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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7070 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

                                                 Union Calendar No. 763
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7070

                          [Report No. 118-933]

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
      to conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost-
 effectiveness of certain mitigation projects, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2024

  Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. LaMalfa) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

                           December 19, 2024

 Additional sponsors: Ms. Titus, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Harder of California, 
                  Mr. Case, Mr. Neguse, and Mr. Levin

                           December 19, 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 January 
                               22, 2024]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
      to conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost-
 effectiveness of certain mitigation projects, and for other purposes.

 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire Response Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM POLICY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
recommend such regulations or guidance as are necessary to make 
eligible assessments and emergency stabilization to protect public 
safety, including for the fire management assistance program under 
section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187), irrespective of the incident period 
for a declared fire.

SEC. 3. CHANGES TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE POLICY GUIDE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall amend 
the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to include guidance on wildfire-specific recovery 
challenges, including debris removal, emergency protective measures, 
and the resulting toxicity of drinking water resources.

SEC. 4. MITIGATION COST-EFFECTIVENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating 
the cost-effectiveness of projects intended to mitigate the impacts of 
wildfire under sections 203 and 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c), 
including--
            (1) the establishment of pre-calculated benefits criterion 
        for common defensible space mitigation projects for wildfire 
        mitigation;
            (2) the use of nature-based infrastructure in wildfire 
        mitigation;
            (3) considerations for vegetation management for wildfire 
        mitigation;
            (4) reducing the negative effects of wildfire smoke on 
        public health; and
            (5) lessening the impact of wildfires on water 
        infrastructure.
    (b) Updated Criteria.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue such guidance as 
is necessary to--
            (1) update criteria for evaluating the cost-effectiveness 
        of mitigation projects under sections 203 and 404 of the Robert 
        T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5133; 5170c) based on the results of the review 
        conducted under subsection (a); and
            (2) prioritize projects under such sections based on the 
        criteria updated under paragraph (1).

SEC. 5. WAIVER OF DUPLICATE BENEFITS.

    Section 1210(a) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 
115-254) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3) by striking ``between January 1, 2016, 
        and December 31, 2021'' and inserting ``during the period 
        beginning on January 1, 2016, and ending on the date on which 
        the provision contained in such amendment is struck pursuant to 
        paragraph (4)'';
            (2) in paragraph (4) by striking ``5'' and inserting 
        ``10'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) Prohibition on income threshold.--In carrying out the 
        amendment made by paragraph (1), no income threshold may be 
        applied to limit the eligibility of a recipient from qualifying 
        for a waiver under the amendment made by such paragraph.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 763

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 7070

                          [Report No. 118-933]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
      to conduct a review of the criteria for evaluating the cost-
 effectiveness of certain mitigation projects, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 19, 2024

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
```