IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3247 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 30, 2007 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
AN ACT 
To improve the provision of disaster assistance for 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(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 
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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. 
(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. 
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(B) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—The President 
shall submit to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
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 
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President should be given the authority to use such 
procedures under the Stafford Act on a permanent 
basis. 
(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. 
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