I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3635 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to improve Federal assistance with respect to disasters, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 
Mr. CAO 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 Federal assistance with 
respect to disasters, 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 Relief and 
Recovery Development Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. ABILITY TO PROVIDE DISASTER INFORMATION TO 
INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PRO-
FICIENCY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study on the ability of existing alert 
and warning systems to provide information relating to 
disasters to individuals with limited English proficiency. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to Congress a report on the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include 
recommendations with respect to any additional resources 
necessary to adequately provide information relating to 
disasters to individuals with limited English proficiency. 
SEC. 3. REVIEW OF REGULATIONS AND POLICIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the President shall review 
regulations and policies relating to Federal disaster assist-
ance to eliminate regulations the President determines are 
no longer relevant, to harmonize contradictory regulations, 
and to simplify and expedite disaster recovery and assist-
ance. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit 
to Congress a report describing changes made to regula-
tions as a result of the review required under subsection 
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(a), together with any legislative recommendations relat-
ing thereto. 
SEC. 4. ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS RELATING TO ELIGI-
BLE COST. 
Not later than six months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the President shall issue and begin implemen-
tation 
of 
the 
regulations 
required 
under 
section 
406(e)(3)(C) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)(3)(C)) to 
provide for cost estimation procedures that expedite recov-
ery and to reduce the costs and time for completion of 
recovery projects through the creation of financial and 
performance incentives. 
SEC. 5. USE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO DISSEMINATE 
INFORMATION REGARDING COST-EFFECTIVE 
MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES. 
Section 203(e)(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5133(e)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘10 percent’’ and in-
serting ‘‘15 percent’’. 
SEC. 6. RECOVERY RESPONSIBILITIES. 
(a) FUNCTIONS OF FEDERAL COORDINATING OFFI-
CER.—Section 302(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5143(b)) 
is amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (6); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) not later than one month after the date of 
the declaration of a major disaster or emergency, 
make an initial appraisal of the types of recovery as-
sistance needed; 
‘‘(5) coordinate with State government officials 
the establishment of detailed short-term and long- 
term recovery plans and methods for implementation 
of such plans; and’’. 
(b) EMERGENCY SUPPORT, RESPONSE, AND RECOV-
ERY TEAMS.—Section 303 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5144) 
is amended— 
(1) in the section heading by striking ‘‘SUP-
PORT AND RESPONSE’’ and inserting ‘‘SUPPORT, 
RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) EMERGENCY RECOVERY TEAMS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the President, acting through the Ad-
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ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, shall establish— 
‘‘(A) at a minimum 3 national recovery 
teams; 
‘‘(B) sufficient regional recovery teams, in-
cluding Regional Office strike teams under sec-
tion 507 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002; 
and 
‘‘(C) other recovery teams as may be nec-
essary to meet the incident management re-
sponsibilities of the Federal Government. 
‘‘(2) TARGET CAPABILITY LEVEL.—The Admin-
istrator shall ensure that specific target capability 
levels, as defined pursuant to the guidelines estab-
lished under section 646(a) of the Post-Katrina 
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, are 
established for Federal emergency recovery teams. 
‘‘(3) 
PERSONNEL.—The 
President, 
acting 
through the Administrator, shall ensure that the 
Federal emergency recovery teams consist of ade-
quate numbers of properly planned, organized, 
equipped, trained, and exercised personnel to achieve 
the established target capability levels. Each emer-
gency recovery team shall work in coordination with 
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State and local officials and onsite personnel associ-
ated with a particular incident. 
‘‘(4) READINESS
REPORTING.—The Adminis-
trator shall evaluate team readiness on a regular 
basis and report team readiness levels in the report 
required under section 652(a) of the Post-Katrina 
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.’’. 
SEC. 7. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY DISASTER RECOVERY 
TASK FORCE. 
Title III of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5141 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 327. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY DISASTER RECOVERY 
TASK FORCE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall estab-
lish a Federal interagency disaster recovery task force 
(hereinafter referred to in this section as the ‘task force’) 
to carry out the following: 
‘‘(1) Identify, maintain a catalogue of, and sub-
mit to Congress at least twice each year a report de-
scribing the Federal programs that may be used to 
assist in recovery efforts after a major disaster or 
emergency. 
‘‘(2) Ensure communication, before and after 
major disasters and emergencies, between the Fed-
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eral departments and agencies determined by the 
President to administer the Federal programs re-
ferred to in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(b) CHAIRPERSON.—The Administrator of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency shall serve as the 
chairperson of the task force. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The task force shall include a 
representative of each Federal department and agency de-
termined by the President to administer a program that 
may be used to assist in recovery efforts after a major 
disaster or emergency. 
‘‘(d) MEETING FREQUENCY.—The task force shall 
meet at least four times each year.’’. 
SEC. 8. REPAIR, RESTORATION, AND REPLACEMENT OF 
DAMAGED FACILITIES. 
Section 406(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(a)) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘$20,000,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$5,000,000’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) CONTRIBUTION
STATUS
REPORTS.—Not 
less frequently than every 180 days, the President 
shall transmit to Congress a report on the status of 
applications, obligations, and contributions under 
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