H. R. 152—34 
and restoration of infrastructure and housing and economic revital-
ization in the most impacted and distressed areas: Provided further, 
That the Secretary shall by notice specify the criteria for approval 
of such plans within 45 days of enactment of this division: Provided 
further, That if the Secretary determines that a plan does not 
meet such criteria, the Secretary shall disapprove the plan: Provided 
further, That funds provided under this heading may not be used 
for activities reimbursable by or for which funds are made available 
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Army Corps 
of Engineers: Provided further, That funds allocated under this 
heading shall not be considered relevant to the non-disaster formula 
allocations made pursuant to section 106 of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306): Provided 
further, That a grantee may use up to 5 percent of its allocation 
for administrative costs: Provided further, That a grantee shall 
administer grant funds provided under this heading in accordance 
with all applicable laws and regulations and may not delegate, 
by contract or otherwise, the responsibility for administering such 
grant funds: Provided further, That as a condition of making any 
grant, the Secretary shall certify in advance that such grantee 
has in place proficient financial controls and procurement processes 
and has established adequate procedures to prevent any duplication 
of benefits as defined by section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155), 
to ensure timely expenditure of funds, to maintain comprehensive 
websites regarding all disaster recovery activities assisted with 
these funds, and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse 
of funds: Provided further, That the Secretary shall provide grantees 
with technical assistance on contracting and procurement processes 
and shall require grantees, in contracting or procuring these funds, 
to incorporate performance requirements and penalties into any 
such contracts or agreements: Provided further, That the Secretary 
shall require grantees to maintain on a public website information 
accounting for how all grant funds are used, including details 
of all contracts and ongoing procurement processes: Provided fur-
ther, That, in administering the funds under this heading, the 
Secretary may waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any 
provision of any statute or regulation that the Secretary administers 
in connection with the obligation by the Secretary or the use by 
the recipient of these funds (except for requirements related to 
fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environ-
ment) pursuant to a determination by the Secretary that good 
cause exists for the waiver or alternative requirement and that 
such action is not inconsistent with the overall purposes of title 
I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 
U.S.C. 5301 et seq.): Provided further, That, notwithstanding the 
preceding proviso, recipients of funds provided under this heading 
that use such funds to supplement Federal assistance provided 
under section 402, 403, 404, 406, 407, or 502 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.) may adopt, without review or public comment, any 
environmental review, approval, or permit performed by a Federal 
agency, and such adoption shall satisfy the responsibilities of the 
recipient with respect to such environmental review, approval or 
permit: Provided further, That, notwithstanding section 104(g)(2) 
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
5304(g)(2)), the Secretary may, upon receipt of a request for release
H. R. 152—35 
of funds and certification, immediately approve the release of funds 
for an activity or project assisted under this heading if the recipient 
has adopted an environmental review, approval or permit under 
the preceding proviso or the activity or project is categorically 
excluded from review under the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.): Provided further, That a 
waiver granted by the Secretary may not reduce the percentage 
of funds that must be used for activities that benefit persons of 
low and moderate income to less than 50 percent, unless the Sec-
retary specifically finds that there is a compelling need to further 
reduce or eliminate the percentage requirement: Provided further, 
That the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register any waiver 
of any statute or regulation that the Secretary administers pursuant 
to title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
no later than 5 days before the effective date of such waiver: 
Provided further, That, of the funds made available under this 
heading, up to $10,000,000 may be transferred to ‘‘Program Office 
Salaries and Expenses, Community Planning and Development’’ 
for necessary costs, including information technology costs, of 
administering and overseeing funds made available under this 
heading: Provided further, That of the funds made available under 
this heading, $10,000,000 shall be transferred to ‘‘Office of the 
Inspector General’’ for necessary costs of overseeing and auditing 
funds made available under this heading: Provided further, That 
the amounts provided under this heading are designated by the 
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Con-
trol Act of 1985. 
GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS CHAPTER 
SEC. 1091. For fiscal year 2013, upon request by a public 
housing agency and supported by documentation as required by 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development that dem-
onstrates that the need for the adjustment is due to the disaster, 
the Secretary may make temporary adjustments to the section 
8 housing choice voucher annual renewal funding allocations and 
administrative fee eligibility determinations for public housing 
agencies in an area for which the President declared a disaster 
during such fiscal year under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 
et seq.), to avoid significant adverse funding impacts that would 
otherwise result from the disaster. 
SEC. 1092. The Departments of Transportation and Housing 
and Urban Development shall submit to the Committees on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives and the Senate within 
45 days after the date of the enactment of this division a plan 
for implementing the provisions in this chapter, and updates to 
such plan on a biannual basis thereafter. 
SEC. 1093. None of the funds provided in this chapter to the 
Department of Transportation or the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development may be used to make a grant unless the 
Secretary of such Department notifies the Committees on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives and the Senate not less 
than 3 full business days before any project, State or locality is 
selected to receive a grant award totaling $1,000,000 or more is 
announced by either Department or a modal administration.
H. R. 152—36 
SEC. 1094. This chapter shall apply in place of title VIII of 
this division, and such title shall have no force or effect. 
SEC. 1095. The amounts otherwise provided by this division 
are revised by reducing the amount made available for ‘‘Small 
Business Administration—Disaster Loans Program Account’’ for 
administrative expenses to carry out the direct loan program 
authorized by section 7(b) of the Small Business Act (and within 
such amount, the amount made available for direct administrative 
expenses of loan making and servicing to carry out such program), 
and increasing the amount made available for ‘‘Department of Vet-
erans Affairs—National Cemetery Administration’’, by $1,000,000. 
SEC. 1096. None of the funds provided in this division shall 
be used for land acquisition by the Secretary of the Interior or 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
This division may be cited as the ‘‘Disaster Relief Appropria-
tions Act, 2013’’. 
DIVISION B—SANDY RECOVERY 
IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2013 
SEC. 1101. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This division may be cited as the ‘‘Sandy 
Recovery Improvement Act of 2013’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this division 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1101. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 1102. Public assistance program alternative procedures. 
Sec. 1103. Federal assistance to individuals and households. 
Sec. 1104. Hazard mitigation. 
Sec. 1105. Dispute resolution pilot program. 
Sec. 1106. Unified Federal review. 
Sec. 1107. Simplified procedures. 
Sec. 1108. Essential assistance. 
Sec. 1109. Individual assistance factors. 
Sec. 1110. Tribal requests for a major disaster or emergency declaration under the 
Stafford Act. 
Sec. 1111. Recommendations for reducing costs of future disasters. 
SEC. 1102. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALTERNATIVE PROCE-
DURES. 
Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second section 425 (relating to 
essential service providers) as section 427; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 428. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALTERNATIVE PROCE-
DURES. 
‘‘(a) APPROVAL OF PROJECTS.—The President, acting through 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
may approve projects under the alternative procedures adopted 
under this section for any major disaster or emergency declared 
on or after the date of enactment of this section. The Administrator 
may also apply the alternate procedures adopted under this section 
to a major disaster or emergency declared before enactment of 
this Act for which construction has not begun as of the date of 
enactment of this Act.
H. R. 152—37 
‘‘(b) ADOPTION.—The Administrator, in coordination with 
States, tribal and local governments, and owners or operators of 
private nonprofit facilities, may adopt alternative procedures to 
administer assistance provided under sections 403(a)(3)(A), 406, 
407, and 502(a)(5). 
‘‘(c) GOALS
OF
PROCEDURES.—The alternative procedures 
adopted under subsection (a) shall further the goals of— 
‘‘(1) reducing the costs to the Federal Government of pro-
viding such assistance; 
‘‘(2) increasing flexibility in the administration of such 
assistance; 
‘‘(3) expediting the provision of such assistance to a State, 
tribal or local government, or owner or operator of a private 
nonprofit facility; and 
‘‘(4) providing financial incentives and disincentives for a 
State, tribal or local government, or owner or operator of a 
private nonprofit facility for the timely and cost-effective 
completion of projects with such assistance. 
‘‘(d) PARTICIPATION.—Participation in the alternative procedures 
adopted under this section shall be at the election of a State, 
tribal or local government, or owner or operator of a private non-
profit facility consistent with procedures determined by the 
Administrator. 
‘‘(e) 
MINIMUM
PROCEDURES.—The 
alternative 
procedures 
adopted under this section shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) For repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged 
facilities under section 406— 
‘‘(A) making grants on the basis of fixed estimates, 
if the State, tribal or local government, or owner or operator 
of the private nonprofit facility agrees to be responsible 
for any actual costs that exceed the estimate; 
‘‘(B) providing an option for a State, tribal or local 
government, or owner or operator of a private nonprofit 
facility to elect to receive an in-lieu contribution, without 
reduction, on the basis of estimates of— 
‘‘(i) the cost of repair, restoration, reconstruction, 
or replacement of a public facility owned or controlled 
by the State, tribal or local government or owner or 
operator of a private nonprofit facility; and 
‘‘(ii) management expenses; 
‘‘(C) consolidating, to the extent determined appro-
priate by the Administrator, the facilities of a State, tribal 
or local government, or owner or operator of a private 
nonprofit facility as a single project based upon the esti-
mates adopted under the procedures; 
‘‘(D) if the actual costs of a project completed under 
the procedures are less than the estimated costs thereof, 
the Administrator may permit a grantee or subgrantee 
to use all or part of the excess funds for— 
‘‘(i) cost-effective activities that reduce the risk 
of future damage, hardship, or suffering from a major 
disaster; and 
‘‘(ii) other activities to improve future Public 
Assistance operations or planning; 
‘‘(E) in determining eligible costs under section 406, 
the Administrator shall make available, at an applicant’s 
request and where the Administrator or the certified cost
H. R. 152—38 
estimate prepared by the applicant’s professionally licensed 
engineers has estimated an eligible Federal share for a 
project of at least $5,000,000, an independent expert panel 
to validate the estimated eligible cost consistent with 
applicable regulations and policies implementing this sec-
tion; and 
‘‘(F) in determining eligible costs under section 406, 
the Administrator shall, at the applicant’s request, consider 
properly conducted and certified cost estimates prepared 
by professionally licensed engineers (mutually agreed upon 
by the Administrator and the applicant), to the extent 
that such estimates comply with applicable regulations, 
policy, and guidance. 
‘‘(2) For debris removal under sections 403(a)(3)(A), 407, 
and 502(a)(5)— 
‘‘(A) making grants on the basis of fixed estimates 
to provide financial incentives and disincentives for the 
timely or cost-effective completion if the State, tribal or 
local government, or owner or operator of the private non-
profit facility agrees to be responsible to pay for any actual 
costs that exceed the estimate; 
‘‘(B) using a sliding scale for determining the Federal 
share for removal of debris and wreckage based on the 
time it takes to complete debris and wreckage removal; 
‘‘(C) allowing use of program income from recycled 
debris without offset to the grant amount; 
‘‘(D) reimbursing base and overtime wages for 
employees and extra hires of a State, tribal or local govern-
ment, or owner or operator of a private nonprofit facility 
performing or administering debris and wreckage removal; 
‘‘(E) providing incentives to a State or tribal or local 
government to have a debris management plan approved 
by the Administrator and have pre-qualified 1 or more 
debris and wreckage removal contractors before the date 
of declaration of the major disaster; and 
‘‘(F) if the actual costs of projects under subparagraph 
(A) are less than the estimated costs of the project, the 
Administrator may permit a grantee or subgrantee to use 
all or part of the excess funds for— 
‘‘(i) debris management planning; 
‘‘(ii) acquisition of debris management equipment 
for current or future use; and 
‘‘(iii) other activities to improve future debris 
removal operations, as determined by the Adminis-
trator. 
‘‘(f) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Until such time as the Administrator 
promulgates regulations to implement this section, the Adminis-
trator may— 
‘‘(1) waive notice and comment rulemaking, if the Adminis-
trator determines the waiver is necessary to expeditiously 
implement this section; and 
‘‘(2) carry out the alternative procedures under this section 
as a pilot program. 
‘‘(g) OVERTIME PAYMENTS.—The guidelines for reimbursement 
for costs under subsection (e)(2)(D) shall ensure that no State 
or local government is denied reimbursement for overtime payments
H. R. 152—39 
that are required pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 
1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.). 
‘‘(h) REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not earlier than 3 years, and not later 
than 5 years, after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the alternative procedures for the repair, 
restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities under section 
406 authorized under this section. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The report shall contain an assessment 
of the effectiveness of the alternative procedures, including— 
‘‘(A) whether the alternative procedures helped to 
improve the general speed of disaster recovery; 
‘‘(B) the accuracy of the estimates relied upon; 
‘‘(C) whether the financial incentives and disincentives 
were effective; 
‘‘(D) whether the alternative procedures were cost effec-
tive; 
‘‘(E) whether the independent expert panel described 
in subsection (e)(1)(E) was effective; and 
‘‘(F) recommendations for whether the alternative 
procedures should be continued and any recommendations 
for changes to the alternative procedures.’’. 
SEC. 1103. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS. 
Section 408(c)(1)(B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)(1)(B)) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) as clauses (iii) 
and (iv), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after clause (i) the following: 
‘‘(ii) LEASE AND REPAIR OF RENTAL UNITS FOR TEM-
PORARY HOUSING.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The President, to the extent 
the President determines it would be a cost-effec-
tive alternative to other temporary housing 
options, may— 
‘‘(aa) enter into lease agreements with 
owners of multifamily rental property located 
in areas covered by a major disaster declara-
tion to house individuals and households 
eligible for assistance under this section; and 
‘‘(bb) make repairs or improvements to 
properties under such lease agreements, to the 
extent necessary to serve as safe and adequate 
temporary housing. 
‘‘(II) IMPROVEMENTS OR REPAIRS.—Under the 
terms of any lease agreement for property entered 
into under this subsection, the value of the 
improvements or repairs— 
‘‘(aa) shall be deducted from the value 
of the lease agreement; and 
‘‘(bb) may not exceed the value of the lease 
agreement.’’; and
H. R. 152—40 
(3) in clause (iv) (as so redesignated) by striking ‘‘clause 
(ii)’’ and inserting ‘‘clause (iii)’’. 
SEC. 1104. HAZARD MITIGATION. 
(a) STREAMLINED PROCEDURES; ADVANCE ASSISTANCE.—Section 
404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(d) STREAMLINED PROCEDURES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of providing assistance 
under this section, the President shall ensure that— 
‘‘(A) adequate resources are devoted to ensure that 
applicable environmental reviews under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and historic preservation 
reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act are 
completed on an expeditious basis; and 
‘‘(B) the shortest existing applicable process under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the 
National Historic Preservation Act is utilized. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORITY FOR OTHER EXPEDITED PROCEDURES.—The 
President may utilize expedited procedures in addition to those 
required under paragraph (1) for the purpose of providing 
assistance under this section, such as procedures under the 
Prototype Programmatic Agreement of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, for the consideration of multiple struc-
tures as a group and for an analysis of the cost-effectiveness 
and fulfillment of cost-share requirements for proposed hazard 
mitigation measures. 
‘‘(e) ADVANCE ASSISTANCE.—The President may provide not 
more than 25 percent of the amount of the estimated cost of hazard 
mitigation measures to a State grantee eligible for a grant under 
this section before eligible costs are incurred.’’. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF CRITERIA RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION 
OF HAZARD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE BY STATES.—Section 404(c)(2) 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(c)(2)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘applica-
tions submitted under paragraph (1).’’ the following: ‘‘Until such 
time as the Administrator promulgates regulations to implement 
this paragraph, the Administrator may waive notice and comment 
rulemaking, if the Administrator determines doing so is necessary 
to expeditiously implement this section, and may carry out this 
section as a pilot program.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The authority under the amendments made 
by this section shall apply to— 
(1) any major disaster or emergency declared under the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) on or after the date of enactment 
of this division; and 
(2) a major disaster or emergency declared under that 
Act before the date of enactment of this division for which 
the period for processing requests for assistance has not ended 
as of the date of enactment of this division. 
SEC. 1105. DISPUTE RESOLUTION PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
H. R. 152—41 
(2) ELIGIBLE ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘eligible assistance’’ 
means assistance— 
(A) under section 403, 406, or 407 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, 5173); 
(B) for which the legitimate amount in dispute is not 
less than $1,000,000, which sum the Administrator shall 
adjust annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price 
Index for all Urban Consumers published by the Depart-
ment of Labor; 
(C) for which the applicant has a non-Federal share; 
and 
(D) for which the applicant has received a decision 
on a first appeal. 
(b) PROCEDURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, and in order to facilitate an effi-
cient recovery from major disasters, the Administrator shall 
establish procedures under which an applicant may request 
the use of alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration 
by an independent review panel, to resolve disputes relating 
to eligible assistance. 
(2) BINDING EFFECT.—A decision by an independent review 
panel under this section shall be binding upon the parties 
to the dispute. 
(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—The procedures established under 
this section shall— 
(A) allow a party of a dispute relating to eligible assist-
ance to request an independent review panel for the review; 
(B) require a party requesting an independent review 
panel as described in subparagraph (A) to agree to forgo 
rights to any further appeal of the dispute relating to 
any eligible assistance; 
(C) require that the sponsor of an independent review 
panel for any alternative dispute resolution under this 
section be— 
(i) an individual or entity unaffiliated with the 
dispute (which may include a Federal agency, an 
administrative law judge, or a reemployed annuitant 
who was an employee of the Federal Government) 
selected by the Administrator; and 
(ii) responsible for identifying and maintaining an 
adequate number of independent experts qualified to 
review and resolve disputes under this section; 
(D) require an independent review panel to— 
(i) resolve any remaining disputed issue in accord-
ance with all applicable laws, regulations, and Agency 
interpretations of those laws through its published poli-
cies and guidance; 
(ii) consider only evidence contained in the 
administrative record, as it existed at the time at which 
the Agency made its initial decision; 
(iii) only set aside a decision of the Agency found 
to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or 
otherwise not in accordance with law; and 
(iv) in the case of a finding of material fact adverse 
to the claimant made on first appeal, only set aside
H. R. 152—42 
or reverse such finding if the finding is clearly erro-
neous; 
(E) require an independent review panel to expedi-
tiously issue a written decision for any alternative dispute 
resolution under this section; and 
(F) direct that if an independent review panel for any 
alternative dispute resolution under this section determines 
that the basis upon which a party submits a request for 
alternative dispute resolution is frivolous, the independent 
review panel shall direct the party to pay the reasonable 
costs to the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
relating to the review by the independent review panel. 
Any funds received by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency under the authority of this section shall be depos-
ited to the credit of the appropriation or appropriations 
available for the eligible assistance in dispute on the date 
on which the funds are received. 
(c) SUNSET.—A request for review by an independent review 
panel under this section may not be made after December 31, 
2015. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after the termi-
nation of authority under this section under subsection (c), 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report 
analyzing the effectiveness of the program under this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
shall include— 
(A) a determination of the availability of data required 
to complete the report; 
(B) an assessment of the effectiveness of the program 
under this section, including an assessment of whether 
the program expedited or delayed the disaster recovery 
process; 
(C) an assessment of whether the program increased 
or decreased costs to administer section 403, 406, or 407 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act; 
(D) an assessment of the procedures and safeguards 
that the independent review panels established to ensure 
objectivity and accuracy, and the extent to which they 
followed those procedures and safeguards; 
(E) a recommendation as to whether any aspect of 
the program under this section should be made a perma-
nent authority; and 
(F) recommendations for any modifications to the 
authority or the administration of the authority under this 
section in order to improve the disaster recovery process. 
SEC. 1106. UNIFIED FEDERAL REVIEW. 
Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (as amended by this division) is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: