I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4564 
To make improvements in the administration of charitable donations made 
in the aftermath of disasters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 15, 2005 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition 
to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To make improvements in the administration of charitable 
donations made in the aftermath of disasters, 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 ‘‘Securing Useful and 
Responsive Giving in Emergencies (SURGE) Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF FEMA DISASTER CHARITIES 
DATABASE. 
(a) FEASIBILITY REPORT.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Home-
land Security of the House of Representatives a report on 
the feasibility of establishing a publicly accessible disaster 
charities database consistent with the description in sub-
section (b). 
(b) DESCRIPTION OF DATABASE.—The description of 
the disaster charities database referred to in subsection 
(a) is as follows: 
(1) The purpose of the database shall be to 
educate the public about— 
(A) the variety of existing nongovern-
mental, private donor, private sector, and volun-
teer organizations that provide relief services 
following Incidents of National Significance, as 
defined in the National Response Plan of the 
Department of Homeland Security, and other 
disasters and emergencies; and 
(B) the distinction between such organiza-
tions that specialize in immediate relief and
those that specialize in longer-term community 
redevelopment relief. 
(2) Information in the database shall be sub-
mitted on a voluntary basis by organizations that 
are nonprofit organizations under section 501(c) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
(3) For each organization, the database shall 
contain the name, address, and phone number of the 
organization and the location of any area served by 
the organization. 
(4) Each organization shall be identified as ei-
ther an Immediate Relief organization or a Commu-
nity Redevelopment Relief organization under guide-
lines developed by the Director of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency. 
(5) The Director of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall verify the accuracy of all 
information contained in the database. 
(c) DATABASE CONFIGURATION.—The Director of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall con-
sider configuring the database so as to have the following 
attributes: 
(1) A portal through which all donors must 
first pass which requires donors to select between 
Immediate Relief organizations or Community Rede-
velopment Relief organizations, and which includes a 
general explanation of the type of relief the organi-
zations under each category can be expected to pro-
vide as well as an explanation of why each type of 
relief is important. 
(2) The ability to scroll over each listed organi-
zation within those categories so donors can read a 
specific description of the types of relief that the 
listed organization provides (something that is acces-
sible before linking donors to a particular organiza-
tion’s website). 
(3) A pop-up feature that so identifies an orga-
nization that is both an Immediate Relief organiza-
tion and a Community Redevelopment Relief organi-
zation and advises a donor to designate what type 
of relief the donor wants to provide to such organi-
zation either by letter, email, note, or other elec-
tronic communication to the organization (informa-
tion that is provided before providing the donor with 
access to the website of the organization). 
(4) A mechanism by which the Director of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency can iden-
tify by zip code those areas needing assistance in the 
immediate wake of an Incident of National Signifi-
cance or other disaster or emergency, which lists the