House Committee Advances Disaster Recovery Act

July 24, 2019

The House Financial Services Committee recently voted unanimously to approve H.R. 3702, the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019.” Representative Al Green (D-TX-9) is the bill's sponsor, and Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO-2) is an original co-sponsor. H.R. 3702 will now go to the full House for a vote.

The final bill intends to strengthen administration and oversight of the CDBG-DR Program to ensure that disaster recovery funds are distributed efficiently and equitably. In addition to codifying CDBG-DR in statute, H.R. 3702 includes provisions that:

  • Direct HUD to issue regulations for the CBDG-DR Program;
  • Prioritize funds for low- and moderate-income disaster survivors;
  • Create a significant set-aside for disaster mitigation activities;
  • Ensure that investments result in infrastructure and communities resilient to future disasters;
  • Set reasonable timelines for allocation, action plans, and grant agreements;
  • Promote interagency coordination and data sharing between HUD, FEMA, and the SBA;
  • Create a capacity building and technical assistance set-aside for grantees; and
  • Direct HUD to issue a compilation of best practices and model language for action plans.

 

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