II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3512 

To establish an advisory group to encourage and foster collaborative efforts 

among individuals and entities engaged in disaster recovery relating 

to debris removal, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 13 (legislative day, JANUARY 10), 2022 

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

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

Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish an advisory group to encourage and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and entities engaged 

in disaster recovery relating to debris removal, 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 ‘‘Disaster Contract Im5 provement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. OVERSIGHT ON DEBRIS REMOVAL. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 

3 Emergency Management Agency. 

4 (2) DEBRIS REMOVAL PROGRAM.—The term 

5 ‘‘debris removal program’’ means the program estab6 lished under section 407 of the Robert T. Stafford 

7 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 5173). 

9 (b) ADVISORY WORKING GROUP.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es11 tablish an advisory working group to encourage and 

12 foster collaborative efforts among individuals and en13 tities engaged in disaster recovery relating to debris 

14 removal. 

15 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory working 

16 group established under paragraph (1) shall be com17 prised of— 

18 (A) representatives from the Federal 

19 Emergency Management Agency; 

20 (B) representatives from the Army Corps 

21 of Engineers; 

22 (C) representatives of States and units of 

23 local government; and 


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1 (D) subject matter experts in debris re2 moval, including not less than 1 representative 

3 from the debris services contractor industry. 

4 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

5 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consulta6 tion with the advisory working group established under 

7 subsection (b)(1), shall— 

8 (1) determine whether guidance and procedures 

9 in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act with 

10 respect to the oversight and cost of debris removal 

11 contracts entered into under the debris removal pro12 gram are sufficient; and 

13 (2) if the Administrator, in consultation with 

14 the advisory working group established under sub15 section (b)(1), determines that the guidance and 

16 procedures described in paragraph (1) are insuffi17 cient, develop and implement additional such guid18 ance and procedures, including— 

19 (A) a requirement that each State and unit 

20 of local government receiving a grant under the 

21 debris removal program take the primary role 

22 in the oversight function of debris removal; 

23 (B) guidance for State and local debris 

24 monitors relating to debris removal operations, 


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1 debris operations oversight, and contractor 

2 oversight, including contractor monitoring; 

3 (C) checklists, job aids, eligibility require4 ments, contract requirements, debris manage5 ment planning guidance, sample bids, and other 

6 items, as determined necessary by the Adminis7 trator, for State and local debris monitors; 

8 (D) a list of the specific debris removal 

9 monitoring responsibilities expected to be com10 pleted by a State that receives a grant under 

11 the debris removal grant program; 

12 (E) a list of the specific debris removal 

13 monitoring responsibilities expected to be com14 pleted by recipients of a grant under the debris 

15 removal grant program; and 

16 (F) guidance for State and units of local 

17 government to reduce duplication and ineffi18 ciency in debris removal contracting across the 

19 Federal Government, State governments, and 

20 units of local government. 

21 (d) TRAINING.—The Administrator shall conduct 

22 outreach to States, Tribal governments, and units of local 

23 government with respect to any guidance or support mate24 rials developed under this section. 


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1 (e) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the 

2 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

3 of the United States shall conduct a study that— 

4 (1) studies the use and adoption rate of ad5 vance contracts for debris removal by States and 

6 units of local government; 

7 (2) identifies the benefits of advance contracts 

8 for debris removal; 

9 (3) with respect to the reporting and informa10 tion sharing processes, as of the date of enactment 

11 of this Act, for advance contracts for debris removal 

12 between States and units of local government and 

13 Federal partners— 

14 (A) assesses those processes; and 

15 (B) makes any necessary recommendations 

16 for those processes; 

17 (4) studies— 

18 (A) the process for setting Federal reim19 bursement rates for the debris removal pro20 gram; 

21 (B) the use of penalties, as of the date of 

22 enactment of this Act, for violations of law and 

23 regulations relating to debris removal; and 


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1 (C) fraud, waste, and abuse relating to the 

2 debris removal program, including case studies; 

3 and 

4 (5) recommends improvements to oversight and 

5 fraud prevention across the debris removal program. 

Æ 


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