Gulf Coast Recovery Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-4438
Sponsor: Rep. Shuster, Bill [R-PA-9]
Introduced: 2005-12-06 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Alabama
Building laws
Crime and Law Enforcement
Disaster loans
Disaster relief
Disasters
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency communication systems
Environmental Protection
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fire fighters
Floods
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Grants-in-aid
Health
Hours of labor
Hurricane aftermath legislation
Hurricanes
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Labor and Employment
Law enforcement officers
Local budgets
Local employees
Louisiana
Mississippi
Paramedical personnel
Police
Refuse and refuse disposal
Science, Technology, Communications
State budgets
State employees
Texas
Unemployment insurance

Summary:
action_date: 2005-12-06
text: 
Gulf Coast Recovery Act of 2005 - Authorizes the President to provide assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) to reimburse an eligible state or local government 75% of the eligible expenses incurred between January 1 and June 30, 2006, for base pay and overtime expenses of employees who provide essential government services for response and recovery operations with respect Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on or after August 29, 2005.
 
Amends the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 to limit a disaster loan to 50% of a local government's operating budget for the fiscal year in which the disaster occurs. 
 
Sets at 100% the federal share of assistance for debris removal under the Stafford Act with respect to such hurricanes.
 
Requires the President to contribute at least 75% of the cost of hazard mitigation measures approved under the Stafford Act in the one-year period following enactment of this Act with respect to such hurricanes.
 
Amends the Stafford Act to double from 7.5% to 15% of the estimated aggregate amount of federal disaster relief grants to be made with respect to a major disaster the limit on the total amount of contributions the President may make for cost-effective hazard mitigation measures in the disaster area.
 
Extends unemployment assistance in the case of an eligible individual affected by the hurricane disasters.
 
Amends the Stafford Act to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make grants to state and local governments to: (1) purchase or improve commercially available interoperable communications equipment; (2) purchase mobile equipment to generate emergency power; and (3) train first responders and emergency personnel on how to best use such equipment effectively.

action_date: 2005-12-22
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Gulf Coast Recovery Act of 2005 - Authorizes the President to provide assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) to reimburse an eligible state or local government 75% of the eligible expenses incurred between January 1 and June 30, 2006, for base pay and overtime expenses of employees who provide essential government services for response and recovery operations with respect Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on or after August 29, 2005.

Amends the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 to limit a disaster loan to 50% of a local government's operating budget for the fiscal year in which the disaster occurs. 

Sets at 100% the federal share of assistance for debris removal under the Stafford Act with respect to such hurricanes.

Requires the President to contribute at least 75% of the cost of hazard mitigation measures approved under the Stafford Act in the one-year period following enactment of this Act with respect to such hurricanes.

Amends the Stafford Act to double from 7.5% to 15% of the estimated aggregate amount of federal disaster relief grants to be made with respect to a major disaster the limit on the total amount of contributions the President may make for cost-effective hazard mitigation measures in the disaster area.
 
Extends unemployment assistance in the case of an eligible individual affected by the hurricane disasters. Requires the President to make such assistance available for 52 weeks after the date of the disaster declaration. Requires the amount of such assistance for a week of unemployment, beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, to be at least 50% of the national average weekly unemployment benefit provided to an individual as of the date of the disaster declaration.
 
Amends the Stafford Act to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make grants to state and local governments to: (1) purchase or improve commercially available interoperable communications equipment; (2) purchase mobile equipment to generate emergency power; and (3) train first responders and emergency personnel on how to best use such equipment effectively.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2008.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 195.
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-364.
action_date: 2005-12-22
text: Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-364.
action_date: 2005-12-07
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2005-12-07
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2005-12-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2005-12-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-12-06
text: Introduced in House