience 
planning into their real property asset management and investment 
decisions. This will help save taxpayer dollars and ensure Federal 
agencies are acting in a fiscally responsible manner.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will save 
taxpayer dollars and ensure Federal property recovers from natural 
disasters more quickly.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
S. 3510, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3510.
  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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