I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5559 

To transfer functions related to the preparation of flood maps from the 

Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the 

Director of the United States Geological Survey, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 18, 2018 

Mr. CRAWFORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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 transfer functions related to the preparation of flood 

maps from the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency to the Director of the United States 

Geological Survey, 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 ‘‘Scientific Flood Map5 ping Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS RELATED TO PREPARA2 TION OF FLOOD MAPS. 

3 (a) TRANSFER PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after 

4 the date of the enactment of this Act the Administrator 

5 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 

6 Director of the United States Geological Survey shall— 

7 (1) jointly prepare a report describing the proc8 ess by which the Administrator of the Federal 

9 Emergency Management Agency shall transfer to 

10 the Director of the United States Geological Survey 

11 of the Department of the Interior all functions re12 lated to the preparation of flood maps as required 

13 under section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance 

14 Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4101) that the Adminis15 trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agen16 cy was responsible for performing on date of the en17 actment of this Act; and 

18 (2) submit such report to Congress. 

19 (b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—Not later than 18 

20 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

21 Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 

22 Agency shall transfer to the Director of the United States 

23 Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior the 

24 functions described in subsection (a). 

25 (c) PERSONNEL.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

2 the personnel employed in connection with the of3 fices and functions of the Federal Emergency Man4 agement Agency that are transferred under this Act 

5 shall be transferred to the United States Geological 

6 Survey. 

7 (2) TRANSITION.—The Administrator of the 

8 Federal Emergency Management Agency is author9 ized to use the services of such personnel employed 

10 in connection with the offices and functions of the 

11 Federal Emergency Management Agency that are 

12 transferred under this Act for such period of time as 

13 may reasonably be needed to facilitate the orderly 

14 transfer of such functions. 

15 (3) EFFECT.—Any full-time or part-time per16 sonnel employed in permanent positions shall not be 

17 separated or reduced in grade or compensation be18 cause of the transfer under this Act during the 1- 

19 year period beginning on the date of the enactment 

20 of this Act. 

21 (d) PROPERTY AND RECORDS.—The contracts, liabil22 ities, records, property, and other assets and interests of, 

23 or made available in connection with, the functions trans24 ferred under this Act shall be transferred to the United 

25 States Geological Survey for appropriate allocation. 


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1 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 

2 (a) TECHNICAL MAPPING ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Sec3 tion 100215 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Re4 form Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101a) is amended by strik5 ing ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it appears, except for sub6 sections (b) and (e), and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 

7 States Geological Survey’’. 

8 (b) NATIONAL FLOOD MAPPING PROGRAM.—Section 

9 100216 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform 

10 Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b) is amended by striking 

11 ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it appears, except for sub12 section (f) of such section, and inserting ‘‘Director of the 

13 United States Geological Survey’’. 

14 (c) COORDINATION.—Section 100220 of the Biggert15 Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 

16 4101c) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place 

17 it appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 

18 Geological Survey’’. 

19 (d) REMAPPING.—Section 100229 of the Biggert20 Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (126 Stat. 

21 945) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place 

22 it appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 

23 Geological Survey’’. 

24 (e) IDENTIFICATION OF FLOOD-PRONE AREAS.— 

25 Section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 

26 (42 U.S.C. 4101) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ 


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1 each place it appears, except for subsections (d) and (k) 

2 of such section, and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 

3 States Geological Survey’’. 

4 (f) APPEALS.—Section 1363 of the National Flood 

5 Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104) is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it 

7 appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 

8 Geological Survey’’; and 

9 (2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘Federal 

10 Emergency Management Agency’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘United States Geological Survey’’. 

12 (g) SCIENTIFIC RESOLUTION PANEL.—Section 

13 1363A of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 

14 U.S.C. 4101–1) is amended— 

15 (1) by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it 

16 appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 

17 Geological Survey’’; 

18 (2) by striking ‘‘Federal Emergency Manage19 ment Agency’’ each place it appears, except for sub20 section (d), and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 

21 States Geological Survey’’; and 

22 (3) in subsection (d)— 

23 (A) by striking ‘‘the Federal Emergency 

24 Management Agency shall ensure that for each 

25 such community that—’’; 


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1 (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘the Di2 rector of the United States Geological Survey 

3 shall ensure that for each such community 

4 that’’ after the enumerator; and 

5 (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘the 

6 Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 

7 ensure that for each such community that’’. 

8 (h) INITIAL FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS.—The 

9 National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended— 

10 (1) in section 1307(f) (42 U.S.C. 4014(f)), by 

11 inserting ‘‘or the Director of the United States Geo12 logical Survey’’ after ‘‘published by the Adminis13 trator’’; and 

14 (2) in section 1312(b) (42 U.S.C. 4019(b)), by 

15 inserting ‘‘or the Director of the United States Geo16 logical Survey’’ after ‘‘published by the Adminis17 trator’’ both places it appears. 

18 (i) IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARDS.— 

19 The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended— 

20 (1) in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 

21 1364(a) (42 U.S.C. 4101a(a)(1) and (2)), by strik22 ing ‘‘identified by the Administrator’’ both places 

23 such term appears and inserting ‘‘identified by the 

24 Director of the United States Geological Survey’’; 

25 and 


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1 (2) in section 1365(a) (42 U.S.C. 4104b(a)), by 

2 striking ‘‘identified by the Administrator’’ and in3 serting ‘‘identified by the Director of the United 

4 States Geological Survey’’. 

5 SEC. 4. TECHNICAL MAPPING ADVISORY COUNCIL. 

6 Section 100215 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insur7 ance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101a) is amended— 

8 (1) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol9 lows: 

10 ‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the Council 

11 shall consist of the following, or a designee of the fol12 lowing— 

13 ‘‘(1) The Director of the United States Geologi14 cal Survey. 

15 ‘‘(2) The Administrator. 

16 ‘‘(3) The Secretary of Agriculture. 

17 ‘‘(4) The Undersecretary of Commerce for 

18 Oceans and Atmosphere. 

19 ‘‘(5) The Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps 

20 of Engineers.’’; 

21 (2) by amending subsection (e) to read as fol22 lows: 

23 ‘‘(e) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Council 

24 shall be the Director of the United States Geological Sur25 vey.’’; and 


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1 (3) in subsection (h)— 

2 (A) by striking ‘‘, and may take action by 

3 a vote of the majority of the members’’; and 

4 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(3) VOTING.—The Council may take action by 

6 a vote of the majority of the members, except that 

7 the Chairperson shall only vote in the case of a tie 

8 vote among the other members of the Council.’’. 

9 SEC. 5. FEDERAL POLICY FEE. 

10 The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amend11 ed— 

12 (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)(iii) of section 1307 

13 (42 U.S.C. 4014), by striking ‘‘which shall be recov14 ered by a fee charged to policyholders and such fee 

15 shall not be subject to any agent’s commissions, 

16 company expense allowances, or State or local pre17 mium taxes,’’; and 

18 (2) in section 1360, by adding at the end the 

19 following: 

20 ‘‘(k) FEDERAL POLICY FEE.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extend provided in 

22 advance in an appropriation Act, the Administrator, 

23 in consultation with the Director of the United 

24 States Geological Survey, shall charge policy holders 


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1 a fee for the purpose of recovering the cost of map2 ping activities under this section. 

3 ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—As part of the consulta4 tion under paragraph (1), the Director of the United 

5 States Geological Survey shall determine the amount 

6 of such fee. 

7 ‘‘(3) OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.—The fee under 

8 this subsection shall not be subject to any agent’s 

9 commissions, company expense allowances, or State 

10 or local premium taxes. 

11 ‘‘(4) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—The Adminis12 trator shall deposit the fees collected pursuant to 

13 paragraph (1) into a separate account in the Treas14 ury to be called the ‘Flood Insurance Risk Mapping 

15 Fund’, which shall be available to the Director of the 

16 United States Geological Survey for mapping activi17 ties under this section without further appropria18 tion.’’. 

Æ 


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