Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act

Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act or the Disaster AID Act

This bill increases, expedites, and facilitates access to disaster and hazard mitigation assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It also increases flexibility for compensating FEMA employees.

The bill allows FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to provide greater assistance before recipients incur project costs (i.e., advance assistance), increase funding for management costs, and expand the use of simplified application procedures. Also, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) may increase the maximum federal cost share from 75% to 85% for jurisdictions with a low capacity for investment in disaster resilience and increase the maximum advance assistance from 25% to 50% of project cost.

The bill also allows PA and HMGP recipients to use unexpended management cost funds for additional disaster resilience activities.

In addition, under current law, FEMA may set aside funding from the Disaster Relief Fund for predisaster mitigation. The bill requires FEMA to set aside and use such funds to provide a minimum annual amount of grant funding for predisaster mitigation.

Also, the bill establishes grants for hazard mitigation offices and post-disaster FEMA training on obtaining assistance.

Furthermore, if obligated FEMA disaster funding is not disbursed within 26 business days, FEMA must explain the delay and provide status updates.

Additionally, the bill allows FEMA to simultaneously provide both retirement benefits and salary for certain employees. Also, it allows a tax deduction to FEMA employees for expenses while away from home in excess of one year.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov