[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 208 (Monday, December 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6025-S6026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DISASTER CONTRACT IMPROVEMENT ACT
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration Calendar No. 64, S. 310.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 310) to establish an advisory group to encourage
and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and
entities engaged in disaster recovery relating to debris
removal, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read
a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made
and laid upon the table.
[[Page S6026]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 310) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed as follows:
S. 310
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 Contract
Improvement Act''.
SEC. 2. OVERSIGHT ON DEBRIS REMOVAL.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) Debris removal program.--The term ``debris removal
program'' means the program established under section 407 of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5173).
(b) Advisory Working Group.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish an
advisory working group to encourage and foster collaborative
efforts among individuals and entities engaged in disaster
recovery relating to debris removal.
(2) Membership.--The advisory working group established
under paragraph (1) shall be comprised of--
(A) representatives from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency;
(B) representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers;
(C) representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation
Service of the Department of Agriculture;
(D) representatives of States, Tribal governments, and
units of local government; and
(E) subject matter experts in debris removal, including not
less than 1 representative from the debris services
contractor industry.
(c) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation
with the advisory working group established under subsection
(b)(1), shall--
(1) determine whether guidance and procedures in effect as
of the date of enactment of this Act with respect to the
oversight and cost of debris removal contracts entered into
under the debris removal program are sufficient; and
(2) if the Administrator, in consultation with the advisory
working group established under subsection (b)(1), determines
that the guidance and procedures described in paragraph (1)
are insufficient, develop and implement additional such
guidance and procedures, including--
(A) a requirement that each State, Tribal government, and
unit of local government receiving a grant under the debris
removal program take the primary role in the oversight
function of debris removal;
(B) guidance for State, Tribal, and local debris monitors
relating to debris removal operations, debris operations
oversight, and contractor oversight, including contractor
monitoring;
(C) guidance for streamlining the reimbursement of debris
costs overall, including debris management planning and
support for resilience in debris removal operations;
(D) checklists, job aids, eligibility requirements,
contract requirements, debris management planning guidance,
sample bids, and other items, as determined necessary by the
Administrator, for State and local debris monitors;
(E) a list of the specific debris removal monitoring
responsibilities expected to be completed by a State that
receives a grant under the debris removal program;
(F) a list of the specific debris removal monitoring
responsibilities expected to be completed by recipients of a
grant under the debris removal program; and
(G) guidance for State and Tribal governments and units of
local government to reduce duplication and inefficiency in
debris removal contracting across the Federal Government,
State and Tribal governments, and units of local government.
(d) Training.--The Administrator shall conduct outreach to
States, Tribal governments, and units of local government
with respect to any guidance or support materials developed
under this section.
(e) GAO Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study that--
(1) studies the use and adoption rate of advance contracts
for debris removal by selected States, Tribal governments,
and units of local government;
(2) identifies the benefits and challenges of advance
contracts for debris removal;
(3) with respect to the reporting and information sharing
processes, as of the date of enactment of this Act, for
advance contracts for debris removal between States and units
of local government and Federal partners--
(A) assesses those processes; and
(B) makes any necessary recommendations for those
processes;
(4) studies--
(A) the process for setting Federal reimbursement rates for
the debris removal program;
(B) the use of penalties, as of the date of enactment of
this Act, for violations of law and regulations relating to
debris removal; and
(C) fraud, waste, and abuse relating to the debris removal
program, including case studies; and
(5) makes any necessary recommendations for improvements to
oversight and fraud prevention across the debris removal
program.
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