IIB 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6249 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 12, 2024 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

To provide for a review and report on the assistance and 

resources that the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides to individuals with 

disabilities and the families of such individuals that are 

impacted by major 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Think Differently 

3 About Emergencies Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 

6 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 

7 Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit to 

8 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

9 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

10 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen11 ate a report describing the assistance and resources that 

12 the Administrator provides for individuals with intellectual 

13 and developmental disabilities and the families of such in14 dividuals who are impacted by major disasters declared 

15 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re16 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) to 

17 the following: 

18 (1) States. 

19 (2) Localities. 

20 (3) Nonprofit organizations. 

21 (4) Directly to such individuals. 

22 (b) CONTENTS.—The report under subsection (a) 

23 shall contain— 

24 (1) a description of the resources and best prac25 tices that the Administrator makes available to the 

26 entities listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Mar 13, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6249.RFS H6249

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1 section (a) that are impacted by major disasters de2 clared under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 

3 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

4 U.S.C. 5170); 

5 (2) detail the process the Administrator under6 takes to train personnel and deploy such personnel 

7 into areas to coordinate with States, localities, and 

8 nonprofit organizations to provide assistance and en9 sure that the needs of individuals with intellectual 

10 and developmental disabilities and the families of 

11 such individuals are met following such a disaster; 

12 (3) list the number of programs the Adminis13 trator administers which support individuals with in14 tellectual and developmental disabilities to prepare 

15 for and recover from such disasters, including by 

16 provide accommodation to such individuals and the 

17 families of such individuals; 

18 (4) description of outreach activities of the Ad19 ministration to State, local, and nonprofit experts on 

20 addressing the needs of individuals with intellectual 

21 and developmental disabilities and the families of 

22 such individuals impacted by such disasters; and 

23 (5) report that identifies, with respect to indi24 viduals with intellectual and developmental disabil25 ities and the families of such individuals, areas for 


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1 improvement in supporting such individuals and 

2 families to prepare for and recover from such disas3 ters. 

4 SEC. 3. REVIEW OF ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES. 

5 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

6 of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 

7 and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Manage8 ment Agency shall each— 

9 (1) conduct a review of assistance and resources 

10 the Administrator provides to States, localities, non11 profit organizations, and individuals to assist— 

12 (A) individuals with intellectual and devel13 opmental disabilities; 

14 (B) individuals with physical disabilities; 

15 and 

16 (C) the families of the individuals de17 scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B); 

18 (2) identify potential legal impediments to pro19 viding such assistance and resources; 

20 (3) provide to Congress recommendations on 

21 how the Administration can— 

22 (A) improve such assistance and resources; 

23 (B) enhance coordination with States, lo24 calities, nonprofit organizations in carrying out 


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1 such assistance and providing such resources; 

2 and 

3 (C) streamline the application process and 

4 delivery of assistance and resources to individ5 uals described in subparagraphs (A) through 

6 (C) of paragraph (1); and 

7 (4) provide to Congress recommendations on 

8 any legislative reform necessary to improve such as9 sistance and resources. 

Passed the House of Representatives March 11, 

2024. 

Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 

Clerk. 


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