[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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