II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 116 

To amend the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 to 

improve disaster relief funding, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2023 

Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Florida) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations 

A BILL 

To amend the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations 

Act, 2023 to improve disaster relief funding, 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 ‘‘The Hurricanes of 

5 2022 Disaster Relief Rectification Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIA7 TIONS ACT, 2023 AMENDMENTS. 

8 (a) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.—Title I of the 

9 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 

10 (division N of Public Law 117–328), is amended, in the 


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1 matter under the heading ‘‘OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY’’ 

2 under the heading ‘‘PROCESSING, RESEARCH AND MAR3 KETING’’ under the heading ‘‘AGRICULTURAL PRO4 GRAMS’’ under the heading ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF AG5 RICULTURE’’ , by inserting ‘‘: Provided further, That 

6 the Secretary of Agriculture may provide assistance for 

7 losses described under this heading in this Act in the form 

8 of block grants to eligible States and territories’’ before 

9 the period at the end. 

10 (b) FISHERIES DISASTER ASSISTANCE.—Title II of 

11 the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 

12 2023 (division N of Public Law 117–328) is amended in 

13 the matter under the heading ‘‘FISHERIES DISASTER AS14 SISTANCE’’ under the heading ‘‘NATIONAL OCEANIC AND

15 ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’’ under the heading 

16 ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE’’ by inserting ‘‘: Pro17 vided further, That the Secretary may use such funds to 

18 provide assistance in the form of block grants to States 

19 and territories impacted by Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and 

20 Nicole’’ before the period at the end. 

21 (c) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINIS22 TRATION.—Title II of the Disaster Relief Supplemental 

23 Appropriations Act, 2023 (division N of Public Law 117– 

24 328) is amended, in the matter under the heading ‘‘CON25 STRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND RESVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:46 Feb 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S116.IS S116

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1 TORATION’’ under the heading ‘‘NATIONAL AERONAUTICS

2 AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION’’ under the heading 

3 ‘‘SCIENCE’’, by striking ‘‘For an additional amount for 

4 ‘Construction and Environmental Compliance and Res5 toration’, $367,000,000, to remain available until Sep6 tember 30, 2028.’’ and inserting ‘‘For an additional 

7 amount for ‘Construction and Environmental Compliance 

8 and Restoration’ for environmental improvements, eco9 system restoration, and hurricane risk reduction improve10 ments at National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

11 facilities damaged by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, 

12 $367,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 

13 2028: Provided, That the Administrator of the National 

14 Aeronautics and Space Administration may enter into co15 operative agreements with the managers of Federal land 

16 bordering such facilities, including estuaries designated 

17 under section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 

18 Act (33 U.S.C. 1330), to advance such efforts.’’. 

19 (d) RESCISSION OF NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDA20 TION FUNDS.— 

21 (1) RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.—Of 

22 the unobligated balances of amounts made available 

23 for ‘‘Research and Related Activities’’, under the 

24 heading ‘‘National Science Foundation’’ under title 

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1 tions Act, 2023 (division N of Public Law 117–328), 

2 $818,162,000 are rescinded. 

3 (2) STEM EDUCATION.—Of the unobligated 

4 balances of amounts made available for ‘‘STEM 

5 Education’’, under the heading ‘‘National Science 

6 Foundation’’ under title II of the Disaster Relief 

7 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (division N 

8 of Public Law 117–328), $217,000,000 are re9 scinded. 

10 (e) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.—Title VII of 

11 the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 

12 2023 (division N of Public Law 117–328), is amended— 

13 (1) in the matter under the heading ‘‘CON14 STRUCTION’’ under the heading ‘‘UNITED STATES

15 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE’’ under the heading 

16 ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR’’, by strik17 ing ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2022’’; 

18 (2) in the matter under the heading ‘‘CON19 STRUCTION’’ under the heading ‘‘NATIONAL PARK

20 SERVICE’’ under the heading ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF 

21 THE INTERIOR’’, by striking ‘‘2023’’ and insert22 ing ‘‘2022’’; 

23 (3) in the matter under the heading ‘‘SURVEYS, 

24 INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH’’ under the head25 ing ‘‘UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY’’ under 


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1 the heading ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF THE INTE2 RIOR’’, by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2022’’; 

3 (4) in the matter under the heading ‘‘OPER4 ATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS’’ under the heading 

5 ‘‘BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS’’ under the heading 

6 ‘‘INDIAN AFFAIRS’’ under the heading ‘‘DEPART7 MENT OF THE INTERIOR’’, by striking ‘‘2023’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘2022’’; and 

9 (5) in the matter under the heading ‘‘CON10 STRUCTION’’ under the heading ‘‘BUREAU OF IN11 DIAN AFFAIRS’’ under the heading ‘‘INDIAN AF12 FAIRS’’ under the heading ‘‘DEPARTMENT OF 

13 THE INTERIOR’’, by striking ‘‘2023’’ and insert14 ing ‘‘2022’’. 

15 (f) STATE AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS.—The 

16 first paragraph under the heading ‘‘STATE AND TRIBAL

17 ASSISTANCE GRANTS’’ under the heading ‘‘ENVIRON18 MENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY’’ in title VII of the 

19 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 

20 (division N of Public Law 117–328), is amended, in the 

21 third proviso, by striking ‘‘shall use’’ and inserting ‘‘may 

22 use up to’’. 

23 SEC. 3. APPROPRIATION OF RESCINDED FUNDS. 

24 (a) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.— 


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1 (1) AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS.—There 

2 is appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture, out 

3 of any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appro4 priated, $200,000,000, to remain available until ex5 pended, for the acquisition of agricultural land ease6 ments under subtitle H of the Food Security Act of 

7 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.) in a State impacted 

8 by Hurricane Fiona, Hurricane Ian, or Hurricane 

9 Nicole. 

10 (2) EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM.— 

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—There is appropriated 

12 to the Secretary of Agriculture, out of any 

13 amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appro14 priated, $110,000,000, to remain available until 

15 expended, to undertake emergency watershed 

16 protection measures under section 403 of the 

17 Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 

18 2203) in a State impacted by Hurricane Fiona, 

19 Hurricane Ian, or Hurricane Nicole. 

20 (B) COASTAL FLOOD RISK REDUCTION.— 

21 The Secretary of Agriculture may use amounts 

22 appropriated by subparagraph (A) to reduce 

23 flood risk in a coastal community by removing 

24 sediment or other impediments from a canal or 

25 canal system. 


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1 (b) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.— 

2 (1) OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES

3 OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD4 MINISTRATION.—In addition to amounts otherwise 

5 available, there is appropriated to the National Oce6 anic and Atmospheric Administration for fiscal year 

7 2023, out of any money in the Treasury not other8 wise appropriated, $30,000,000, to remain available 

9 until expended, for ‘‘Operations, Research, and Fa10 cilities’’ for— 

11 (A) expenses related to the consequences of 

12 Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole; and 

13 (B) to improve hurricane intensity and 

14 storm surge forecasting and mitigation, includ15 ing through ocean observing platforms and 

16 storm surge gauges. 

17 (2) COASTAL AND ESTUARINE LAND CONSERVA18 TION PROGRAM.—In addition to amounts otherwise 

19 available, there is appropriated to the Department of 

20 Commerce for fiscal year 2023, out of any money in 

21 the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 

22 $30,162,000, to remain available until expended, to 

23 conduct the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conserva24 tion Program under section 307A of the Coastal 

25 Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1456–1) 


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1 with respect to States impacted by Hurricanes 

2 Fiona, Ian, and Nicole. 

3 (3) MARINE DEBRIS ASSESSMENT AND RE4 MOVAL AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION.—In addition 

5 to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated 

6 to the Department of Commerce for fiscal year 

7 2023, out of any money in the Treasury not other8 wise appropriated, $40,000,000, to remain available 

9 until expended, for marine debris assessment and re10 moval and marine and estuarine ecosystem restora11 tion monitoring efforts in States impacted by Hurri12 canes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole. 

13 (c) CORPS OF ENGINEERS.— 

14 (1) INVESTIGATIONS.— 

15 (A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to amounts 

16 otherwise available, there is appropriated to the 

17 Secretary of the Army, out of any money in the 

18 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 

19 $100,000,000, to remain available until ex20 pended, for necessary expenses related to the 

21 completion, or initiation and completion, of high 

22 priority flood and storm damage reduction, in23 cluding shore protection, studies that are au24 thorized before, on, or after the date of enact25 ment of this Act in States and insular areas 


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1 that were impacted by Hurricane Fiona, Hurri2 cane Ian, or Hurricane Nicole, to reduce risks 

3 from future floods and hurricanes. 

4 (B) COST SHARE.—The Federal share of 

5 the cost of a study carried out with amounts 

6 made available under this paragraph shall be 

7 100 percent. 

8 (C) WORK PLAN; REPORTING.— 

9 (i) WORK PLAN.—Not later than 60 

10 days after the date of enactment of this 

11 Act, the Chief of Engineers shall submit to 

12 the Committee on Appropriations of the 

13 Senate and the Committee on Appropria14 tions of the House of Representatives a de15 tailed work plan for the funds provided 

16 under this paragraph, including— 

17 (I) a list of study locations; 

18 (II) a list of new studies selected 

19 to be initiated; 

20 (III) the total cost for all studies; 

21 (IV) the remaining cost for all 

22 ongoing studies; and 

23 (V) a schedule by fiscal year of 

24 proposed use of those funds. 


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1 (ii) NO DEVIATION.—The Secretary of 

2 the Army shall not deviate from the work 

3 plan once the plan has been submitted to 

4 the Committee on Appropriations of the 

5 Senate and the Committee on Appropria6 tions of the House of Representatives 

7 under clause (i). 

8 (iii) REPORTING.—Beginning not 

9 later than 60 days after the date of enact10 ment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary 

11 of the Army for Civil Works shall provide 

12 a quarterly report to the Committee on 

13 Appropriations of the Senate and the Com14 mittee on Appropriations of the House of 

15 Representatives detailing the allocation 

16 and obligation of the funds provided under 

17 this paragraph. 

18 (2) CONSTRUCTION.— 

19 (A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to amounts 

20 otherwise available, there is appropriated to the 

21 Secretary of the Army, out of any money in the 

22 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 

23 $300,000,000, to remain available until ex24 pended, to construct— 


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1 (i) priority flood and storm damage 

2 reduction, including shore protection, 

3 projects that are authorized before, on, or 

4 after the date of enactment of this Act; 

5 and 

6 (ii) flood and storm damage reduction, 

7 including shore protection, projects that— 

8 (I) have signed Chief’s Reports 

9 as of the date of enactment of this 

10 Act; or 

11 (II) are studied using funds 

12 made available under paragraph (1), 

13 if the Secretary of the Army deter14 mines the project to be technically 

15 feasible, economically justified, and 

16 environmentally acceptable, in States 

17 and insular areas that were impacted 

18 by Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Fiona, 

19 or Hurricane Nicole. 

20 (B) NEW STARTS.—The Secretary of the 

21 Army may initiate additional new construction 

22 starts with amounts made available under this 

23 paragraph. 

24 (C) WORK PLAN; REPORTING.— 


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1 (i) WORK PLAN.—Not later than 60 

2 days after the date of enactment of this 

3 Act, the Chief of Engineers shall submit to 

4 the Committee on Appropriations of the 

5 Senate and the Committee on Appropria6 tions of the House of Representatives a de7 tailed work plan for the funds provided 

8 under this paragraph, including— 

9 (I) a list of study locations; 

10 (II) a list of new studies selected 

11 to be initiated; 

12 (III) the total cost for all studies; 

13 (IV) the remaining cost for all 

14 ongoing studies; and 

15 (V) a schedule by fiscal year of 

16 proposed use of those funds. 

17 (ii) NO DEVIATION.—The Secretary of 

18 the Army shall not deviate from the work 

19 plan once the plan has been submitted to 

20 the Committee on Appropriations of the 

21 Senate and the Committee on Appropria22 tions of the House of Representatives 

23 under clause (i). 

24 (iii) REPORTING.—Beginning not 

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1 ment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary 

2 of the Army for Civil Works shall provide 

3 a quarterly report to the Committee on 

4 Appropriations of the Senate and the Com5 mittee on Appropriations of the House of 

6 Representatives detailing the allocation 

7 and obligation of the funds provided under 

8 this paragraph. 

9 (3) FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMER10 GENCIES.— 

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to amounts 

12 otherwise available, there is appropriated to the 

13 Secretary of the Army, out of any money in the 

14 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 

15 $100,000,000, to remain available until ex16 pended, for flood control and coastal emer17 gencies as authorized by section 5 of the Act of 

18 August 18, 1941 (commonly known as the 

19 ‘‘Flood Control Act of 1941’’) (55 Stat. 650, 

20 chapter 377; 33 U.S.C. 701n), in States and in21 sular areas that were impacted by Hurricane 

22 Ian, Hurricane Fiona, or Hurricane Nicole, in23 cluding for necessary expenses to prepare for 

24 floods, hurricanes, and natural disasters, and to 

25 support emergency operations, repairs, and 


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1 other activities in response to those disasters as 

2 authorized by law. 

3 (B) FULL SHORELINE PROJECT PROFILE

4 RESTORATION.—Amounts made available under 

5 this paragraph that are used for authorized 

6 shore protection projects shall restore those 

7 projects to the full project profile at full Fed8 eral expense. 

9 (C) REPORTING.—Beginning not later 

10 than 60 days after the date of enactment of 

11 this Act, the Assistant Secretary of the Army 

12 for Civil Works shall provide to the Committee 

13 on Appropriations of the Senate and the Com14 mittee on Appropriations of the House of Rep15 resentatives a quarterly report detailing the al16 location and obligation of the amounts made 

17 available under this paragraph. 

18 (d) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.—In addition to 

19 amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the 

20 Secretary of the Interior for fiscal year 2023, out of any 

21 money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 

22 $15,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry 

23 out activities to reduce the hurricane and flood risk of a 

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1 ing to carry out activities to reduce the flood risk of struc2 tures contained within an area of a unit of the National 

3 Park System for which a special use permit has been pro4 vided. 

5 (e) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—In ad6 dition to amounts otherwise available, there is appro7 priated to the Administrator of the Environmental Protec8 tion Agency for fiscal year 2023, out of any money in the 

9 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $100,000,000 for 

10 environmental restoration and monitoring, to remain 

11 available until expended, including to carry out— 

12 (1) the National Estuary Program under sec13 tion 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

14 (33 U.S.C. 1330) for estuaries within States and 

15 territories impacted by Hurricane Ian, Hurricane 

16 Nicole, or Hurricane Fiona; and 

17 (2) geographic programs of the Environmental 

18 Protection Agency specified in the explanatory state19 ment described in section 4 of the Consolidated Ap20 propriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117–328), that 

21 are within States and territories impacted by Hurri22 cane Ian, Hurricane Nicole, or Hurricane Fiona. 

23 (f) RECONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION OF POST24 AL FACILITIES.—In addition to amounts otherwise avail25 able, there is appropriated to the United States Postal 


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1 Service for fiscal year 2023, out of any money in the 

2 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $10,000,000, to re3 main available until expended, for reconstruction or reha4 bilitation of facilities of the Postal Service that were de5 stroyed or damaged by Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Nicole, 

6 or Hurricane Fiona. 

7 SEC. 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 

8 (a) REIMBURSEMENT OF INTEREST PAYMENTS RE9 LATED TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Robert T. 

11 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

12 Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding 

13 at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘SEC. 431. REIMBURSEMENT OF INTEREST PAYMENTS RE15 LATED TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. 

16 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

17 ‘‘(1) QUALIFYING INTEREST.—The term ‘quali18 fying interest’ means, with respect to a qualifying 

19 loan, the lesser of— 

20 ‘‘(A) the actual interest paid to a lender 

21 for such qualifying loan; and 

22 ‘‘(B) the interest that would have been 

23 paid to a lender if such qualifying loan had an 

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1 cently published on the Federal Reserve Statis2 tical Release on selected interest rates. 

3 ‘‘(2) QUALIFYING LOAN.—The term ‘qualifying 

4 loan’ means a loan— 

5 ‘‘(A) obtained by a local government or 

6 electric cooperative; and 

7 ‘‘(B) of which not less than 90 percent of 

8 the proceeds are used to fund activities for 

9 which such local government or electric coopera10 tive receives assistance under this Act after the 

11 date on which such loan is disbursed. 

12 ‘‘(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The President, act13 ing through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 

14 Management Agency, shall provide financial assistance to 

15 a local government or electric cooperative as reimburse16 ment for qualifying interest.’’. 

17 (2) RULE OF APPLICABILITY.—Any qualifying 

18 interest (as such term is defined in section 431 of 

19 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer20 gency Assistance Act, as added by this Act) incurred 

21 by a local government or electric cooperative in the 

22 5 years preceding the date of enactment of this Act 

23 shall be treated as eligible for financial assistance 

24 for purposes of such section. 


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1 (b) REVISION OF PASTEURIZED ORANGE JUICE

2 STANDARDS.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

4 Human Services shall— 

5 (A) not later than 30 days after the date 

6 of enactment of this Act, initiate a rulemaking 

7 process to reassess the standard of identity for 

8 ‘‘pasteurized orange juice’’, established in sec9 tion 146.140 of title 21, Code of Federal Regu10 lations; and 

11 (B) not later than 120 days after the date 

12 of enactment of this Act, issue an interim final 

13 rule to amend such standard of identity for 

14 ‘‘pasteurized orange juice’’, if, after initiating 

15 the rulemaking process to reassess such stand16 ard of identity, the Secretary determines such 

17 standard of identity should be amended. 

18 (2) REGULATION AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this 

19 subsection shall be construed to limit the authority 

20 of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 

21 promulgate regulations to further amend the stand22 ard of identity for pasteurized orange juice after the 

23 issuance of an interim final rule under paragraph 

24 (1)(B). 


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1 (c) ARMY CORPS STUDY AUTHORITY.—The Sec2 retary of the Army is authorized to conduct a feasibility 

3 study for each of the studies recommended in the report 

4 of the Corps of Engineers entitled ‘‘South Atlantic Coastal 

5 Study (SACS) Main Report’’, dated August 2022. 

6 (d) FEMA TRAILER FLOOD ZONE WAIVER.—Section 

7 408(c)(1)(B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

8 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)(1)(B)) 

9 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(v) FLOOD ZONE REQUIREMENT

11 WAIVER.— 

12 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Gov13 ernor of a State may submit to the 

14 President a request to waive any re15 striction relating to the deployment of 

16 travel trailers or manufactured hous17 ing units, including the prohibition on 

18 deploying travel trailers or manufac19 tured housing units into flood hazard 

20 areas under section 

21 206.117(b)(1)(ii)(C) of title 44, Code 

22 of Federal Regulations.’’. 

23 (e) MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM.— 

24 (1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 


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1 (A) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Admin2 istrator’’ means the Administrator of the Fed3 eral Emergency Management Agency. 

4 (B) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON5 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of 

6 Congress’’ means— 

7 (i) the Committee on Homeland Secu8 rity and Governmental Affairs of the Sen9 ate; and 

10 (ii) the Committee on Transportation 

11 and Infrastructure of the House of Rep12 resentatives. 

13 (C) PILOT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot 

14 program’’ means the pilot program established 

15 and carried out by the Administrator under this 

16 subsection. 

17 (2) PILOT PROGRAM.—As part of the program 

18 carried out under section 1366 of the National 

19 Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104c), the 

20 Administrator shall, not later than 1 year after the 

21 date of enactment of this Act, establish a pilot pro22 gram under which the Administrator shall make 

23 grants to the State of Florida, which shall, subject 

24 to paragraph (3), use those grant funds to elevate 


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1 structures located in areas in that State having spe2 cial flood hazards or other areas of flood risk. 

3 (3) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—With respect 

4 to any project carried out with a grant made by the 

5 Administrator under the pilot program, the State of 

6 Florida shall match 50 percent of the grant amount. 

7 (4) TERMINATION.—The pilot program shall 

8 terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date 

9 on which the Administrator establishes the pilot pro10 gram under paragraph (2). 

11 (5) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 

12 date on which the pilot program terminates under 

13 paragraph (4), the Administrator shall submit to the 

14 appropriate committees of Congress a report that 

15 contains— 

16 (A) findings from carrying out the pilot 

17 program; and 

18 (B) recommendations regarding whether 

19 the pilot program, or a similar program, should 

20 be made permanent. 

21 (f) EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PRO22 GRAM REGULATIONS REVISIONS.—The Secretary of Agri23 culture shall issue a rule— 

24 (1) to revise section 624.9 of title 7, Code of 

25 Federal Regulations, to provide that funds must be 


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1 obligated by the State Conservationist and construc2 tion completed within 365 calendar days after the 

3 date funds are committed to the State Conserva4 tionist, except for exigency situations in which case 

5 the construction must be completed within 30 days 

6 after the date the funds are committed; and 

7 (2) to revise part 624 of title 7, Code of Fed8 eral Regulations, to provide that an organization de9 scribed in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

10 Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under sec11 tion 501(a) of that Code may be a project sponsor 

12 under that part, if the organization has entered into 

13 a binding agreement for a project sponsor (as de14 fined in section 624.4 of that title (as in effect on 

15 the day before the date of enactment of this Act)) 

16 to assume responsibility for operations and mainte17 nance costs and requirements. 

Æ 


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