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Union Calendar No. 641 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6997 

[Report No. 118–776] 

To establish an advisory group to encourage and foster collaborative efforts 

among individuals and entities engaged in disaster recovery relating 

to debris removal, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 16, 2024 

Mr. LALOTA (for himself and Mr. PAPPAS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

NOVEMBER 26, 2024 

Additional sponsors: Mr. LAWLER and Mrs. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N

NOVEMBER 26, 2024 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 


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•HR 6997 RH

A BILL 

To establish an advisory group to encourage and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and entities engaged 

in disaster recovery relating to debris removal, and for 

other purposes. 


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•HR 6997 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 ‘‘Disaster Contract Im5 provement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. OVERSIGHT ON DEBRIS REMOVAL. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis9 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 

10 Emergency Management Agency. 

11 (2) DEBRIS REMOVAL PROGRAM.—The term 

12 ‘‘debris removal program’’ means the program estab13 lished under section 407 of the Robert T. Stafford 

14 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

15 U.S.C. 5173). 

16 (b) ADVISORY WORKING GROUP.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es18 tablish an advisory working group to encourage and 

19 foster collaborative efforts among individuals and en20 tities engaged in disaster recovery relating to debris 

21 removal. 

22 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory working 

23 group established under paragraph (1) shall be com24 prised of— 


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1 (A) representatives from the Federal 

2 Emergency Management Agency; 

3 (B) representatives from the Army Corps 

4 of Engineers; 

5 (C) representatives from the Natural Re6 sources Conservation Service of the Department 

7 of Agriculture; 

8 (D) representatives of States, Tribal gov9 ernments, and units of local government; and 

10 (E) subject matter experts in debris re11 moval, including not less than 1 representative 

12 from the debris services contractor industry. 

13 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

14 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consulta15 tion with the advisory working group established under 

16 subsection (b)(1), shall— 

17 (1) determine whether guidance and procedures 

18 in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act with 

19 respect to the oversight and cost of debris removal 

20 contracts entered into under the debris removal pro21 gram are sufficient; and 

22 (2) if the Administrator, in consultation with 

23 the advisory working group established under sub24 section (b)(1), determines that the guidance and 

25 procedures described in paragraph (1) are insuffiVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:17 Nov 26, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6997.RH H6997

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1 cient, develop and implement additional such guid2 ance and procedures, including— 

3 (A) a requirement that each State, Tribal 

4 government, and unit of local government re5 ceiving a grant under the debris removal pro6 gram take the primary role in the oversight 

7 function of debris removal; 

8 (B) guidance for State, Tribal, and local 

9 debris monitors relating to debris removal oper10 ations, debris operations oversight, and con11 tractor oversight, including contractor moni12 toring; 

13 (C) guidance for streamlining the reim14 bursement of debris costs overall, including de15 bris management planning and support for re16 silience in debris removal operations; 

17 (D) checklists, job aids, eligibility require18 ments, contract requirements, debris manage19 ment planning guidance, sample bids, and other 

20 items, as determined necessary by the Adminis21 trator, for State and local debris monitors; 

22 (E) a list of the specific debris removal 

23 monitoring responsibilities expected to be com24 pleted by a State that receives a grant under 

25 the debris removal program; 


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1 (F) a list of the specific debris removal 

2 monitoring responsibilities expected to be com3 pleted by recipients of a grant under the debris 

4 removal program; and 

5 (G) guidance for State and Tribal govern6 ments and units of local government to reduce 

7 duplication and inefficiency in debris removal 

8 contracting across the Federal Government, 

9 State and Tribal governments, and units of 

10 local government. 

11 (d) TRAINING.—The Administrator shall conduct 

12 outreach to States, Tribal governments, and units of local 

13 government with respect to any guidance or support mate14 rials developed under this section. 

15 (e) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the 

16 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

17 of the United States shall conduct a study that— 

18 (1) studies the use and adoption rate of ad19 vance contracts for debris removal by selected 

20 States, Tribal governments, and units of local gov21 ernment; 

22 (2) identifies the benefits and challenges of ad23 vance contracts for debris removal; 

24 (3) with respect to the reporting and informa25 tion sharing processes, as of the date of enactment 


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1 of this Act, for advance contracts for debris removal 

2 between States and units of local government and 

3 Federal partners— 

4 (A) assesses those processes; and 

5 (B) makes any necessary recommendations 

6 for those processes; 

7 (4) studies— 

8 (A) the process for setting Federal reim9 bursement rates for the debris removal pro10 gram; 

11 (B) the use of penalties, as of the date of 

12 enactment of this Act, for violations of law and 

13 regulations relating to debris removal; and 

14 (C) fraud, waste, and abuse relating to the 

15 debris removal program, including case studies; 

16 and 

17 (5) makes any necessary recommendations for 

18 improvements to oversight and fraud prevention 

19 across the debris removal program. 


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Union Calendar No. 641 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6997 

[Report No. 118–776] 

A BILL 

To establish an advisory group to encourage and 

debris removal, and for other purposes. entities engaged in disaster recovery relating to foster collaborative efforts among individuals and 

NOVEMBER 26, 2024 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB