FEMA Disaster Preparedness Improvement Act

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to modify the Federal share requirement and establish a period of performance requirement for the hazard mitigation grant program, to amend the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 to modify the Federal share requirement of emergency management performance grants, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the FEMA Disaster Preparedness Improvement Act 2. Hazard mitigation Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170c (1) in subsection (a) by striking 75 85 (2) by adding at the end the following: (h) Expanded eligibility Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the President may provide hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with this section in any area designated by the Administrator under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4001 (i) Period of performance (1) In general A project receiving assistance under this section shall be completed not later than the date that is 36 months after the date of the completion of all applicable environmental reviews required by Federal or State law with respect to such project or a later feasible date determined by the Administrator. (2) Extension of period of performance Upon the request of a recipient of hazard mitigation assistance provided under this section, the Administrator may— (A) issue an extension of not more than 1 year of the period of performance deadline described in paragraph (1); and (B) issue additional extensions of not more than 1 year upon the expiration of an extension issued pursuant to subparagraph (A) or this subparagraph. (3) Rule of statutory construction Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the Administrator or a State delegated authority under subsection (c) to establish a period of performance shorter than the period of performance described in paragraph (1). . 3. Emergency management performance grants program Section 662(c) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 ( 6 U.S.C. 762 50 percent 85 percent 4. GAO report to Congress on challenges under public assistance alternative procedures (a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the challenges to States and Territories of the United States in obtaining assistance under section 428 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5189f (b) Contents In conducting the study described in subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall study the challenges for assistance described in subsection (a) faced by the following: (1) Rural areas, as such term is defined in section 423 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5189a (2) Small impoverished communities, as such term is defined in section 203 of such Act. (3) Other communities, areas, or individuals that the Comptroller General determines pertinent. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the study required under subsection (a).

Summary: FEMA Disaster Preparedness Improvement Act This bill increases Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) support for disaster preparedness and emergency response to states and U.S. territories. Specifically, the bill increases the federal cost share to 85% for (1) hazard mitigation measures with respect to a major disaster (currently, 75%); and (2) emergency management performance grants (currently, 50%). The bill makes special flood hazard areas that have suffered at least one severe repetitive loss or repetitive loss under the National Flood Insurance Program eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation grants. It also exempts the time it takes to complete environmental reviews from the 36-month deadline to complete FEMA-funded hazard mitigation projects. The Government Accountability Office must report on the challenges to states and U.S. territories in obtaining assistance under FEMA's public assistance program alternative procedures.