[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 182 (Monday, December 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H6530-H6531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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DISASTER CONTRACT IMPROVEMENT ACT
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the 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.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is 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.--
[[Page H6531]]
(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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Graves) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
General Leave
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend
their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 310.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Louisiana?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 310, the Disaster Contract Improvement Act, aims to
help improve the disaster contracting process by directing the
Administrator of FEMA to establish a working group to examine the
debris removal process. The working group will include representatives
from FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the United States
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service,
officials from State, Tribal, and local governments, and subject matter
experts.
The legislation also directs the Government Accountability Office to
conduct a study on the debris removal advance contracting process.
I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota) for his work on the
House companion bill to help reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the
post-disaster services area.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 310. This bill directs the
Administrator of FEMA to convene an advisory group to improve debris
removal contract processes and reduce costs.
When disasters strike, resulting rubble and debris leave affected
communities with an expensive cleanup. FEMA assistance is an essential
resource for helping communities recover, but the disaster contracting
process can be inefficient and costly.
This bill brings stakeholders together to improve the disaster
contracting process, maximizing the impact of Federal dollars and
speeding disaster recovery.
Mr. Speaker, clearing debris after a disaster is one of the first
steps to a successful recovery. This bill would direct the
Administrator of FEMA to convene a stakeholder group to improve the
agency's disaster contracting processes.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, the Disaster Contract Improvement Act will
help improve the debris removal process following disasters and help to
prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of hurricanes and other disasters, I
have personally witnessed absolutely obscene rates and extraordinary
timeframes for debris removal in the aftermath of disasters, watching
as multiple layers of profiting from 1 cubic yard of debris material
that is removed.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee favorably reported
the House companion to this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of S. 310 so we can get this important
legislation signed into law, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 310.
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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