IB 
Union Calendar No. 333 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1471 
[Report No. 114–436] 
To reauthorize the programs and activities of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2015 
Mr. BARLETTA (for himself, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. SHUSTER, and Mr. 
DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
FEBRUARY 29, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 19, 2015] 
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A BILL 
To reauthorize the programs and activities of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—FEMA REAUTHORIZATION 
Sec. 101. Reauthorization of Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
TITLE II—COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF DISASTER COSTS AND 
LOSSES 
Sec. 201. Comprehensive study of disaster costs and losses. 
TITLE III—STAFFORD ACT AND OTHER PROGRAMS 
Sec. 301. Reauthorization of urban search and rescue response system. 
Sec. 302. Reauthorization of emergency management assistance compact grants. 
Sec. 303. Nonprofit facilities. 
Sec. 304. Statute of limitations. 
Sec. 305. Action plan to improve field transition. 
Sec. 306. Simplified procedures. 
Sec. 307. Management costs. 
Sec. 308. Debts owed to the United States related to disaster assistance. 
Sec. 309. Statute of limitations for debts owed to the United States related to dis-
aster assistance. 
Sec. 310. Technical assistance and recommendations. 
Sec. 311. Local impact. 
Sec. 312. Proof of insurance. 
TITLE IV—WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION 
Sec. 401. Wildfire mitigation assistance. 
Sec. 402. Additional activities. 
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TITLE I—FEMA 
REAUTHORIZATION 
SEC. 101. REAUTHORIZATION OF FEDERAL EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT AGENCY. 
Section 699 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Manage-
ment Reform Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–295; 6 U.S.C. 
811) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘administration and operations’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘management 
and administration’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘; and’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) for fiscal year 2016, $946,982,000; 
‘‘(5) for fiscal year 2017, $946,982,000; and 
‘‘(6) for fiscal year 2018, $946,982,000.’’. 
TITLE 
II—COMPREHENSIVE 
STUDY OF DISASTER COSTS 
AND LOSSES 
SEC. 201. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF DISASTER COSTS 
AND LOSSES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall commence, 
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through the National Advisory Council, a comprehensive 
study related to disaster costs and losses (referred to in the 
subsection as the ‘‘Study’’). 
(b) ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP.—For the purposes of 
the Study, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall appoint additional 
qualified members to the National Advisory Council from 
the following: 
(1) Individuals that have the requisite technical 
knowledge and expertise on issues related to disaster 
costs and losses. 
(2) Representatives of the insurance industry. 
(3) Experts in and representatives of the con-
struction and building industry. 
(4) Individuals nominated by national organiza-
tions representing local governments and personnel. 
(5) Academic experts. 
(6) Vendors, developers, and manufacturers of 
systems, facilities, equipment, and capabilities for 
emergency management services. 
(7) Representatives of such other stakeholders 
and interested and affected parties as the Adminis-
trator considers appropriate. 
(c) CONSULTATION WITH NONMEMBERS.—The Na-
tional Advisory Council shall consult with other relevant 
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agencies and groups that are not represented on the Na-
tional Advisory Council to consider research, data, findings, 
recommendations, innovative technologies and develop-
ments, including— 
(1) entities engaged in federally funded research; 
and 
(2) academic institutions engaged in relevant 
work and research. 
(d) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Advi-
sory Council shall convene to evaluate the following topics 
and develop recommendations for reducing disaster costs 
and losses: 
(1) DISASTER LOSSES.— 
(A) COST
TRENDS.—Trends in disaster 
costs including loss of life and injury, property 
damage to individuals, the private sector, and 
each level of government (State, local and tribal) 
since the enactment of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), to the extent data is 
available. 
(B) 
CONTRIBUTING
FACTORS.—Contrib-
uting factors such as shifting demographics and 
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aging infrastructure and their impacts on the 
trends in disaster losses and costs. 
(2) DISASTER COSTS.— 
(A) TRENDS IN DECLARATIONS.—Trends in 
disaster declarations, including factors contrib-
uting to the trends. 
(B) DISASTER
ASSISTANCE.—Disaster as-
sistance available from all Federal sources, in-
cluding descriptions of programs, eligibility and 
authorities, where assistance has been used geo-
graphically, how quickly the funds are used, how 
that assistance is coordinated among the various 
agencies and departments, and recommendations 
for ways to improve the effectiveness and effi-
ciency of the delivery of such assistance. 
(C) COSTS.—Disaster costs borne by the 
private sector and individuals. 
(3) DISASTER
ROLES
AND
RESPONSIBILITY.— 
Fundamental principles that should drive national 
disaster assistance decision making, including the ap-
propriate roles for each level of government, the pri-
vate sector and individuals. 
(4) REDUCTION OF COSTS AND LOSSES.— 
(A) MECHANISMS AND INCENTIVES.—Mech-
anisms and incentives, including tax incentives, 
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to promote disaster cost reduction, mitigation, 
and recovery, including cost data, projections for 
the return on investment, and measures of effec-
tiveness. 
(B) IDENTIFICATION
OF
CHALLENGES.— 
Identify fundamental legal, societal, geographic 
and technological challenges to implementation. 
(5) LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS.—Legislative pro-
posals for implementing the recommendations in the 
report compiled pursuant to the requirement in sec-
tion 1111 of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 
2013 (Public Law 113–2). 
(e) REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR AND CONGRESS.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
the National Advisory Council shall submit a report con-
taining the data, analysis, and recommendations developed 
under subsection (d) to— 
(1) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; 
(2) the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives; and 
(3) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 
The Administrator shall make the data collected pursuant 
to this section publically available on the Agency’s website. 
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TITLE III—STAFFORD ACT AND 
OTHER PROGRAMS 
SEC. 301. REAUTHORIZATION OF URBAN SEARCH AND RES-
CUE RESPONSE SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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. NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RE-
SPONSE SYSTEM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
‘‘(1) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘Adminis-
trator’ means the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘Agency’ means the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(3) HAZARD.—The term ‘hazard’ has the mean-
ing given that term by section 602. 
‘‘(4) NONEMPLOYEE
SYSTEM
MEMBER.—The 
term ‘nonemployee System member’ means a System 
member not employed by a sponsoring agency or par-
ticipating agency. 
‘‘(5) PARTICIPATING
AGENCY.—The term ‘par-
ticipating agency’ means a State or local government, 
nonprofit organization, or private organization that 
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has executed an agreement with a sponsoring agency 
to participate in the System. 
‘‘(6) SPONSORING
AGENCY.—The term ‘spon-
soring agency’ means a State or local government 
that is the sponsor of a task force designated by the 
Administrator to participate in the System. 
‘‘(7) SYSTEM.—The term ‘System’ means the Na-
tional Urban Search and Rescue Response System to 
be administered under this section. 
‘‘(8) SYSTEM MEMBER.—The term ‘System mem-
ber’ means an individual who is not a full-time em-
ployee of the Federal Government and who serves on 
a task force or on a System management or other 
technical team. 
‘‘(9) TASK FORCE.—The term ‘task force’ means 
an urban search and rescue team designated by the 
Administrator to participate in the System. 
‘‘(b) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—Subject to the require-
ments of this section, the Administrator shall continue to 
administer the emergency response system known as the Na-
tional Urban Search and Rescue Response System. 
‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS.—In administering the System, the 
Administrator shall provide for a national network of 
standardized search and rescue resources to assist States 
and local governments in responding to hazards. 
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‘‘(d) TASK FORCES.— 
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION.—The Administrator shall 
designate task forces to participate in the System. The 
Administration shall determine the criteria for such 
participation. 
‘‘(2) SPONSORING
AGENCIES.—Each task force 
shall have a sponsoring agency. The Administrator 
shall enter into an agreement with the sponsoring 
agency with respect to the participation of each task 
force in the System. 
‘‘(3) COMPOSITION.— 
‘‘(A) PARTICIPATING
AGENCIES.—A task 
force may include, at the discretion of the spon-
soring agency, one or more participating agen-
cies. The sponsoring agency shall enter into an 
agreement with each participating agency with 
respect to the participation of the participating 
agency on the task force. 
‘‘(B) OTHER
INDIVIDUALS.—A task force 
may also include, at the discretion of the spon-
soring agency, other individuals not otherwise 
associated with the sponsoring agency or a par-
ticipating agency. The sponsoring agency of a 
task force may enter into a separate agreement 
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with each such individual with respect to the 
participation of the individual on the task force. 
‘‘(e) MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL TEAMS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall maintain such management teams and 
other technical teams as the Administrator determines are 
necessary to administer the System. 
‘‘(f) APPOINTMENT OF SYSTEM MEMBERS INTO FED-
ERAL SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may ap-
point a System member into Federal service for a pe-
riod of service to provide for the participation of the 
System member in exercises, preincident staging, 
major disaster and emergency response activities, and 
training events sponsored or sanctioned by the Ad-
ministrator. 
‘‘(2) NONAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERV-
ICE LAWS.—The Administrator may make appoint-
ments under paragraph (1) without regard to the pro-
visions of title 5, United States Code, governing ap-
pointments in the competitive service. 
‘‘(3) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER AUTHORITIES.— 
The authority of the Administrator to make appoint-
ments under this subsection shall not affect any other 
authority of the Administrator under this Act. 
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‘‘(4) LIMITATION.—A System member who is ap-
pointed into Federal service under paragraph (1) 
shall not be considered an employee of the United 
States for purposes other than those specifically set 
forth in this section. 
‘‘(g) COMPENSATION.— 
‘‘(1) PAY OF SYSTEM MEMBERS.—Subject to such 
terms and conditions as the Administrator may im-
pose by regulation, the Administrator shall make pay-
ments to the sponsoring agency of a task force— 
‘‘(A) to reimburse each employer of a Sys-
tem member on the task force for compensation 
paid by the employer to the System member for 
any period during which the System member is 
appointed into Federal service under subsection 
(f)(1); and 
‘‘(B) to make payments directly to a non-
employee System member on the task force for 
any period during which the non-employee Sys-
tem member is appointed into Federal service 
under subsection (f)(1). 
‘‘(2) REIMBURSEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES FILLING 
POSITIONS OF SYSTEM MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to such terms 
and conditions as the Administrator may impose 
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acting in the scope of such appointment shall, for the 
purposes of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, 
United States Code, be treated as though the member 
were an employee (as defined by section 8101 of that 
title) who had sustained the injury in the perform-
ance of duty. 
‘‘(2) ELECTION OF BENEFITS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—If a System member 
(or, in the case of the death of the System mem-
ber, the System member’s dependent) is enti-
tled— 
‘‘(i) under paragraph (1) to receive 
benefits under subchapter I of chapter 81 of 
title 5, United States Code, by reason of 
personal injury, illness, disability, or death, 
and 
‘‘(ii) to receive benefits from a State or 
local government by reason of the same per-
sonal injury, illness, disability, or death, 
the System member or dependent shall elect to 
receive either the benefits referred to in clause (i) 
or (ii). 
‘‘(B) DEADLINE.—A System member or de-
pendent shall make an election of benefits under 
subparagraph (A) not later than 1 year after the 
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date of the personal injury, illness, disability, or 
death that is the reason for the benefits or until 
such later date as the Secretary of Labor may 
allow for reasonable cause shown. 
‘‘(C) EFFECT OF ELECTION.—An election of 
benefits made under this paragraph is irrev-
ocable unless otherwise provided by law. 
‘‘(3) REIMBURSEMENT
FOR
STATE
OR
LOCAL 
BENEFITS.—Subject to such terms and conditions as 
the Administrator may impose by regulation, in the 
event that a System member or dependent elects bene-
fits from a State or local government under para-
graph (2)(A), the Administrator shall reimburse the 
State or local government for the value of those bene-
fits. 
‘‘(i) CERTAIN BENEFITS.—In the case of a death or 
disability, a System member (or in the case of the death 
of the System member, the System member’s dependent) 
shall be able to apply for the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits 
program (as described in subpart 1 of part L of title I of 
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(42 U.S.C. chapter 46, subchapter XII) if the System mem-
ber meets the requirements of a ‘public safety officer’ as de-
fined in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b). 
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‘‘(j) LIABILITY.—A System member appointed into 
Federal service under subsection (f)(1), while acting within 
the scope of the appointment, is deemed an employee of the 
Federal Government under section 1346(b) of title 28, 
United States Code, and chapter 171 of that title, relating 
to tort claims procedure. 
‘‘(k) EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS.— 
With respect to a System member who is not a regular full- 
time employee of a sponsoring agency or participating 
agency, the following terms and conditions apply: 
‘‘(1) SERVICE.—Service as a System member is 
deemed ‘service in the uniformed services’ for purposes 
of chapter 43 of title 38, United States Code, relating 
to employment and reemployment rights of individ-
uals who have performed service in the uniformed 
services (regardless of whether the individual receives 
compensation for such participation). All rights and 
obligations of such persons and procedures for assist-
ance, enforcement, and investigation shall be as pro-
vided for in such chapter. 
‘‘(2) PRECLUSION.—Preclusion of giving notice 
of service by necessity of appointment under this sec-
tion is deemed preclusion by ‘military necessity’ for 
purposes of section 4312(b) of title 38, United States 
Code, pertaining to giving notice of absence from a 
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position of employment. A determination of such ne-
cessity shall be made by the Administrator and shall 
not be subject to judicial review. 
‘‘(l) LICENSES AND PERMITS.—If a System member 
holds a valid license, certificate, or other permit issued by 
any State or other governmental jurisdiction evidencing the 
member’s qualifications in any professional, mechanical, or 
other skill or type of assistance required by the System, the 
System member is deemed to be performing a Federal activ-
ity when rendering aid involving such skill or assistance 
during a period of appointment into Federal service under 
subsection (f)(1). 
‘‘(m) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish and maintain an advisory committee to pro-
vide expert recommendations to the Administrator in 
order to assist the Administrator in administering the 
System. 
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The advisory committee 
shall be composed of members from geographically di-
verse areas, and shall include— 
‘‘(A) the chief officer or senior executive 
from at least three sponsoring agencies; 
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‘‘(B) the senior emergency manager from at 
least two States that include sponsoring agencies; 
and 
‘‘(C) 
at 
least 
one 
representative 
rec-
ommended by the leaders of the task forces. 
‘‘(3) INAPPLICABILITY
OF
TERMINATION
RE-
QUIREMENT.—Section 14(a)(2) of the Federal Advi-
sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
to the advisory committee under this subsection. 
‘‘(n) PREPAREDNESS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations for such purpose, the Administrator 
shall enter into an annual preparedness cooperative 
agreement with each sponsoring agency. Amounts 
made available to a sponsoring agency under such a 
preparedness cooperative agreement shall be for the 
following purposes: 
‘‘(A) Training and exercises, including 
training and exercises with other Federal, State, 
and local government response entities. 
‘‘(B) Acquisition and maintenance of equip-
ment, including interoperable communications 
and personal protective equipment. 
‘‘(C) Medical monitoring required for re-
sponder safety and health in anticipation of and 
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following a major disaster, emergency, or other 
hazard, as determined by the Administrator. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Not-
withstanding section 1552(b) of title 31, United 
States Code, amounts made available for cooperative 
agreements under this subsection that are not ex-
pended shall be deposited in an agency account and 
shall remain available for such agreements without 
fiscal year limitation. 
‘‘(o) RESPONSE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The 
Administrator shall enter into a response cooperative agree-
ment with each sponsoring agency, as appropriate, under 
which the Administrator agrees to reimburse the sponsoring 
agency for costs incurred by the sponsoring agency in re-
sponding to a major disaster or emergency. 
‘‘(p) OBLIGATIONS.—The Administrator may incur all 
necessary obligations consistent with this section in order 
to ensure the effectiveness of the System. 
‘‘(q) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out the System and the provisions 
of this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016, 2017, and 2018. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—The Admin-
istrator may use not to exceed 6 percent of the funds 
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appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to paragraph 
(1) for salaries, expenses, and other administrative 
costs incurred by the Administrator in carrying out 
this section.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) APPLICABILITY OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES 
CODE.—Section 8101(1) of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(B) by moving subparagraph (F) to appear 
after subparagraph (E); 
(C) in subparagraph (F)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘United States Code,’’; 
and 
(ii) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the 
following: 
‘‘(G) an individual who is a System mem-
ber of the National Urban Search and Rescue 
Response System during a period of appoint-
ment into Federal service pursuant to section 
327 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act;’’. 
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(2) INCLUSION AS PART OF UNIFORMED SERV-
ICES FOR PURPOSES OF USERRA.—Section 4303 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (13) by inserting ‘‘, a pe-
riod for which a System member of the National 
Urban Search and Rescue Response System is 
absent from a position of employment due to an 
appointment into Federal service under section 
327 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act’’ before ‘‘, and a pe-
riod’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (16) by inserting after 
‘‘Public Health Service,’’ the following: ‘‘System 
members of the National Urban Search and Res-
cue Response System during a period of appoint-
ment into Federal service under section 327 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act,’’. 
SEC. 302. REAUTHORIZATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGE-
MENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title VI of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5196 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 617. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COM-
PACT GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency may make grants to pro-
vide for implementation of the Emergency Management As-
sistance Compact consented to by Congress in the joint reso-
lution entitled ‘Joint resolution granting the consent of 
Congress to the Emergency Management Assistance Com-
pact’ (Public Law 104–321; 110 Stat. 3877). 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE GRANT RECIPIENTS.—States and the 
Administrator of the Emergency Management Assistance 
Compact shall be eligible to receive grants under subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant received under this sec-
tion shall be used— 
‘‘(1) to carry out recommendations identified in 
the Emergency Management Assistance Compact 
after-action reports for the 2004 and 2005 hurricane 
seasons; 
‘‘(2) to administer compact operations on behalf 
of States, as such term is defined in the compact, that 
have enacted the compact; 
‘‘(3) to continue coordination with the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency and appropriate 
Federal agencies; 
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‘‘(4) to continue coordination with States and 
local governments and their respective national orga-
nizations; and 
‘‘(5) to assist State and local governments, emer-
gency response providers, and organizations rep-
resenting such providers with credentialing the pro-
viders and the typing of emergency response resources. 
‘‘(d) COORDINATION.—The Administrator of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency shall consult with the 
Administrator of the Emergency Management Assistance 
Compact to ensure effective coordination of efforts in re-
sponding to requests for assistance. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018. 
Such sums shall remain available until expended.’’. 
(b) REPEAL.—Section 661 of the Post-Katrina Emer-
gency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Public Law 109– 
295; 6 U.S.C. 761) is repealed. 
SEC. 303. NONPROFIT FACILITIES. 
(a) DEFINITION OF PRIVATE NONPROFIT FACILITY.— 
Section 102(11)(B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(11)(B)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL FACILITIES.—In addition 
to the facilities described in subparagraph (A), 
the term ‘private nonprofit facility’ includes any 
private nonprofit facility that provides essential 
services of a governmental nature to the general 
public (including museums, zoos, performing 
arts facilities, community arts centers, libraries, 
homeless shelters, senior citizen centers, rehabili-
tation facilities, shelter workshops, public broad-
casting facilities, and facilities that provide 
health and safety services of a governmental na-
ture), as defined by the President.’’. 
(b) REPAIR, RESTORATION, AND REPLACEMENT OF 
DAMAGED FACILITIES.—Section 406(a)(3)(B) of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5172(a)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘commu-
nications,’’ and inserting ‘‘communications (including pub-
lic broadcasting),’’. 
SEC. 304. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 705(a)(1) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5205) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Except’’ and inserting ‘‘Not-
withstanding section 3716(e) of title 31, United States 
Code, and except’’; and 
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(2) by striking ‘‘report for the disaster or emer-
gency’’ and inserting ‘‘report for project completion 
as certified by the grantee’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to disaster or 
emergency assistance provided to a State or local gov-
ernment on or after January 1, 2004— 
(A) no administrative action may be taken 
to recover a payment of such assistance after the 
date of enactment of this Act if the action is pro-
hibited under section 705(a)(1) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5205(a)(1)), as amended by 
subsection (a); and 
(B) any administrative action to recover a 
payment of such assistance that is pending on 
such date of enactment shall be terminated if the 
action is prohibited under section 705(a)(1) of 
that Act, as amended by subsection (a). 
(2) LIMITATION.—This section, including the 
amendments made by this section, may not be con-
strued to invalidate or otherwise affect any adminis-
tration action completed before the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
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SEC. 305. ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE FIELD TRANSITION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency shall report to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate regarding 
the plans the agency will undertake to provide the following: 
(1) Consistent guidance to applicants on FEMA 
disaster funding procedures during the response to an 
emergency. 
(2) Appropriate record maintenance and trans-
fer of documents to new teams during staff transi-
tions. 
(3) Accurate assistance to applicants and grant-
ees to ease the administrative burden throughout the 
process of obtaining and monitoring assistance. 
(b) MAINTAINING RECORDS.—The report shall also in-
clude a plan for implementing operating procedures and 
document retention requirements to ensure the maintenance 
of appropriate records throughout the lifecycle of the dis-
aster. 
(c) NEW TECHNOLOGIES.—Finally, the report shall 
identify new technologies that further aid the disaster work-
force in partnering with State, local, and tribal govern-
ments and private nonprofits in the wake of a disaster or 
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emergency to educate, assist, and inform applicants on the 
status of their disaster assistance applications and projects. 
SEC. 306. SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES. 
Section 422(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$35,000’’ the first place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘$1,000,000’’; and 
(2) by striking the second sentence. 
SEC. 307. MANAGEMENT COSTS. 
Section 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘any adminis-
trative expense, and any other expense not directly 
chargeable to’’ and inserting ‘‘direct administrative 
cost, and any other administrative expense associated 
with’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding’’. 
(B) by striking ‘‘establish’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘implement the following:’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(2) SPECIFIC
MANAGEMENT
COSTS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall provide the following percentage 
rates, in addition to the eligible project costs, to cover 
direct and indirect costs of administering the fol-
lowing programs: 
‘‘(A) 
HAZARD
MITIGATION.—A 
grantee 
under section 404 may be reimbursed not more 
than 15 percent of the total amount of the grant 
award under such section of which not more 
than 10 percent may be used by the grantee and 
5 percent by the subgrantee for such costs. 
‘‘(B) 
PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE.—A 
grantee 
under sections 403, 406, 407, and 502, may be 
reimbursed not more than 10 percent of the total 
award amount under such sections, of which not 
more than 6 percent may be used by the grantee 
and 4 percent by the subgrantee for such costs.’’. 
SEC. 308. DEBTS OWED TO THE UNITED STATES RELATED 
TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE. 
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered 
assistance’’ means assistance provided— 
(1) under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5174); and 
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(2) in relation to a major disaster or emergency 
declared by the President under section 401 or 501 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170; 42 U.S.C. 5191) on 
or after October 30, 2012. 
(b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding section 
3716(e) of title 31, United States Code, the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency— 
(1) subject to paragraph (2), may waive a debt 
owed to the United States related to covered assist-
ance provided to an individual or household if— 
(A) the covered assistance was distributed 
based on an error by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; 
(B) there was no fault on behalf of the debt-
or; and 
(C) the collection of the debt would be 
against equity and good conscience; and 
(2) may not waive a debt under paragraph (1) 
if the debt involves fraud, the presentation of a false 
claim, or misrepresentation by the debtor or any 
party having an interest in the claim. 
(c) MONITORING OF COVERED ASSISTANCE DISTRIB-
UTED BASED ON ERROR.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Inspector General shall 
monitor the distribution of covered assistance to indi-
viduals and households to determine the percentage of 
such assistance distributed based on an error. 
(2) REMOVAL OF WAIVER AUTHORITY BASED ON 
EXCESSIVE ERROR RATE.—If the Inspector General 
determines, with respect to any 12-month period, that 
the amount of covered assistance distributed based on 
an error by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency exceeds 4 percent of the total amount of cov-
ered assistance distributed— 
(A) the Inspector General shall notify the 
Administrator and publish the determination in 
the Federal Register; and 
(B) with respect to any major disaster de-
clared by the President under section 401 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) after the 
date of the determination, the authority of the 
Administrator to waive debt under subsection (b) 
shall no longer be effective. 
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SEC. 309. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR DEBTS OWED TO 
THE UNITED STATES RELATED TO DISASTER 
ASSISTANCE. 
Notwithstanding section 3716(g) of title 31, United 
States Code, and unless there is evidence of civil or criminal 
fraud, the Administrator, on behalf of the President, shall 
not initiate new administrative action in any forum to re-
cover— 
(1) payments made to an individual or house-
hold under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Dis-
aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5174) more than 3 years after the last date on which 
such payments were made; or 
(2) funds owed by an individual or household for 
assistance provided under section 408 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) more than 3 years after the last 
date on which such funds were determined to be owed. 
SEC. 310. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RECOMMENDA-
TIONS. 
(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall provide 
technical assistance to a common interest community that 
provides essential services of a governmental nature on ac-
tions that a common interest community may take in order 
to be eligible to receive reimbursement from a grantee that 
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receives funds from the Agency for certain activities per-
formed after an event that results in a disaster declaration. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
provide recommendations to the House Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on 
how common areas of condominiums and housing coopera-
tives may be eligible for assistance, including any progress 
the Agency has made in its explorations of this issue and 
the potential challenges identified since the Agency issued 
its report on May 22, 2014. 
SEC. 311. LOCAL IMPACT. 
In making recommendations to the President regard-
ing a major disaster declaration, the Administrator shall 
give greater weight and consideration to severe localized im-
pact. Further, the Administrator shall make corresponding 
adjustments to the Agency’s policies and regulations. Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall report to the Committees on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate on the changes made to reg-
ulations and policies and the number of declarations that 
have been declared based on the new criteria. 
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SEC. 312. PROOF OF INSURANCE. 
A State shall be deemed to have proven that an appli-
cant has satisfied the purchase of insurance requirements 
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. seq.) when an en-
cumbrance requiring the purchase and maintenance of in-
surance has been placed on the title of the property receiving 
the benefit of the grant or assistance. This section in no 
way removes or reduces the insurance requirements on an 
applicant under the Act and in no way limits the require-
ment that assistance provided under the Stafford Act be re-
duced or eliminated when the requirements are not met. 
TITLE IV—WILDFIRE 
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION 
SEC. 401. WILDFIRE MITIGATION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 420 of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5187) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
(e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) HAZARD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE.—Whether or 
not a major disaster is declared, the President may provide 
hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with section 
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404 in any area affected by a fire for which assistance was 
provided under this section.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 404(a) (42 U.S.C. 5170c(a))— 
(A) by inserting before the first period ‘‘, or 
any area affected by a fire for which assistance 
was provided under section 420’’; and 
(B) in the third sentence by inserting ‘‘or 
event under section 420’’ after ‘‘major disaster’’ 
each place it appears; and 
(2) in section 322(e)(1) (42 U.S.C. 5165(e)(1)), 
by inserting ‘‘or event under section 420’’ after 
‘‘major disaster’’ each place it appears. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER.—For major disaster re-
lief funds made available to the Disaster Relief Fund for 
the specified purpose of wildfire suppression activities on 
Federal lands, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency may authorize transfer of these funds 
to the Department of Interior and the Department of Agri-
culture. 
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SEC. 402. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) USE OF ASSISTANCE.—Recipients of hazard miti-
gation assistance provided under this section and section 
203 may use the assistance to conduct the following activi-
ties to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, 
or suffering in any area affected by— 
‘‘(1) a wildfire, including— 
‘‘(A) reseeding ground cover with quick- 
growing or native species; 
‘‘(B) mulching with straw or chipped wood; 
‘‘(C) constructing straw, rock, or log dams 
in small tributaries to prevent flooding; 
‘‘(D) placing logs and other erosion barriers 
to catch sediment on hill slopes; 
‘‘(E) installing debris traps to modify road 
and trail drainage mechanisms; 
‘‘(F) modifying or removing culverts to 
allow drainage to flow freely; 
‘‘(G) adding drainage dips and constructing 
emergency spillways to keep roads and bridges 
from washing out during floods; 
‘‘(H) planting grass to prevent the spread of 
noxious weeds; 
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‘‘(I) installing warning signs; 
‘‘(J) establishing defensible space measures; 
and 
‘‘(K) reducing hazardous fuels; and 
‘‘(2) earthquake hazards, including— 
‘‘(A) improvements to regional seismic net-
works in support of building a capability for 
earthquake early warning; 
‘‘(B) improvements to geodetic networks in 
support of building a capability for earthquake 
early warning; or 
‘‘(C) seismometers, GPS receivers, and asso-
ciated infrastructure in support of building a ca-
pability for earthquake early warning.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 333 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1471 
[Report No. 114–436] 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the programs and activities of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
FEBRUARY 29, 2016 
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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