IB 
Union Calendar No. 138 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 208 
[Report No. 114–186] 
To require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to estab-
lish a program to make loans to certain businesses, homeowners, and 
renters affected by Superstorm Sandy. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2015 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. NADLER, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. MENG, and Mr. 
CROWLEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Small Business 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Additional sponsor: Mr. SERRANO 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Reported with amendments, 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 January 8, 2015] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To require the Administrator of the Small Business Adminis-
tration to establish a program to make loans to certain 
businesses, 
homeowners, 
and 
renters 
affected 
by 
Superstorm Sandy. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 ‘‘Superstorm Sandy Re-
lief and Disaster Loan Program Improvement Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 2012, Superstorm Sandy caused substan-
tial physical and economic damage to the United 
States, and New York in particular. 
(2) For businesses and homeowners, the primary 
means of obtaining long-term Federal financial as-
sistance in the wake of disasters such as Superstorm 
Sandy is through the Small Business Administra-
tion’s Disaster Loan Program. 
(3) With regard to the Small Business Adminis-
tration’s operation of the Disaster Loan Program 
after Superstorm Sandy, the Government Account-
ability Office found that the Administration did not 
meet its timeliness goals for processing business loan 
applications. 
(4) According to the Government Accountability 
Office, the Small Business Administration stated that 
it was challenged by an unexpectedly high volume of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
loan applications that it received early in its response 
to Superstorm Sandy. 
(5) As a result, many businesses and homeowners 
affected by Superstorm Sandy were unable to apply 
for financing from the Small Business Administra-
tion. 
SEC. 3. REVISED DISASTER DEADLINE. 
Section 7(d) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) 
DISASTER
LOANS
FOR
SUPERSTORM 
SANDY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, and subject to the same 
requirements and procedures that are used to 
make loans pursuant to subsection (b), a small 
business concern, homeowner, or renter that was 
located within an area and during the time pe-
riod with respect to which a major disaster was 
declared by the President under section 401 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) by reason 
of Superstorm Sandy may apply to the Admin-
istrator— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(i) for a loan to repair, rehabilitate, 
or replace property damaged or destroyed 
by reason of Superstorm Sandy; or 
‘‘(ii) if such a small business concern 
has suffered substantial economic injury by 
reason of Superstorm Sandy, for a loan to 
assist such a small business concern. 
‘‘(B) TIMING.—The Administrator shall se-
lect loan recipients and make available loans for 
a period of not less than 1 year after the date 
on which the Administrator carries out this au-
thority.’’. 
SEC. 4. USE OF PHYSICAL DAMAGE DISASTER LOANS TO 
CONSTRUCT SAFE ROOMS. 
Section 7(b)(1)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 636(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘mitigating 
measures’’ and all that follows through ‘‘modifying struc-
tures’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘mitigating measures, 
including— 
‘‘(i) construction of retaining walls and sea 
walls; 
‘‘(ii) grading and contouring land; and 
‘‘(iii) relocating utilities and modifying 
structures, including construction of a safe room 
or similar storm shelter designed to protect prop-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
erty and occupants from tornadoes or other nat-
ural disasters’’. 
SEC. 5. COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL BUSI-
NESS CONCERNS. 
Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (9) the 
following: 
‘‘(10) COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL 
BUSINESSES.—In the case of a loan made pursuant 
to this subsection in an amount not greater than 
$250,000, the Administrator may not require a bor-
rower to pledge his or her primary residence as collat-
eral if— 
‘‘(A) other collateral exists, including assets 
related to the operation of a business; and 
‘‘(B) such an option does not delay the Ad-
ministrator’s processing of disaster applications 
for a disaster.’’. 
SEC. 6. REDUCING DELAYS ON CLOSING AND DISBURSE-
MENT OF LOANS. 
Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)) is further amended by inserting after paragraph 
(10) (as added by section 5) the following: 
‘‘(11) REDUCING CLOSING AND DISBURSEMENT 
DELAYS.—The Administrator shall provide a clear 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
and concise notification on all application materials 
for loans made under this subsection and on relevant 
websites notifying an applicant that the applicant 
may submit all documentation necessary for the ap-
proval of the loan at the time of application and that 
failure to submit all documentation could delay the 
approval and disbursement of the loan.’’. 
SEC. 7. INCREASING TRANSPARENCY IN LOAN APPROVALS. 
Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)) is further amended by inserting after paragraph 
(11) (as added by section 6) the following: 
‘‘(12) INCREASING TRANSPARENCY IN LOAN AP-
PROVALS.—The Administrator shall establish and im-
plement clear, written policies and procedures for 
analyzing the ability of a loan applicant to repay a 
loan made under this subsection.’’. 
SEC. 8. SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYERS’ INTERESTS. 
Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)) is further amended by inserting after paragraph 
(12) (as added by section 7) the following: 
‘‘(13) ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY IN LOAN AP-
PROVALS.—The Administrator shall establish require-
ments for the approval of economic injury disaster 
loan assistance made available pursuant to para-
graph (2), which shall include the review of applicant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
eligibility and shall require that all supporting docu-
mentation is submitted prior to loan approval. The 
Administrator shall require that personnel involved 
in the approval of such loans be trained on such pro-
cedures.’’. 
SEC. 9. DISASTER PERFORMANCE MEASURES. 
Section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
636(b)) is further amended by inserting after paragraph 
(13) (as added by section 8) the following: 
‘‘(14) REPORTING ON DISASTER PERFORMANCE 
MEASURES.—The Administrator shall report the aver-
age processing time for all other disaster loan appli-
cations, including disaggregated data on disaster loan 
applications that were declined by the Administra-
tion’s automated disaster processing system and ap-
plications in which the Administrator performed loss 
verification. For each disaster described in paragraph 
(2), the Administrator shall report such average proc-
essing times on its website and to the Committee on 
Small Business of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneur-
ship of the Senate.’’. 
SEC. 10. DISASTER PLAN IMPROVEMENTS. 
The Administrator of the Small Business Administra-
tion shall revise the comprehensive written disaster response 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
plan required in section 40 of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 657l), or any successor thereto, to incorporate the 
Administration’s response to a situation in which an ex-
treme volume of applications are received during the period 
of time immediately after a disaster, which shall include 
a plan to ensure that sufficient human and technological 
resources are made available and a plan to prevent delays 
in loan processing. 
SEC. 11. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
CERTAIN PROGRAMS. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—The Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration shall report to Congress not later 
than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act on 
the implementation and status of the private disaster loan 
program established in section 7(c) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 636(c)), the Immediate Disaster Assistance 
program established in section 42 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 
657n), and the expedited disaster assistance business loan 
program established in section 12085 of the Small Business 
Disaster Response and Loan Improvements Act of 2008 (15 
U.S.C. 636j). 
(b) REQUIRED CONSULTATION WITH DEPOSITORY IN-
STITUTIONS
AND CREDIT UNIONS.—The Administrator 
shall require the Associate Administrator for the Office of 
Disaster Assistance to consult with depository institutions 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act (12 U.S.C. 1813)) and credit unions regarding their 
potential participation in any of the programs described 
in subsection (a). 
(c) REPORT ON CONSULTATION.—Not later than 6 
months after date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall report to Congress on the consultation required 
under subsection (b). 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to improve the 
disaster assistance programs of the Small Business Ad-
ministration.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 138 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 208 
[Report No. 114–186] 
A BILL 
To require the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration to establish a program to make 
loans to certain businesses, homeowners, and 
renters affected by Superstorm Sandy. 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:09 Jun 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H208.RH
H208
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS