(1)
COVERED
HURRICANE
DAMAGES.—The 
term ‘‘covered hurricane damages’’ means damages 
suffered in the States of Louisiana and Mississippi 
as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 
(2) PRESIDENT.—The term ‘‘President’’ means 
the President acting through the Administrator of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
(3) STAFFORD ACT.—The term ‘‘Stafford Act’’ 
means the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. SPECIAL RULES FOR COVERED HURRICANE DAM-
AGES. 
(a) IN LIEU CONTRIBUTIONS.—In providing con-
tributions under section 406(c) of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5172(c)) for covered hurricane damages, the Presi-
dent shall substitute 90 percent for the otherwise applica-
ble percentage specified in paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A) 
of such section. 
(b)
PARTICIPATION
IN
PILOT
PROJECTS.—The 
States of Louisiana and Mississippi and local governments 
in such States shall be eligible to participate in the pilot 
program established by section 689j of the Department 
of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (6 U.S.C. 
777) with respect to covered hurricane damages. 
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(c) ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCE-
DURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 423 
of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5189a) or any regu-
lation, the President is authorized and encouraged to 
use alternative dispute resolution procedures for ap-
peals of decisions made under sections 403, 406, 
and 407 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5179b, 
5172, and 5173) regarding the award or denial of 
assistance, or the amount of assistance, provided to 
a State, local government, or owner or operator of 
a private facility for covered hurricane damages. 
(2) DENIALS OF REQUESTS.— 
(A) WRITTEN NOTICE.—If a State, local 
government, or owner or operator of a private 
facility requests the use of alternative dispute 
resolution procedures for an appeal pursuant to 
paragraph (1) and the President denies the re-
quest, the President shall provide to the State, 
local government, or owner or operator written 
notice of the denial, including the reasons for 
the denial. 
(B) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—The President 
shall submit to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
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resentatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
ate, on at least a quarterly basis, a report con-
taining information on any denial described in 
subparagraph (A) made by the President dur-
ing the period covered by the report, including 
the reasons for the denial. 
(3) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall apply 
to an appeal made by a State, local government, or 
owner or operator of a private facility within 60 
days after the date on which the State, local govern-
ment, or owner or operator is notified of the decision 
that is the subject of the appeal. 
(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
President shall submit to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report 
containing a description of how alternative dispute 
resolution procedures are being used pursuant to 
this subsection and recommendations on whether the 
President should be given the authority to use such 
procedures under the Stafford Act on a permanent 
basis. 
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(d) ESSENTIAL ASSISTANCE.—In providing assist-
ance under section 403 of the Stafford Act for covered 
hurricane damages, the President may provide assistance 
for the re-interment of human remains at a privately- 
owned or private nonprofit cemetery. 
(e) USE OF SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES.—For covered 
hurricane damages, the President may use, if requested 
by a State or local government or the owner or operator 
of a private nonprofit facility, section 422 of the Stafford 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5189) for a project for which the Federal 
estimate of the cost is less than $100,000. 
(f) USE OF TEMPORARY HOUSING UNITS TO PRO-
VIDE HOUSING TO VOLUNTEERS.— 
(1)
IN
GENERAL.—In
providing
assistance 
under title IV of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 
et seq.) for covered hurricane damages, the Presi-
dent may provide temporary housing units pur-
chased under section 408 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5174) to State and local governments and 
appropriate private nonprofit entities for the purpose 
of providing housing to volunteers assisting in the 
recovery from such damages. 
(2) FEASIBILITY DETERMINATION.—The Presi-
dent may provide temporary housing units for the 
purposes described in paragraph (1) only if the 
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President determines that such assistance is appro-
priate, cost effective, and would not unduly interfere 
with the ability of the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency to provide housing for individuals and 
households with respect to other major disasters. 
(g) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES USED 
TO HOST PUBLIC EVENTS.— 
(1)
IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding
sections 
403 and 406 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b 
and 5172), the President may make contributions to 
the State of Louisiana for— 
(A) costs incurred for the repair or res-
toration of a public facility used to host public 
events if the facility was damaged as a result 
of use in conducting response activities for Hur-
ricane Katrina or Rita; 
(B) costs incurred because response activi-
ties for Hurricane Katrina or Rita precluded 
the normal use of a public facility used to host 
public events; 
(C) costs incurred for necessary materials 
provided to evacuees of Hurricane Katrina or 
Rita in a public facility used to host public 
events; and 
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(D) the reasonable costs of renting or leas-
ing a public facility used to host public events 
that was used for conducting response activities 
for Hurricane Katrina or Rita. 
(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A)
CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR
REPAIR
AND 
RESTORATION
COSTS.—Contributions
made 
under paragraph (1)(A) shall be limited to re-
pair and restoration costs associated with dam-
ages described in paragraph (1)(A) that oc-
curred— 
(i) in the case of damages related to 
Hurricane Katrina, on or before October 
27, 2005; and 
(ii) in the case of damages related to 
Hurricane Rita, on or before November 23, 
2005. 
(B) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR COSTS INCURRED 
FOR CANCELLED EVENTS.— 
(i)
EVENT
REQUIREMENTS.—Con-
tributions made under paragraph (1)(B) 
shall be limited to costs that are docu-
mented for an event— 
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except to the extent that such assistance would re-
sult in a duplication of benefits. 
(5) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
assistance under this subsection shall be 100 percent 
of the eligible costs. 
(6) FUNDING.—Amounts appropriated to carry 
out sections 403 and 406 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b and 5172) shall be available to carry 
out this section, including amounts appropriated be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act. 
(h) STATUS REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Government Affairs of the Sen-
ate a report regarding the status of recovery for the States 
of Louisiana and Mississippi from Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita. 
(i) HAZARD MITIGATION PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A project for covered hurri-
cane damages initiated by the State of Louisiana or 
Mississippi in the period beginning on August 29, 
2005, and ending on the date of enactment of this 
Act may contribute toward the non-Federal share of 
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assistance under section 404 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170c) if the project— 
(A) complies with all applicable Federal 
laws governing assistance under such section, 
and 
(B) otherwise is eligible to contribute to 
the non-Federal share of assistance under such 
section, 
notwithstanding any requirement for approval of the 
eligibility and compliance of a project by the Presi-
dent prior to the initiation of the project contrib-
uting toward the non-Federal share. 
(2) APPLICATIONS.—The States of Louisiana 
and Mississippi may submit an application to the 
President under section 404 of the Stafford Act with 
respect to any project described in paragraph (1). 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED HURRICANE DAMAGES.—The term 
‘‘covered hurricane damages’’ means damages suffered 
in the State of Louisiana or the State of Mississippi 
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as a result of Hurricane Katrina of 2005 or Hurri-
cane Rita of 2005. 
(2) MAJOR
DISASTER.—The term ‘‘major dis-
aster’’ has the meaning given that term in section 102 
of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
(3) PRESIDENT.—The term ‘‘President’’ means 
the President acting through the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
(4) STAFFORD ACT.—The term ‘‘Stafford Act’’ 
means the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. SPECIAL RULES FOR COVERED HURRICANE DAM-
AGES. 
(a) IN LIEU CONTRIBUTIONS.—In providing contribu-
tions under section 406(c) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 
5172(c)) for covered hurricane damages, the President shall 
substitute 90 percent for the otherwise applicable percentage 
under paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A) of such section. 
(b) PARTICIPATION IN PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot 
program established under section 689i of the Department 
of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (6 U.S.C. 
776) shall apply to any assistance that— 
(1) is being provided under any major disaster 
declaration relating to Hurricane Katrina of 2005 or 
Hurricane Rita of 2005; and 
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(2) otherwise qualifies for participation under 
such pilot program. 
(c) ALTERNATIVE
DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
PROCE-
DURES.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 
423 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5189a) or any 
other provision of law, the President is author-
ized and encouraged to use alternative dispute 
resolution procedures for an appeal described in 
subparagraph (B). 
(B) APPEALS.—An appeal described in this 
subparagraph is an appeal of a decision regard-
ing the award or denial of assistance, or the 
amount of assistance, provided to a State, local 
government, or owner or operator of a private 
facility for covered hurricane damages under sec-
tion 403, 406, or 407 of the Stafford Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, and 5173) for a project the 
total amount of which is more than $500,000. 
(2) DENIALS OF REQUESTS.— 
(A) WRITTEN
NOTICE.—If a State, local 
government, or owner or operator of a private 
facility requests the use of alternative dispute 
resolution procedures for an appeal described in 
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paragraph (1) and the President denies the re-
quest, the President shall provide to the State, 
local government, or owner or operator written 
notice of the denial, including the reasons for the 
denial. 
(B) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The President shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, on at least 
an annual basis, a report containing informa-
tion on any denial described in subparagraph 
(A) made by the President during the period cov-
ered by the report, including the reasons for the 
denial. 
(3) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall apply 
to an appeal made by a State, local government, or 
owner or operator of a private facility not later than 
60 days after the date on which the State, local gov-
ernment, or owner or operator is notified of the deci-
sion that is the subject of the appeal. 
(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Presi-
dent shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
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