H.R. 7211 – Reading Mode

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.

Short title

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

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

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