Disaster Recovery Reform Act

Bill: 115-hr-4460
Sponsor: Rep. Barletta, Lou [R-PA-11]
Introduced: 2017-11-28 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aging
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Atmospheric science and weather
Building construction
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Dams and canals
Department of Homeland Security
Disability and paralysis
Disaster relief and insurance
Educational facilities and institutions
Electric power generation and transmission
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Emergency planning and evacuation
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Floods and storm protection
Forests, forestry, trees
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Historic sites and heritage areas
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Horticulture and plants
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Infrastructure development
Lakes and rivers
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Mammals
Medical education
Natural disasters
Public contracts and procurement
Religion
Residential rehabilitation and home repair
Roads and highways
Service animals
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Temporary and part-time employment
Travel and tourism
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases
Water resources funding

Summary:
action_date: 2017-11-28
text: 

Disaster Recovery Reform Act

 
This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) to modify the Predisaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to:
 
 
permit the use of technical and financial assistance to establish and carry out enforcement activities to implement codes, specifications, and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs;
 
direct the President to establish a National Public Infrastructure Predisaster Mitigation Fund;
 
authorize the President's contribution to the cost of hazard mitigation measures to be used to increase resilience in any area affected by a major disaster; and 
 
direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue a final rulemaking that defines the terms &quot;resilient&quot; and &quot;resiliency.&quot;
 
 
The bill authorizes the President to: (1) provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area affected by a wildfire for which assistance was provided; (2) provide incentives to invest in measures that increase readiness for, and resilience from, a future major disaster; and (3) waive Stafford Act provisions regarding duplication of benefits.
 
The bill amends the Stafford Act to: (1) authorize states to use federal disaster assistance to directly administer temporary and permanent housing for disaster victims, (2) increase assistance to individuals with disabilities, and (3) establish fixed rates for reimbursing states and localities for costs incurred to implement disaster recovery projects. 
 
FEMA shall: (1) provide annual guidance and training for the prioritization of assistance to hospitals and nursing homes during a disaster; (2) issue guidance for the identification of evacuation routes; and (3) review the Unified Federal Environmental and Historic Preservation review process, improve closeout practices, and publish on its website specified information for grant awards and contracts in excess of $1 million. FEMA may establish one or more national veterinary emergency teams at accredited veterinary schools. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-12-21
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 850.
action_date: 2018-12-21
text: Committee on Financial Services discharged.
action_date: 2018-12-21
text: Committee on Financial Services discharged.
action_date: 2018-12-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 115-1098, Part I.
action_date: 2018-12-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 115-1098, Part I.
action_date: 2017-11-30
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2017-11-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-11-30
text: Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Discharged.
action_date: 2017-11-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2017-11-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-11-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-11-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-11-28
text: Introduced in House