lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2013-04-08 00:00:00

Fire Damaged Home Rebuilding Act of 2013 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to allow local variances for certain residential structures substantially damaged by a fire or other disaster, not including a flood.

Permits state or local authorities, upon making certain determinations, to grant a variance from compliance with certain mandatory adequate land use and control measures to allow repair and restoration of an eligible structure to its pre-damaged condition without elevation of the structure.

Includes among such determinations that: (1) the repaired and restored structure will be located on the same site as it was before being substantially damaged, and (2) the number of floors of the restored structure will not exceed the number of floors of the original structure.

Restricts the maximum number of such variances to 10 during any calendar year. Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from either: (1) finding that land use and control measures are inadequate or inconsistent with the comprehensive criteria for land management and use because they permit granting the variances identified under this Act; or (2) suspending an area or subdivision from participation in the national flood insurance program, or placing it on probation, because its land use and control measures provide for such variances. Prohibits the chargeable flood insurance premium rate for a residential structure granted a variance under this Act from being lower than the rate that otherwise would apply if such structure had not been substantially damaged by a fire or other disaster (except a flood) and repaired and restored pursuant to the variance.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2013-04-24 00:00:00

Superstorm Sandy Unemployment Relief Act of 2013 - Directs the President, in the case of an individual eligible to receive unemployment assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act as a result of the disaster declaration made for Hurricane Sandy after October 20, 2012, to make such assistance available for 39 weeks after the date of the declaration (currently limited to 26 weeks).

Requires the payments to a state to equal 100% of the amount of unemployment compensation (UC) paid under state law to affected individuals in each affected state or any area within it.

 Makes payments available until July 28, 2013.

Makes appropriations necessary to carry out this Act.

Expresses the sense of the Senate that upon receiving a reimbursement or advance under this Act, a state should, if its law allows:

 reverse or waive any charges to employer accounts related to UC paid to affected individuals for which the reimbursement or advance is provided; or reimburse for such costs any state or local governmental entity, non-profit organization, Indian tribe, or other employer which elected to reimburse the state for UC paid to affected individuals in lieu of paying taxes based on charges to its employer account; and provide for retroactive payment of UC to affected individuals who received a waiting period credit instead of an UC payment in relation to their initial week of unemployment. Allows the state to receive reimbursement under this Act for any such retroactive payment.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Date: 2013-05-08 00:00:00

Strengthening The Resiliency of Our Nation on the Ground Act or STRONG Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish and chair an interagency working group with cabinet-level representation from all relevant federal agencies in order to: (1) provide a strategic vision of extreme weather resilience; (2) conduct a gap and overlap analysis of current and planned federal activities related to achieving short- and long-term resilience to extreme weather and its impacts on the United States, such as flooding and drought; and (3) develop a National Extreme Weather Resilience Action Plan.

Requires the Plan to include the establishment of an online, publicly available information portal to be used by federal agencies and other stakeholders that directs users to key data and tools to inform resilience-enhancing efforts and to build off and complement existing federal efforts. Provides for a coordinating entity to establish and maintain such portal.

Requires such coordinating entity to coordinate the implementation of the Plan and to track its progress.

Requires the submission of specified reports.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-05-09 00:00:00

Safe Building Code Incentive Act of 2013 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to increase the maximum total of contributions for a major disaster by an amount equal to 4% of the estimated aggregate amount of grants to be made under the Act, if at the time of a declaration of a major disaster the affected state has in effect and is actively enforcing an approved state building code.

Requires a state, to be eligible for the increased federal share, to submit its state building code to the President for approval.

Directs the President to approve a state building code submitted upon determining that it: (1) is consistent with the most recent version of a nationally recognized model building code, (2) has been adopted by the state within six years of the most recent version of the nationally recognized code, and (3) uses the nationally recognized code as a minimum standard.

Requires the President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to set appropriate standards for the periodic update, resubmittal, and approval of state building codes, consistent with similar mitigation planning requirements under the Stafford Act.

Authorizes the use by states and local governments of technical and financial assistance to implement predisaster hazard mitigation measures to establish and operate a building department and carry out enforcement activities to implement an approved state building code.

Directs the President, in determining whether to provide technical and financial assistance to a state or local government, to take into account the extent to which that government is carrying out activities to implement an approved state building code.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-05-21 00:00:00

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to repeal the prohibition against provision of flood insurance by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prospective insureds at rates less than standard estimates for property purchased after enactment of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Biggert-Waters). (Thus allows risk premium rates lower than standard rates for certain property purchased after Biggert-Waters.)

Delays the effective date of any flood insurance rate changes until 180 days after FEMA submits: (1) a certain report on methods to establish an affordability framework for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), or (2) notice to the congressional committees concerned of an alternative method of gathering information for such report if the report cannot be submitted by its due date. Directs FEMA to study options, methods, and implementing strategies for making available voluntary community-based flood insurance policies through NFIP.

Prohibits FEMA, when determining whether a community has made adequate progress on the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a flood protection system, from considering the level of federal funding or participation.

Deems an action for the repair, restoration, and replacement of a totally destroyed structure or facility located in a coastal high hazard area for which an eligible entity received a contribution under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to be a "substantial improvement" for which grant funds may be used, if specified conditions are met.

Requires a replacement structure or facility to be relocated to an alternative site if FEMA determines that a practicable alternative located outside the coastal high hazard area exists and provides better protection against hazards associated with coastal high hazard areas.

Prescribes deed restrictions to dedicate and maintain it in perpetuity as open space for the conservation of natural floodplain functions for any property involved in the construction of replacement structures or facilities, either the original site if the replacement structure or facility is relocated, or an alternative parcel of land in the coastal high hazard area if the replacement is rebuilt at the same location.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-05-23 00:00:00

Saving Homeowners from Onerous Rate Escalations Act of 2013 or SHORE Act of 2013 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to phase in, over an eight-year period, any increase in the flood insurance risk premium rate caused by the prohibition against extending subsidies to new or lapsed policies.

Extends from a 5-year to a 10-year period the phase-in period for premium adjustment increases in the flood insurance risk rate. Prescribes a phase-in rate of: (1) 5% for each of the first 5 years after the effective date of an update, and 15% for each of the 5 ensuing years; and (2) 5% for each of the first 5 years following the effective date of designation as a special flood area of any area not previously so designated, and 15% for each of the 5 ensuing years.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2013-06-06 00:00:00

Responsible Implementation of Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to limit the requirements for flood insurance premium rate adjustments to reflect the current risk of flood only to property located in an area participating in the national flood insurance program for which the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published in the Federal Register projected base flood elevations and designations of areas having specified flood hazards on or after December 31, 2013.

Increases by 20% annually the flood insurance risk premium rates for certain properties sold on or after enactment of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (July 6, 2012), and which are not subject to a specified 25% per year phase-in, until the average risk premium rate for such properties is equal to the average of the risk premium rates for properties within a specified single risk classification.

Directs FEMA to establish a means by which a state or local government may submit to FEMA payments to fully cover the cost of any premium for property within its jurisdiction.

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct FEMA, in providing hazard mitigation assistance in connection with flooding, to ensure that not less than 25% of the estimated aggregate amount of such assistance is used by a grant recipient to elevate, acquire, or relocate eligible properties within the recipient's jurisdiction.

Prohibits FEMA, in determining whether a community has made adequate progress on the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a flood protection system, from considering the level of federal funding or participation in such efforts.

Revises requirements for the availability of flood insurance in a community which FEMA has determined to be in the process of restoring flood protection afforded by a system previously accredited on a Flood Insurance Rate Map as providing 100-year frequency flood protection but no longer does so. Declares that such requirements shall apply without regard to the level of federal funding of or participation in the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of the flood protection system.

Prohibits FEMA from issuing a flood insurance rate map, or an update to one, unless: (1) the map or update adequately reflects the protection provided by any levee system in the area against the base flood, regardless of the system's accreditation status; or (2) the community in which any levee system is located elects not to provide the data necessary for FEMA to issue either a map or an update that adequately reflects the protection the system provides against the base flood.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-07-10 00:00:00

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include community centers and houses of worship as "private nonprofit facilities" that provide essential services of a governmental nature to the general public for purposes of disaster relief and emergency assistance eligibility under such Act.

Makes a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other house of worship and an otherwise eligible private nonprofit facility operated by a religious organization eligible for federal contributions for the repair, restoration, and replacement of facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster, without regard to the religious character of the facility or the primary religious use of the facility. Requires that, in spaces used primarily for religious worship services, such contributions only be used to cover costs of purchasing or replacing, without limitation, the building structure, building enclosure components, building envelope, vertical and horizontal circulation, physical plant support spaces, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems (including heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and fire and life safety systems), and related site improvements.

Makes this Act applicable to the provision of assistance in response to a major disaster or emergency declared on or after October 28, 2012.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-07-30 00:00:00

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide: (1) hazard mitigation assistance in any area in which fire management assistance was provided, whether or not a major disaster had been declared; and (2) fire management assistance in any area in which hazard mitigation assistance was provided.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-08-01 00:00:00

Prepare, Ready, Equip, and Prevent Areas at Risk of Emergency Wildfires Act of 2013 or the PREPARE Act of 2013 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to establish a pilot program to make grants to states for wildfire mitigation and preparedness.

Permits a grant to be used to: (1) reduce the use of fuels that may contribute to catastrophic wildfires in high-risk areas; (2) invest in personnel, organizations, vehicles, and equipment to improve wildfire preparedness; (3) invest in airborne assets to help contain, suppress, and monitor wildfires; and (4) prevent damage from runoff into waterways and floods caused by erosion from wildfires.

Makes a state eligible for assistance under this Act if the fire management assistance grant ratio for such state is equal to or greater than 150% of the state population ratio. Authorizes the President to waive that requirement if a state: (1) files a petition for waiver of that requirement, and (2) demonstrates that significant environmental changes or shifts in forest health put the state at an elevated risk for catastrophic wildfires.

Allows the governor of a state to award grant funds to: (1) any county or municipality in that state with a community wildfire protection plan or a local mitigation plan, or (2) any other entity that is explicitly referenced in and central to the design of such a plan.

Directs the President to consider environmental conditions in a state and give preference to a state: (1) with a high level of need for assistance based on the best scientific data available, (2) a state that provides 100% matching non-federal funds, and (3) a state that previously received a grant and efficiently and effectively used the federal funds for wildfire mitigation and preparedness activities.

Directs the President to use specified unobligated amounts in the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund for each of FY2014-FY2019 in carrying out this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2013-08-01 00:00:00

Homeowners' Defense Act of 2013 - Establishes the National Catastrophe Risk Consortium as a nonprofit, nonfederal entity to: (1) maintain an inventory of catastrophe risk obligations held by state reinsurance funds and state residual insurance market entities; (2) issue, on a conduit basis, securities and other financial instruments linked to catastrophe risks insured or reinsured through Consortium members; (3) coordinate reinsurance contracts; (4) act as a centralized repository of state risk information accessible by certain private-market participants; and (5) use a database to perform research and analysis that encourages standardization of the risk-linked securities market.

Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to implement a national homeowners' insurance stabilization program to make liquidity loans and catastrophic loans to qualified reinsurance programs to: (1) ensure their solvency; (2) improve the availability and affordability of homeowners' insurance; (3) provide incentive for risk transfer to the private capital and reinsurance markets; and (4) spread the risk of catastrophic financial loss resulting from natural disasters and catastrophic events.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish and collect, from qualified and precertified reinsurance programs, a reasonable fee to offset expenses of the program.

Instructs the Secretary to require full repayment of all loans made under this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-08-01 00:00:00

Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include a condominium or housing cooperative association as an "individual" or "household" for purposes of the provision of federal disaster assistance (thus authorizing assistance for condominiums and housing cooperatives damaged by a major disaster).

Requires the President to determine the maximum amount of assistance that any such association may receive under such Act for a single disaster.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-10-29 00:00:00

Flood Safe Basements Act - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to rate a covered structure using the elevation difference between the floodproofed elevation and the adjusted base flood elevation of such structure.

Defines "covered structure" as a residential structure: (1) located in a community that has adopted flood plain management measures approved by FEMA and satisfying requirements for an exception for floodproofed residential basements, and (2) built in compliance with the applicable flood plain management measures.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2013-10-29 00:00:00

Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2013 - Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from: (1) increasing flood insurance risk premium rates to reflect the current risk of flood for certain property located in specified areas subject to a certain mandatory premium adjustment, or (2) reducing such subsidies for any property not insured by the flood insurance program as of July 6, 2012, or any policy that has lapsed in coverage as a result of the policyholder's deliberate choice (Pre-Flood Insurance Rate Map or pre-FIRM properties). Sets forth expiration dates for such prohibitions.

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA) to prohibit the Administrator from providing flood insurance to prospective insureds at rates less than those estimated for any property purchased after the expiration of such six-month period (currently, any property purchased after July 6, 2012).

Directs FEMA to: (1) restore during such six-month period specified estimated risk premium rate subsidies for flood insurance for pre-FIRM properties and properties purchased after such six-month period, and (2) submit to certain congressional committees a draft affordability framework addressing the affordability of flood insurance sold under the National Flood Insurance Program.

Prescribes procedures for expedited congressional consideration of legislation on FEMA affordability authorities.

Permits FEMA to enter into an agreement with another federal agency either to: (1) complete the affordability study, or (2) prepare the draft affordability framework.

 Directs FEMA submit to certain congressional committees the affordability study and report.

Amends NFIA to authorize FEMA to reimburse homeowners for successful map appeals.

Makes any community that has made adequate progress on the construction (as under current law) or reconstruction (new) of a flood protection system which will afford flood protection for the one-hundred year frequency flood eligible for flood insurance at premium rates not exceeding those which would apply if such flood protection system had been completed.

Revises guidelines governing availability of flood insurance in communities restoring disaccredited flood protection systems to include riverine and coastal levees.

Requires FEMA to: (1) rate a covered structure using the elevation difference between the floodproofed elevation of the covered structure and the adjusted base flood elevation of the covered structure; and (2) designate a Flood Insurance Advocate to advocate for the fair treatment of policy holders under the National Flood Insurance Program and property owners in the mapping of flood hazards, the identification of risks from flood, and the implementation of measures to minimize the risk of flood.