II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3777 

To require Congress to budget in advance for disasters, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 8 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 7), 2024 

Mr. ROMNEY (for himself and Mr. BRAUN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget 

A BILL 

To require Congress to budget in advance for 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 ‘‘Budgeting for Disas5 ters Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF EXEMPTIONS FROM THE ANNUAL 

7 BUDGET CAPS. 

8 Subparagraphs (D) and (F) of section 251(b)(2) of 

9 the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 


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•S 3777 IS

1 of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)) shall not apply with respect 

2 to fiscal year 2025, or any fiscal year thereafter. 

3 SEC. 3. EMERGENCY SPENDING POINT OF ORDER. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 314(e)(2) of the Congres5 sional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 645(e)(2)) is amend6 ed by striking ‘‘three-fifths’’ each place it appears and in7 serting ‘‘two-thirds’’. 

8 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

9 subsection (a) shall— 

10 (1) take effect on the date of enactment of this 

11 Act; and 

12 (2) apply with respect to fiscal year 2025, and 

13 each fiscal year thereafter. 

14 SEC. 4. GAO REVIEW OF EMERGENCY SPENDING. 

15 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

16 (1) the term ‘‘designated as being for an emer17 gency requirement’’, with respect to amounts appro18 priated, means that the amounts are designated as 

19 an emergency requirement pursuant to— 

20 (A) section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Bal21 anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 

22 Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)); or 

23 (B) a provision of a concurrent resolution 

24 on the budget; 


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1 (2) the term ‘‘designated as being for disaster 

2 relief’’, with respect to amounts appropriated, means 

3 that the amounts are designated as being for dis4 aster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of the 

5 Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 

6 Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(D)); 

7 (3) the term ‘‘emergency’’ means an emergency 

8 declared by the President under section 501 of the 

9 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

10 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191); and 

11 (4) the term ‘‘major disaster’’ means a major 

12 disaster declared by the President under section 401 

13 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer14 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170). 

15 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 540 days after the date 

16 of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 

17 United States shall submit to Congress a report that— 

18 (1) identifies amounts appropriated for each of 

19 fiscal years 2015 through 2024 that were— 

20 (A) designated as being for an emergency 

21 requirement; 

22 (B) designated as being for disaster relief; 

23 or 

24 (C) made available to provide assistance 

25 under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 


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1 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 

2 et seq.); 

3 (2) addresses— 

4 (A) the definition of emergency require5 ments for purposes of appropriated amounts 

6 being designated as being for an emergency re7 quirement; 

8 (B) the time period during which recipi9 ents of appropriated amounts designated as 

10 being for an emergency requirement may obli11 gate those amounts; 

12 (C) any cost-sharing requirements relating 

13 to major disasters and emergencies for State, 

14 local, Tribal, and territorial governments; and 

15 (D) forecasting and budgeting for disaster16 related appropriations; and 

17 (3) provides recommendations to— 

18 (A) clarify the definition of emergency re19 quirements for purposes of appropriated 

20 amounts being designated as being for an emer21 gency requirement; 

22 (B) implement an appropriate time limit 

23 for recipients to spend appropriated amounts 

24 that are designated as being for an emergency 

25 requirement; 


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1 (C) improve cost-sharing relating to major 

2 disasters and emergencies among Federal, 

3 State, and local governments; and 

4 (D) improve forecasting and budgeting for 

5 appropriations for emergency requirements and 

6 disaster relief. 

Æ 


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