(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Gulf Coast Recovery Act of 2005 - Authorizes the President to provide assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act) to reimburse an eligible state or local government 75% of the eligible expenses incurred between January 1 and June 30, 2006, for base pay and overtime expenses of employees who provide essential government services for response and recovery operations with respect Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on or after August 29, 2005.
Amends the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 to limit a disaster loan to 50% of a local government's operating budget for the fiscal year in which the disaster occurs.
Sets at 100% the federal share of assistance for debris removal under the Stafford Act with respect to such hurricanes.
Requires the President to contribute at least 75% of the cost of hazard mitigation measures approved under the Stafford Act in the one-year period following enactment of this Act with respect to such hurricanes.
Amends the Stafford Act to double from 7.5% to 15% of the estimated aggregate amount of federal disaster relief grants to be made with respect to a major disaster the limit on the total amount of contributions the President may make for cost-effective hazard mitigation measures in the disaster area.
Extends unemployment assistance in the case of an eligible individual affected by the hurricane disasters. Requires the President to make such assistance available for 52 weeks after the date of the disaster declaration. Requires the amount of such assistance for a week of unemployment, beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, to be at least 50% of the national average weekly unemployment benefit provided to an individual as of the date of the disaster declaration.
Amends the Stafford Act to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make grants to state and local governments to: (1) purchase or improve commercially available interoperable communications equipment; (2) purchase mobile equipment to generate emergency power; and (3) train first responders and emergency personnel on how to best use such equipment effectively.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2008.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4438 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4438
To establish special rules with respect to certain disaster assistance
provided for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 6, 2005
Mr. Shuster (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr.
Oberstar, Mr. Jindal, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Fortuno, Mr. Cummings, Mr.
Baker, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Boustany, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr.
Bachus, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Dent, Mr. Melancon, Mr. Pickering,
Mr. Honda, Mr. Poe, Mr. Holden, and Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish special rules with respect to certain disaster assistance
provided for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
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 ``Gulf Coast Recovery Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ALLOWABLE COSTS.
(a) In General.--Subject to the requirements of this section, and
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President may provide
assistance under sections 402 and 403 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170a; 5170b)
to an eligible State or local government to provide reimbursement for
expenses incurred by the State or local government, in the period
beginning January 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2006, for the base pay
and overtime expenses of employees (including employees provided by
contract or mutual aid agreements) who provide essential governmental
services for response and recovery operations with respect to disaster
declarations made for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on or after
August 29, 2005.
(b) Eligibility.--A State or local government shall be eligible for
assistance under subsection (a) if the State or local government
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the President that--
(1) the State or local government has suffered, with
respect to the disaster declarations referred to in subsection
(a), a loss in the operating revenues of the State or local
government; and
(2) the amount of that loss equals or exceeds 25 percent of
the annual operating revenue of the State or local government
in its most recent fiscal year ending before the date of the
disaster declaration.
(c) Essential Governmental Services Defined.--In this section, the
term ``essential governmental services'' means fire, law enforcement,
emergency medical, public works, emergency management, planning, and
building codes services.
(d) Building Code Services.--For purposes of subsections (a) and
(c), employees assisting in the permitting and inspection process
relating to implementation and enforcement of a building code shall be
considered to provide building code services.
(e) Amount of Reimbursement.--The amount of reimbursement to be
provided to a State or local government under this section shall be 75
percent of the expenses incurred by the State or local government that
are eligible for reimbursement under subsection (a).
(f) Eligibility Determinations.--The President shall complete all
eligibility determinations under subsection (b) on or before June 30,
2006.
SEC. 3. DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM.
Section 2(a) of the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 (Public Law
109-88) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 417(b) of
the Stafford Act such a loan may not exceed 50 percent of the operating
budget of the local government to which the loan is made for the fiscal
year in which the disaster occurs''.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL SHARE FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) there is ambiguity concerning the Federal share of the
cost of debris removal activities carried out under the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in
connection with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita; and
(2) this ambiguity creates disincentives for local
governments to utilize pre-existing, cost-effective contracts
to carry out such debris removal activities.
(b) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Federal share of assistance provided for debris removal under sections
403 and 407 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5106b; 5173) with respect to disaster
declarations made for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on or after
August 29, 2005, shall be 100 percent.
SEC. 5. HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
President shall contribute not less than 75 percent of the cost of
hazard mitigation measures that are approved in the 1-year period
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act under section 404(a) of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5170c(a)) with respect to disaster declarations made for
Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on or after August 29, 2005. To
the greatest extent practicable, the President shall assist State and
local governments in expediting the planning for, identification and
development of, application for, and approval of such projects.
(b) Total Contributions.--
(1) Percentage.--The last sentence of section 404(a) of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5170c(a)) is amended by striking ``7.5'' and
inserting ``15''.
(2) Applicability.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply with respect to major disaster declarations made on
or after August 29, 2005.
SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of an
individual eligible to receive unemployment assistance under section
410(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5177(a)) as a result of a disaster
declaration made for Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita on or after
August 29, 2005--
(1) the President shall make such assistance available for
52 weeks after the date of the disaster declaration; and
(2) beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the
amount of such assistance for a week of unemployment shall be
not less than 50 percent of the national average weekly
unemployment benefit provided to an individual as of the date
of the disaster declaration.
SEC. 7. EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT ASSISTANCE.
Subtitle B of title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5197-5197h) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 630. EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT ASSISTANCE.
``(a) Grants.--The Director shall carry out a program to make
grants to States and local governments--
``(1) to purchase or improve commercially available
interoperable communications equipment that--
``(A) complies with, where applicable, national
voluntary consensus standards;
``(B) facilitates interoperability, coordination,
and integration between and among emergency
communications systems (including satellite phone and
satellite communications equipment); and
``(C) ensures that first responders, government
officials, and emergency personnel are able to
adequately and effectively communicate with each other
in the event of a major disaster or other emergency;
``(2) to purchase mobile equipment to generate emergency
power; and
``(3) to train first responders and emergency personnel on
how best to use effectively such equipment.
``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to improve the
response capabilities of States and local governments in the event of a
major disaster or other emergency.
``(c) Applications.--A State or local government seeking a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the Director at such
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Director may require.
``(d) Technical Assistance.--The Director shall provide to States
and local governments technical assistance with respect to the
procurement, installation, and use of equipment under subsection
(a)(1).
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2006, 2007, and 2008.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-364.
Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-364.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 195.
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