SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) COVERED HURRICANE DAMAGES.—The term 
‘‘covered hurricane damages’’ means damages suffered 
in the States of Louisiana and Mississippi as a result 
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
(2) PRESIDENT.—The term ‘‘President’’ means 
the President acting through the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
(3) STAFFORD ACT.—The term ‘‘Stafford Act’’ 
means the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. SPECIAL RULES FOR COVERED HURRICANE DAM-
AGES. 
(a) IN LIEU CONTRIBUTIONS.—In providing contribu-
tions under section 406(c) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 
5172(c)) for covered hurricane damages, the President shall 
substitute 90 percent for the otherwise applicable percentage 
specified in paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A) of such section. 
(b) PARTICIPATION IN PILOT PROJECTS.—The States 
of Louisiana and Mississippi and local governments in such 
States shall be eligible to participate in the pilot program 
established by section 689j of the Department of Homeland 
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Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (6 U.S.C. 777) with re-
spect to covered hurricane damages. 
(c) ALTERNATIVE
DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
PROCE-
DURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 423 
of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5189a) or any regula-
tion, the President is authorized and encouraged to 
use alternative dispute resolution procedures for ap-
peals of decisions made under sections 403, 406, and 
407 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5179b, 5172, and 
5173) regarding the award or denial of assistance, or 
the amount of assistance, provided to a State, local 
government, or owner or operator of a private facility 
for covered hurricane damages. 
(2) DENIALS OF REQUESTS.— 
(A) WRITTEN
NOTICE.—If a State, local 
government, or owner or operator of a private 
facility requests the use of alternative dispute 
resolution procedures for an appeal pursuant to 
paragraph (1) and the President denies the re-
quest, the President shall provide to the State, 
local government, or owner or operator written 
notice of the denial, including the reasons for the 
denial. 
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(B) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—The President 
shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, on at 
least a quarterly basis, a report containing in-
formation on any denial described in subpara-
graph (A) made by the President during the pe-
riod covered by the report, including the reasons 
for the denial. 
(3) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall apply 
to an appeal made by a State, local government, or 
owner or operator of a private facility within 60 days 
after the date on which the State, local government, 
or owner or operator is notified of the decision that 
is the subject of the appeal. 
(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Presi-
dent shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate a report containing 
a description of how alternative dispute resolution 
procedures are being used pursuant to this subsection 
and recommendations on whether the President should 
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be given the authority to use such procedures under 
the Stafford Act on a permanent basis. 
(d) ESSENTIAL ASSISTANCE.—In providing assistance 
under section 403 of the Stafford Act for covered hurricane 
damages, the President may provide assistance for the re- 
interment of human remains at a privately-owned or pri-
vate nonprofit cemetery. 
(e) USE OF SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES.—For covered 
hurricane damages, the President may use, if requested by 
a State or local government or the owner or operator of 
a private nonprofit facility, section 422 of the Stafford Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5189) for a project for which the Federal esti-
mate of the cost is less than $100,000. 
(f) USE OF TEMPORARY HOUSING UNITS TO PROVIDE 
HOUSING TO VOLUNTEERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In providing assistance under 
title IV of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) 
for covered hurricane damages, the President may 
provide temporary housing units purchased under 
section 408 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) to 
State and local governments and appropriate private 
nonprofit entities for the purpose of providing hous-
ing to volunteers assisting in the recovery from such 
damages. 
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(2) FEASIBILITY
DETERMINATION.—The Presi-
dent may provide temporary housing units for the 
purposes described in paragraph (1) only if the Presi-
dent determines that such assistance is appropriate, 
cost effective, and would not unduly interfere with the 
ability of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to provide housing for individuals and households 
with respect to other major disasters. 
(g) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES USED TO 
HOST PUBLIC EVENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sections 403 
and 406 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b and 
5172), the President may make contributions to the 
State of Louisiana for— 
(A) costs incurred for the repair or restora-
tion of a public facility used to host public 
events if the facility was damaged as a result of 
use in conducting response activities for Hurri-
cane Katrina or Rita; 
(B) costs incurred because response activi-
ties for Hurricane Katrina or Rita precluded the 
normal use of the facility for public events; and 
(C) costs incurred for necessary materials 
provided to evacuees in a public facility used to 
host public events. 
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(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR REPAIR AND RES-
TORATION
COSTS.—Contributions made under 
paragraph (1)(A) shall be limited to repair and 
restoration costs associated with damages de-
scribed in paragraph (1)(A) that occurred— 
(i) in the case of damages related to 
Hurricane Katrina, on or before October 27, 
2005; and 
(ii) in the case of damages related to 
Hurricane Rita, on or before November 23, 
2005. 
(B) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR COSTS INCURRED 
FOR CANCELLED EVENTS.— 
(i) EVENT REQUIREMENTS.—Contribu-
tions made under paragraph (1)(B) shall be 
limited to costs that are documented for an 
event— 
(I) for which there was a binding 
commitment for use of the facility in 
effect prior to August 29, 2005; and 
(II) that was scheduled to be held 
on or before December 31, 2005, at the 
facility. 
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(ii) LOST
REVENUES.—Contributions 
under paragraph (1)(B) shall not be made 
for any lost revenues. 
(3) 
COSTS
RECOVERABLE
FROM
OTHER 
SOURCES.—Costs that may be recovered by the State 
of Louisiana from any other program or from insur-
ance or another source shall not be eligible for assist-
ance under this subsection. 
(4) LIMITATION
ON
STATUTORY
CONSTRUC-
TION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
affect eligibility for assistance under section 403 or 
406 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b or 5172), 
except to the extent that such assistance would result 
in a duplication of benefits. 
(5) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of as-
sistance under this subsection shall be 100 percent of 
the eligible costs. 
(6) FUNDING.—Amounts appropriated to carry 
out sections 403 and 406 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b and 5172) shall be available to carry 
out this section, including amounts appropriated be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act. 
(h) STATUS REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
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the House of Representatives and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Government Affairs of the Senate a re-
port regarding the status of recovery for the States of Lou-
isiana and Mississippi from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
(i) HAZARD MITIGATION PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A project for covered hurri-
cane damages initiated by the State of Louisiana or 
Mississippi in the period beginning on August 29, 
2005, and ending on the date of enactment of this Act 
may contribute toward the non-Federal share of as-
sistance under section 404 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170c) if the project— 
(A) complies with all applicable Federal 
laws governing assistance under such section, 
and 
(B) otherwise is eligible to contribute to the 
non-Federal share of assistance under such sec-
tion, 
notwithstanding any requirement for approval of the 
eligibility and compliance of a project by the Presi-
dent prior to the initiation of the project contributing 
toward the non-Federal share. 
(2) APPLICATIONS.—The States of Louisiana 
and Mississippi may submit an application to the 
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President under section 404 of the Stafford Act with 
respect to any project described in paragraph (1). 
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Union Calendar No. 241 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 3247 
[Report No. 110–387] 
A BILL 
To improve the provision of disaster assistance for 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and for other pur-
poses. 
OCTOBER 18, 2007 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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