RIDER Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9680 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9680

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to expand eligibility for individual and public 
   assistance to certain areas and to include cumulative damage from 
multiple natural catastrophes in the definition of major disaster, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 19, 2024

  Mr. Babin (for himself and Mr. Garamendi) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
    Assistance Act to expand eligibility for individual and public 
   assistance to certain areas and to include cumulative damage from 
multiple natural catastrophes in the definition of major disaster, 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 ``Regional Impact of Disasters and 
Emergencies Relief Act'' or the ``RIDER Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTIGUOUS AREA.

    Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
        (c) and (d), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Contiguous Area.--
            ``(1) In general.--Any area under the jurisdiction of a 
        State, local government, or Indian tribal government, including 
        an area located in a State for which the President did not 
        declare a major disaster, that is contiguous to an area that 
        the President designates as eligible for any form of covered 
        assistance as a result of a major disaster (in this paragraph 
        referred to as the `eligible area') may be designated by the 
        Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as 
        being eligible for any form of covered assistance for which the 
        eligible area is eligible with respect to such disaster.
            ``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `covered 
        assistance' means--
                    ``(A) hazard mitigation assistance provided under 
                section 404;
                    ``(B) any assistance provided to an individual or 
                household under sections 408, 410, 415, 416, or 426; 
                and
                    ``(C) any public assistance provided under sections 
                403, 406, or 407.''.

SEC. 3. CUMULATIVE DAMAGE.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ```Major disaster' means'' and inserting 
        the following:
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `major disaster' 
                means''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Inclusion.--The term `major disaster' 
                includes a series of 2 or more natural catastrophes, 
                fires, floods, or explosions described in subparagraph 
                (A)--
                            ``(i) with respect to each of which the 
                        Governor of the affected State requested that 
                        the President declare that a major disaster 
                        exists under section 401(a);
                            ``(ii) that occurred during a 12-month 
                        period; and
                            ``(iii) that individually do not cause 
                        damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to 
                        warrant major disaster assistance under this 
                        Act, but that, in the determination of the 
                        President, cumulatively causes damage of 
                        sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant 
                        such assistance.''.

SEC. 4. INTERIM GUIDANCE.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall issue 
interim guidance to implement the amendments made by sections 2 and 3.

SEC. 5. RULEMAKING.

    Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, shall issue such rules and regulations as 
are necessary to--
            (1) ensure compliance with section 1232 of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 5170 note); and
            (2) implement the amendments made by sections 2 and 3.
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