I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5780 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to improve the provision of certain disaster assistance, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 28, 2021 
Ms. LOFGREN (for herself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. HUFFMAN, and 
Mr. PANETTA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to improve the provision of certain 
disaster assistance, 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 ‘‘Disaster Equity and 
Fairness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Agency; 
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(2) the term ‘‘Agency’’ means the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency; 
(3) the term ‘‘emergency’’ means an emergency 
declared or determined to exist by the President 
under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5191); 
(4) the terms ‘‘Indian tribal government’’ and 
‘‘local government’’ have the meanings given such 
terms in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Dis-
aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5122); and 
(5) the term ‘‘major disaster’’ means a major 
disaster declared by the President under section 401 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170). 
SEC. 3. INCREASE COST-SHARE FOR CONSECUTIVE IM-
PACTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the provisions of 
law described in subsection (b), for assistance provided 
under sections 403, 404, 406, 408, 420, and 428 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5170c, 5172, 5174, 5187, 
5189f) to a local government or Indian tribal government 
in connection with the second, or subsequent, major dis-
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aster during any 3-year period, the Federal share shall 
be not less than 90 percent of the eligible cost of such 
assistance. 
(b) PROVISIONS.—The provisions of law described in 
this subsection are sections 403(b), 403(c)(4), 404(a), 
406(b), 408(d), 408(g)(2), 420(a), and 428(e)(2)(B) of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As-
sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b(b), 5170b(c)(4), 5170c(a), 
5172(b), 5174(d), 5174(g)(2), 5187(a), 5189f(e)(2)). 
SEC. 4. STATE AND LOCAL PLANS FOR MEAL DELIVERY. 
(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. 431. STATE AND LOCAL PLANS FOR MEAL DELIVERY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may provide 
assistance to a State, local government, or Indian tribal 
government to reimburse the cost of coordinating food de-
livery, production, and distribution in the event of a major 
disaster, including— 
‘‘(1) establishing a network to coordinate food 
delivery, production, and distribution with businesses 
and private nonprofit organizations; 
‘‘(2) establishing contracts with small and mid- 
sized restaurants, food vendors, and private non-
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profit organizations, including faith-based organiza-
tions, food banks, and soup kitchens, to prepare 
healthy meals for people in need; and 
‘‘(3) partnering with private nonprofit organiza-
tions, including faith-based organizations, food 
banks, and soup kitchens to purchase directly from 
food producers and farmers. 
‘‘(b) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the 
cost of an activity carried out using assistance under this 
section shall be— 
‘‘(1) 100 percent of the eligible cost of food de-
livery, production, and distribution during the 30- 
day period beginning on the date of the declaration 
of the major disaster; and 
‘‘(2) not less than 90 percent of such eligible 
cost after the end of the 30-day period described in 
paragraph (1).’’. 
(b) EMERGENCIES.—Section 502(a) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5192(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (8) as para-
graph (9); and 
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(3) by inserting after paragraph (7) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(8) provide assistance for food delivery, pro-
duction, and distribution in accordance with section 
431; and’’. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue 
comprehensive guidance to States, local governments, and 
Indian tribal governments regarding receiving reimburse-
ment for the cost of food delivery, production, and dis-
tribution in the event of an emergency or major disaster 
under section 431 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
lief and Emergency Assistance Act, as added by subsection 
(a), including— 
(1) establishing a coordination network; 
(2) enabling streamlined arrangements for food 
production and distribution; and 
(3) streamlined contracting and partnering with 
private nonprofit organizations such that private 
nonprofit organizations may apply directly for reim-
bursement under such section as an agent of a 
State, local government, or Indian tribal govern-
ment. 
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SEC. 5. UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 203 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5133) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘small impoverished’’ each place 
it appears except in subsection (a) and inserting 
‘‘underserved’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.— 
In this section, the term ‘underserved community’ means 
populations sharing a particular characteristic, and geo-
graphic communities, that have been systematically denied 
a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, 
social, and civic life, such as— 
‘‘(1) Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native 
American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Is-
landers, and other persons of color; 
‘‘(2) members of religious minorities; 
‘‘(3) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, 
and nonbinary persons; 
‘‘(4) persons with access and functional needs; 
‘‘(5) persons who live in rural or geographically 
isolated areas; and 
‘‘(6) persons otherwise adversely affected by 
persistent poverty or inequality.’’; and 
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(3) in subsection (h)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘SMALL IMPOVERISHED’’ and inserting 
‘‘UNDERSERVED’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘carried out in a’’ and 
inserting ‘‘carried out in, or that will ben-
efit persons who are members of, an’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Adminis-
trator shall provide direct technical assistance to eli-
gible entities under this section for applications 
under this section, prioritizing communities that— 
‘‘(A) have not received hazard mitigation 
assistance under this Act during the 5-year pe-
riod ending on the date of enactment of this 
paragraph; 
‘‘(B) are Indian tribal governments; 
‘‘(C) are underserved communities; 
‘‘(D) have demonstrated a compelling need, 
such as significant social vulnerability; 
‘‘(E) have experienced multiple major dis-
aster declarations during the 5-year period end-
ing on the date of enactment of this paragraph; 
or 
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‘‘(F) are exposed to increased hazards or 
vulnerabilities.’’. 
(b) INCREASE COST-SHARE.— 
(1) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘underserved community’’ has the meaning given 
that term in subsection (a) of section 203 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133), as amended by 
this section. 
(2) FEDERAL
SHARE.—Notwithstanding the 
provisions of law described in paragraph (3), for any 
emergency or major disaster, the Federal share of 
assistance provided under sections 403, 404, 406, 
408, 420, 428, and 503 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b, 5170c, 5172, 5174, 5187, 5189f, 
5193) or section 1366 of the National Flood Insur-
ance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104c), shall be not 
less than 90 percent of the eligible cost of such as-
sistance for a recipient— 
(A) that will use the assistance in, or for 
the benefit of persons who are members of, an 
underserved community; or 
(B) who is in, or who is a member of, an 
underserved community. 
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(3) PROVISIONS.—The provisions of law de-
scribed in this paragraph are sections 403(b), 
403(c)(4), 
404(a), 
406(b), 
408(d), 
408(g)(2), 
420(a), 428(e)(2)(B), and 503(a) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b(b), 5170b(c)(4), 5170c(a), 
5172(b), 5174(d), 5174(g)(2), 5187(a), 5189f(e)(2), 
5193(a)). 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 
U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 4 (42 U.S.C. 7703), by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(11) The term ‘small impoverished community’ 
means a community of 3,000 or fewer individuals 
that is economically disadvantaged, as determined by 
the State in which the community is located and 
based on criteria established by the President.’’; and 
(2) 
in 
section 
5(b)(2)(B)(ii) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
7704(b)(2)(B)(ii)), by striking ‘‘, as defined in sec-
tion 203 of the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (42 
U.S.C. 5133(a))’’. 
Æ 
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