Sec. 101. Office of Disaster Response; Office of Disaster Recovery; Office of Long-Term Recovery

596 words·~3 min read·/bill/115/hr/7333/ih/section-101

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Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the Office of Response and Recovery of the Agency is divided into an Office of Disaster Response and an Office of Disaster Recovery, subject to the requirements of this section. The duties of the Office of Disaster Response shall be as follows: Lead Federal disaster response. Prepare for, coordinate, and facilitate Federal support for State managed and locally executed multi-stakeholder engagement in planning and coordinating of disaster response.

Coordinate and manage Federal Emergency Management Agency assigned staff and maintain awareness of other Federal agency disaster response assigned staff or other personnel deployments to State or local government offices to better collaborate and coordinate Federal efforts in support of State managed and locally executed disaster preparedness and response activities. Conduct public education on the disaster response roles of Federal, State and local governments. Any other duty determined appropriate by the Administrator.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall appoint an Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Response and deputy associate administrators, as determined appropriate. The Administrator may create, and appoint individuals to, such positions as are considered necessary by the Administrator, including— a military liaison officer to work with the defense coordinating officer; and a Liaison Officer for Asset Acquisition and Deployment in Federal supported, State managed, and locally executed plan to support the delivery of funds, equipment, and resources to local jurisdictions in advance of pending disasters by facilitating engagement by the private sector with State and local governments in support of meeting the pending disaster response needs.

The duties of the Office of Disaster Recovery shall be as follows: Assess recovery following a disaster and make recommendations on the estimated time for recovery. Provide definitions of what constitutes a short-term recovery and a long-term recovery, and how this determination shall be made in assessing post disaster recovery periods. Coordinate and manage Federal assigned staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be sent to work in State or local government agencies.

Carry out the accurate collection, retention, and reporting of data related to Federal disaster recovery and shall act as a resource on post-disaster recovery efforts. Submit to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate an annual report on the status of all recovery projects during the prior year, including whether Federal projects are on time, within cost, and meeting the needs and objectives of recovery.

Provide for civil engineers that make recommendations to the Administrator and partnering Federal agencies on the scope and severity of damage, projections on rehabilitation, demolition, repair, and reconstruction of critical infrastructure deemed essential to Federal, State, and local government, accessing impacted areas, or achieving stability in the recovery process. Any other duty determined appropriate by the Administrator. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall appoint an Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and deputy associate administrators, as determined appropriate.

The Administrator may create, and appoint individuals to, such positions as are considered necessary by the Administrator. The Office of Disaster Response and the Office of Disaster Recovery shall both employ an ombudsman. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish an Office of Long Term Recovery. The duties of such Office shall be determined by the Administrator.