II 

Calendar No. 441 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6249 

[Report No. 118–195] 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 12, 2024 

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

Governmental Affairs 

JULY 23, 2024 

Reported by Mr. PETERS, without amendment 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 About Emergencies Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

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

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

4 Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit to 

5 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

6 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

7 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen8 ate a report describing the assistance and resources that 

9 the Administrator provides for individuals with intellectual 

10 and developmental disabilities and the families of such in11 dividuals who are impacted by major disasters declared 

12 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re13 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) to 

14 the following: 

15 (1) States. 

16 (2) Localities. 

17 (3) Nonprofit organizations. 

18 (4) Directly to such individuals. 

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

20 shall contain— 

21 (1) a description of the resources and best prac22 tices that the Administrator makes available to the 

23 entities listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of sub24 section (a) that are impacted by major disasters de25 clared under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 


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1 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

2 U.S.C. 5170); 

3 (2) detail the process the Administrator under4 takes to train personnel and deploy such personnel 

5 into areas to coordinate with States, localities, and 

6 nonprofit organizations to provide assistance and en7 sure that the needs of individuals with intellectual 

8 and developmental disabilities and the families of 

9 such individuals are met following such a disaster; 

10 (3) list the number of programs the Adminis11 trator administers which support individuals with in12 tellectual and developmental disabilities to prepare 

13 for and recover from such disasters, including by 

14 provide accommodation to such individuals and the 

15 families of such individuals; 

16 (4) description of outreach activities of the Ad17 ministration to State, local, and nonprofit experts on 

18 addressing the needs of individuals with intellectual 

19 and developmental disabilities and the families of 

20 such individuals impacted by such disasters; and 

21 (5) report that identifies, with respect to indi22 viduals with intellectual and developmental disabil23 ities and the families of such individuals, areas for 

24 improvement in supporting such individuals and 


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1 families to prepare for and recover from such disas2 ters. 

3 SEC. 3. REVIEW OF ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES. 

4 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

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

6 and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Manage7 ment Agency shall each— 

8 (1) conduct a review of assistance and resources 

9 the Administrator provides to States, localities, non10 profit organizations, and individuals to assist— 

11 (A) individuals with intellectual and devel12 opmental disabilities; 

13 (B) individuals with physical disabilities; 

14 and 

15 (C) the families of the individuals de16 scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B); 

17 (2) identify potential legal impediments to pro18 viding such assistance and resources; 

19 (3) provide to Congress recommendations on 

20 how the Administration can— 

21 (A) improve such assistance and resources; 

22 (B) enhance coordination with States, lo23 calities, nonprofit organizations in carrying out 

24 such assistance and providing such resources; 

25 and 


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1 (C) streamline the application process and 

2 delivery of assistance and resources to individ3 uals described in subparagraphs (A) through 

4 (C) of paragraph (1); and 

5 (4) provide to Congress recommendations on 

6 any legislative reform necessary to improve such as7 sistance and resources. 


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Calendar No. 441 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6249 

[Report No. 118–195] 

AN ACT 

To provide for a review and report on the assistmajor disasters, and for other purposes. lies of such individuals that are impacted by vides to individuals with disabilities and the fami- Federal Emergency Management Agency pro- ance and resources that the Administrator of the 

JULY 23, 2024 

Reported without amendment 


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