Budgeting for Disasters Act

Bill: 116-s-1579
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Romney, Mitt [R-UT]
Introduced: 2019-05-21
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Appropriations

Budget process

Congressional oversight

Disaster relief and insurance

Fires

Legislative rules and procedure

Senate
Latest action: action_date: 2019-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-05-21
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Budgeting for Disasters Act</b></p> <p> This bill modifies the budget enforcement procedures that apply to federal spending for natural disasters and emergencies. </p> <p>The bill includes provisions that </p> <ul> <li> eliminate the requirements to adjust annual discretionary spending limits to accommodate additional appropriations for disaster relief and wildfire suppression; </li> <li> increase the number of votes that is required to waive the Senate point of order against emergency spending designations, which exempt spending from discretionary spending limits; and </li> <li> require the Government Accountability Office to report on spending for emergencies and disaster relief. </li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1579 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Budgeting for Disasters Act . 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. 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. 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 ).