IB 

Union Calendar No. 667 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8728 

[Report No. 118–816] 

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 

DECEMBER 5, 2024 

Additional sponsors: Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, and Mr. KILEY

DECEMBER 5, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 13, 2024] 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8728 RH

A BILL 

To establish alternate procedures for lump sum payments 

for certain covered small disasters, and for other purposes. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8728 RH

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 Disaster 

5 Relief Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES FOR COVERED SMALL 

7 DISASTERS. 

8 The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

9 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq) is amended by add10 ing at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘TITLE VIII—ALTERNATIVE PRO12 CEDURES FOR COVERED 

13 SMALL DISASTERS 

14 ‘‘SEC. 801. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES FOR COVERED 

15 SMALL DISASTERS. 

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

17 governing body of an Indian tribal government for the area 

18 in which a covered small disaster occurs may request a 

19 lump sum payment of the estimated damages calculated 

20 under subsection (b) for such disaster in lieu of any assist21 ance under the Public Assistance Program for such disaster. 

22 ‘‘(b) CALCULATION.—Notwithstanding the require23 ments of section 206.47(b) of title 44, Code of Federal Regu24 lations, a payment under subsection (a) shall be equal to 

25 the amount that is 80 percent of the total estimated cost 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8728 RH

1 of assistance under the Public Assistance Program for a cov2 ered small disaster in the area of jurisdiction of the State 

3 or Indian tribal government requesting such payment. 

4 ‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.— 

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

6 government receiving a payment under this section 

7 may not receive assistance under the Public Assist8 ance Program with respect to the covered small dis9 aster for which a payment was accepted under this 

10 section. 

11 ‘‘(2) FINAL PAYMENT.— 

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A payment under this 

13 section may not be increased or decreased based 

14 on actual costs calculated for a covered small 

15 disaster. 

16 ‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding sub17 paragraph (A), the Administrator may adjust a 

18 payment under this section in the event of un19 foreseen circumstances at no fault of the appli20 cant. 

21 ‘‘(3) SELECTION OF OPTION.—A State or Indian 

22 tribal government may designate to the Federal 

23 Emergency Management Agency on an annual basis 

24 the interest of such State or Indian tribal government 

25 in participating in the small disaster authority. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 8728 RH

1 ‘‘(4) INDICATION.—A State or Indian tribal gov2 ernment shall indicate at the time of the submission 

3 of a request for a major disaster declaration that such 

4 State or Indian tribal government is requesting as5 sistance for such incident under this section. 

6 ‘‘(5) TIMING REQUIREMENT.—The Administrator 

7 and the State or Indian tribal government shall— 

8 ‘‘(A) reach an agreement on the amount 

9 under subsection (b) not later than 90 days after 

10 the incident; or 

11 ‘‘(B) administer the incident under the pro12 cedures and authorities for the Public Assistance 

13 Program. 

14 ‘‘(6) ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN.—To be eligible for 

15 assistance under this section, a State or Indian tribal 

16 government shall have an approved administrative 

17 plan in place at the time of the obligation of funds 

18 provided under this section. 

19 ‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A State or Indian tribal gov20 ernment receiving a payment under this section may use 

21 such payment for recovery for the covered small disaster in 

22 any manner determined appropriate by the respective Gov23 ernor or governing body of such State or Indian tribal gov24 ernment if such funds— 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 8728 RH

1 ‘‘(1) address impacts and needs resulting from 

2 the declared disaster incident; 

3 ‘‘(2) are provided to State, Indian tribal govern4 ment, territorial and local government agencies, and 

5 private non-profit entities eligible for Public Assist6 ance Program funding; and 

7 ‘‘(3) are used in a manner that complies with 

8 applicable environmental, historic preservation, and 

9 civil rights laws (including the National Environ10 mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 

11 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 

12 (54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.)) and any applicable resil13 iency standards under section 203. 

14 ‘‘(e) COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS AND REGULA15 TIONS.—A State or Indian tribal government shall be re16 sponsible for ensuring compliance under subsection (d)(3). 

17 ‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec18 tion shall be construed to affect the eligibility of a State 

19 or Indian tribal government for assistance under section 

20 404. 

21 ‘‘(g) REPORT TO FEMA.—A State or governing body 

22 of an Indian tribal government shall submit to the Federal 

23 Emergency Management Agency an annual report of ex24 penses for a covered small disaster in the area of jurisdic25 tion of the respective State or Indian tribal government. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 8728 RH

1 ‘‘(h) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall 

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

3 is not a Public Assistance Program. 

4 ‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 ‘‘(1) COVERED SMALL DISASTER.—The term ‘cov6 ered small disaster’ means a major disaster declared 

7 under section 401 or an emergency declared under 

8 section 501 with estimated damage eligible under the 

9 Public Assistance Program of less than or equal to 

10 125 percent of the State’s per capita indicator. 

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

12 ‘Public Assistance Program’ means the programs 

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


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 667 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8728 

[Report No. 118–816] 

A BILL 

To establish alternate procedures for lump sum 

for other purposes. payments for certain covered small disasters, and 

DECEMBER 5, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS