[House Report 116-637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress }                                          { Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  2d Session   }                                          { 116-637

======================================================================
 
                   RESILIENCY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2020

                                _______
                                

December 9, 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

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 5756]

    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 5756) to amend the Bipartisan 
Budget Act of 2018 to extend the provision of assistance for 
critical services with respect to certain disasters, and for 
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose of Legislation...........................................    00
Background and Need for Legislation..............................    00
Hearings.........................................................    00
Legislative History and Consideration............................    00
Committee Votes..................................................    00
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................    00
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................    00
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................    00
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................    00
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................    00
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
  Benefits.......................................................    00
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................    00
Preemption Clarification.........................................    00
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................    00
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................    00
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................    00
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............    00
Additional Views.................................................

                         Purpose of Legislation

    The purpose of H.R. 5756 is to amend the Bipartisan Budget 
Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-123) to extend the provision of 
assistance for critical services with respect to certain 
disasters, and for other purposes.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Section 406(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act, Pub. L. 93-288 as 
amended) allows the President to make contributions to private 
nonprofit facilities and infrastructure for the repair of 
damage caused by disasters if those facilities provide 
``critical services''' as defined by the act. The Stafford Act 
currently includes power, water, sewer, wastewater treatment, 
communications, education, and emergency medical care within 
the Section 406 definition of ``critical services.''
    H.R. 5756 would expand the definition of critical services 
under Section 406 of the Stafford Act for the purposes of 
Section 20601 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, authorizing 
assistance for public infrastructure, pursuant to Section 428 
of the Stafford Act for certain disasters declared in Puerto 
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This expansion would include: 
solid waste management, stormwater management, emergency supply 
transportation, nonemergency medical, first response, and 
security.
    Several Committee members and staff have visited the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to meet 
with local and Federal officials and review the status of 
recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria since the storms struck 
in 2017. Limitations in Federal disaster assistance program 
authorities identified by officials tasked with recovery have 
resulted in this legislative effort to further expand language 
enacted as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

                                Hearings

    For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 
116th Congress, the following hearings were used to develop or 
consider H.R. 5756:
    On May 22, 2019, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, 
Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing 
titled ``Disaster Preparedness: DRRA Implementation and FEMA 
Readiness.'' Witnesses included: Dr. Daniel Kaniewski, Deputy 
Administrator for Resilience, FEMA; Ms. Sima Merick, Executive 
Director, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, testifying on 
behalf of the National Emergency Management Association; Mr. 
Nick Crossley, Director, Hamilton County Ohio Emergency 
Management and Homeland Security Agency, testifying on behalf 
of the International Association of Emergency Managers; Mr. 
James Gore, Supervisor, County of Sonoma, California, 
testifying on behalf of the Nation Association of Counties; Mr. 
Al Davis, Deputy Director, Texas A&M Engineering Extension 
Service, testifying on behalf of the National Domestic 
Preparedness Consortium; and Mr. Randy Noel, President, Reve, 
Inc., testifying on behalf of the National Association of Home 
Builders. Topics discussed included the state of federal 
disaster preparedness programs since the enactment of the 
Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, the status of Federal 
disaster recovery assistance funding appropriated in the wake 
of major disaster declarations granted by the President from 
2017-2019, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather-
related hazards.
    On October 22, 2019, the Subcommittee on Economic 
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing titled ``An Assessment of Federal Recovery Efforts from 
Recent Disasters.'' The Subcommittee received testimony 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; 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.

                 Legislative History and Consideration

    H.R. 5756 was introduced in the House on February 5, 2020, 
by Ms. Plaskett, Ms. Gonzalez-Colon and eight original 
bipartisan co-sponsors and referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. Within the Committee, H.R. 
5756 was referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, 
Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
    On February 26, 2020, the Chair discharged the Subcommittee 
on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency 
Management from further consideration of H.R. 5756.
    The Committee met in open session to consider H.R. 5756 on 
February 26, 2020, and ordered the measure to be reported to 
the House with a favorable recommendation, by voice vote, a 
quorum being present.
    The following amendment was offered:
    An amendment offered by Mr. Graves of Louisiana (#1) was 
withdrawn by unanimous consent.
    Page 2, line 11, insert ``, any major disaster (as such 
term is defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act) declared under 
section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act'' before ``, and''.

                            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.
    No recorded votes were taken in consideration of H.R. 5756.

                      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 Authorityand 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 Chairman 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 expand 
eligibility for facility and infrastructure repair funding for 
entities that provide critical services, as well as ensure that 
this expanded eligibility is consistent across overlapping 
recoveries from the 2017 hurricane season and the 2019-2020 
seismic activity.

                    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. 5756 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 Statemen

    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 Chairman 
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. 5756 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 
``Resiliency Enhancement Act of 2020''.

Sec. 2. Repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities

    This section strikes and replaces the original re-
definition of ``critical services'' to include solid waste 
management, stormwater management, emergency supply 
transportation, nonemergency medical, first response, and 
security. Additionally, the period of eligible declared events 
is extended to expire on September 30, 2022.

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

                     BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2018




           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
   DIVISION B--SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, TAX RELIEF, AND MEDICAID 
    CHANGES RELATING TO CERTAIN DISASTERS AND FURTHER EXTENSION OF 
                       CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS

   SUBDIVISION 1--FURTHER ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
DISASTER RELIEF REQUIREMENTS ACT, 2018

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND SERVICES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



                    GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE.

  Sec. 20601. The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency may provide assistance, pursuant to section 
428 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), for critical services 
as defined in section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and including, for 
purposes of this section, solid waste management, stormwater 
management, public housing, transportation infrastructure, and 
medical care, for the duration of the recovery for incidents 
DR-4336-PR, DR-4339-PR, DR-4340-USVI[, and], DR-4335-USVI, and 
any subsequent major disaster (as such term is defined in 
section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act) declared under section 401 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands on or before September 30, 
2022 to--
          (1) replace or restore the function of a facility or 
        system to industry standards without regard to the pre-
        disaster condition of the facility or system; and
          (2) replace or restore components of the facility or 
        system not damaged by the disaster where necessary to 
        fully effectuate the replacement or restoration of 
        disaster-damaged components to restore the function of 
        the facility or system to industry standards.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

    Since 2017, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have been 
faced with numerous natural disasters. Between Hurricanes Irma 
and Maria and the subsequent earthquakes, U.S. citizens in the 
territories experienced significant administrative dysfunction 
and delays in disaster recovery. These challenges exist both 
within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and with 
the local territorial governments. These legal issues and 
capacity problems are not tied to funding shortfalls: there are 
billions of dollars available for recovery in the territories 
not just under Individual and Public Assistance, but other 
Federal programs as well.
    The 115th Congress was vocal on the subject of the use of 
Federal dollars after a disaster as an opportunity to improve 
resiliency and prevent damage in future natural hazards. For 
example, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (P.L. 115-254) 
created additional flexibilities for the use of federal funds 
to allow State, local, territorial, and tribal governments to 
build back more resiliently after a disaster. However, Section 
20601 of the Balanced Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123) went 
even further and set an unprecedented condition for the 
recovery of critical public assets damaged in relation to 
certain disaster declarations for the territories. For these 
disasters, the BBA allowed the function of a facility or system 
to be replaced or restored without regard to the pre-disaster 
condition of the public asset.
    The fact remains that under current law and for every other 
Federally declared disaster, the condition of a public asset 
prior to a disaster is relevant to a determination of 
assistance under Section 428 of the Stafford Act. While it is 
appropriate for the Federal government to step in and lend a 
helping hand after a significant natural disaster, it is 
equally critical that Federal disaster assistance programs 
incentivize local governments to remain invested in the upkeep 
of their public assets and infrastructure. Throwing out the 
condition of the public asset prior to the disaster altogether 
sets a concerning precedent that, over time, may create 
disincentives for routine maintenance and upkeep.
    H.R. 5756 amends the BBA of 2018 to expand the eligibility 
of public facilities beyond the scope of disaster-damaged 
public and private nonprofit facilities (permanent work) to 
include solid waste management, storm water management, public 
housing, transportation infrastructure, and even medical care. 
It is concerning that the Congress continues to propose opening 
up the eligibility of assistance for public facilities under 
Sec. 428 of the Stafford Act, especially without regard to the 
prior condition of those assets. The addition of `medical care' 
is especially worrying, as it is unclear if it would apply to 
expenses related to medical care of individuals or publicly 
owned medical care facilities. The text also applies that 
expansion to any future major disaster that may strike Puerto 
Rico or the Virgin Islands on or before September 30, 2022, 
which raises questions about what this expansion will cost 
taxpayers.
    The intent of the bill to help Americans in the territories 
is laudable, and one which I fully support. There have been 
significant emergency management shortfalls in Puerto Rico and 
the Virgin Islands that have caused needless human suffering. 
Both FEMA and the territorial governments have demonstrated a 
capacity problem with implementing existing disaster recovery 
programs, but further expanding program eligibility is not the 
solution to that shortfall. The Federal government also has an 
obligation to taxpayers to ensure that our disaster programs 
incentivize local governments to act responsibly.

                                   Garret Graves,
                                           Member of Congress.

                           [all]