Directing Dollars to Disaster Relief Act of 2015
PL 114-132 (S.2109), enacted 02/29/2016

130 STAT. 293 
PUBLIC LAW 114–132—FEB. 29, 2016 
Public Law 114–132 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 
develop an integrated plan to reduce administrative costs under the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Directing Dollars to Disaster 
Relief Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘administrative cost’’— 
(A) means a cost incurred by the Agency in support 
of the delivery of disaster assistance for a major disaster; 
and 
(B) does not include a cost incurred by a grantee or 
subgrantee; 
(2) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator of 
the Agency; 
(3) the term ‘‘Agency’’ means the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; 
(4) the term ‘‘direct administrative cost’’ means a cost 
incurred by a grantee or subgrantee of a program authorized 
by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that can be identified sepa-
rately and assigned to a specific project; 
(5) the term ‘‘hazard mitigation program’’ means the hazard 
mitigation grant program authorized under section 404 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c); 
(6) the term ‘‘individual assistance program’’ means the 
individual assistance grant program authorized under sections 
408, 410, 415, 416, 426, and 502(a) of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174, 
5177, 5182, 5183, 5189d, and 5192(a)); 
(7) 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); 
(8) the term ‘‘mission assignment’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 641 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Manage-
ment Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 741); and 
42 USC 5165e 
note. 
Directing Dollars 
to Disaster Relief 
Act of 2015. 
42 USC 5121 
note. 
Feb. 29, 2016 
[S. 2109] 
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130 STAT. 294 
PUBLIC LAW 114–132—FEB. 29, 2016 
(9) the term ‘‘public assistance program’’ means the public 
assistance grant program authorized under sections 403(a)(3), 
406, 418, 419, 428, and 502(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b(a)(3), 
5172, 5185, 5186, 5189f, and 5192(a)). 
SEC. 3. INTEGRATED PLAN FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COST REDUCTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 365 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 
(1) develop and implement an integrated plan to control 
and reduce administrative costs for major disasters, which shall 
include— 
(A) steps the Agency will take to reduce administrative 
costs; 
(B) milestones needed for accomplishing the reduction 
of administrative costs; 
(C) strategic goals for the average annual percentage 
of administrative costs of major disasters for each fiscal 
year; 
(D) the assignment of clear roles and responsibilities, 
including the designation of officials responsible for moni-
toring and measuring performance; and 
(E) a timetable for implementation; 
(2) compare the costs and benefits of tracking the adminis-
trative cost data for major disasters by the public assistance, 
individual assistance, hazard mitigation, and mission assign-
ment programs, and if feasible, track this information; and 
(3) clarify Agency guidance and minimum documentation 
requirements for a direct administrative cost claimed by a 
grantee or subgrantee of a public assistance grant program. 
(b) CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives on the plan required to be 
developed under subsection (a)(1). 
(c) UPDATES.—If the Administrator modifies the plan or the 
timetable under subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives a report notifying Congress 
of the modification, which shall include the details of the modifica-
tion. 
SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than November 30 of each 
year for 7 years beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall submit to Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
a report on the development and implementation of the integrated 
plan required under section 3 for the previous fiscal year. 
(b) REPORT UPDATES.— 
(1) THREE
YEAR
UPDATE.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date on which the Administrator submits a report under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit an updated 
report for the previous 3-fiscal-year period. 
Time periods. 
42 USC 5165e 
note. 
Effective date. 
Reports. 
Notification. 
Deadline. 
Deadline. 
42 USC 5165e. 
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130 STAT. 295 
PUBLIC LAW 114–132—FEB. 29, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2109: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–173 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 
Feb. 9, considered and passed Senate. 
Feb. 23, considered and passed House. 
(2) FIVE YEAR UPDATE.—Not later than 5 years after the 
date on which the Administrator submits a report under sub-
section (a), the Administrator shall submit an updated report 
for the previous 5-fiscal-year period. 
(c) CONTENTS OF REPORTS.—Each report required under sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall contain, at a minimum— 
(1) the total amount spent on administrative costs for the 
fiscal year period for which the report is being submitted; 
(2) the average annual percentage of administrative costs 
for the fiscal year period for which the report is being sub-
mitted; 
(3) an assessment of the effectiveness of the plan developed 
under section 3(a)(1); 
(4) an analysis of— 
(A) whether the Agency is achieving the strategic goals 
established under section 3(a)(1)(C); and 
(B) in the case of the Agency not achieving such stra-
tegic goals, what is preventing the Agency from doing so; 
(5) any actions the Agency has identified as useful in 
improving upon and reaching the goals for administrative costs 
established under section 3(a)(1)(C); and 
(6) any data described in section 3(a)(2), if the Agency 
determines it is feasible to track such data. 
(d) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the Administrator submits a report to Congress 
under this section, the Administrator shall make the report publicly 
available on the website of the Agency. 
Approved February 29, 2016. 
Web posting. 
Analysis. 
Assessment. 
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