II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1605 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected by major 

disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Ms. WARREN (for herself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. 

DURBIN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. SANDERS, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. KAINE, Mr. CASEY, Mr. BENNET, and Mr. MERKLEY) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families 

affected 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 ‘‘Housing Survivors of 

5 Major Disasters Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act, the terms ‘‘Agency’’ and ‘‘Administrator’’ 

8 mean the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 

9 the Administrator thereof, respectively. 


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1 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST2 ANCE. 

3 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—Notwithstanding any other provi4 sion of law, individuals and households described in sub5 section (c) shall be eligible for assistance made available 

6 under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re7 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) in 

8 connection with a major disaster declared by the President 

9 under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including 

10 Hurricane Maria of 2017. 

11 (b) USE.—In the case of any assistance described in 

12 subsection (a) that is made available in connection with 

13 a major disaster declared by the President under section 

14 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer15 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including Hurri16 cane Maria of 2017, such assistance may be used on be17 half of an individual or household described in subsection 

18 (c) for costs relating to obtaining title for that individual 

19 or household to a property described in such subsection, 

20 including the cost of land surveys and any other taxes or 

21 fees associated with transfer of the property. 

22 (c) ELIGIBILITY.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to a major dis24 aster declared by the President under section 401 of 

25 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer26 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), an indiVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:41 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1605.IS S1605

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1 vidual or household described in this subsection is an 

2 individual or household who— 

3 (A) is occupying an otherwise unused or 

4 uninhabited property located in the area for 

5 which the major disaster was declared but does 

6 not have documented ownership rights to and is 

7 not renting the property; or 

8 (B) is or was residing in an area for which 

9 the major disaster was declared, but does not 

10 have documentation to that effect, including— 

11 (i) an individual or household who is 

12 renting without a written or formal lease; 

13 (ii) unsheltered individuals or house14 holds experiencing homelessness; and 

15 (iii) an individual or household resid16 ing in any portion of any housing accom17 modation or property upon which a hous18 ing accommodation is located, including 

19 any living quarters, boardinghouse, bunk20 house, maintenance-of-way car, mobile 

21 home, manufactured home, or travel trail22 er. 

23 (2) CONSIDERATION.—In making a determina24 tion of eligibility for purposes of this Act, the Ad25 ministrator shall consider a wide range of evidence. 


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1 (d) ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EVIDENCE.—In deter2 mining if an individual or household is eligible for assist3 ance under this Act, the Administrator shall accept a de4 clarative statement described in section 4 or the presen5 tation of alternative evidence, including the following: 

6 (1) A utility (gas, electric, or water) bill with 

7 the name and address of the individual. 

8 (2) A merchant’s statement (credit card, deliv9 ery notice, or first class mail) with the name and ad10 dress of the individual. 

11 (3) A pay stub from an employer with the name 

12 and address of the individual. 

13 (4) A current driver’s license or State-issued 

14 identification card of the individual. 

15 (5) The deed or title for the property. 

16 (6) A mortgage payment booklet or other mort17 gage documents. 

18 (7) Property title or mobile home certificate of 

19 title. 

20 (8) Real estate property tax receipts. 

21 (9) A school registration containing the address 

22 of self, child, or children. 

23 (10) A will and testament with the name and 

24 address of the individual. 


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1 (11) Medical records that list the name and ad2 dress of the individual. 

3 (12) Charitable donation receipts that list the 

4 name and address of the individual. 

5 (13) Any other documentation, certification, 

6 identification, or proof of occupancy or ownership 

7 not included on this list that can reasonably link the 

8 individual requesting assistance to the damaged 

9 property. 

10 SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT. 

11 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 

13 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

14 shall create and distribute where necessary a form 

15 declarative statement that an applicant for assist16 ance under this Act may use to self-certify their eli17 gibility for assistance under this Act. 

18 (2) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The Ad19 ministrator may not require a declarative statement 

20 submitted under this Act to be notarized. 

21 (3) EVIDENCE SUPPORTING DECLARATIVE

22 STATEMENTS.—A declarative statement submitted 

23 under this Act shall not require evidence beyond the 

24 scope of section 3(d). 


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1 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—A declarative statement sub2 mitted under this Act is exempted from publication notice, 

3 public comment periods, and agency information collection 

4 review and approval by the Office of Management and 

5 Budget required by chapter 35 of title 44, United States 

6 Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction 

7 Act’’). 

8 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the 

9 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall pro10 vide written notification and guidance to employees of the 

11 Agency regarding the requirements of this Act. 

12 (d) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 

13 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 

14 (1) make the form declarative statement cre15 ated under paragraph (1) available in Spanish and 

16 English at all active Disaster Recovery Centers; and 

17 (2) publish in English, Spanish, and any other 

18 locally predominant languages on the website and 

19 social media of the Agency the form declarative 

20 statement created under paragraph (1) and instruc21 tions on how applicants can reopen or seek further 

22 appeal of relevant determinations. 

23 (e) PAST DISASTERS.—For applicants of assistance 

24 provided under this Act with respect to any major disaster 

25 declared by the President under section 401 of the Robert 


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1 T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

2 (42 U.S.C. 5170) occurring in 2017 or 2018, the Adminis3 trator shall provide an applicant not less than 180 days 

4 to submit a declarative statement under this Act to reopen 

5 or appeal a case after the applicant has received notice 

6 of the right to do so. 

7 SEC. 5. FEMA DHAP AGREEMENTS. 

8 (a) 2017 AND 2018 DISASTERS.—Not later than 60 

9 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis10 trator shall enter into an interagency agreement or agree11 ments with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop12 ment as may be necessary to ensure the implementation 

13 of a Disaster Housing Assistance Program under section 

14 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer15 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) to provide tem16 porary rental assistance to individuals and households dis17 placed from their residences by any major disaster de18 clared by the President under section 401 of such Act (42 

19 U.S.C. 5170) during 2017 and 2018 (including Hurricane 

20 Maria of 2017), including individuals and households eligi21 ble for such assistance under section 3(a) of this Act. 

22 (b) FUTURE DISASTERS.—In the case of any major 

23 disaster declared by the President under section 401 of 

24 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As25 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) on or after the date of enVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:41 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1605.IS S1605

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1 actment of this Act, not later than 60 days after a declara2 tion of the major disaster, the Administrator and the Sec3 retary of Housing and Urban Development shall engage 

4 in consultations regarding the implementation of a Dis5 aster Housing Assistance Program under section 408 of 

6 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As7 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) to provide temporary rental 

8 assistance to individuals and households displaced from 

9 their residences by the major disaster, including individ10 uals and households eligible for such assistance under sec11 tion 3(a) of this Act. 

Æ 


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