[Senate Report 117-163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 505
117th Congress        }                            {          Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session           }                            {         117-163
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                  DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIMPLIFICATION 
                              ACT OF 2022

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              to accompany

                                S. 4599

             TO STREAMLINE THE SHARING OF INFORMATION AMONG
           FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE AGENCIES, TO EXPEDITE
           THE DELIVERY OF LIFE-SAVING ASSISTANCE TO DISASTER
          SURVIVORS, TO SPEED THE RECOVERY OF COMMUNITIES FROM
           DISASTERS, TO PROTECT THE SECURITY AND PRIVACY OF
   INFORMATION PROVIDED BY DISASTER SURVIVORS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

		
		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


               September 27, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
               
               		     __________

		   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

29-010			  WASHINGTON : 2022
               
        
        
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS




                   GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware           ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              RAND PAUL, Kentucky
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
ALEX PADILLA, California             MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia                  RICK SCOTT, Florida
                                     JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri

                   David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
                    Zachary I. Schram, Chief Counsel
         Christopher J. Mulkins, Director of Homeland Security
           Naveed Jazayeri, Senior Professional Staff Member
                Pamela Thiessen, Minority Staff Director
            Sam J. Mulopulos, Minority Deputy Staff Director
       Clyde E. Hicks Jr., Minority Director of Homeland Security
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk




                                                      Calendar No. 505
117th Congress        }                            {          Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session           }                            {         117-163

======================================================================


 
             DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIMPLIFICATION ACT OF 2022

                                _______
                                

               September 27, 2022.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 4599]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 4599) to streamline 
the sharing of information among Federal disaster assistance 
agencies, to expedite the delivery of life-saving assistance to 
disaster survivors, to speed the recovery of communities from 
disasters, to protect the security and privacy of information 
provided by disaster survivors, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an 
amendment, in the nature of a substitute, and recommends that 
the bill, as amended, do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................3
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............3
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................5
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................5
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............6

                         I. Purpose and Summary

    S. 4599, the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, amends 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (Stafford Act) to allow the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) to share information on disaster survivors with 
other federal agencies to simplify recovery efforts and reduce 
the burden on survivors after a disaster. The bill directs FEMA 
to implement a universal application for disaster victims so 
that they will no longer be required to submit multiple 
applications to different federal agencies, which often times 
ask duplicative questions and requires unnecessary 
administrative burden on applicants, for assistance. The bill 
also requires all information sharing practices to meet 
applicable data security standards and best practices.

              II. Background and the Need for Legislation

    After a disaster, there are various types of federal 
assistance that may be made available to disaster survivors.\1\ 
FEMA's Individuals and Households Program can provide financial 
and/or direct assistance for housing, as well as financial 
assistance for other needs to eligible individuals and 
households who have uninsured or under-insured necessary 
expenses and serious needs resulting from an emergency or major 
disaster.\2\ The Small Business Administration's (SBA) Real 
Property Disaster Loans and Personal Property Loans are 
available to eligible homeowners and renters who have incurred 
uninsured or under-insured damage to their home or personal 
property located in a declared disaster area.\3\ The Department 
of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development 
Block Grant Disaster Recovery program may provide significant 
additional funding to communities for unmet long-term disaster 
recovery needs, including unmet housing needs for low- and 
moderate-income individuals.\4\ Finally, the Department of 
Agriculture's (USDA) Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program provides temporary food assistance for households 
affected by a natural disaster.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Federal Emergency Management Agency, Assistance (https://
www.fema.gov/assistance) (accessed August 11, 2022).
    \2\Federal Emergency Management Agency, Individual Programs 
(https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program) (accessed August 
11, 2022).
    \3\Small Business Administration, Home and Property Disaster Loans 
(https://www.govloans.gov/loans/home-and-property-disaster-loans/) 
(accessed August 11, 2022).
    \4\U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community 
Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (https://www.hud.gov/
program_offices/comm_planning/cdbg-dr) (accessed August 11, 2022).
    \5\U.S. Department of Agriculture, Disaster Supplemental Nutrition 
Agency Program (https://www.disasterassistance.gov/get-assistance/
forms-of-assistance/5769) (accessed August 11, 2022).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    At present, because of restrictions on information sharing 
between federal entities, each application for assistance 
requires a separate and detailed process that can take weeks or 
even months to complete.\6\ The burden of these multiple, 
duplicative applications can overwhelm some survivors, causing 
many to simply give up accessing desperately needed assistance. 
An analysis from SBP, a nonprofit focused on disaster recovery, 
found that more than 50 percent of the questions asked as part 
of FEMA's disaster assistance application and SBA's disaster 
assistance application are duplicative.\7\ The burden of 
navigating multiple protracted applications can be overwhelming 
to survivors working to rebuild after a disaster, and can 
sometimes discourage survivors from seeking needed assistance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\Information provided to the committee by FEMA through email on 
May 19, 2022; SBP, Advocate (https://sbpusa.org/what-we-do/advocate) 
(accessed August 11, 2022).
    \7\SBP, Advocate (https://sbpusa.org/what-we-do/advocate) (accessed 
August 11, 2022).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Disaster assistance agencies should work together to 
coordinate a unified, integrated, and agile approach that will 
provide support to survivors immediately after unpredictable 
catastrophic disasters strike. Current federal privacy and 
information collection policies and procedures complicate these 
agencies' ability to coordinate disaster assistance effectively 
and increases burdens on survivors. This legislation requires 
that FEMA synthesize separate disaster assistance applications 
into one universal platform, the online Consolidated 
Application System, which will reduce administrative burden on 
agencies and improve equitable recovery for survivors.

                        III. Legislative History

    Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced S. 4599, the 
Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, on July 21, 2022, with 
Senator James Lankford (R-OK). The bill was referred to the 
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
    The Committee considered S. 4599 at a business meeting on 
August 3, 2022. During the business meeting, Senators Peters 
and Lankford offered a substitute amendment that made technical 
edits and clarified FEMA's waiver authorities. The substitute 
amendment was adopted en bloc by voice vote with Senators 
Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Padilla, Ossoff, Lankford, 
Romney, Scott, and Hawley present for the vote. Senator Portman 
offered an amendment that struck specific entities from the 
list of disaster agencies in the federal government and instead 
required FEMA to designate additional agencies as disaster 
assistance agencies. The amendment was adopted en bloc by voice 
vote with Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Padilla, 
Ossoff, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley present for the 
vote.
    The Committee ordered the bill, as amended, to be favorably 
reported by voice vote en bloc. Senators present for the vote 
were: Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Padilla, Ossoff, Lankford, 
Romney, Scott, and Hawley.

        IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported


Section 1. Short title

    This section designates the name of the bill as the 
``Disaster Assistance Simplification Act.''

Section 2. Findings and purpose

    Subsection (a) identifies the findings of Congress related 
to the delivery and execution of disaster assistance and 
response. Subsection (a) also finds that Section 552a of title 
5, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Privacy Act of 
1974'') and subchapter 1 of chapter 35 of title 44, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ``Paperwork Reduction 
Act''), require burdensome review processes that hinder 
interagency coordination and disaster assistance efforts.
    Subsection (b) states that the purpose of the legislation 
is to: (1) streamline the sharing of information among federal 
disaster assistance agencies; (2) modernize the legal 
safeguards against the unauthorized disclosure or misuse of 
information about applicants for disaster assistance; and (3) 
modernize, streamline, and consolidate the overlapping 
requirements of current law, and the agency policies that 
implement those authorities to improve the speed, convenience, 
efficiency, and effectiveness of disaster relief programs.

Section 3. Establishment of DisasterAssistance.gov electronic 
        information system

    This section amends the Stafford Act by inserting a new 
section 707 that establishes a DisasterAssistance.gov 
electronic information system.
    Section 707, subsection (a) defines the terms 
``Administrator,'' ``Applicant,'' ``DisasterAssistance.Gov,'' 
``Disaster Assistance Agency,'' ``Disaster Assistance 
Information,'' ``Disaster Assistance Program,'' and ``Record.''
    Section 707, subsection (b) requires the FEMA Administrator 
to establish a website with the domain name 
DisasterAssistance.gov within 180 days of this bill's 
enactment. Furthermore, subsection (b) requires 
DisasterAssistance.gov to provide applicants with the option to 
receive status updates on applications for their disaster 
assistance programs through DisasterAssistance.gov. 
Additionally, subsection (b) details additional capabilities of 
DisasterAssistance.gov's application system.
    Section 707, subsection (c) provides the FEMA Administrator 
with discretion to collect, maintain, share, and use disaster 
assistance information, including information received from any 
disaster assistance agency, with other disaster assistant 
agencies. Subsection (c) also lays out requirements for a 
notice published on DisasterAssistance.gov, pursuant to 
subsection (d) of Section 707 (as provided in this bill), 
including a detailed description of the information being 
collected, why the collection of information is necessary to 
execute the purpose of a disaster assistance program, and 
assurance that the information being collected is consistent 
with fair information practice principles.
    Section 707, subsection (d) describes the requirements for 
a notice to be published on DisasterAssistance.gov. 
Additionally, subsection (d) allows the FEMA Administrator to 
waive certain requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act and 
delineates the conditions under which the waiver may be 
exercised by the FEMA Administrator.
    Section 707, subsection (e) outlines a set of requirements 
that the FEMA Administrator must satisfy prior to the 
collection of disaster assistance information via 
DisasterAssistance.gov. The FEMA Administrator must (1) certify 
DisasterAssistance.Gov complies with data security standards 
established pursuant to subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 
44, United States Code; (2) coordinate with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to obtain their privacy impact assessment for 
DisasterAssistance.gov; and (3) publish standard rules of 
behavior for disaster assistance agencies and personnel granted 
access to disaster assistance information so as to ensure there 
are no improper information disclosures.
    Section 707, subsection (f) allows the FEMA Administrator 
to designate another federal agency as a disaster assistance 
agency after posting terms of the agreement between the FEMA 
administrator and a federal agency onto the 
DisasterAssistance.gov website.
    Section 707, subsection (g) is a rule of construction that 
provides that the sharing of disaster assistance information 
subject to requirements in current law among disaster agencies 
or with state, local, or tribal governments shall not be 
construed as a matching program for the purpose of section 
552(a)(8) of title 5, United States Code, nor shall they be 
subject to certain subsections of section 552a of title 5, 
United States Code. Additionally, subsection (g) states that 
nothing in section 707 can affect the authority of an entity to 
share information in accordance with any other law.

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 21, 2022.
Hon. Gary Peters,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. 
        Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 4599, the Disaster 
Assistance Simplification Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jon Sperl.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    S. 4599 would require the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) to improve its website, DisasterAssistance.gov, 
which provides information for individuals, households, and 
businesses seeking access to federal disaster assistance. Many 
federal agencies provide information on the portal about the 
assistance that is available, but the website only allows 
applicants to apply for one FEMA program and has limited 
capacity for information sharing among participating agencies.
    S. 4599 would require FEMA to streamline the application 
process by allowing individuals and businesses to apply for all 
available disaster assistance and to facilitate the sharing of 
applicant information among participating agencies. Under the 
bill, the portal would need to meet certain functionality 
requirements, such as protecting data privacy and facilitating 
agencies' ability to detect fraud and discrimination in the 
administration of assistance programs.
    In 2022, FEMA allocated about $11 million for the website, 
mostly for contracts with private vendors to operate the portal 
and supporting systems.
    Using information provided by FEMA about the portal's 
current functionality, CBO expects that the agency would need 
to contract for additional technology services to develop new 
user interfaces and information sharing mechanisms and to 
enhance the website's capacity to manage, store, and secure 
data. CBO estimates those costs would total $34 million over 
the 2022-2027 period, with most of that cost occurring in 2024 
and 2025. In addition, we estimate that FEMA would need $2 
million over that period for the equivalent of three full-time 
employees--at an average annual cost of $160,000--over the 
first three years after enactment, and two employees beginning 
in 2026, to oversee contractors and coordinate work on the 
portal among participating agencies. In total, CBO estimates 
that implementing the bill would cost $36 million over the 
2023-2027 period, assuming appropriation of the estimated 
amounts.
    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall 
within budget function 450 (community and regional 
development).

                TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 4599
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   2022     2023     2024     2025     2026     2027   2022-2027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Authorization........................        0        4       12       13        4        4         37
Estimated Outlays..............................        0        4       11       12        5        4         36
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jon Sperl. The 
estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director 
of Budget Analysis.

       VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows: (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 707. ESTABLISHMENT OF DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV ELECTRONIC 
                    INFORMATION SYSTEM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means 
        the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency.
          (2) Applicant.--The term `applicant' means--
                  (A) an individual or organization that 
                applies for disaster assistance from a disaster 
                assistance program; and
                  (B) an individual or organization on behalf 
                of which an individual described in 
                subparagraph (A) applies for disaster 
                assistance from a disaster assistance program.
          (3) Disasterassistance.gov.--The term 
        `DisasterAssistance.gov' means the electronic 
        information system established under subsection (b)(1).
          (4) Disaster assistance agency.--The term `disaster 
        assistance agency' means--
                  (A) the Federal Emergency Management Agency; 
                and
                  (B) any Federal agency that provides disaster 
                assistance to individuals that the 
                Administrator certifies as a disaster 
                assistance agency in accordance with subsection 
                (f) to carry out the purposes of a disaster 
                assistance program.
          (5) Disaster assistance information.--The term 
        `disaster assistance information' includes any 
        personal, biographical, demographic, geographical, 
        financial, application decision, or other information 
        that a disaster assistance agency is authorized to 
        collect, maintain, share, or use to--
                  (A) process an application for disaster 
                assistance from a disaster assistance program; 
                or
                  (B) otherwise carry out the purpose of a 
                disaster assistance program.
          (6) Disaster assistance program.--The term `disaster 
        assistance program' means--
                  (A) a program that provides disaster 
                assistance to individuals and households under 
                title IV or V in accordance with sections 408 
                and 502; or
                  (B) any other assistance program authorized 
                by a Federal statute or funded with Federal 
                appropriations under which a disaster 
                assistance agency awards or distributes 
                disaster assistance to an individual, 
                household, or organization that arises from a 
                major disaster or emergency declared under 
                section 401 or 501, respectively, including--
                          (i) disaster assistance;
                          (ii) long-term disaster recovery 
                        assistance;
                          (iii) the post-disaster restoration 
                        of infrastructure and housing;
                          (iv) post-disaster economic 
                        revitalization;
                          (v) pre-disaster mitigation under 
                        title I of the Housing and Community 
                        Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 
                        et seq.);
                          (vi) a loan authorized under section 
                        7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 
                        U.S.C. 636(b)); and
                          (vii) food benefit allotments under 
                        section 412 of this Act and section 
                        5(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
                        2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(h)).
          (7) Record.--The term `record' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 552a of title 5, United States 
        Code.
    (b) Establishment of Consolidated Application System.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of the Disaster Assistance 
        Simplification Act, the Administrator shall establish a 
        web-based, interagency electronic information system to 
        be known as DisasterAssistance.gov to--
                  (A) facilitate a consolidated application for 
                any form of disaster assistance provided by a 
                disaster assistance agency;
                  (B) carry out the purposes of disaster 
                assistance programs swiftly, efficiently, 
                equitably, and in accordance with applicable 
                laws and the privacy and data protections 
                provided under this section; and
                  (C) support the detection, prevention, and 
                investigation of waste, fraud, abuse, or 
                discrimination in the administration of 
                disaster assistance programs.
          (2) Capabilities of the consolidated application 
        system.--DisasterAssistance.gov shall--
                  (A) allow for applicants to receive status 
                updates on applications for disaster assistance 
                programs through DisasterAssistance.gov;
                  (B) allow for applicants to update disaster 
                assistance information throughout the recovery 
                journeys of those applicants;
                  (C) allow for the distribution of additional 
                recovery resource information to disaster 
                survivors that may be available in a disaster 
                stricken jurisdiction;
                  (D) provide disaster survivors with 
                information and documentation on the 
                applications of those disaster survivors for a 
                disaster assistance program; and
                  (E) contain other capabilities determined 
                necessary by the heads of disaster assistance 
                agencies.
    (c) Authorities of Administrator.--The Administrator may--
          (1) collect, maintain, share, and use disaster 
        assistance information, including such information 
        received from any disaster assistance agency, with any 
        other disaster assistance agency for purposes of 
        subsection (b)(1), and may use DisasterAssistance.gov 
        for these purposes; and
          (2) subject to subsection (d), authorize the 
        collection, sharing, and use of disaster assistance 
        information collected on or after the date of enactment 
        of the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act by 
        publishing a notice on DisasterAssistance.gov that--
                  (A) includes a detailed description of--
                          (i) the specific disaster assistance 
                        information authorized to be collected, 
                        maintained, and shared;
                          (ii) why the collection, maintenance, 
                        or sharing of the disaster assistance 
                        information is--
                                  (I) necessary to carry out 
                                the purpose of a disaster 
                                assistance program; and
                                  (II) consistent with fair 
                                information practice 
                                principles; and
                          (iii) the disaster assistance 
                        agencies that will be granted access to 
                        the disaster assistance information to 
                        carry out the purpose of any disaster 
                        assistance program; and
                  (B) the submission of an application through 
                DisasterAssistance.gov constitutes prior 
                written consent to disclose disaster assistance 
                information to disaster assistance agencies for 
                the purpose of section 552a(b) of title 5, 
                United States Code.
    (d) Collection and Sharing of Records and Information.--
          (1) Effect of publication of notice on 
        disasterassistance.gov.--The publication of a notice by 
        the Administrator on DisasterAssistance.gov of a 
        revision to the DisasterAssistance.gov system of 
        records on DisasterAssistance.gov prior to any new 
        collection, or uses, of records, to carry out the 
        purposes of a disaster assistance program with respect 
        to a major disaster or emergency declared by the 
        President under section 401 or 501, respectively, of 
        this Act shall be deemed to satisfy the notice and 
        publication requirements of section 552a(e)(4) of title 
        5, United States Code, for a period of not more than 90 
        days following such declaration, unless such revision 
        has been published in the Federal Register earlier than 
        90 days after the date of such declaration.
          (2) Paperwork reduction act waiver.--
                  (A) In general.--Upon the declaration of a 
                major disaster or emergency pursuant to section 
                401 or 501, respectively, of this Act, the 
                Administrator may waive the requirements of 
                subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United 
                States (commonly known as the `Paperwork 
                Reduction Act'), with respect to voluntary 
                collection of information to carry out the 
                purposes of a disaster assistance program.
                  (B) Duration.--A waiver described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be in effect for the 
                duration of the major disaster or emergency, as 
                applicable.
                  (C) Transparency.--If the Administrator 
                waives the requirements described in 
                subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall--
                          (i) promptly post on the internet 
                        website of the Federal Emergency 
                        Management Agency--
                                  (I) a brief justification for 
                                the waiver; and
                                  (II) the agencies and offices 
                                to which the waiver shall 
                                apply; and
                          (ii) update the information posted 
                        under clause (i), as applicable.
                  (D) Effectiveness of waiver.--Any waiver 
                under subparagraph (A) shall take effect on the 
                date on which the Administrator posts 
                information on the internet website as provided 
                for under subparagraph (C).
    (e) Data Security.--The Administrator shall facilitate the 
collection of disaster assistance information into 
DisasterAssistance.gov only after--
          (1) the Administrator certifies that 
        DisasterAssistance.gov substantially complies with the 
        data security standards established pursuant to 
        subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 44, United States 
        Code, and any other applicable Federal information 
        security policy;
          (2) the Secretary of Homeland Security publishes a 
        privacy impact assessment for DisasterAssistance.gov 
        that is similar to the privacy assessment conducted 
        under section 208(b)(1)(B) of the E-Government Act of 
        2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note); and
          (3) the Administrator publishes standard rules of 
        behavior for disaster assistance agencies and personnel 
        granted access to disaster assistance information to 
        protect such information from improper disclosure.
    (f) Certification of Disaster Assistance Agencies.--
          (1) In general.--The Administrator may certify a 
        Federal agency as a disaster assistance agency after 
        posting an agreement between the Administrator and the 
        Federal agency on DisasterAssistance.gov that contains 
        the detailed terms of the agreement.
          (2) Contents of agreement.--An agreement between the 
        Administrator and a Federal agency described in 
        paragraph (1) shall state that the Federal agency 
        will--
                  (A) collect, share, maintain, and use 
                disaster assistance information in accordance 
                with--
                          (i) this section; and
                          (ii) any existing policies of the 
                        Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
                        the Federal agency for information 
                        protection and use;
                  (B) train any personnel granted access to 
                disaster assistance information on the rules of 
                behavior established by the Administrator under 
                subsection (e)(3);
                  (C) in the event of any unauthorized 
                disclosure of disaster assistance information--
                          (i) not later than 24 hours after 
                        discovering the unauthorized 
                        disclosure, notify the Administrator of 
                        the disclosure;
                          (ii) cooperate fully with the 
                        Administrator in the investigation and 
                        remediation of the disclosure; and
                          (iii) cooperate fully in the 
                        prosecution of a person responsible for 
                        the disclosure; and
                  (D) assume the responsibility for any 
                compensation, civil liability, or other 
                remediation measure awarded by a judgment of a 
                court or agreed as a compromise of any 
                potential claim by or on behalf of an 
                applicant, including by obtaining credit 
                monitoring and remediation services, for an 
                improper disclosure of disaster assistance 
                information that is--
                          (i) caused, directly or indirectly, 
                        by the acts or omissions of an officer, 
                        employee, or contractor of the disaster 
                        assistance agency; or
                          (ii) from any electronic system of 
                        records that created or maintained by 
                        the disaster assistance agency pursuant 
                        to section 552a(e) of title 5, United 
                        States Code.
    (g) Rules of Construction.--
          (1) Inapplicability of matching program provisions.--
        The sharing of disaster assistance information subject 
        to the requirements of section 552a of title 5, United 
        States Code, among disaster assistance agencies or with 
        State, local, or Tribal governments carrying out 
        disaster assistance programs shall not--
                  (A) be construed as a matching program for 
                the purpose of section 552a(a)(8) of title 5, 
                United States Code; or
                  (B) be subject to subsection (e)(12), (o), 
                (p)(1)(A)(ii), (q), (r), or (u) of section 552a 
                of title 5, United States Code.
          (2) Authorities in other laws.--Nothing in this 
        section shall be construed to affect the authority of 
        an entity to share information in accordance with any 
        other law.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


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