H.R. 7211 – Small State and Rural Rescue Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 10:17 AM UTC

The Small State and Rural Rescue Act updates the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to give small states and rural areas a stronger voice when requesting major disaster declarations. It adds new data requirements—like income, poverty, demographics, infrastructure impacts, and tribal considerations—to help demonstrate severe local effects. The bill also orders the Government Accountability Office to review FEMA’s 2019 rule on the factors used to evaluate individual assistance requests, checking for consistency and equity. A report on that review must be sent to the relevant House and Senate committees within a year.

Key Provisions

Adds a new requirement for states to provide detailed socioeconomic and infrastructure impact data (e.g., per‑capita income, poverty rates, disability percentages, utility disruptions) to show severe localized disaster impacts, especially for small and rural areas.
Mandates the Comptroller General (GAO) to review FEMA’s 2019 final rule on Individual Assistance Declaration Factors, assessing the criteria, consistency, and equity effects of the rule.
Requires the GAO to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee within one year of the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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19 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 650.

December 14, 2022

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 24, 2022

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

March 24, 2022

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee

March 25, 2022

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Discharged.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

April 28, 2022

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

April 28, 2022

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

April 28, 2022

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 117-360.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

June 13, 2022

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 272.

June 13, 2022

HouseFloor

Mr. DeFazio moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

June 13, 2022 • 3:25 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5458-5460)

June 13, 2022 • 3:25 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7211.

June 13, 2022 • 3:25 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

June 13, 2022 • 3:34 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5531-5532)

June 14, 2022 • 6:18 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 14 (Roll no. 269).(text: 6/13/2022 CR H5458-5459)

View vote Passed

June 14, 2022 • 6:26 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 14 (Roll no. 269). (text: 6/13/2022 CR H5458-5459)

View vote Passed

June 14, 2022 • 6:26 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

June 14, 2022 • 6:26 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

June 15, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

September 28, 2022

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with amendments. With written report No. 117-259.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

December 14, 2022

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 650.

December 14, 2022

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

June 14, 2022 at 6:22 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

396 - 14

Floor Debate

7 members

What members said about H.R. 7211 on the floor

+2

6 Republicans1 Democrat

Rep. Peter A. DeFazioD-OR-4 · Jun 13, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7211) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, review a final rule of the Federal Emergency…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7211) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, review a final rule of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7211.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7211. This bill amends the Stafford Act to expand the responsibilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Small State Rural Advocate so they can better assist smaller States and rural communities that have difficulty dealing with the forms and all the requirements to apply for disaster funding.

When disaster strikes the heart of a small or rural community, a significant percentage of the overall infrastructure or housing stock is often damaged or destroyed. However, the community's size may make the total dollar amount of damage seem too low for FEMA to authorize Federal assistance.

This legislation will enable the Small State Rural Advocate to better help States demonstrate localized impact when applying for Federal disaster aid. It also directs the advocate to consider factors such as the impacted jurisdiction's per capita income and poverty status, among other factors.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, thank the gentleman from New York for his leadership on this issue and his friendship on the committee. We are both moving on to maybe greener pastures, but this is an important piece of legislation as part of his legacy. There is much more to it, but at this point, this will be something that will help people around the country.

I lost the entire town of Blue River in my district in the Labor Day fires just 2 years ago. We had winds that we had never experienced before, gusting up to hurricane force down and out of the Cascade Mountains. A power line broke and started an inferno that moved at an incredible pace down the valley.

We are lucky a lot of people didn't die. The evacuation--there is only one way in and one way out of that town, and it is a miracle that more people weren't trapped. It was an extraordinary effort.

The town, except for the high school, which was a little way out of town, was totally devastated. They are now struggling back. They didn't have any technical expertise, in terms of a professional city manager or a grant writer or anything like that.

The State has rendered a lot of assistance to them, as has the county and as has the regional FEMA office. So, they are beginning to rebuild. This legislation will make it a lot easier for communities like that in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. John KatkoR-NY-24 · Jun 13, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Small State and Rural Rescue Act. I thank my friends, Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves, for their efforts to bring this bill to the floor…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Small State and Rural Rescue Act. I thank my friends, Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves, for their efforts to bring this bill to the floor today.

My constituents in central New York are all too familiar with the significant challenges that come with accessing Federal aid in the wake of a disaster.

Rural communities along Lake Ontario's southern shore in my district have seen historic flooding in recent years, and in the aftermath, local authorities have struggled to navigate the complex bureaucratic malaise which is the Federal disaster declaration process.

Similarly, across the country, rural communities and relatively small States are forced to grapple with red tape and often struggle to demonstrate the severe localized impact of these disasters. In these instances, FEMA's Small State and Rural Advocate plays a critical role in helping underserved communities access disaster relief.

The Small State and Rural Advocate's office is intended to help ensure fair access to FEMA assistance for all disaster-impacted areas, and it is essential that Congress reinforce its role in facilitating the delivery of essential aid.

That is why I was proud to introduce the Small State and Rural Rescue Act alongside Chairwoman Titus and Representatives Gimenez, Pappas, Guest, and Delgado--a bipartisan bunch.

This legislation takes important steps to expand and codify the responsibilities of FEMA's Small State and Rural Advocate when it comes to helping State and local officials respond to a disaster. Additionally, this legislation directs GAO to conduct a review of how FEMA mobilizes individual assistance to disaster zones, an essential part of the disaster relief process.

Legislation like this will go a long way in providing support for the rural communities and small States that many of us represent. This is especially important for any of my colleagues on this side of the aisle who may be concerned about their districts not receiving a fair share or an equitable share of the Federal disaster aid programs they pay into.

Mr. Speaker, the Small State and Rural Rescue Act is about fairness for rural communities. I firmly believe we should pass it into law, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 7211.

Rep. Dusty JohnsonR-SD · Jun 13, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko). Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I don't have any other speakers, so I would view this as my closing.…

Rep. Darin LaHoodR-IL-18 · Jun 14, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I was recorded as ``nay,'' but I intended to vote ``yea'' on rollcall No. 267. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Amodei (Balderson) Bustos (Mrvan) Carter…

Rep. Russ FulcherR-ID-1 · Jun 14, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Show 2 more

Rep. Bob GoodR-VA-5 · Jun 13, 2022

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Rep. Bruce WestermanR-AR-4 · Jun 14, 2022

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued December 14, 2022

II

Calendar No. 650

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7211

[Report No. 117–259]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 15, 2022

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

December 14, 2022

Reported by Mr. Peters, with amendments

Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic

AN ACT

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, review a final rule of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Small State and Rural Rescue Act.

2.

Designation of small State and rural advocate

Section 326(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165d(c)) is amended—

(1)

by striking and at the end of paragraph (2);

(2)

by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

(3)

assist States in the collection and presentation of material in the disaster or emergency declaration request relevant to demonstrate severe localized impacts within the State for a specific incident, including—

(A)

the per capita personal income by local area, as calculated by the Bureau of Economic Analysis;

(B)

the disaster impacted population profile, as reported by the Bureau of the Census, including—

(i)

the percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined;

(ii)

the percentage of the population already receiving Government assistance such as Supplemental Security Income and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits;

(iii)

the pre-disaster unemployment rate;

(iv)

the percentage of the population that is 65 years old and older;

(v)

the percentage of the population 18 years old and younger;

(vi)

the percentage of the population with a disability;

(vii)

the percentage of the population who speak a language other than English and speak English less than very well; and

(viii)

any unique considerations regarding American Indian and Alaskan Native Tribal populations raised in the State’s request for a major disaster declaration that may not be reflected in the data points referenced in this subparagraph;

(C)

the impact to community infrastructure, including—

(i)

disruptions to community life-saving and life-sustaining services;

(ii)

disruptions or increased demand for essential community services; and

(iii)

disruptions to transportation, infrastructure, and utilities; and

(D)

any other information relevant to demonstrate severe local impacts.; and

.

3.

GAO review of a final rule

(a)

In general

The Comptroller General shall conduct a review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s implementation of its final rule, published on March 21, 2019, amending section 206.48(b) of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (regarding factors considered when evaluating a Governor's request for a major disaster declaration), which revised the factors that the Agency considers when evaluating a Governor’s request for a major disaster declaration authorizing individual assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq).

(b)

Scope

The review required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)

An assessment of the criteria used by the Agency to assess individual assistance requests following a major disaster declaration authorizing individual assistance.

(2)

An assessment of the consistency with which the Agency uses the updated Individual Assistance Declaration Factors when assessing the impact of individual communities after a major disaster declaration.

(3)

An assessment of the impact, if any, of using the updated Individual Assistance Declaration Factors has had on equity in disaster recovery outcomes.

(4)

Recommendations to improve the use of the Individual Assistance Declaration Factors to increase equity in disaster recovery outcomes.

(c)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the review required under this section.

December 14, 2022

Reported with amendments