I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5559 
To transfer functions related to the preparation of flood maps from the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 18, 2018 
Mr. CRAWFORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To transfer functions related to the preparation of flood 
maps from the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to the Director of the United States 
Geological Survey, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Scientific Flood Map-
ping Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS RELATED TO PREPARA-
TION OF FLOOD MAPS. 
(a) TRANSFER PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey shall— 
(1) jointly prepare a report describing the proc-
ess by which the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall transfer to 
the Director of the United States Geological Survey 
of the Department of the Interior all functions re-
lated to the preparation of flood maps as required 
under section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance 
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4101) that the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agen-
cy was responsible for performing on date of the en-
actment of this Act; and 
(2) submit such report to Congress. 
(b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall transfer to the Director of the United States 
Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior the 
functions described in subsection (a). 
(c) PERSONNEL.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the personnel employed in connection with the of-
fices and functions of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency that are transferred under this Act 
shall be transferred to the United States Geological 
Survey. 
(2) TRANSITION.—The Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency is author-
ized to use the services of such personnel employed 
in connection with the offices and functions of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency that are 
transferred under this Act for such period of time as 
may reasonably be needed to facilitate the orderly 
transfer of such functions. 
(3) EFFECT.—Any full-time or part-time per-
sonnel employed in permanent positions shall not be 
separated or reduced in grade or compensation be-
cause of the transfer under this Act during the 1- 
year period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(d) PROPERTY AND RECORDS.—The contracts, liabil-
ities, records, property, and other assets and interests of, 
or made available in connection with, the functions trans-
ferred under this Act shall be transferred to the United 
States Geological Survey for appropriate allocation. 
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SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) TECHNICAL MAPPING ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Sec-
tion 100215 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Re-
form Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101a) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it appears, except for sub-
sections (b) and (e), and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 
States Geological Survey’’. 
(b) NATIONAL FLOOD MAPPING PROGRAM.—Section 
100216 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform 
Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b) is amended by striking 
‘‘Administrator’’ each place it appears, except for sub-
section (f) of such section, and inserting ‘‘Director of the 
United States Geological Survey’’. 
(c) COORDINATION.—Section 100220 of the Biggert- 
Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 
4101c) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 
Geological Survey’’. 
(d) REMAPPING.—Section 100229 of the Biggert- 
Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (126 Stat. 
945) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 
Geological Survey’’. 
(e) IDENTIFICATION
OF FLOOD-PRONE AREAS.— 
Section 1360 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 
(42 U.S.C. 4101) is amended by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ 
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each place it appears, except for subsections (d) and (k) 
of such section, and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 
States Geological Survey’’. 
(f) APPEALS.—Section 1363 of the National Flood 
Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 
Geological Survey’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘Federal 
Emergency Management Agency’’ and inserting 
‘‘United States Geological Survey’’. 
(g) 
SCIENTIFIC
RESOLUTION
PANEL.—Section 
1363A of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 
U.S.C. 4101–1) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Administrator’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘Director of the United States 
Geological Survey’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency’’ each place it appears, except for sub-
section (d), and inserting ‘‘Director of the United 
States Geological Survey’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall ensure that for each 
such community that—’’; 
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(B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘the Di-
rector of the United States Geological Survey 
shall ensure that for each such community 
that’’ after the enumerator; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
ensure that for each such community that’’. 
(h) INITIAL FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS.—The 
National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended— 
(1) in section 1307(f) (42 U.S.C. 4014(f)), by 
inserting ‘‘or the Director of the United States Geo-
logical Survey’’ after ‘‘published by the Adminis-
trator’’; and 
(2) in section 1312(b) (42 U.S.C. 4019(b)), by 
inserting ‘‘or the Director of the United States Geo-
logical Survey’’ after ‘‘published by the Adminis-
trator’’ both places it appears. 
(i) IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARDS.— 
The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended— 
(1) in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
1364(a) (42 U.S.C. 4101a(a)(1) and (2)), by strik-
ing ‘‘identified by the Administrator’’ both places 
such term appears and inserting ‘‘identified by the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey’’; 
and 
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(2) in section 1365(a) (42 U.S.C. 4104b(a)), by 
striking ‘‘identified by the Administrator’’ and in-
serting ‘‘identified by the Director of the United 
States Geological Survey’’. 
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL MAPPING ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
Section 100215 of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insur-
ance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101a) is amended— 
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the Council 
shall consist of the following, or a designee of the fol-
lowing— 
‘‘(1) The Director of the United States Geologi-
cal Survey. 
‘‘(2) The Administrator. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Agriculture. 
‘‘(4) The Undersecretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere. 
‘‘(5) The Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps 
of Engineers.’’; 
(2) by amending subsection (e) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(e) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Council 
shall be the Director of the United States Geological Sur-
vey.’’; and 
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