II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 21, 2022 

Mr. PETERS (for himself and Mr. LANKFORD) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Disaster Assistance 

5 Simplification Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The disaster response framework of the 

4 United States relies on a unified, integrated, agile, 

5 and adaptable whole-of-community effort by Federal, 

6 State, and local disaster assistance agencies, and by 

7 voluntary organizations, to respond to any natural 

8 and man-made disasters that may strike commu9 nities. 

10 (2) Federal disaster assistance agencies must 

11 be ready to support States, communities, and volun12 teer agencies immediately after unpredictable cata13 strophic disasters that occur without notice. 

14 (3) The immediate sharing of information is es15 sential to an efficient and effective delivery of dis16 aster assistance— 

17 (A) when lives and property are at risk; 

18 and 

19 (B) as communities seek to recover from 

20 disasters as quickly as possible. 

21 (4) Section 552a of title 5, United States Code 

22 (commonly known as the ‘‘Privacy Act of 1974’’) 

23 and subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United 

24 States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork 

25 Reduction Act’’) require multiple layers of review, 

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1 fore Federal disaster assistance agencies can amend 

2 or adapt their information sharing practices. 

3 (5) Such extended review processes can have 

4 the effect of inhibiting efficiency, innovation, and 

5 interoperability among Federal, State, Tribal, terri6 torial, local, private, and volunteer partners in deliv7 ering disaster assistance within a whole-of-commu8 nity disaster assistance effort. 

9 (6) Legal, regulatory, and policy limitations on 

10 the interagency sharing of information submitted by 

11 applicants for disaster assistance may require those 

12 applicants to submit separate applications to mul13 tiple Federal disaster assistance agencies, which in14 creases the burden on those applicants, reduces the 

15 efficiency of disaster assistance programs, and 

16 places additional costs on taxpayers. 

17 (b) PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are to— 

18 (1) streamline the sharing of information 

19 among Federal disaster assistance agencies; 

20 (2) modernize the legal safeguards against the 

21 unauthorized disclosure or misuse of information 

22 about applicants for disaster assistance; and 

23 (3) modernize, streamline, and consolidate the 

24 overlapping requirements of section 552a of title 5, 

25 United States Code, subchapter I of chapter 35 of 


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1 title 44, United States Code, and the agency policies 

2 that implement those authorities to improve the 

3 speed, convenience, efficiency, and effectiveness of 

4 disaster relief programs. 

5 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV 

6 ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEM. 

7 The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer8 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended 

9 by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘SEC. 707. ESTABLISHMENT OF DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV 

11 ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEM. 

12 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

13 ‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘Adminis14 trator’ means the Administrator of the Federal 

15 Emergency Management Agency. 

16 ‘‘(2) APPLICANT.—The term ‘applicant’ 

17 means— 

18 ‘‘(A) an individual or organization who ap19 plies for disaster assistance from a disaster as20 sistance program; and 

21 ‘‘(B) an individual or organization on be22 half of which an individual described in sub23 paragraph (A) applies for disaster assistance 

24 from a disaster assistance program. 


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1 ‘‘(3) DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV.—The term 

2 ‘DisasterAssistance.gov’ means the electronic infor3 mation system established under subsection (b)(1). 

4 ‘‘(4) DISASTER ASSISTANCE AGENCY.—The 

5 term ‘disaster assistance agency’ means— 

6 ‘‘(A) the Federal Emergency Management 

7 Agency; 

8 ‘‘(B) the Department of Housing and 

9 Urban Development; 

10 ‘‘(C) the Small Business Administration; 

11 ‘‘(D) the Department of Agriculture; and 

12 ‘‘(E) any Federal agency that provides dis13 aster assistance to individuals that the Adminis14 trator certifies as a disaster assistance agency 

15 in accordance with subsection (f) to carry out 

16 the purposes of a disaster assistance program. 

17 ‘‘(5) DISASTER ASSISTANCE INFORMATION.— 

18 The term ‘disaster assistance information’ includes 

19 any personal, biographical, demographic, geo20 graphical, financial, or application decision informa21 tion that a disaster assistance agency is authorized 

22 to collect, maintain, share, or use to— 

23 ‘‘(A) process an application for disaster as24 sistance from a disaster assistance program; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) otherwise carry out the purpose of a 

2 disaster assistance program. 

3 ‘‘(6) DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—The 

4 term ‘disaster assistance program’ means— 

5 ‘‘(A) a program that provides disaster as6 sistance to individuals and households under 

7 title IV or V in accordance with sections 408 

8 and 502; or 

9 ‘‘(B) any other assistance program author10 ized by a Federal statute under which a dis11 aster assistance agency awards or distributes 

12 disaster assistance to an individual, household, 

13 or organization that arises from a major dis14 aster or emergency declared under section 401 

15 or 501, respectively, including— 

16 ‘‘(i) disaster assistance; 

17 ‘‘(ii) long-term disaster recovery as18 sistance; 

19 ‘‘(iii) the post-disaster restoration of 

20 infrastructure and housing; 

21 ‘‘(iv) post-disaster economic revitaliza22 tion; 

23 ‘‘(v) pre-disaster mitigation under 

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1 velopment Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et 

2 seq.); 

3 ‘‘(vi) a loan authorized under section 

4 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 

5 636(b)); and 

6 ‘‘(vii) food benefit allotments under 

7 section 412 of this Act and Section 5(h) of 

8 the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 

9 U.S.C. 2014(h)). 

10 ‘‘(7) RECORD.—The term ‘record’ has the 

11 meaning given the term in section 552a of title 5, 

12 United States Code. 

13 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSOLIDATED APPLICA14 TION SYSTEM.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

16 after the date of enactment of the Disaster Assist17 ance Simplification Act, the Administrator shall es18 tablish a web-based, interagency electronic informa19 tion system to be known as DisasterAssistance.gov 

20 to— 

21 ‘‘(A) facilitate a consolidated application 

22 for any form of disaster assistance provided by 

23 a disaster assistance agency; 

24 ‘‘(B) carry out the purposes of disaster as25 sistance programs swiftly, efficiently, equitably, 


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1 and in accordance with applicable laws and the 

2 privacy and data protections provided under 

3 this section; and 

4 ‘‘(C) detect, prevent, and investigate waste, 

5 fraud, abuse, or discrimination in the adminis6 tration of disaster assistance programs. 

7 ‘‘(2) CAPABILITIES OF THE CONSOLIDATED AP8 PLICATION SYSTEM.—DisasterAssistance.gov shall— 

9 ‘‘(A) allow for applicants to receive status 

10 updates on applications for disaster assistance 

11 programs through DisasterAssistance.gov; 

12 ‘‘(B) allow for applicants to update dis13 aster assistance information throughout the re14 covery journeys of those applicants; 

15 ‘‘(C) allow for the distribution of addi16 tional recovery resource information to disaster 

17 survivors that may be available in a disaster 

18 stricken jurisdiction; 

19 ‘‘(D) provide disaster survivors with infor20 mation and documentation on the applications 

21 of those disaster survivors for a disaster assist22 ance program; and 

23 ‘‘(E) contain other capabilities determined 

24 necessary by the heads of disaster assistance 

25 agencies. 


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1 ‘‘(c) AUTHORITIES OF ADMINISTRATOR.—The Ad2 ministrator may— 

3 ‘‘(1) collect, maintain, share, and use disaster 

4 assistance information using DisasterAssistance.gov 

5 or received from any disaster assistance agency with 

6 any other disaster assistance agency; and 

7 ‘‘(2) subject to subsection (d), authorize the col8 lection, sharing, and use of disaster assistance infor9 mation collected on or after the date of enactment 

10 of the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act by pub11 lishing a notice on DisasterAssistance.gov that— 

12 ‘‘(A) includes a detailed description of— 

13 ‘‘(i) the specific disaster assistance in14 formation authorized to be collected, main15 tained, and shared; 

16 ‘‘(ii) why the collection, maintenance, 

17 or sharing of the disaster assistance infor18 mation is— 

19 ‘‘(I) necessary to carry out the 

20 purpose of a disaster assistance pro21 gram; and 

22 ‘‘(II) consistent with fair infor23 mation practice principles; and 

24 ‘‘(iii) the disaster assistance agencies 

25 that will be granted access to the disaster 


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1 assistance information to carry out the 

2 purpose of any disaster assistance pro3 gram; and 

4 ‘‘(B) the submission of an application 

5 through DisasterAssistance.gov constitutes 

6 prior written consent to disclose disaster assist7 ance information to disaster assistance agencies 

8 for the purpose of section 552a(b) of title 5, 

9 United States Code. 

10 ‘‘(d) COLLECTION AND SHARING OF RECORDS AND

11 INFORMATION.— 

12 ‘‘(1) EFFECT OF PUBLICATION OF NOTICE ON

13 DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV.—The publication of a 

14 notice by the Administrator on 

15 DisasterAssistance.gov of a revision to the 

16 DisasterAssistance.gov system of records on 

17 DisasterAssistance.gov prior to any new collection, 

18 or uses, of records, to carry out the purposes of a 

19 disaster assistance program with respect to a major 

20 disaster or emergency declared by the President 

21 under section 401 or 501, respectively, of this Act 

22 shall be deemed to satisfy the notice and publication 

23 requirements of section 552a(e)(4) of title 5, United 

24 States Code, for a period of not more than 90 days 

25 following such declaration, unless such revision has 


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1 been published in the Federal Register earlier than 

2 90 days after the date of such declaration. 

3 ‘‘(2) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT WAIVER.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon the declaration 

5 of a major disaster or emergency pursuant to 

6 section 401 or 501, respectively, of this Act, the 

7 President, without delegation, may direct the 

8 Secretary of Homeland Security to waive the 

9 requirements of subchapter I of chapter 35 of 

10 title 44, United States (commonly known as the 

11 ‘Paperwork Reduction Act’) with respect to vol12 untary collection of information to carry out the 

13 purposes of a disaster assistance program. 

14 ‘‘(B) DURATION.—A waiver described in 

15 subparagraph (A) shall be in effect for the du16 ration of the major disaster or emergency, as 

17 applicable. 

18 ‘‘(C) TRANSPARENCY.—If the Secretary of 

19 Homeland Security waives the requirements de20 scribed in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 

21 shall— 

22 ‘‘(i) promptly post on the internet 

23 website of the Department of Homeland 

24 Security— 


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1 ‘‘(I) a brief justification for the 

2 waiver; and 

3 ‘‘(II) the agencies and offices to 

4 which the waiver shall apply; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) update the information posted 

6 under clause (i), as applicable. 

7 ‘‘(D) EFFECTIVENESS OF WAIVER.—Any 

8 waiver under subparagraph (A) shall take effect 

9 on the date on which the Secretary of Home10 land Security posts information on the internet 

11 website as provided for under subparagraph 

12 (C). 

13 ‘‘(e) DATA SECURITY.—The Administrator shall fa14 cilitate the collection of disaster assistance information 

15 into DisasterAssistance.gov only after— 

16 ‘‘(1) the Administrator certifies that 

17 DisasterAssistance.gov substantially complies with 

18 the data security standards and best practices of the 

19 National Institute of Standards and Technology; 

20 ‘‘(2) the Secretary of Homeland Security pub21 lishes a privacy impact assessment for 

22 DisasterAssistance.gov that is similar to the privacy 

23 assessment conducted under section 222(a)(4) of the 

24 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 

25 142(a)(4)); and 


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1 ‘‘(3) the Administrator publishes standard rules 

2 of behavior for disaster assistance agencies and per3 sonnel granted access to disaster assistance informa4 tion to protect such information from improper dis5 closure. 

6 ‘‘(f) CERTIFICATION OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE

7 AGENCIES.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may 

9 certify a Federal agency as a disaster assistance 

10 agency after posting an agreement between the Ad11 ministrator and the Federal agency on 

12 DisasterAssistance.gov that contains the detailed 

13 terms of the agreement. 

14 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF AGREEMENT.—An agree15 ment between the Administrator and a Federal 

16 agency described in paragraph (1) shall state that 

17 the Federal agency will— 

18 ‘‘(A) collect, share, maintain, and use dis19 aster assistance information— 

20 ‘‘(i) in accordance with this section; 

21 and 

22 ‘‘(ii) in substantial compliance with 

23 the data security standards and best prac24 tices of the National Institute of Standards 

25 and Technology; 


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1 ‘‘(B) train any personnel granted access to 

2 disaster assistance information on the rules of 

3 behavior established by the Administrator under 

4 subsection (e)(3); 

5 ‘‘(C) in the event of any unauthorized dis6 closure of disaster assistance information— 

7 ‘‘(i) not later than 24 hours after dis8 covering the unauthorized disclosure, no9 tify the Administrator of the disclosure; 

10 ‘‘(ii) cooperate fully with the Adminis11 trator in the investigation and remediation 

12 of the disclosure; and 

13 ‘‘(iii) cooperate fully in the prosecu14 tion of a person responsible for the disclo15 sure; and 

16 ‘‘(D) assume the responsibility for any 

17 compensation, civil liability, or other remedi18 ation measure awarded by a judgment of a 

19 court or agreed as a compromise of any poten20 tial claim by or on behalf of an applicant, in21 cluding by obtaining credit monitoring and re22 mediation services, for an improper disclosure 

23 of disaster assistance information that is— 

24 ‘‘(i) caused, directly or indirectly, by 

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1 ployee, or contractor of the disaster assist2 ance agency; or 

3 ‘‘(ii) from any electronic system of 

4 records that created or maintained by the 

5 disaster assistance agency pursuant to sec6 tion 552a(e) of title 5, United States Code. 

7 ‘‘(g) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 

8 ‘‘(1) INAPPLICABILITY OF MATCHING PROGRAM

9 PROVISIONS.—The sharing of disaster assistance in10 formation subject to the requirements of section 

11 552a of title 5, United States Code among disaster 

12 assistance agencies or with State, local, or Tribal 

13 governments carrying out disaster assistance pro14 grams shall not— 

15 ‘‘(A) be construed as a matching program 

16 for the purpose of section 552a(a)(8) of title 5, 

17 United States Code; and 

18 ‘‘(B) be subject to subsection (e)(12), (o), 

19 (p)(1)(A)(ii), (q), (r), or (u) of section 552a of 

20 title 5, United States Code. 

21 ‘‘(2) AUTHORITIES IN OTHER LAWS.—Nothing 

22 in this section shall be construed to affect the au23 thority of an entity to share information in accord24 ance with any other law.’’. 

Æ 


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