FEMA Operational Transparency Act

Bill: 118-s-5267
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
Introduced: 2024-09-25
Policy area: Emergency Management
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5267 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 25, 2024 Mr. Welch introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an audit of the expenditures of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the FEMA Operational Transparency Act . 2. Audit (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an audit on the expenditures of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (b) Contents The audit conducted under subsection (a) shall— (1) detail payments made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for— (A) individual assistance under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5174 ); (B) the Public Assistance Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; (C) hazard mitigation under section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170c ); and (D) Federal agency mission assignments in anticipation of, or in response to, a major disaster or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 , 5191); (2) compare the payments for the programs described in paragraph (1) to the administrative cost of those programs; (3) describe the role of personnel hired to administer each program described in paragraph (1); (4) describe the amount of the Disaster Relief Fund of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that is spent on administrative costs for the programs described in paragraph (1); (5) detail how workforce shortages the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been experiencing since 2020 have impacted the administrative costs described in paragraph (4); and (6) include recommendations for reducing amounts spent on administrative costs and ensuring that disaster survivors, especially in rural communities, receive the most relief possible. (c) Submission With respect to the audit conducted under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall— (1) submit to Congress the audit; and (2) make the audit publicly available.