I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8728 

To establish alternate procedures for lump sum payments for certain covered 

small disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2024 

Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. MOSKOWITZ) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To establish alternate procedures for lump sum payments 

for certain covered small disasters, 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 ‘‘State-Managed Dis5 aster Relief Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES FOR COVERED SMALL 

7 DISASTERS. 

8 The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer9 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended 

10 by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘TITLE VIII—ALTERNATIVE PRO2 CEDURES FOR COVERED 

3 SMALL DISASTERS 

4 ‘‘SEC. 801. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES FOR COVERED 

5 SMALL DISASTERS. 

6 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Governor of a State or the 

7 governing body of an Indian tribal government for the 

8 area in which a covered small disaster occurs may request 

9 a lump sum payment of the estimated damages calculated 

10 under subsection (b) for such disaster in lieu of any assist11 ance under the Public Assistance Program for such dis12 aster. 

13 ‘‘(b) CALCULATION.—A payment under subsection 

14 (a) shall be equal to the amount that is 80 percent of the 

15 estimated damage eligible under the Public Assistance 

16 Program for a covered small disaster in the area of juris17 diction of the State or Indian tribal government requesting 

18 such payment. 

19 ‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State or Indian tribal 

21 government receiving a payment under this section 

22 may not receive assistance under the Public Assist23 ance Program with respect to the covered small dis24 aster for which a payment was accepted under this 

25 section. 


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1 ‘‘(2) FINAL PAYMENT.—A payment under this 

2 section may not be increased or decreased based on 

3 actual costs calculated for a covered small disaster. 

4 ‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A State or Indian tribal gov5 ernment receiving a payment under this section may use 

6 such payment for recovery for the covered small disaster 

7 in any manner determined appropriate by the respective 

8 Governor or governing body of such State or Indian tribal 

9 government. 

10 ‘‘(e) REPORT TO FEMA.—A State or governing body 

11 of an Indian tribal government shall submit to the Federal 

12 Emergency Management Agency a report of expenses for 

13 a covered small disaster in the area of jurisdiction of the 

14 respective State or Indian tribal government. 

15 ‘‘(f) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall 

16 be construed to affect any program in title IV or V that 

17 is not a Public Assistance Program. 

18 ‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

19 ‘‘(1) COVERED SMALL DISASTER.—The term 

20 ‘covered small disaster’ means a major disaster de21 clared under section 401 or an emergency declared 

22 under section 501 with estimated damage eligible 

23 under the Public Assistance Program of less than 

24 $10,000,000. 


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1 ‘‘(2) PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—The term 

2 ‘Public Assistance Program’ means the programs 

3 under sections 403, 406, 407, and 502.’’. 

Æ 


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