‘‘(E) REAPPLICATION.—Once a State has
submitted a new application after receiving no-
tification under subparagraph (D), the Director
shall review the reapplication and advise the
State of its findings within 180 days of the date
of such submission.
‘‘(g) VOLUNTEERS.—Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this subsection, the President
shall—
‘‘(1) establish a system that is coordinated with
systems of private relief agencies to manage and uti-
lize disaster volunteers to carry out priority disaster
response services; and
‘‘(2) report to Congress on the system.
‘‘(h) DONATED GOODS.—Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the
President shall—
‘‘(1) establish a system for the management of
goods donated to the Federal Government for disas-
ter victims; and
‘‘(2) report to Congress on the system.’’.
SEC. 6. DOMESTIC CRISIS MONITORING UNIT.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall
establish a unit within the National Security Council to
be known as the ‘‘Domestic Crisis Monitoring Unit’’.
(b) HEAD.—The Domestic Crisis Monitoring Unit
shall be headed by a member of the National Security
Council designated by the President.
(c) OTHER PARTICIPANTS.—The Domestic Crisis
Monitoring Unit shall consist of Federal Government de-
partment and agency heads designated by the President
or the designee of any such department or agency head.
(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Domestic Crisis Mon-
itoring Unit shall—
(1) monitor potential and pending disasters and
emergencies;
(2) notify the President and Federal agencies of
imminent disasters and emergencies when it deems
necessary; and
(3) ensure effective, rapid, and immediate Fed-
eral agency response to a major disaster, cata-
strophic disaster, or emergency by coordinating the
activities of Federal entities with FEMA and the
Governors of States affected by a major disaster,
catastrophic disaster, or emergency or in which a
major disaster, catastrophic disaster, or emergency
is likely to be declared. Those activities will include
consulting with participating agencies to determine
disaster response priorities and directing participat-
ing agencies to carry out assignments as needed.
(e) ADMINISTRATION.—The Domestic Crisis Mon-
itoring Unit shall have a staff to be supervised by the head
of the Unit. All executive departments and agencies shall
cooperate with the Unit and shall provide such assistance,
information, and advice to the Unit as the Unit may re-
quest but only to the extent permitted by law.
SEC. 7. DAMAGE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
Title III of The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5141–5164) is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 322. DISASTER STRIKE TEAMS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after
the date of the enactment of this section, the Director
shall establish disaster strike teams to be deployed at the
discretion of the Director to an area where a major disas-
ter, catastrophic disaster, or emergency is likely to be de-
clared. The Director or any other official of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency designated by the Direc-
tor shall lead each strike team. The purpose of the strike
team shall be to assess damage and resulting needs.
‘‘(b) COMPOSITION.—The Director shall request ex-
perts and officials from appropriate Federal agencies, in-
cluding the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the
Department of Defense, the Department of Health and
Human Services, supported by representatives of State
and local agencies, and private relief agencies, to serve on
disaster strike teams.
‘‘(c) DAMAGE AND NEED ASSESSMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 3 hours
after the onset of a potential or actual catastrophic
disaster, the Director shall deploy a disaster strike
team established under subsection (a) to evaluate
the extent of the damage and the resulting needs for
Federal disaster relief assistance.
‘‘(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—As soon as possible
after deployment, a disaster strike team shall make
recommendations to the Director, the President, the
head of the Domestic Crisis Monitoring Unit, and
the Governors of the affected States regarding the
damage and the resources needed to provide life sup-
port to the affected areas. The recommendations
shall classify the disaster and the anticipated level of
response.
‘‘(3) COORDINATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS.—The damage and needs assessments
shall be conducted in coordination with State and
local officials of the affected area.’’.
SEC. 8. CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS.
Title IV of The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170–5189b)
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 425. CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS.
‘‘(a) DECLARATION.—
‘‘(1) RECOMMENDATION BY DISASTER STRIKE
TEAM.—At the onset of a disaster for which a disas-
ter strike team established under section 322(a) has
been deployed, or immediately thereafter, the disas-
ter strike team shall make concurrent recommenda-
tions to the Director, the President, the head of the
Domestic Crisis Monitoring Unit, and the Governors
of the affected States as to whether the disaster
should be declared a catastrophic disaster.
‘‘(2) REQUEST
FOR
DECLARATION.—Requests
for a declaration by the President that a cata-
strophic disaster exists shall be made by the Gov-
ernors of the affected States. A request for a major
disaster declaration complying with the requirements
of section 401 may accompany the request for a dec-
laration of a catastrophic disaster.
‘‘(3) DETERMINATION.—Based on a request or
requests under paragraph (2), the President may de-
clare that a catastrophic disaster, a major disaster,
or an emergency exists.
Federal agencies are made available, pursuant to
this and other authorities.
‘‘(3) RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—While all departments
are expected to participate in providing assist-
ance, the Department of Defense has certain
unique capabilities inherent to emergency re-
sponse. Therefore, following the declaration of a
catastrophic disaster, the Secretary of Defense
shall, when requested by the President and with
the concurrence of the Governor of the affected
State, provide to persons adversely affected by
the disaster, disaster response services not oth-
erwise available from State, local, or volunteer
agencies, including—
‘‘(i) food, water, and shelter;
‘‘(ii) communications;
‘‘(iii) debris removal;
‘‘(iv) medical assistance; and
‘‘(v) any other services necessary to
sustain human life or promote recovery, to
the limit of the Department’s ability with-
out jeopardizing national security.