I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6071 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to modify the Federal share requirement and establish a period 
of performance requirement for the hazard mitigation grant program, 
to amend the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 
to modify the Federal share requirement of emergency management 
performance grants, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2020 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself and Mr. THOMPSON of California) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to modify the Federal share re-
quirement and establish a period of performance require-
ment for the hazard mitigation grant program, to amend 
the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act 
of 2006 to modify the Federal share requirement of 
emergency management performance grants, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Mar 06, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6071.IH
H6071
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘FEMA Disaster Pre-
paredness Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. HAZARD MITIGATION. 
Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘75’’ and in-
serting ‘‘85’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of this section, the President may provide 
hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with this sec-
tion in any area designated by the Administrator under 
the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
4001 et seq.) as an area having special flood hazards that 
has suffered at least one severe repetitive loss (as such 
term is defined in section 1307(h) of such Act) or repet-
itive loss (as defined in section 1370 of such Act). 
‘‘(i) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A project receiving assist-
ance under this section shall be completed not later 
than the date that is 36 months after the date of 
the completion of all applicable environmental re-
views required by Federal or State law with respect 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Mar 06, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6071.IH
H6071
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
to such project or a later feasible date determined 
by the Administrator. 
‘‘(2) EXTENSION
OF
PERIOD
OF
PERFORM-
ANCE.—Upon the request of a recipient of hazard 
mitigation assistance provided under this section, 
the Administrator may— 
‘‘(A) issue an extension of not more than 
1 year of the period of performance deadline de-
scribed in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) issue additional extensions of not 
more than 1 year upon the expiration of an ex-
tension issued pursuant to subparagraph (A) or 
this subparagraph. 
‘‘(3) RULE OF STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to au-
thorize the Administrator or a State delegated au-
thority under subsection (c) to establish a period of 
performance shorter than the period of performance 
described in paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 
3. 
EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT 
PERFORMANCE 
GRANTS PROGRAM. 
Section 662(c) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Man-
agement Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 762) is amended 
by striking ‘‘50 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘85 percent’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Mar 06, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6071.IH
H6071
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 4. GAO REPORT TO CONGRESS ON CHALLENGES 
UNDER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ALTERNATIVE 
PROCEDURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study on the challenges to 
States and Territories of the United States in obtaining 
assistance under section 428 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5189f). 
(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study described 
in subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall study the 
challenges for assistance described in subsection (a) faced 
by the following: 
(1) Rural areas, as such term is defined in sec-
tion 423 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189a). 
(2) Small impoverished communities, as such 
term is defined in section 203 of such Act. 
(3) Other communities, areas, or individuals 
that the Comptroller General determines pertinent. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall submit to Congress a report describing the 
results of the study required under subsection (a). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:18 Mar 06, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6071.IH
H6071
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS