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. Statute of limitations. 
Sec. 303. Action plan to improve field transition. 
Sec. 304. Simplified procedures. 
Sec. 305. Management costs. 
Sec. 306. Debts owed to the United States related to disaster assistance. 
Sec. 307. Statute of limitations for debts owed to the United States related to 
disaster assistance. 
Sec. 308. Technical assistance and recommendations. 
Sec. 309. Local impact. 
Sec. 310. Proof of insurance. 
Sec. 311. Authorities. 
Sec. 312. Responsibilities. 
Sec. 313. Earthquake and Tsunami Interagency Task Force. 
Sec. 314. Mitigation assistance. 
Sec. 315. Additional activities. 
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 com-
mence, through the National Advisory Council, a com-
prehensive study related to disaster costs and losses (re-
ferred to in the subsection as the ‘‘Study’’). 
(b) ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP.—For the purposes of 
the Study, as soon as practicable after the date of enact-
ment of this section, the Administrator shall appoint addi-
tional 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 
agencies and groups that are not represented on the Na-
tional Advisory Council to consider research, data, find-
ings, recommendations, innovative technologies and devel-
opments, including— 
(1) entities engaged in federally funded re-
search; 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 trib-
al) since the enactment of the Robert T. Staf-
ford 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 
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 con-
tributing 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 rec-
ommendations for ways to improve the effec-
tiveness and efficiency 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 
appropriate roles for each level of government, the 
private sector, and individuals. 
(4) REDUCTION OF COSTS AND LOSSES.— 
(A) MECHANISMS
AND
INCENTIVES.— 
Mechanisms and incentives, including tax incen-
tives, to promote disaster cost reduction, miti-
gation, and recovery, including cost data, pro-
jections for the return on investment, and 
measures of effectiveness.
(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 re-
port containing the data, analysis, and recommendations 
developed under subsection (d) to— 
(1) the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency; 
(2) the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure 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.
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 fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 327. NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RE-
SPONSE SYSTEM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘Adminis-
trator’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘Agency’ means the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(3) HAZARD.—The term ‘hazard’ has the 
meaning 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 
participating agency. 
‘‘(5) PARTICIPATING AGENCY.—The term ‘par-
ticipating agency’ means a State or local govern-
standardized search and rescue resources to assist States 
and local governments in responding to hazards. 
‘‘(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 
with each such individual with respect to the 
participation of the individual on the task force. 
‘‘(e) MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL TEAMS.—The 
Administrator 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 
FEDERAL SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may ap-
point a System member into Federal service for a 
period 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 
Administrator. 
‘‘(2) NONAPPLICABILITY
OF
CERTAIN
CIVIL 
SERVICE LAWS.—The Administrator may make ap-
pointments under paragraph (1) without regard to 
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, gov-
erning appointments in the competitive service. 
‘‘(3) RELATIONSHIP
TO
OTHER
AUTHORI-
TIES.—The authority of the Administrator to make 
appointments under this subsection shall not affect
any other authority of the Administrator under this 
Act. 
‘‘(4) LIMITATION.—A System member who is 
appointed 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 
impose by regulation, the Administrator shall make 
payments 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 FILL-
ING POSITIONS OF SYSTEM MEMBERS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to such terms 
and conditions as the Administrator may im-
pose by regulation, the Administrator shall 
make payments to the sponsoring agency of a 
task force to reimburse each employer of a Sys-
tem member on the task force for compensation 
paid by the employer to an employee filling a 
position normally filled by the System member 
for any period during which the System mem-
ber is appointed into Federal service under sub-
section (f)(1). 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—Costs incurred by an 
employer shall be eligible for reimbursement 
under subparagraph (A) only to the extent that 
the costs are in excess of the costs that would 
have been incurred by the employer had the 
System member not been appointed into Fed-
eral service under subsection (f)(1). 
‘‘(3) METHOD OF PAYMENT.—A System mem-
ber shall not be entitled to pay directly from the 
Agency for a period during which the System mem-
ber is appointed into Federal service under sub-
section (f)(1). 
‘‘(h) PERSONAL INJURY, ILLNESS, DISABILITY, OR 
DEATH.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A System member who is 
appointed into Federal service under subsection 
(f)(1) and who suffers personal injury, illness, dis-
ability, or death as a result of a personal injury sus-
tained while 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 performance of duty. 
‘‘(2) ELECTION OF BENEFITS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If a System member 
(or, in the case of the death of the System 
member, the System member’s dependent) is 
entitled— 
‘‘(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 
personal 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 
dependent shall make an election of benefits 
under subparagraph (A) not later than 1 year 
after the date of the personal injury, illness, 
disability, or death that is the reason for the 
benefits or until such later date as the Sec-
retary 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 
benefits from a State or local government under 
paragraph (2)(A), the Administrator shall reimburse 
the State or local government for the value of those 
benefits. 
‘‘(4) PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER CLAIMS.—Noth-
ing in this subsection shall be construed to bar any 
claim by, or with respect to, any System member
who is a ‘public safety officer’, as defined in section 
1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968, for any benefits authorized pur-
suant to section 1001(a)(4) of that Act. 
‘‘(5) 
TECHNICAL
AMENDMENT.—Section 
1086(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2013 is amended as follows (which 
amendments shall take effect as if enacted on Janu-
ary 2, 2013)— 
‘‘(A) in paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(i) by striking ‘paragraph (1)’ and 
inserting ‘paragraph (2)’; and 
‘‘(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘filed or’ and inserting ‘filed (consistent 
with pre-existing effective dates) or’; and 
‘‘(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking 
‘amendments made by this Act’ and inserting 
‘amendments made to section 1204 of the Om-
nibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b) by this Act’. 
‘‘(i) LIABILITY.—A System member appointed into 
Federal service under subsection (f)(1), while acting with-
in 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, re-
lating to tort claims procedure. 
‘‘(j) 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 pur-
poses of chapter 43 of title 38, United States Code, 
relating to employment and reemployment rights of 
individuals who have performed service in the uni-
formed services (regardless of whether the individual 
receives compensation for such participation). All 
rights and obligations of such persons and proce-
dures for assistance, enforcement, and investigation 
shall be as provided for in such chapter. 
‘‘(2) PRECLUSION.—Preclusion of giving notice 
of service by necessity of appointment under this 
section 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 position of employment. A determination of 
such necessity shall be made by the Administrator 
and shall not be subject to judicial review.
‘‘(k) 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, mechan-
ical, or other skill or type of assistance required by the 
System, the System member is deemed to be performing 
a Federal activity when rendering aid involving such skill 
or assistance during a period of appointment into Federal 
service under subsection (f)(1). 
‘‘(l) 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 
diverse areas, and shall include— 
‘‘(A) the chief officer or senior executive 
from at least three sponsoring agencies; 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(m) 
PREPAREDNESS
COOPERATIVE
AGREE-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability 
of appropriations for such purpose, the Adminis-
trator shall enter into an annual preparedness coop-
erative 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 
equipment, including interoperable communica-
tions and personal protective equipment. 
‘‘(C) Medical monitoring required for re-
sponder safety and health in anticipation of and 
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. 
‘‘(n) RESPONSE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The 
Administrator shall enter into a response cooperative 
agreement with each sponsoring agency, as appropriate, 
under which the Administrator agrees to reimburse the 
sponsoring agency for costs incurred by the sponsoring 
agency in responding to a major disaster or emergency. 
‘‘(o) OBLIGATIONS.—The Administrator may incur 
all necessary obligations consistent with this section in 
order to ensure the effectiveness of the System. 
‘‘(p) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the System and the provi-
sions of this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2016, 2017, and 2018. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—The Ad-
ministrator may use not to exceed 6 percent of the 
funds appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to 
paragraph (1) for salaries, expenses, and other ad-
ministrative costs incurred by the Administrator in 
carrying out this section.’’.