S. 4022

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4022 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4022

To establish an interagency task force on expediting disaster relief 
funding, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 5, 2026

Mr. Budd (for himself and Mr. Warnock) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish an interagency task force on expediting disaster relief 
funding, and for other purposes.

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 ``Disaster Recovery Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Numerous programs administered by Federal agencies, 
while not dedicated exclusively to disaster recovery, play a 
critical role in supporting and expediting recovery efforts.
(2) The delayed delivery of Federal disaster relief funding 
to local communities in the wake of recent natural disasters, 
including Hurricane Helene, revealed new and longstanding 
bottlenecks in Federal disaster response.
(3) State and local governments should have greater input 
in how the Federal Government administers disaster relief 
assistance and responsibility for responding to natural 
disasters.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Federal 
agencies must incorporate recommendations from State and local 
governments to improve their disaster response capability.

SEC. 3. DISASTER RECOVERY IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall establish an interagency task force on 
expediting disaster relief funding to be known as the ``Disaster 
Recovery Improvement Task Force''.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The interagency task force established 
under subsection (a), shall consist of--
(A) a senior official from the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, appointed by the Administrator of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to serve as 
chair;
(B) a senior official, appointed by the head of the 
respective agency of the official, experienced in 
handling disaster recovery matters from each of--
(i) the Small Business Administration;
(ii) the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development;
(iii) the Department of Agriculture;
(iv) the Department of Health and Human 
Services;
(v) the Department of Labor;
(vi) the Department of Transportation;
(vii) the Department of Commerce;
(viii) the Department of the Treasury;
(ix) the Department of the Interior;
(x) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(xi) the Army Corp of Engineers; and
(xii) the Office of Management and Budget;
(C) 4 state governors, jointly appointed by the 
Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives, representing States that, 
during the 3-year period immediately preceding 
appointment to the interagency task force, have 
experienced a major disaster, as defined in section 401 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), of which--
(i) 1 was a hurricane;
(ii) 1 was a wildfire;
(iii) 1 was a tornado; and
(iv) 1 was an earthquake; and
(D) 4 county commissioners, jointly appointed by 
the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, 
representing a county in a State that, during the 3-
year period immediately preceding appointment to the 
interagency task force, have experienced a major 
disaster, as defined in section 401 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5170), of which--
(i) 1 was a hurricane;
(ii) 1 was a wildfire;
(iii) 1 was a tornado; and
(iv) 1 was an earthquake.
(2) Advisory members.--Members of Congress representing the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives may serve on the interagency 
task force established under subsection (a) as advisory members 
in a non-voting capacity.
(c) Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the interagency task force established 
under subsection (a) shall submit to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and make publicly available a report 
that--
(A) identifies the programs, including temporary 
programs, for which Congress appropriates funds to aid 
recovery purposes relating to the consequences of 
natural disasters;
(B) contains recommendations for Federal agencies 
on the most effective way to expedite disaster relief 
efforts, including recommendations to--
(i) streamline the establishment and 
administration of temporary programs;
(ii) improve the timeliness, accessibility, 
and clarity of applications for funding; and
(iii) reduce delays in the review and 
obligation of funds with respect to 
applications received;
(C) identifies the different types of funding 
mechanisms for which Congress provides appropriations 
to Federal agencies for disaster relief, including 
grants, loans, reimbursements, and contract authority;
(D) contains recommendations to Federal agencies 
and Congress on the most effective way to expedite the 
expenditure of the funds identified under subparagraph 
(C) toward disaster relief;
(E) contains recommendations for Federal agencies 
and Congress to strengthen State capacity to prepare 
for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters;
(F) identifies factors that cause delays in 
disaster relief program funding being made available or 
obligated, including during transitions from one 
presidential administration to another presidential 
administration;
(G) includes recommendations on how outgoing and 
incoming Presidential administrations can equip 
themselves to set up and deliver disaster relief aid 
without delay, including an assessment of actions 
required of both outgoing and incoming Presidential 
administrations to ensure continuity and uninterrupted 
delivery of disaster relief funding;
(H) evaluates barriers within Federal agencies and 
across Federal agencies that delay the obligation or 
expenditure of disaster relief funds and provides 
recommendations to address those barriers; and
(I) assesses specific actions taken by Federal 
agencies over time that have improved or hindered 
interagency coordination, State and local engagement, 
and the timely delivery of disaster relief funding.
(2) Recommendations.--In making recommendations for the 
report under paragraph (1), the interagency task force shall 
make recommendations for ways to expedite making available and 
obligating specific funding appropriated by Congress to certain 
agencies, including--
(A) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
including with respect to Public Assistance funding 
under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172) 
and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding under 
section 404 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 5170);
(B) to the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, including with respect to funding under 
the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery 
program;
(C) to the Department of Agriculture, including 
with respect to funding for necessary expenses relating 
to losses of revenue or quality or production of crops 
as a consequence of a major disaster, as defined in 
section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170);
(D) to the Department of Agriculture, including 
with respect to Forest Service operations, forest and 
rangeland research, state, private, and tribal 
forestry, and National Forest System funding for 
necessary expenses relating to the consequences of 
disaster relief;
(E) to the Department of Labor, including with 
respect to Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant 
funding under section 170 of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225);
(F) to the Department of Commerce, including with 
respect to Economic Development Administration funding 
under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.);
(G) to the Department of the Interior, including 
with respect to National Park Service Historic 
Preservation Fund and construction funding for 
necessary expenses relating to the consequences of 
disaster relief; and
(H) to the Environmental Protection Agency, 
including with respect to Clean Water State Revolving 
Fund funding under title VI of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.).
(3) Implementation report.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the interagency task force submits the report 
under paragraph (1), the interagency task force shall submit to 
the congressional committees described in that paragraph a 
report detailing--
(A) which of the recommendations contained in the 
report under paragraph (1) shall be implemented by 
Federal agencies and why those recommendations in the 
report not being implemented are not selected for 
implementation;
(B) how the recommendations selected for 
implementation will be carried out; and
(C) legislative recommendations for Congress to 
support the recommendations selected for 
implementation.
(d) No Additional Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this Act.
(e) Termination.--The interagency task force established under 
subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 90 days after the 
date on which the interagency task force submits the report under 
subsection (c)(3).
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