I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4431 
To authorize financial assistance under the community development block 
grant program for disaster relief and recovery for communities affected 
by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2005 
Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mr. PICKERING) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To authorize financial assistance under the community devel-
opment block grant program for disaster relief and recov-
ery for communities affected by Hurricane Katrina or 
Hurricane Rita. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AS-
SISTANCE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In addi-
tion to any other amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under other provisions of law, there is authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2006 for activities authorized
under title I of the Housing and Community Development 
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), $13,000,000,000, 
to remain available until expended. 
(b) USE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any amounts made available 
pursuant to this section shall be used only for dis-
aster relief, long-term recovery, and mitigation in 
communities in any area for which the President de-
clared a major disaster or emergency under title IV 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act in connection with Hurricane 
Katrina or Hurricane Rita, except those activities 
reimbursable by the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency. 
(2) 
USE
UNDER
CDBG
PROGRAM.—Any 
amounts made available pursuant to this section 
shall be administered by each State in conjunction 
with its community development block grants pro-
gram. Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of section 
106(d) of the Housing and Community Development 
Act of 1974, States may provide assistance with 
amounts made available under this section to entitle-
ment communities. 
(3) PROJECTS IN PROGRESS.—In the case of 
any project or activity in an area described in para-
graph (1) that was underway before the Presidential 
declaration with respect to such area, the project or 
activity may not be provided any amounts made 
available under this section unless the disaster or 
emergency for which such declaration was made di-
rectly impacted the project. 
(c) ALLOCATION.—Any amounts made available pur-
suant to this section shall be awarded by the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development to States (including 
Indian tribes for all purposes under this section) as fol-
lows: 
(1) 60 percent of such amounts shall be award-
ed to the State of Louisiana. 
(2) 40 percent of such amounts shall be award-
ed to the State of Mississippi. 
(d) WAIVER.— 
(1) 
AUTHORITY.—In 
administering 
any 
amounts made available under this section, the Sec-
retary may waive, or specify alternative require-
ments for, any provision of any statute or regulation 
that the Secretary administers in connection with 
the obligation by the Secretary or the use by the re-
cipient of such amounts (except for requirements re-
lated to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor stand-
ards, and the environment), upon a finding that
such waiver is required to facilitate the use of such 
amounts, and would not be inconsistent with the 
overall purpose of the statute. The Secretary may 
waive the requirements that activities benefit per-
sons of low and moderate income, except that at 
least 50 percent of the amounts made available 
under this section shall benefit primarily persons of 
low and moderate income unless the Secretary 
makes a finding of compelling need. 
(2) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish 
in the Federal Register any waiver of any statute or 
regulation authorized under this subsection no later 
than 5 days before the effective date of such waiver. 
Æ