I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8526 
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to 
direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish an Office of Disaster 
Recovery, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2022 
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. GIMENEZ, and Mr. NEGUSE) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 
Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development 
Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to 
establish an Office of Disaster Recovery, 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 ‘‘Office of Disaster Re-
covery Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DISASTER RECOVERY OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title V of the Public Works and 
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3191 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 508. DISASTER RECOVERY OFFICE. 
‘‘(a) DISASTER RECOVERY OFFICE.—The Secretary 
shall establish an Office of Disaster Recovery to direct and 
implement the Economic Development Administration’s 
post-disaster economic recovery responsibilities pursuant 
to sections 209(c)(2) and (e) and 703, economic recovery 
support function activities as directed under the National 
Disaster Recovery Framework, and as necessary to admin-
ister disaster appropriations made available for such pur-
poses. 
‘‘(b) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION.— 
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary is author-
ized to appoint such temporary personnel as may be 
necessary to implement post-disaster economic recov-
ery responsibilities, without regard to the provisions 
of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in the competi-
tive service and compensation of personnel. 
‘‘(2) CONVERSION
OF
EMPLOYEES.—Notwith-
standing chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, 
or any other provision of law relating to the exam-
ination, certification, and appointment of individuals 
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in the competitive service, the Secretary is author-
ized to convert a temporary employee appointed 
under this subsection to a permanent appointment 
in the competitive service in the Economic Develop-
ment Administration under merit promotion proce-
dures if— 
‘‘(A) the employee has served continuously 
for at least 2 years under one or more appoint-
ments under this subsection; and 
‘‘(B) the employee’s performance has been 
at an acceptable level of performance through-
out the period or periods referred to in sub-
paragraph (A). 
‘‘(3) COMPENSATION.—An individual converted 
under this subsection shall become a career-condi-
tional employee, unless the employee has already 
completed the service requirements for career ten-
ure.’’. 
(b) GRANTS FOR ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT.—Section 
209 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act 
of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3149) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(f) FEDERAL SHARE FOR DISASTER RECOVERY.— 
In the case of a grant provided under this section for a 
project for economic recovery in response to a major dis-
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aster or emergency declared under the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.), the Secretary shall increase the Federal 
share to 100 percent of the cost of the project.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR DIS-
ASTER ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACTIVITIES.—Section 703 
of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3233) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR FEDERAL SHARE OF DIS-
ASTER RECOVERY.—The Federal share of the cost of a 
project for economic recovery in response to a major dis-
aster or emergency declared under the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.) funded with amounts made available under 
subsection (a) shall be 100 percent.’’. 
Æ 
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