Title: Budgeting for Disasters Act
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
Budgeting for Disasters Act
This bill modifies the budget enforcement procedures that apply to federal spending for natural disasters and emergencies.
The bill includes provisions that

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1579 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1579

 To require Congress to budget in advance for disasters, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2019

Mr. Romney (for himself, Mr. Lee, Mr. Braun, and Mr. Toomey) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                             on the Budget

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require Congress to budget in advance for disasters, 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 ``Budgeting for Disasters Act''.

SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF EXEMPTIONS FROM THE ANNUAL BUDGET CAPS.

    Subparagraphs (D) and (F) of section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)) 
shall not apply with respect to fiscal year 2020, or any fiscal year 
thereafter.

SEC. 3. EMERGENCY SPENDING POINT OF ORDER.

    (a) In General.--Section 314(e)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 645(e)(2)) is amended by striking ``three-fifths'' 
each place it appears and inserting ``two-thirds''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall--
            (1) take effect on the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) apply with respect to fiscal year 2020, and each fiscal 
        year thereafter.

SEC. 4. GAO REVIEW OF EMERGENCY SPENDING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to Congress a report that--
            (1) reviews amounts appropriated for each of fiscal years 
        2009 through 2018 that were--
                    (A) designated as being for an emergency 
                requirement;
                    (B) designated as being for disaster relief; or
                    (C) made available to provide assistance under the 
                Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
                Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.);
            (2) identifies and reviews amounts appropriated for any of 
        fiscal years 2009 through 2018 that were designated as being 
        for an emergency requirement and designated as being for 
        disaster relief; and
            (3) provide recommendations to--
                    (A) clarify the definition of emergency 
                requirements for purposes of appropriated amounts being 
                designated as being for an emergency requirement;
                    (B) implement an appropriate time limit for 
                recipients to spend appropriated amounts that are 
                designated as being for an emergency requirement;
                    (C) improve cost-sharing relating to major 
                disasters and emergencies among Federal, State, and 
                local governments; and
                    (D) improve forecasting and budgeting for 
                appropriations for emergency requirements and disaster 
                relief.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``emergency'' means an emergency declared by 
        the President under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford 
        Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191);
            (2) the term ``designated as being for an emergency 
        requirement'', with respect to amounts appropriated, means that 
        the amounts are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant 
        to--
                    (A) section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
                and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 
                901(b)(2)(A)(i)); or
                    (B) a provision of a concurrent resolution on the 
                budget;
            (3) the term ``designated as being for disaster relief'', 
        with respect to amounts appropriated, means that the amounts 
        are designated as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 
        251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
        Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(D)); and
            (4) the term ``major disaster'' means a major disaster 
        declared by the President under section 401 of the Robert T. 
        Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5170).
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