I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5547 

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Gulf Coast 

Long-Term Recovery Office to administer amounts available to the Department for providing assistance to the residents of the Gulf Coast 

region for recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2006 

Mr. JINDAL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee 

on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish 

a Gulf Coast Long-Term Recovery Office to administer 

amounts available to the Department for providing assistance to the residents of the Gulf Coast region for 

recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 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. GULF COAST LONG-TERM RECOVERY OFFICE. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Homeland 

3 Security shall establish in the Department of Homeland 

4 Security a Gulf Coast Long-Term Recovery Office to ad5 minister amounts available to the Department for pro6 viding assistance to the residents of the Gulf Coast region 

7 for recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

8 (b) DIRECTOR.—The Office shall be headed by a Di9 rector, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Home10 land Security. 

11 (c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Director of the Gulf 

12 Coast Long-Term Recovery Office shall work with State, 

13 local, and tribal governments, the private sector, and non14 governmental organizations, including faith-based and 

15 other community humanitarian relief entities, to provide 

16 assistance to residents of the Gulf Coast region for recov17 ering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including the fol18 lowing: 

19 (1) To assess the social and economic con20 sequences in the areas affected by Hurricanes 

21 Katrina and Rita and coordinate Federal efforts to 

22 address long-term community recovery issues. 

23 (2) To advise the Secretary of Homeland Secu24 rity on the long-term community recovery implica25 tions of response activities. 


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1 (3) To conduct comprehensive market disrup2 tion and loss analysis and develop a forward looking 

3 market-based comprehensive long-term recovery plan 

4 for the affected areas. 

5 (4) To identify appropriate Federal programs 

6 and agencies to support the implementation of the 

7 long-term community recovery plan, to ensure co8 ordination across appropriate Federal departments 

9 and agencies, and to identify any gaps in the avail10 able resources. 

11 (5) To avoid duplication of assistance, to co12 ordinate, to the extent possible, program application 

13 processes and planning requirements in order to 

14 streamline assistance, and to identify and coordinate 

15 the resolution of policy and program issues. 

16 (6) To determine responsibilities for recovery 

17 activities, to provide a method of maintaining con18 tinuity in the delivery of assistance under programs 

19 administered by various Federal departments and 

20 agencies, and to oversee coordination with State, 

21 local, and tribal governments and other involved par22 ties, to ensure follow-through of recovery and hazard 

23 mitigation efforts. 

24 (7) To encourage implementation of mitigation 

25 measures during recovery. 


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1 (8) To carry out such other activities as deter2 mined appropriate by the Secretary of Homeland Se3 curity. 

4 (d) TERMINATION.—The Gulf Coast Long-Term Re5 covery Office established under subsection (a) shall termi6 nate at the discretion of the Secretary. 

Æ 


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