Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act
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Would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to study ways to reduce paperwork burdens on disaster survivors and consolidate how agencies assess damage after federally declared disasters, then report its findings to Congress.
The bill targets longstanding criticism that federal disaster assistance involves duplicative, time-consuming information demands on applicants and fragmented damage assessments spread across multiple agencies — but it would mandate only a study and report, not operational changes.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would direct FEMA, in coordination with the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other agencies, to conduct a study and develop a plan to make disaster assistance information collection less burdensome, duplicative, and time-consuming for applicants and grantees. It would also require FEMA to develop a plan for regularly collecting and publicly reporting data on federal disaster assistance awarded, including maintaining a public website for that information.
Separately, within two years of enactment, FEMA would be required to convene a regular interagency working group to identify duplication or fragmentation in how preliminary damage assessments are conducted after disaster declarations, assess whether a single federal agency could perform those assessments for all agencies, and explore emerging technologies — such as drones — to speed up the process. FEMA would then submit one comprehensive report to Congress covering all of these plans and findings, post it publicly on its website, and brief congressional committees within 180 days of the report's submission.
Key provisions
- 1Would require FEMA, coordinating with SBA, HUD, and other agencies, to conduct a study and develop a plan to make disaster assistance information collection less burdensome and duplicative for applicants and grantees.
- 2Would require FEMA to develop a plan for regularly collecting and publicly reporting data on federal disaster assistance awarded, including a public-facing website.
- 3Would require FEMA to convene an interagency working group to identify duplication in preliminary damage assessments, explore centralizing assessments under one agency, and evaluate emerging technologies such as drones.
- 4Would require FEMA to submit one comprehensive report to Congress covering all plans and working group findings, made publicly available on FEMA's website in machine-readable and downloadable formats.
- 5Would require FEMA and a Council of Inspectors General representative to brief appropriate congressional committees within 180 days of submitting the comprehensive report.
Who would be affected
Disaster assistance applicants and grantees — including individuals and communities recovering from federally declared disasters — who currently face duplicative information demands across agencies. Federal agencies directed by the bill include FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Economic Development Administration.
Why it matters
For disaster survivors, burdensome and repetitive paperwork requirements can delay access to critical aid during already difficult circumstances. If FEMA's plans and working group findings lead to follow-on reforms, applicants could face fewer redundant information requests. The interagency working group on preliminary damage assessments could also identify whether consolidating those assessments under one agency would speed disaster declarations.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) (Sec. 2)
Replaces Section 1223 with new requirements for FEMA to study information collection streamlining, convene a working group on damage assessments, and submit a comprehensive report to Congress.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Deadline for FEMA to complete information collection study and convene working group on preliminary damage assessments
- Deadline for FEMA to brief congressional committees after submitting the comprehensive report
How implementation would work
FEMA's Administrator would lead the effort, coordinating with multiple agencies to produce two complementary plans within two years: one on streamlining applicant information collection, and one on public reporting of disaster assistance data. Simultaneously, FEMA would convene a multi-agency working group on preliminary damage assessments on a regular basis. All findings would be compiled into one comprehensive report submitted to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, posted publicly in machine-readable and downloadable formats, and followed by a congressional briefing within 180 days.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Official CRS summary
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This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to streamline disaster information collection, convene a working group on preliminary damage assessments, and provide a report to Congress.
FEMA must (1) conduct a study and develop a plan under which the collection of information from disaster assistance applicants and grantees will be made less burdensome, duplicative, and time consuming for applicants and grantees; and (2) develop a plan for the regular collection and reporting of information on federal disaster assistance awarded.
Additionally, not later than two years after enactment of the bill, FEMA must convene a working group on a regular basis to (1) identify potential areas of duplication or fragmentation in preliminary damage assessments after disaster declarations; (2) determine the applicability of having one federal agency make the assessments for all agencies; and (3) identify potential emerging technologies, such as unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones), to expedite the administration of preliminary damage assessments.
FEMA must submit a comprehensive report on the plans for streamlining and consolidating information collection and the findings and recommendations of the working group to Congress with a briefing. The report must be made available to the public and posted on FEMA's website.
Legislative subjects
Congressional oversight; Disaster relief and insurance; Emergency Management; Government information and archives; Government studies and investigations