Disaster Relief Transparency Act
Bill: H.R.3162 | Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Tom (R-SC)
Policy area: Housing and Community Development

Summary:
Disaster Relief Transparency Act
This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to report on the allocation and applicant approval rates of specified assistance programs related to disaster recovery.

To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to submit to 
 the Congress a report that describes the methodology used to allocate 
     amounts appropriated in covered provisions for the Community 
  Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program and the Community 
  Development Block Grant Mitigation Program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Relief Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. HUD REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 
after consultation with the Comptroller General of the United States, 
shall submit to the Financial Services, Oversight and Reform, and 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committees of the House of 
Representatives and Banking Committee of the Senate a report that--
            (1) describes and explains the methodology used by the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development to allocate, to 
        States, Tribes, Territories, and local governments, amounts 
        appropriated in covered provisions for the Community 
        Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program and the 
        Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program;
            (2) addresses why the such methodology may result in 
        allocations to States, Tribes, Territories, and local 
        governments differing between appropriations; and
            (3) provides legislative and administrative recommendations 
        for improving the consistency and timeliness of the allocation 
        of amounts appropriated for the Community Development Block 
        Grant Disaster Recovery Program and the Community Development 
        Block Grant Mitigation Program.
    (b) Covered Provision.--The term ``covered provision'' means--
            (1) Public Law 116-20;
            (2) the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 
        2017;
            (3) the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018;
            (4) the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster 
        Relief Requirements Act, 2017;
            (5) the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and 
        Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements 
        Act, 2017;
            (6) the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017;
            (7) the Further Continuing and Security Assistance 
        Appropriations Act, 2017;
            (8) the Continuing Appropriations and Military 
        Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness 
        Act; and
            (9) the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016.

SEC. 3. FEMA REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs of the Senate a 
report describing, for each fiscal year beginning after September 30, 
2015--
            (1) the average amount of individual assistance and 
        individual and household assistance provided under the Robert 
        T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) to, and the rate of denial of individual 
        assistance and individual and household assistance provided 
        under such Act for--
                    (A) all individuals;
                    (B) all individuals and households;
                    (C) individuals with an annual income under 75 
                percent of the National Median Household Income;
                    (D) individuals and households with an annual 
                income under 75 percent of the National Median 
                Household Income;
                    (E) individuals with an annual income over 125 
                percent of the National Median Household Income;
                    (F) individuals and households with an annual 
                income over 125 percent of the National Median 
                Household Income;
                    (G) individuals with an annual income between 75 
                percent and 125 percent of the National Median 
                Household Income; and
                    (H) individuals and households with an annual 
                income between 75 percent and 125 percent of the 
                National Median Household Income; and
            (2) an explanation for any factors causing an increase in 
        the rate of denial of individual assistance or individual and 
        household assistance, if applicable.
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