What This Bill Does
This bill modifies federal disaster relief procedures for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. It changes how the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles recovery assistance and payments for four specific disaster incidents.
Who It Affects
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (the federal agency that manages disaster relief), local governments in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, nonprofit organizations, work providers and contractors, and suppliers working on disaster recovery projects.
Key Provisions
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency must treat multicomponent systems or facilities as a single project during inspection and evaluation, rather than inspecting each component separately. (Sec. 1)
• When requested by an applicant, the agency must allow professionally licensed engineers to evaluate and authorize projects through a specific procedure. (Sec. 1)
• The deadline for presenting cost estimates and project worksheets for the four specified disasters is extended to October 31, 2021. (Sec. 1)
• Local governments and nonprofit organizations meeting federal cost-sharing requirements may use various funding sources, including disaster recovery grants and community disaster loans, to cover cumulative costs under an approved assistance category rather than applying individually for each cost estimate. (Sec. 4)
• Work performed by providers, suppliers and contractors must be paid for and reimbursed in a timely manner. (Sec. 3)
What Changes
The bill simplifies how disaster recovery projects are evaluated and funded in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. It allows local governments and nonprofits to combine different funding sources to meet federal cost-sharing requirements instead of handling each project separately.
Important Definitions
A "subrecipient" means a local government or a nongovernmental organization.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 601
To modify certain requirements to encourage the recovery of Puerto Rico
and the United States Virgin Islands.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 27, 2023
Mrs. GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To modify certain requirements to encourage the recovery
of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES.
3
In providing assistance pursuant to section 428 of the
4
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
5
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189f), for critical services as set
6
forth in section 406(a)(3) for the duration of the recovery
7
for incidents DR–4336–PR, DR–4339–PR, DR–4340–
8
USVI, and DR–4335–USVI, the Administrator of the
9
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall—
10
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:24 Mar 24, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H601.IH
H601
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2
•HR 601 IH
(1) revise the guidance definitions for applica-
1
tion of section 20601 of the Bipartisan Budget Act
2
of 2018 (Public Law 115–123) to provide explicitly
3
that multicomponent systems or facilities be in-
4
spected, evaluated, and estimated as a single project
5
rather than requiring every component of the system
6
to be inspected, evaluated, and estimated;
7
(2) at the request of an applicant, put into ef-
8
fect a procedure for evaluation and authorization of
9
projects through professionally licensed engineers, as
10
provided by subparagraphs (F) and (G) of sub-
11
section (e)(1) of section 428 of the Robert T. Staf-
12
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act;
13
and
14
(3) extend the deadline for the presentation of
15
cost estimates and project worksheets under such in-
16
cidents until October 31, 2021.
17
SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT RECOVERY.
18
Section 20601 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
19
(Public Law 115–123) is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and
20
inserting ‘‘shall’’.
21
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:24 Mar 24, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H601.IH
H601
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3
•HR 601 IH
SEC. 3. TIMELY BASIS FOR PAYMENT AND REIMBURSE-
1
MENT.
2
Section 428(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re-
3
lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189f) is
4
amended—
5
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’;
6
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and
7
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
8
(3) by adding at the end the following:
9
‘‘(5) ensuring that work performed by pro-
10
viders, suppliers, and contractors to the Federal,
11
State, local, or tribal governments or nonprofit fa-
12
cilities under the provisions of this Act is paid for
13
and reimbursed in a timely manner.’’.
14
SEC. 4. SUBRECIPIENT PAYMENTS.
15
(a) IN
GENERAL.—For incidents DR–4336–PR,
16
DR–4339–PR, DR–4340–USVI, and DR–4335–USVI.
17
For any major disaster or emergency declared under the
18
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
19
ance Act (42 U.S.C 5121 et seq.) in Puerto Rico or the
20
United States Virgin Islands, a subrecipient in meeting
21
any Federal cost-sharing requirement may use available
22
funds from any disaster recovery program/source, includ-
23
ing Community Development Block Grants—Disaster Re-
24
covery, Community Development Block Grants, commu-
25
nity disaster loans, and any in-kind contributions (unless
26
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:24 Mar 24, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H601.IH
H601
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 601 IH
prohibited by law) to meet any Federal cost-sharing re-
1
quirement. Such funds or loans shall cover the cumulative
2
costs of any approved obligation under the specific public
3
assistance category determined by the Federal Emergency
4
Management Administration under such Act rather than
5
having to apply individually to each specific cost estimate
6
or project worksheet issued under such obligation.
7
(b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
8
term ‘‘subrecipient’’ means a local government or a non-
9
governmental organization (NGO).
10
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:24 Mar 24, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H601.IH
H601
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB