[House Report 116-575]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress }                                          { Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  2d Session   }                                          { 116-575

======================================================================
 
               PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IMPROVEMENT 
                              ACT OF 2020

                                _______
                                

 November 16, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

         Mr. DeFazio, from the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 4358]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 4358) to direct the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit to 
Congress a report on preliminary damage assessment and to 
establish damage assessment teams in the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, and for other purposes, having considered 
the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment and 
recommends that the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose of Legislation...........................................     2
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     3
Hearings.........................................................     3
Legislative History and Consideration............................     4
Committee Votes..................................................     4
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     4
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................     4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................     5
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     5
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     5
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
  Benefits.......................................................     5
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     5
Preemption Clarification.........................................     5
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     6
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     6
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     6

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Preliminary Damage Assessment 
Improvement Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) Preliminary damage assessments play a critical role in 
        assessing and validating the impact and magnitude of a 
        disaster.
          (2) Through the preliminary damage assessment process, 
        representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
        validate information gathered by State and local officials that 
        serves as the basis for disaster assistance requests.
          (3) Various factors can impact the duration of a preliminary 
        damage assessment and the corresponding submission of a major 
        disaster request, however, the average time between when a 
        disaster occurs, and the submission of a corresponding disaster 
        request has been found to be approximately twenty days longer 
        for flooding disasters.
          (4) With communities across the country facing increased 
        instances of catastrophic flooding and other extreme weather 
        events, accurate and efficient preliminary damage assessments 
        have become critically important to the relief process for 
        impacted states and municipalities.

SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

  (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall submit to Congress a report describing the preliminary 
damage assessment process, as supported by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency in the 5 years before the date of enactment of this 
Act.
  (b) Contents.--The report described in subsection (a) shall contain 
the following:
          (1) The process of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
        for deploying personnel to support preliminary damage 
        assessments.
          (2) The number of Agency staff participating on disaster 
        assessment teams.
          (3) The training and experience of such staff described in 
        paragraph (2).
          (4) A calculation of the average amount of time disaster 
        assessment teams described in paragraph (1) are deployed to a 
        disaster area.
          (5) The efforts of the Agency to maintain a consistent 
        liaison between the Agency and State, local, Tribal, and 
        territorial officials within a disaster area.

SEC. 4. PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.

  (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
shall establish a training regime under section 206.33(b) of title 44, 
Code of Federal Regulations, within the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency to ensure preliminary damage assessments are conducted and 
reviewed under consistent guidelines.
  (b) Annual Report.--The Administrator shall annually submit to 
Congress a report on the number and type of instances under which 
Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel have overturned decisions 
made by personnel in the field.
  (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a 
report--
          (1) describing the establishment of disaster guidelines from 
        Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel described under 
        subsection (a);
          (2) assessing whether the duration of the deployment of 
        Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel to conduct a 
        preliminary damage assessment is longer based on specific 
        disaster conditions; and
          (3) containing legislative recommendations to improve the 
        operation, deployment, and staffing of disaster personnel.
  (d) Definition of State and Local Government.--For purposes of this 
Act, the terms ``State'' and ``local government'' have the meanings 
given such terms in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).

                         PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION

    The purpose of H.R. 4358, as amended, is to direct the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
to submit to Congress a report on the Preliminary Damage 
Assessment (PDA) process and to establish a consistent training 
program for FEMA personnel involved in the PDA process, and for 
other purposes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    State, tribal, territorial, and local (STTL) 
representatives are responsible for conducting PDAs with the 
assistance of FEMA officials to validate damages ahead of a 
governor's or chief executive's submittal of a request for FEMA 
assistance to the President.\1\ FEMA uses PDA findings in the 
wake of a hazard event to determine the extent of damage and 
the resulting unmet needs of individuals and households, 
businesses, and the public sector in an affected community or 
area.\2\ PDA findings play a critical role in that they form 
the basis for the determinations as to whether damages are of a 
significant magnitude to warrant a disaster declaration 
pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\44 C.F.R. Sec. 206.33.
    \2\Federal Emergency Management Agency. Public Assistance Program 
and Policy Guide, Version 4. Available at https://www.fema.gov/sites/
default/files/2020-06/fema_public-assistance-program-and-policy-
guide_v4_6-1-2020.pdf.
    \3\44 CFR Sec. 206.35 and 206.36.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Section 206.33 of title 44 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations details that it is in the ``best interest of all 
parties to combine State and Federal personnel resources by 
performing a joint PDA prior to the initiation of a Governor's 
request . . .''\4\ Subsection (b) specifically recommends the 
Federal government use damage assessment teams to coordinate 
with State officials.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\44 CFR Sec. 206.33.
    \5\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Despite the significance of PDAs, the Committee has 
received reports of discrepancies across the ten FEMA regions 
regarding the inconsistency of information, data, and FEMA 
staffing involved in the PDA process.\6\ H.R. 4358, as amended, 
will direct FEMA to produce a report examining the PDA process 
and establish a consistent training program for FEMA personnel 
to effectively and uniformly support these assessments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\See, for example, FEMA Disaster Workforce: Actions Needed to 
Address Deployment and Staff Development Challenges, General 
Accountability Office, May 2020, GAO-20-360.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 
116th Congress--
          (1) No hearings were used to develop or consider H.R. 
        4358; and
          (2) The following related hearings were held:
    On October 22, 2019, the Subcommittee on Economic 
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing entitled ``An Assessment of Federal Recovery Efforts 
from Recent Disasters.'' The Subcommittee received testimony on 
the first panel of witnesses from Mr. Jeffrey Byard, Associate 
Administrator, Office of Response and Recovery, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security; 
Mr. Dennis Alvord, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Economic 
Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; Mr. 
Chris P. Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. 
Government Accountability Office; and on the second panel of 
witnesses from Mr. Mike Sprayberry, Director, Emergency 
Management, Department of Public Safety, State of North 
Carolina, testifying on behalf of the National Emergency 
Management Association; Hon. Fernando Gil-Ensenat, Secretary, 
Department of Housing, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Ms. Rhonda 
Wiley, Emergency Management/911 Director/Floodplain 
Administrator, Atchison County, State of Missouri; and Mr. 
Reese C. May, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, The Saint 
Bernard Project. The Department of Housing and Urban 
Development submitted a statement for the record.
    On March 11, 2020, the Subcommittee on Economic 
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing entitled ``FEMA's Priorities for 2020 and Beyond: 
Coordinating Mission and Vision.'' The Subcommittee received 
testimony from the Hon. Peter T. Gaynor, Administrator, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.

                 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION

    H.R. 4358 was introduced in the House on September 17, 
2019, by Mr. Katko and Mr. Cunningham and referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Within the 
Committee, H.R. 4358 was referred to the Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency 
Management.
    On September 30, 2020, the Subcommittee on Economic 
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management was 
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4358.
    The Committee met in open session to consider H.R. 4358 on 
September 30, 2020, and ordered the measure to be reported to 
the House with a favorable recommendation, as amended, by voice 
vote.
    The following amendment was offered:
    An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute offered by Mr. 
Palmer (#1); was AGREED TO by voice vote.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires each committee report to include the 
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote 
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the 
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for 
and against.
    There were no recorded votes taken in connection with 
consideration of H.R. 4358, as amended.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in this report.

               NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect 
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested 
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the 
Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee has 
requested but not received from the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office a statement as to whether this bill 
contains any new budget authority, spending authority, credit 
authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax 
expenditures. The Chair of the Committee shall cause such 
estimate and statement to be printed in the Congressional 
Record upon its receipt by the Committee.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

    With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, a cost 
estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant 
to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not 
made available to the Committee in time for the filing of this 
report. The Chairman of the Committee shall cause such estimate 
to be printed in the Congressional Record upon its receipt by 
the Committee.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
performance goal and objective of this legislation is to 
establish training guidelines for FEMA personnel to produce 
more consistent PDAs.

                    DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision 
of H.R. 4358, as amended, establishes or reauthorizes a program 
of the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

   CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF 
                                BENEFITS

    In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule 
XXI.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of 
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.

                        PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint 
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the 
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, 
or tribal law. The Committee finds that H.R. 4358, as amended, 
does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 
104-1).

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that this bill may be cited as the 
``Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act of 2019''.

Sec. 2. Findings

    This section describes the findings of Congress related to 
the Preliminary Damage Assessment process. The section states 
that various factors can impact the duration of a PDA and the 
subsequent submission of a major disaster request and that 
accurate, efficient PDAs will become critically important to 
the relief process for disaster-impacted STTL governments and 
disaster survivors.

Sec. 3. Report to Congress

    This section directs the FEMA Administrator to submit to 
Congress a report describing the preliminary damage assessment 
process, including the Agency's process for deploying personnel 
to support PDAs, the number of Agency staff participating on 
disaster assessment teams, the training and experience of such 
staff, and FEMA's efforts to maintain a consistent liaison 
between the Agency and STTL officials within a disaster area.

Sec. 4. Preliminary damage assessment

    This section directs the FEMA Administrator to establish a 
training regime within FEMA to ensure PDAs are conducted and 
reviewed under consistent guidelines. The section also requires 
an annual report on the number and type of instances under 
which FEMA personnel have overturned decisions made by STTL 
personnel in the field.

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    As reported by the Committee, H.R. 4358 makes no changes in 
existing law.

                                  [all]