I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3813 
To establish an Office of the Hurricane Katrina Recovery Chief Financial 
Officer, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 
Mr. SHADEGG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish an Office of the Hurricane Katrina Recovery 
Chief Financial Officer, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Oversight of Vital 
Emergency Recovery Spending Enhancement and En-
forcement Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.—The term ‘‘Chief 
Financial Officer’’ means the Hurricane Katrina Recovery 
Chief Financial Officer. 
(b) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Office of 
the Hurricane Katrina Recovery Chief Financial Officer. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND FUNCTIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Executive Office of the President, the Office of the 
Hurricane Katrina Recovery Chief Financial Officer. 
(b) CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Hurricane Katrina 
Recovery Chief Financial Officer shall be the head 
of the Office. The Chief Financial Officer shall be 
appointed by the President, by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Chief Financial Of-
ficer shall have the qualifications required under sec-
tion 901(a)(3) of title 31, United States Code. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chief Financial Officer 
shall— 
(A) be responsible for the efficient and ef-
fective use of Federal funds in all activities re-
lating to the recovery from Hurricane Katrina;
(B) have all authorities and perform all 
functions of a Chief Financial Officer under 
section 902 of title 31, United States Code, 
with respect to all agencies and all Federal ac-
tivities relating to the recovery from Hurricane 
Katrina in accordance with paragraph (2); and 
(C) strive to ensure that— 
(i) priority in the distribution of Fed-
eral relief funds is given to individuals and 
organizations most in need of financial as-
sistance; and 
(ii) priority in the distribution of Fed-
eral reconstruction funds is given to busi-
ness entities that are based in Louisiana, 
Mississippi, and Alabama or business enti-
ties that hire workers who resided in those 
States before August 29, 2005. 
(2) COORDINATION OF AGENCIES.—In the per-
formance of the functions under paragraph (1)(B) 
by the Chief Financial Officer– 
(A) the President shall act as the head of 
the agency and the Chief Financial Officer shall 
have management and oversight of all agencies 
performing activities relating to the recovery 
from Hurricane Katrina for purposes of the ap-
plication of section 902 of title 31, United 
States Code; and 
(B) the Chief Financial Officer shall co-
ordinate and have management and oversight 
responsibilities of each applicable Chief Finan-
cial Officer in the performance of functions 
under section 902(a) (5) and (6) of title 31, 
United States Code, instead of performing such 
functions for each applicable agency. 
(3) REGULAR REPORTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Every month the Chief 
Financial Officer shall submit a financial report 
on the activities for which the Chief Financial 
Officer has management and oversight respon-
sibilities to— 
(i) the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
ate; 
(ii) the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives; 
(iii) the Committees on Appropria-
tions of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(iv) the Committee on Government 
Reform of the House of Representatives.