All Roll Calls
Yes: 405 • No: 5
119-hr-152119th CongressWALLET
Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act
Sponsored By: Representative Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]
Passed House
Summary
The Hook:
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This bill would require a coordinated two-year study to streamline federal disaster assistance information collection and preliminary damage assessments. It directs agencies to create plans that cut duplicative paperwork for applicants and explore centralized damage checks and faster assessment tools.
The Impact:
- Applicants and grantees: The study must produce a plan within 2 years to make information collection less burdensome, consolidated, and faster so survivors and organizations face less duplicated paperwork.
- Federal agencies and responders: A recurring working group will map duplication in preliminary damage assessments, evaluate having one agency perform those checks, and identify emerging technologies such as unmanned aircraft systems to speed assessments.
- Public and Congress: FEMA must publish a comprehensive, machine-readable report of the plans and findings on its website and provide briefings to congressional committees within 180 days after the report is submitted.
The Bottom Line:
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster unified damage checks after disasters
If enacted, FEMA would convene a regular federal working group within 2 years to improve preliminary damage assessments. The group would look for duplicate work, consider whether one agency should do all assessments, and identify tech like drones to speed reviews. Agencies involved would include Labor, OMB, HHS, SBA, Transportation, Commerce, and inspectors general. This could speed aid decisions after disasters.
Simpler disaster paperwork and public aid data
If enacted, FEMA would work with other agencies to study and plan ways to cut and simplify disaster aid forms. Within 2 years, they would set a plan to collect and regularly report award data and run a public website showing federal disaster aid awards. FEMA would send one combined report to Congress with these plans and post it online in easy-to-download, machine-readable files. Within 180 days after sending the report, FEMA and inspectors general staff would brief committees if asked.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]
MS • R
Cosponsors
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 1/13/2025
Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
Sponsored 1/13/2025
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 1/13/2025
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Yes: 405 • No: 5