69–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 115–31 

TO REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO SUBMIT A REPORT REGARDING CERTAIN PLANS 

REGARDING ASSISTANCE TO APPLICANTS AND GRANTEES DURING THE 

RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER 

MARCH 9, 2017.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. SHUSTER, from the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1117] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 1117) to require the Administrator of 

the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report regarding certain plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during the response to an emergency or disaster, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and 

recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose of Legislation ............................................................................................. 2 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 4 

Legislative History and Consideration .................................................................. 5 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 5 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 6 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures ...................................................... 6 

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .......................................................... 6 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 7 

Advisory of Earmarks .............................................................................................. 7 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 7 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 7 

Federal Mandate Statement ................................................................................... 7 

Preemption Clarification ......................................................................................... 8 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 8 

Applicability of Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 8 

Section-by-Section Analysis of Legislation ............................................................ 8 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 8 


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The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE FIELD TRANSITION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 

the Senate regarding the plans the agency will undertake to provide the following: 

(1) Consistent guidance to applicants on FEMA disaster funding procedures 

during the response to an emergency or disaster. 

(2) Appropriate record maintenance and transfer of documents to new teams 

during staff transitions. 

(3) Accurate assistance to applicants and grantees to ease the administrative 

burden throughout the process of obtaining and monitoring assistance. 

(b) MAINTAINING RECORDS.—The report shall also include a plan for implementing 

operating procedures and document retention requirements to ensure the maintenance of appropriate records throughout the lifecycle of the emergency or disaster. 

(c) NEW TECHNOLOGIES.—Finally, the report shall identify new technologies that 

further aid the disaster workforce in partnering with State, local, and tribal governments and private nonprofits in the wake of a disaster or emergency to educate, assist, and inform applicants on the status of their emergency or disaster assistance 

applications and projects. 

PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION

H.R. 1117, as amended, would require the Administrator of the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to submit a report regarding the development of an action plan relating to guidance provided to disaster assistance applicants and grantees, the 

transition of field personnel, maintenance of records, and the use 

of technology to facilitate the delivery of assistance and ease the 

administrative burden. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Federal Emergency Management Agency: History 

FEMA was established in 1979 by Executive Order 12148 by 

President Jimmy Carter in response to a number of massive disasters in the 1960’s and 1970’s. As a result of states trying to manage 

these disasters, the National Governors Association and others 

made a proposal to streamline and cut the number of agencies 

states were required to work with following a disaster. Prior to the 

creation of FEMA, the federal government’s emergency response 

mechanisms were scattered among many agencies throughout government. The creation of FEMA helped to centralize these authorities and the coordination of the federal government’s response to a 

disaster. The Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (P.L. 93–288), which constituted the statutory authority for most federal disaster response 

activities, especially of FEMA, was later amended by the Robert T. 

Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, also known 

as the Stafford Act (P.L. 100–707). 

Following more than two decades as an independent agency, the 

Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107–296) created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), placed FEMA within DHS, and 

FEMA’s functions were dispersed among various offices and directorates within DHS. In 2006, following Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita and the subsequent intensive Congressional investigations 

and oversight, Congress enacted the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA) (P.L. 109–295), which adVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:22 Mar 10, 2017 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR031.XXX HR031

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1FEMA Reservists are a type of Incident Management responder, hired under the Stafford 

Act as temporary, intermittent employees. They are a significant FEMA Incident Management 

work component, staffing Joint Field Offices and other activities. These employees, when listed 

as available, can deploy to perform disaster field activities directly related to specific disasters, 

emergencies, projects, or activities of a non-continuous nature. Reservists are a necessary augmentation of permanent full-time staffing. (Source: https://www.fema.gov/reservist-program) 2FEMA CORE employees are hired under the Stafford Act to work for a specific, limited period and function. FEMA CORE employees may be renewed if there is ongoing disaster work 

and funding is available. (Source: https://careers.fema.gov/cadre-call-responserecovery) 

dresses key response roles and authorities and put FEMA back together again within DHS. PKEMRA authorized the National Preparedness System and FEMA for the first time in legislation. Most 

recently, Congress enacted the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act 

(SRIA) (P.L. 113–2), on January 29, 2013, in the wake of Hurricane 

Sandy’s impact to the East Coast. SRIA provided additional authorities to expedite and streamline Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, reduce costs, and improve the effectiveness of several disaster 

assistance programs authorized by the Stafford Act. 

Disaster response and recovery 

When the President declares a major disaster or emergency, the 

official declaration triggers certain federal response authorities and 

financial disaster assistance. In particular, when a declaration is 

made, the President is authorized to direct any federal agency, 

with or without reimbursement, to assist state, tribal, and local 

governments and protect life and property. FEMA is responsible for 

coordinating federal agency response and ensuring the necessary 

federal capabilities are deployed at the appropriate place and time 

in support of state, tribal, and local response efforts. In addition, 

FEMA provides direct support and financial assistance to states, 

tribes, and local governments and individuals as authorized under 

the Stafford Act. 

A significant portion of FEMA’s response and recovery capabilities resides in its Reservist 1 workforce and Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (COREs).2 FEMA Reservist and CORE 

personnel predominantly makes up FEMA’s ‘‘disaster workforce,’’ 

providing services at FEMA headquarters, regional offices, and disaster Joint Field Offices, in the immediate lead-up to, during, and 

after an emergency or major disaster. 

H.R. 1117 improving field transitions and requiring consistent 

guidance 

Despite disaster investigations, multiple Office of Inspector General and General Accountability Office reports, and amended legislative authorities, the Committee continues to hear about challenges with FEMA’s disaster workforce. State, tribal, and local 

emergency managers raise concerns about frequent turnover, the 

loss of paperwork, and inconsistent guidance which results in 

project delays, increased administrative expenses, frustration, and, 

in the worst-cases, the loss of recovery funds that are ultimately 

recouped by FEMA. 

FEMA has implemented several new technologies for its full-time 

managers and staff, but it does not appear that the same efforts 

have been undertaken for field and temporary disaster response 

and recovery personnel and its disaster workforce. H.R. 1117, as 

amended, requires the Administrator to develop an action plan for 

issuing consistent guidance to applicants, ensuring the mainteVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:22 Mar 10, 2017 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR031.XXX HR031

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nance of appropriate records, and easing the administrative burden 

of obtaining and monitoring assistance from FEMA. FEMA must 

articulate an action plan for implementing proper operating procedures and document retention requirements in the field to ensure 

the maintenance of appropriate records throughout the lifecycle of 

the disaster. Finally, FEMA must identify new technologies that 

would further aid the disaster workforce in partnering with state, 

local and tribal governments and private non-profits in the wake 

of a disaster or emergency. 

In August of 2013, central Missouri experienced flooding, straight 

line winds, and storms and consequently, received a federal disaster declaration. In the years that have followed, recovery has 

been slowed by numerous, unorganized transitions of FEMA personnel, lost paperwork by FEMA personnel, and conflicting information from state and federal officials. Several major recovery 

projects still continue to languish. The intent of the requirements 

in this bill is to improve the efficiency of response and recovery operations and to improve the interaction between FEMA and state, 

tribal, and local grantees. 

In recent storms, including Hurricane Matthew and flooding and 

tornadoes, the Committee is aware of challenges related to guidance provided to local governments on debris removal, emergency 

protective measures, and the construction of temporary facilities. 

Specifically, the lack of consistent guidance and direction given to 

communities on debris removal continues to be cited as a significant obstacle to recovery. The Agency’s report should include how 

FEMA will provide detailed, consistent guidance to applicants and 

sub-applicants at each stage of a disaster, from initial response to 

recovery, to speed community recovery and improve the efficiency 

of the delivery of disaster assistance. 

The Committee expects the report to detail how the Agency will 

provide consistent guidance and accurate information following a 

disaster. Specifically, it should address how FEMA will improve 

disaster field operations and staff transitions by: • Providing consistent guidance to applicants on FEMA disaster 

funding procedures during the response to an emergency or disaster, including debris removal, emergency protective measures 

and temporary structures. • Conducting appropriate record maintenance and transfer of 

documents to new teams during staff transitions. • Providing accurate assistance to applicants and grantees to 

ease the administrative burden throughout the process of obtaining 

and monitoring assistance. • Implementing operating procedures and document retention 

requirements to ensure the maintenance of appropriate records 

throughout the lifecycle of the disaster. 

• Identifying new technologies that further aid the disaster 

workforce in partnering with State, local, and tribal governments 

and private nonprofits in the wake of a disaster to educate, assist, 

and inform applicants on the status of their disaster assistance applications. 

HEARINGS

The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, 

and Emergency Management, held the following hearings and 


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roundtable discussions on subjects related to matters contained in 

H.R. 1117, as amended, during the 114th Congress: 

‘‘Rebuilding after the Storm: Lessening Impacts and Speeding Recovery’’ held on January 27, 2015. The purpose of the hearing was 

to launch an assessment of the rising costs of disasters, the cost effectiveness of disaster assistance, strategies to reduce disaster 

losses, and the appropriate roles of government and the private 

sector, and to consider reforms to save lives through improved alert 

and warning systems and search and rescue. 

‘‘What is Driving the Increasing Costs and Rising Losses from 

Disasters?’’ held on March 18, 2015. The purpose of the roundtable 

was to examine and discuss data related to disaster costs, the 

trends observed over time, and the projections for the future given 

the policies in place today. 

‘‘The State of Pennsylvania and FEMA Region III are Leaders in 

Mitigating Disaster Costs and Losses’’ held on May 28, 2015. The 

purpose of the roundtable was to examine disaster costs and losses, 

focus on hazards impacting Pennsylvania and the region, and identify best practices for mitigating and avoiding disaster impacts. 

‘‘Federal Disaster Assistance: Roles, Programs and Coordination’’ 

held on June 17, 2015. The purpose of the roundtable was to examine and discuss federal disaster assistance programs, the requirements and effectiveness of those programs, and coordination among 

various agencies and stakeholders. 

‘‘Controlling the Rising Cost of Federal Responses to Disaster’’ 

held on May 12, 2016. The purpose of the hearing was to begin exploring potential solutions and the principles that should be driving 

solutions to lower the overall costs of disasters and to help avoid 

devastating losses. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION

On February 16, 2017, Representative Vicky Hartzler (R–MO) introduced H.R. 1117, a bill to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report on certain 

plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during the 

response to an emergency or disaster. 

On February 28, 2017, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider H.R. 1117. The Committee considered and adopted one amendment by voice vote—a 

technical amendment offered by Subcommittee Chairman Lou 

Barletta (R–PA). The Committee ordered the bill, as amended, reported favorably to the House by voice vote with a quorum present. 

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. 1117, 

as amended, or ordering the measure reported. A motion to order 

H.R. 1117, as amended, reported favorably to the House was 

agreed to by voice vote with a quorum present. 


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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

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timely 

submitted prior to the filing of the report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is included in this report. 

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 and section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the 

enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1117, as amended, from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, March 6, 2017. 

Hon. BILL SHUSTER, 

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1117, a bill to require the 

Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 

submit a report regarding certain plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during the response to an emergency or disaster. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Robert Reese. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1117—A bill to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report regarding certain 

plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during 

the response to an emergency or disaster 

H.R. 1117 would require the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) to submit a report to the Congress on the agency’s 

plans to provide consistent and accurate guidance and assistance 

to applicants for disaster funding. The bill also would require 

FEMA to include in the report a plan to effectively maintain 

records related to disaster funding and to identify technologies that 

would assist individuals, organizations, and communities when recovering from major disasters. 

Based on information provided by FEMA, CBO estimates that 

implementing H.R. 1117 would cost less than $500,000 in 2018; 

such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated 

funds. 


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Enacting H.R. 1117 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates 

that enacting H.R. 1117 would not increase net direct spending or 

on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. 

H.R. 1117 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

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, as amended, is to require the Administrator of the FEMA to submit a report regarding the development of an action plan relating to guidance provided to disaster assistance applicants and grantees, the transition of field personnel, 

record maintenance and the use of technology to facilitate the delivery of assistance and ease the administrative burden. 

ADVISORY OF EARMARKS

Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 

Representatives, the Committee is required to include a list of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits 

as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives. No provision in the bill, as amended, 

includes an earmark, limited tax benefit, or limited tariff benefit 

under clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI. 

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. 

1117, 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. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 115th Cong. (2017), the 

Committee finds that enacting H.R. 1117, as amended, does not direct the completion of a specific rule making within the meaning 

of section 551 of title 5, United States Code. 

FEDERAL MANDATE STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(Public Law 104–4). 


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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 states 

that H.R. 1117, 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 are created by this legislation. 

APPLICABILITY OF LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation, as amended, 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 LEGISLATION

Section 1. Action plan to improve field transition 

Section 1 requires the Administrator of FEMA to provide a plan 

for the development of consistent guidance to applicants on FEMA 

disaster funding, the maintenance of records and transfer of information, relieving administrative burdens, and the implementation 

of new technology tools during disaster response and recovery operations in the field. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

H.R. 1117, as amended, makes no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


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