[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 6 (Monday, January 13, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H100-H101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE COORDINATION ACT
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 152) to amend the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to
develop a study regarding streamlining and consolidating information
collection and preliminary damage assessments, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 152
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 ``Federal Disaster Assistance
Coordination Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDY TO STREAMLINE AND CONSOLIDATE INFORMATION
COLLECTION AND PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 1223 of the Disaster Recovery
Reform Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 1223. STUDY TO STREAMLINE AND CONSOLIDATE INFORMATION
COLLECTION AND PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
``(a) Information Collection.--Not later than 2 years after
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in
coordination with the Small Business Administration, the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Disaster
Assistance Working Group of the Council of the Inspectors
General on Integrity and Efficiency, and other appropriate
agencies, shall--
``(1) conduct a study and develop a plan, consistent with
law, under which the collection of information from disaster
assistance applicants and grantees will be modified,
streamlined, expedited, efficient, flexible, consolidated,
and simplified to be less burdensome, duplicative, and time
consuming for applicants and grantees; and
``(2) develop a plan for the regular collection and
reporting of information on Federal disaster assistance
awarded, including the establishment and maintenance of a
website for presenting the information to the public.
``(b) Preliminary Damage Assessments.--Not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of this section, the
Administrator, in consultation with the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, shall convene
a working group on a regular basis with the Secretary of
Labor, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Administrator
of the Small Business Administration, the Secretary of
Transportation, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development, and other appropriate agencies as the
Administrator considers necessary, to--
``(1) identify and describe the potential areas of
duplication or fragmentation in preliminary damage
assessments after disaster declarations;
``(2) determine the applicability of having one Federal
agency make the assessments for all agencies; and
``(3) identify potential emerging technologies, such as
unmanned aircraft systems, consistent with the requirements
established in the FEMA Accountability, Modernization and
Transparency Act of 2017 (42 U.S.C. 5121 note), to expedite
the administration of preliminary damage assessments.
``(c) Comprehensive Report.--The Administrator shall submit
one comprehensive report that comprises the plans developed
under subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) and a report of the
findings of the working group convened under subsection (b),
which may include recommendations, to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee
[[Page H101]]
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
``(d) Public Availability.--The comprehensive report
developed under subsection (c) shall be made available to the
public and posted on the website of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency--
``(1) in pre-compressed, easily downloadable versions that
are made available in all appropriate formats; and
``(2) in machine-readable format, if applicable.
``(e) Sources of Information.--In preparing the
comprehensive report, any publication, database, or web-based
resource, and any information compiled by any government
agency, nongovernmental organization, or other entity that is
made available may be used.
``(f) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after submission
of the comprehensive report, the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, or a designee, and a member of
the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency, or a designee, shall brief, upon request, the
appropriate congressional committees on the findings and any
recommendations made in the comprehensive report.''.
(b) Technical Amendment.--The item relating to section 1223
in the table of contents of the FAA Reauthorization Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-254) is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 1223. Study to streamline and consolidate information collection
and preliminary damage assessments.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Graves) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
insert extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 152.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 152, the Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination
Act, is a commonsense bill that is going to streamline and consolidate
the collection of information following a disaster.
While the Federal Emergency Management Agency is the lead Federal
agency on disasters, there are often many Federal agencies involved in
disaster response and recovery.
I have experienced firsthand just how frustrating it can be when
these Federal agencies fail to work together following a natural
disaster.
That is why I am proud to support H.R. 152, which would address this
concern by amending the FEMA-led working group created in the Disaster
Recovery Reform Act of 2018.
Specifically, the working group is going to develop a plan to make
the collection of information from disaster survivors less burdensome,
duplicative, and time consuming. This working group is also going to
coordinate with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency to identify ways to reduce duplication and streamline the
Federal damage assessment process.
I thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Ezell) for his leadership
on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 152, the Federal Disaster Assistance
Coordination Act.
This legislation amends the Disaster Recovery Reform Act to help
Federal agencies streamline and consolidate information collection and
preliminary damage assessments following disasters.
After a major disaster, there is no time to wait for bureaucracy.
However, Federal recovery assistance following disasters is currently
hampered by inefficient information collection and assessments
conducted by multiple agencies.
This bill will remove information collection barriers that currently
impede disaster aid. It creates a working group to identify duplicative
assessments and propose their elimination.
Further, it would streamline Federal disaster recovery efforts by
concluding that a single agency is sufficient to conduct damage
assessments to account for the needs of disaster victims.
The Federal Government can and should be doing this smarter.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the
same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Ezell), the bill's sponsor.
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation,
which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of disaster
assistance.
Unfortunately, none of us are strangers to the effects of natural
disasters, and we have all had these problems in our hometowns.
Right now we are seeing how these events threaten lives, damage
property, and strain local, State, and Federal resources.
In the aftermath, millions of Americans are left seeking help to
rebuild their lives and their communities.
However, when seeking necessary Federal relief, applying for disaster
assistance can be a frustrating and confusing process. This leads to
delays, frustration, and even disqualification from receiving the aid.
This is where my bill comes in. H.R. 152 works to eliminate
inefficiencies and expedite the application process by ensuring only
one information submission is needed.
Survivors are already facing difficult circumstances, and the
application process should not add to their stress.
H.R. 152 represents a crucial step forward toward achieving a more
effective disaster recovery system that prioritizes the needs of
Americans and ensures they receive the help in a timely manner. I urge
my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, we
need to ensure that we are spending our money as efficiently as
possible.
Government should work. As we have seen in fires in Oregon,
hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida, and currently the horrific
fires in Los Angeles, when people suffer from a natural disaster, it is
imperative that they get the help that they need. They have lost
everything, and the last thing we should be doing is dragging them
through duplicative bureaucracy.
That is why this bill is so important. This bipartisan bill passed
the House on suspension in the 116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses. This
bill will help disaster survivors by taking a step toward streamlining
the Federal Government's fragmented approach to disaster assistance.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and, hopefully, the Senate
will move it through. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 152 is a good government
bill that will help improve disaster recovery efforts. It has
previously passed the House in the 116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 152.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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