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for disaster relief under other Federal law by reason of
damage related to the 1997 flooding of the Red River of
the North, the Minnesota River, and the tributaries of
such rivers, if the agency determines that the action would
facilitate recovery from the major disaster:
(1) PROCEDURE.—Exercising the agency’s au-
thority under provisions of law other than this sec-
tion without complying with—
(A) any requirement of section 553 of title
5, United States Code; or
(B) any provision of law that requires no-
tice or opportunity for hearing or sets maxi-
mum or minimum time limits with respect to
agency action.
(2) PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—Making ex-
ceptions, with respect to institutions or other entities
for which the agency is the primary Federal regu-
lator, to—
(A) any publication requirement with re-
spect to establishing branches or other deposit-
taking facilities; or
(B) any similar publication requirement.
(b) PUBLICATION REQUIRED.—A qualifying regu-
latory agency shall publish in the Federal Register a state-
ment that—
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(1) describes any action taken under this sec-
tion; and
(2) explains the need for the action.
(c) QUALIFYING REGULATORY AGENCY DEFINED.—
For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘qualifying regu-
latory agency’’ means—
(1) the Board of Governors of the Federal Re-
serve System;
(2) the Comptroller of the Currency;
(3) the Director of the Office of Thrift Super-
vision;
(4) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;
(5) the Financial Institutions Examination
Council;
(6) the National Credit Union Administration;
and
(7) with respect to chapter 53 of title 31, Unit-
ed States Code, the Secretary of the Treasury.
(d) EXPIRATION.—Any exception made under this
section shall expire not later than February 28, 1998.
SEC. 6005. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the Board of Gov-
ernors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of
the Currency, the Director of the Office of Thrift Super-
vision, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and
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the National Credit Union Administration should encour-
age depository institutions to meet the financial services
needs of their communities and customers located in areas
affected by the 1997 flooding of the Red River of the
North, the Minnesota River, and the tributaries of such
rivers.
SEC. 6006. OTHER AUTHORITY NOT AFFECTED.
No provision of this Act shall be construed as limiting
the authority of any department or agency under any
other provision of law.
Subtitle B—HUD Disaster Waver
Provision
SEC. 6011. DISASTER WAIVER AUTHORITY.
To address the damage resulting from the con-
sequences of the natural disasters occurring in the winter
of 1996 and 1997 and the spring of 1997 (including severe
weather in the Western United States, damaging torna-
does, and the March 1997 flooding in the Midwest), upon
the request of a recipient of assistance the Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development may, on a case-by-case
basis and upon such other terms as the Secretary may
specify—
(1) in applying section 122 of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974, waive (in
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whole or in part) the requirements that activities
benefit persons of low- and moderate-income; and
(2) in applying section 290 of the HOME In-
vestment Partnerships Act, waive (in whole or in
part) the requirements that housing qualify as af-
fordable housing.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘1997 Emergency Sup-
plemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural
Disasters, and for Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Includ-
ing Those in Bosnia’’.
Passed the House of Representatives May 15, 1997.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.