I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 316 
To authorize the President to provide disaster assistance to States and Indian 
Tribes under a major disaster recovery program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 9, 2025 
Mr. ROUZER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To authorize the President to provide disaster assistance 
to States and Indian Tribes under a major disaster re-
covery program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Natural Disaster Recovery Program Act of 2025’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Natural Disaster Recovery Program. 
Sec. 3. Unmet needs assistance. 
Sec. 4. Further considerations for disaster declarations. 
Sec. 5. Repair and rebuilding. 
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Sec. 6. FEMA Emergency Home Repair Program. 
Sec. 7. Appeals of individuals and households program benefits. 
Sec. 8. Report to Congress on major disaster declarations. 
Sec. 9. Review by Comptroller General. 
Sec. 10. GAO study on timing of closing out disaster recovery. 
SEC. 2. NATURAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end of title IV the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 431. NATURAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) NATURAL
DISASTER
RECOVERY
RESERVE 
FUND.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 
Treasury of the United States an account to be 
known as the Natural Disaster Recovery Reserve 
Fund (in this section referred to as the ‘Fund’). 
‘‘(2) AMOUNTS.—The Fund shall consist of— 
‘‘(A) any amounts appropriated, and de-
posited in the Fund, for a specific major dis-
aster declared under section 401; and 
‘‘(B) amounts deposited into the Fund 
pursuant to paragraph (4). 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts in the Fund 
shall be available, pursuant to a declaration of a 
major disaster— 
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‘‘(A) to States and Indian tribal govern-
ments for unmet need related to a major dis-
aster is declared under section 401; and 
‘‘(B) with respect to grantees that have 
been allocated assistance for such unmet need, 
for technical assistance and capacity building 
under subsection (c)(2) to facilitate planning 
and increase capacity to administer assistance 
under this section. 
‘‘(4) UNUSED AMOUNTS.—If any amounts made 
available for assistance under this section to grant-
ees remain unexpended on the earlier of— 
‘‘(A) the date that the grantee of such 
amounts notifies the President that the grantee 
has completed all activities; or 
‘‘(B) except as provided in paragraph (5), 
the expiration of the 6-year period beginning 
when the President obligates such amounts to 
the grantee, the President shall transfer such 
unexpended amounts to the Secretary of the 
Treasury for deposit into the Fund, except that 
the President may permit the grantee to retain 
amounts needed to close out the grant. 
‘‘(5) EXTENSION
OF
PERIOD
FOR
USE
OF 
FUNDS.—The period under paragraph (4)(B) may 
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be extended by not more than 4 years if, before the 
expiration of such 6-year period, the President 
waives this requirement and submits a written jus-
tification for such waiver to the Committees on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate that specifies the period of such extension. 
‘‘(b) ASSESSMENT OF UNMET NEED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To assess unmet need with 
respect to a major disaster under section, not later 
than 90 days after the declaration of such a dis-
aster, the President shall coordinate with other Fed-
eral agencies, as determined appropriate and includ-
ing the Administrator of the Small Business Admin-
istration, to obtain data on all recovery needs and 
the amount of such recovery needs that are unmet, 
including— 
‘‘(A) all data on damage caused by the dis-
aster; 
‘‘(B) information on how any Federal as-
sistance provided in connection with the dis-
aster has been expended; 
‘‘(C) information on the effect of the dis-
aster on education, transportation capabilities 
and dependence, housing needs, health care ca-
pacity, and displacement of persons; and 
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‘‘(D) the extent of the unmet need remain-
ing in relation to such disaster. 
‘‘(2) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The President 
shall make publicly available the data described in 
paragraph (1) for any major disaster for which as-
sistance is provided from the Fund under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(3) PROTECTION OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFI-
ABLE
INFORMATION.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the President and any recipient of funds 
under this section shall take such actions as may be 
necessary to ensure that personally identifiable in-
formation regarding recipients of assistance provided 
under this section is not made publicly available by 
any agency with which information is shared pursu-
ant to this subsection. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State or Indian tribal 
government receiving a grant under this section may 
use not more than 13 percent of the amount of 
grant funds received, or within such other percent-
age as may be established pursuant to subparagraph 
(B), for administrative costs, including costs related 
to audits, reviews, oversight, evaluation, and inves-
tigations. 
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‘‘(2) DISCRETION
TO
ESTABLISH
SLIDING 
SCALE.—The President may establish a series of 
percentage limitations on the amount of grant funds 
received that may be used by a grantee for adminis-
trative costs, but only if— 
‘‘(A) such percentage limitations are based 
on the amount of grant funds received by a 
grantee; and 
‘‘(B) such series provides that the percent-
age that may be used is lower for grantees re-
ceiving a greater amount of grant funds and 
such percentage that may be used is higher for 
grantees receiving a lesser amount of grant 
funds. 
‘‘(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; CAPACITY BUILD-
ING.—From funds made available for use under this 
section, the President may provide— 
‘‘(A) necessary technical assistance to 
grantees to ensure grantees are compliant with 
Federal law; and 
‘‘(B) capacity building assistance, includ-
ing assistance regarding contracting and pro-
curement processes, including providing solicita-
tion and contractual templates that conform to 
Federal requirements for use by grantees. 
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‘‘(d) ALLOCATION, PROCESS, AND PROCEDURES; CO-
ORDINATION.— 
‘‘(1) ALLOCATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The President shall 
allocate funds under this section proportionally 
to grantees based on their level of unmet need 
as determined under subsection (b). 
‘‘(B) GRANTEE
USE
OF
FUNDS.—Each 
grantee— 
‘‘(i) shall be solely responsible for de-
termining how funds provided under this 
section are prioritized and expended; and 
‘‘(ii) shall not be required to provide 
an action or spending plan to the Presi-
dent before or after funds are allocated. 
‘‘(C) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding sec-
tion 312, a loan shall not— 
‘‘(i) be considered a duplication of 
benefits with funds provided by a Federal 
agency; or 
‘‘(ii) limit or otherwise impact the 
ability of a recipient to receive any other 
Federal assistance. 
‘‘(2) PROCEDURE FOR PROVISION OF FUNDS.— 
An entity awarded a grant under this section shall 
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be provided an initial amount that equals 50 percent 
of total grant amount allocated under paragraph (1). 
To be eligible for the remaining 50 percent of the 
allocation, a grantee shall submit to the Committees 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
and the Senate, the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate, and the Inspector Gen-
eral of the United States a report containing— 
‘‘(A) a detailed description of how such 
amount was spent; and 
‘‘(B) a certification from an auditor of the 
State or Indian tribal government that none of 
the funds were wasted or used inappropriately. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—Each State and Indian 
tribal government that receives funds under this sec-
tion shall establish or adhere to existing guidelines 
for procurement processes and procedures and re-
quire that subgrantees— 
‘‘(A) provide for full and open competition 
and require cost or price analysis; 
‘‘(B) specify methods of procurement and 
their applicability, but not allow cost-plus-a-per-
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centage-of cost or percentage-of-construction- 
cost methods of procurement; 
‘‘(C) include standards of conduct gov-
erning employees engaged in the award or ad-
ministration of contracts; and 
‘‘(D) ensure that all purchase orders and 
contracts include any clauses required by Fed-
eral statute, Executive order, or implementing 
regulation. 
‘‘(e) FUNDING.—Any funds provided under this sec-
tion— 
‘‘(1) shall supplement and not supplant any 
other assistance provided by the President or any 
other Federal agency in response to a major dis-
aster; and 
‘‘(2) may not be considered a duplication of as-
sistance. 
‘‘(f) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.—Any Federal agen-
cy or recipient of funds received under this section that 
fund or use funds to supplement funds provided under sec-
tion 402, 403, 404, 406, 407, 408(c)(4), 428, or 502 may 
adopt, without review or public comment, any environ-
mental review, approval, or permit performed by a Federal 
agency. 
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‘‘(g) BEST PRACTICES.—The President shall identify 
best practices for grantees on issues including developing 
action plans, establishing financial controls, building 
grantee technical and administrative capacity, procure-
ment, and use of grant funds as local match for other 
sources of Federal funding. Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the President shall 
publish a compilation of such identified best practices and 
share with all relevant grantees to facilitate a more effi-
cient and effective disaster recovery process. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) STATE AUDITOR.—The term ‘State audi-
tor’ means the individual selected by the Governor or 
head of an Indian tribal government to submit a cer-
tification in accordance with subsection (d)(2)(A)(ii). 
‘‘(2) UNMET NEED.—The term ‘unmet need’— 
‘‘(A) means any necessary expenses for ac-
tivities related to disaster relief, resiliency, long- 
term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and 
housing, mitigation, and economic revitalization 
related to a major disaster declared by the 
President under section 401; and 
‘‘(B) may include— 
‘‘(i) any unresourced item, support, or 
assistance that has been assessed and 
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verified as necessary for a survivor to re-
cover from a major disaster, including 
food, clothing, shelter, first aid, emotional 
and spiritual care, household items, home 
repair, or rebuilding; and 
‘‘(ii) cleaning and removing debris 
from rivers, creeks, streams, and ditches.’’. 
(b) LIMITATION.—No amounts made available by an 
appropriations Act that provide funding for any activity 
not authorized by law for the program established under 
section 431 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (as added by this Act) may be 
expended. 
SEC. 3. UNMET NEEDS ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 432. UNMET NEEDS ASSISTANCE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In any major disaster, the Gov-
ernor or the Chief Executive of the Indian tribal govern-
ment may request a grant from the President to provide 
assistance to meet unmet needs resulting from a major 
disaster. 
‘‘(b) FUNDING.— 
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‘‘(1) AMOUNT
OF
FUNDING.—The President 
may set aside from the Disaster Relief Fund, with 
respect to each major disaster, an amount equal to 
10 percent of the estimated aggregate amount of the 
grants to be made pursuant to sections 406 and 408 
of the major disaster in order to provide technical 
and financial assistance under this section and such 
amounts shall be deemed to be related to activities 
carried out pursuant to major disasters under this 
Act. 
‘‘(2) ESTIMATED
AGGREGATE
AMOUNT.—Not 
later than 180 days after each major disaster de-
clared pursuant to this Act, the estimated aggregate 
amount of grants for purposes of paragraph (1) 
shall be determined by the President and such esti-
mated amount need not be reduced, increased, or 
changed due to variations in estimates. 
‘‘(3) 
NO
REDUCTION
IN
AMOUNTS.—The 
amount set aside pursuant to paragraph (1) shall 
not reduce the amounts otherwise made available for 
sections 403, 406, 407, 408, 410, 416, and 428 
under this Act. 
‘‘(c) UNMET NEEDS.—A State or Indian tribal gov-
ernment may use unmet needs grants to provide assist-
ance, in addition to other assistance made available under 
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this Act, for the following unmet needs resulting from a 
major disaster: 
‘‘(1) Disaster-related home repair and rebuild-
ing financial assistance to families for permanent 
housing purposes, including in conjunction with eli-
gible expenditures under section 408. 
‘‘(2) Disaster-related unmet needs of families 
who are unable to obtain adequate assistance from 
other sources. 
‘‘(3) Other disaster-related services that allevi-
ate human suffering and promote the well-being of 
disaster victims. 
‘‘(4) Economic and business activities (includ-
ing food and agriculture) after a disaster to imple-
ment post-disaster economic recovery measures, in-
cluding planning and technical assistance for long- 
term economic recovery plans, infrastructure im-
provements, business or infrastructure financing, 
market or industry research, and other activities au-
thorized under a comprehensive economic develop-
ment strategy. 
‘‘(d) ACCOUNTING AND FISCAL CONTROLS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after receipt of funds and every 6 months thereafter 
until all such funds are expended, each State or In-
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dian tribal government receiving such funds shall 
submit to the Administrator a report that includes— 
‘‘(A) the criteria established for deter-
mining how the funds are spent; 
‘‘(B) the allocation of such funds; and 
‘‘(C) the process for public notice and com-
ment. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—A State or In-
dian tribal government that receives funds under 
this section may expend not more than 5 percent of 
the amount of such funds for the administrative 
costs of providing financial assistance to individuals 
and households in the State.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section shall apply to funds appro-
priated on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR DISASTER DEC-
LARATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In making recommendations to 
the President regarding the declaration of a major disaster 
or emergency pursuant to section 401 or 501 of the Rob-
ert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170; 5191) or the proposed non-Federal 
share of the cost of carrying out activities with assistance 
provided under such Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
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Emergency Management Agency shall give greater weight 
and consideration to severe local impact resulting from 
such disaster or emergency and, in the 5-year period pre-
ceding such disaster or emergency, whether multiple other 
disasters or emergencies have occurred in the affected 
area. 
(b) REVISIONS TO GUIDANCE, POLICIES, AND REGU-
LATIONS.—The Administrator shall take such actions as 
are necessary to revise any policies, guidance, or regula-
tions of the Agency to implement subsection (a). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate a report on the implementation of this section and 
shall include in such report a description of— 
(1) changes made to guidance, policies, or regu-
lations pursuant to subsection (b); and 
(2) the number of major disasters and emer-
gencies that have been declared pursuant to section 
401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act based on the criteria de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
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SEC. 5. REPAIR AND REBUILDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(c) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended— 
(1) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2) REPAIRS.— 
‘‘(A) FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE
FOR
RE-
PAIRS.—The President may provide financial 
assistance for the repair of owner-occupied pri-
vate residences, utilities, and residential infra-
structure (such as a private access route) dam-
aged by a major disaster, or with respect to in-
dividuals with disabilities, rendered inaccessible 
by a major disaster. 
‘‘(B) DIRECT ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The President 
may provide direct assistance to individuals 
and households who are unable to make 
use of financial assistance under subpara-
graph (A) and when there is a lack of 
available resources, for— 
‘‘(I) the repair of owner-occupied 
private residences, utilities, and resi-
dential infrastructure (such as a pri-
vate access route) damaged by a 
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