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• Hurricane Michael: Brief Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources [November 5, 2018]

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  "This Insight provides a brief overview of emergency and major disaster declarations relevant to Hurricane Michael, and selected federal resources and links to CRS [Congressional Research Service] products related to Stafford Act declarations, disaster response, and recovery. Hurricane Michael made landfall on the panhandle of Florida as a category 4 on October 10, 2018 and affected parts of Georgia. In anticipation of the landfall, President Trump issued an emergency declaration to Florida on October 7, 2018. On October 11, 2018, the President issued an emergency declaration to Georgia, and issued a major disaster declaration to Florida. Authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, emergency declarations may authorize direct federal assistance and grant assistance to affected state and local governments to protect property, ensure public health and safety, and other activities that lessen or avert an incident becoming a catastrophic incident."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lindsay, Bruce R.; Reese, Shawn; Brown, Jared T. . . .

  2018-11-05
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [Updated January 14, 2019]

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  "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, Title XIII of P.L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.). The NFIP received a short-term reauthorization through December 8, 2017, a second short-term reauthorization through December 22, 2017, and a third short-term reauthorization through January 19, 2018. The NFIP lapsed between January 20 and January 22, 2018, and received a fourth short-term reauthorization until February 8, 2018. The NFIP lapsed for approximately eight hours during a brief government shutdown in the early morning of February 9, 2018, and was then reauthorized until March 23, 2018. The NFIP received a sixth reauthorization until July 31, 2018, a seventh reauthorization until November 30, 2018, an eighth reauthorization until December 7, 2018,8 a ninth reauthorization until December 21, 2018, and a tenth reauthorization until May 31, 2019. [...] This report provides introductory information on key components of the NFIP, ranging from floodplain mapping to the standard flood insurance forms. This report will be updated as significant revisions are made to the NFIP through legislation or administrative action."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Horn, Diane P.; Brown, Jared T.

  2019-01-14
• Floodplain Management and Flood Resilience: Current Policy and Considerations for Congress [September 06, 2017]

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  "An issue for Congress is how federal floodplain policy shapes implementation of federal projects and programs. Federal floodplain policy has particular relevance for federal disaster recovery assistance and infrastructure support. President Trump and, earlier, Presidents Obama and Carter have provided direction on federal floodplain policy. This Insight describes presidential direction to federal agencies on floodplain management and flood resilience and presents considerations for Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Carter, Nicole T.; Horn, Diane P.; Brown, Jared T.

  2017-09-06
• Congressional Considerations Related to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma [September 08, 2017]

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  "This Insight provides a short overview of issues Congress may consider in relation to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It is not intended to provide up-to-date information on unfolding events. For storm-related updates and the current status of response efforts, see official government sources (e.g., Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Weather Service), congressional advisories from government sources, and/or news media [...] As of noon on September 8, in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, President Trump has issued major disaster declarations for Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and emergency declarations for Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act). Depending on future consequences, major disaster declarations could yet be made for those areas that have already received emergency declarations. These declarations can also be further amended, as has happened for the Texas declaration, to add counties and types of assistance as warranted. The President has also amended the Texas declaration to decrease the state cost share requirements for some of FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) grants being provided through the Stafford Act."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; Carter, Nicole T.; Horn, Diane P. . . .

  2017-09-08
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [September 12, 2017]

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  "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, Title XIII of P.L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was recently reauthorized from October 1, 2017, to December 8, 2017. Prior to that, the NFIP was reauthorized by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Title II of P.L. 112-141, henceforth BW-12) from July 6, 2012, to September 30, 2017. Congress amended elements of BW-12, but did not extend the NFIP's authorization further, in the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-89, henceforth HFIAA). The NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its subcomponent the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). As of June 2017, the NFIP had 4.94 million flood insurance policies providing approximately $1.23 trillion in coverage. The program collects about $3.5 billion in annual premium revenue. Nationally, as of August 2017, about 22,276 communities in 56 states and jurisdictions participated in the NFIP. According to FEMA, the program saves the nation an estimated $1.87 billion annually in flood losses avoided because of the NFIP's building and floodplain management regulations."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; Horn, Diane P.

  2017-09-12
• Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies [September 08, 2017]

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  "The principles of disaster management assume a leadership role by the local, state, and tribal governments affected by the incident. The federal government provides coordinated supplemental resources and assistance, only if requested and approved. The immediate response to a disaster is guided by the National Response Framework (NRF), which details roles and responsibilities at various levels of government, along with cooperation from the private and nonprofit sectors, for differing incidents and support functions. A possible declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended) must, in almost all cases, be requested by the governor of a state or the chief executive of an affected Indian tribal government, who at that point has declared that the situation is beyond the capacity of the state or tribe to respond. The governor/chief also determines for which parts of the state/tribal territory assistance will be requested, and suggests the types of assistance programs that may be needed. The President considers the request, in consultation with officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and makes the initial decisions on the areas to be included as well as the programs that are implemented."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; Lindsay, Bruce R.; Petruzzelli, Jaclyn

  2017-09-08
• Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies [September 13, 2018]

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  "The principles of disaster management assume a leadership role by the local,state, and tribal governments affected by the incident. The federal government provides coordinated supplemental resources and assistance, only if requested and approved. The immediate response to a disaster is guided by the National Response Framework (NRF), which details roles and responsibilities at various levels of government, along with cooperation from the private and nonprofit sectors, for differing incidents and support functions. A possible declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act,P.L. 93-288, as amended) must, in almost all cases, be requested by the governor of a state or the chief executive of an affected Indian tribal government, who at that point has declared that the situation is beyond the capacity of the state or tribe to respond. The governor/chief also determines for which parts of the state/tribal territory assistance will be requested, and suggests the types of assistance programs that may be needed. The President considers the request, in consultation with officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and makes the initial decisions on the areas to be included as well as the programs that are implemented."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; Lindsay, Bruce R.

  2018-09-13
• Hurricane Michael: Brief Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources [October 11, 2018]

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  "This Insight provides a brief overview of emergency and major disaster declarations relevant to Hurricane Michael, and selected federal resources and links to CRS [Congressional Budget Office] products related to Stafford Act declarations, disaster response, and recovery. Hurricane Michael made landfall on the panhandle of Florida as a category 4 on October 10, 2018 and affected parts of Georgia. In anticipation of the landfall, President Trump issued an emergency declaration to Florida on October 7, 2018. On October 11, 2018, the President issued an emergency declaration to Georgia, and issued a major disaster declaration to Florida. Authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, emergency declarations may authorize direct federal assistance and grant assistance to affected state and local governments to protect property, ensure public health and safety, and other activities that lessen or avert an incident becoming a catastrophic incident."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Lindsay, Bruce R.; Reese, Shawn; Brown, Jared T. . . .

  2018-10-11
• FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program: Overview and Issues [Updated August 27, 2014]

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  From the Program Purposes: "The purpose of the original pre-disaster hazard mitigation pilot program, known as Project Impact, as well as the successor Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program, has been to implement hazard reduction measures prior to a disaster event. Those measures are similar to those actions taken following a disaster under the authority of the Section 404 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The range of eligible projects might include retrofitting public buildings against hurricane-force winds or seismic damage, acquiring and relocating properties out of a flood plain, elevating structures in a flood plain, flood-proofing public buildings, managing vegetation to mitigate against wildfires, or constructing or converting public spaces into 'safe rooms' in tornado-prone areas."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; McCarthy, Francis X.

  2014-08-27
• Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Considerations for Congress [Updated March 2, 2020]

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  From the Summary: "The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 (P.L. 81-774, 50 U.S.C. §§4501 et seq.), as amended, confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in the interest of national defense. The authorities can be used across the federal government to shape the domestic industrial base so that, when called upon, it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed for the national defense. Though initially passed in response to the Korean War, the DPA is historically based on the War Powers Acts of World War II. Gradually, Congress has expanded the term national defense, as defined in the DPA. Based on this definition, the scope of DPA authorities now extends beyond shaping U.S. military preparedness and capabilities, as the authorities may also be used to enhance and support domestic preparedness, response, and recovery from natural hazards, terrorist attacks, and other national emergencies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cecire, Michael H.; Peters, Heidi M.; Brown, Jared T. . . .

  2020-03-02
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [Updated October 8, 2019]

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  From the Summary: "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was most recently reauthorized to November 21, 2019, through a series of short-term reauthorizations. The general purpose of the NFIP is both to offer primary flood insurance to properties with significant flood risk, and to reduce flood risk through the adoption of floodplain management standards. Communities volunteer to participate in the NFIP in order to have access to federal flood insurance, and in return are required to adopt minimum standards."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Horn, Diane P.; Webel, Baird; Brown, Jared T.

  2019-10-08
• FEMA's Community Disaster Loan Program: History, Analysis, and Issues for Congress [Updated December 14, 2012]

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  From the Summary: "The core purpose of the Community Disaster Loan (CDL) program is to provide financial assistance to local governments that are having difficulty providing government services because of a loss in tax or other revenue following a disaster. The program assists local governments by offering federal loans to compensate for this temporary or permanent loss in local revenue. [...] This report compares and analyzes three different categories of loans issued in different time periods in the program's history: 'traditional' loans issued between 1974 and 2005, in 2007, and between 2009 and June 2012 (TCDLs); 'special' (SCDLs) loans issued in 2005-2006 following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and loans issued under unique provisions in 2008 (2008 CDLs). As authorized by Congress and administered by FEMA, the SCDL and 2008 loan categories had different provisions than traditional loans to guide the eligibility of local governments and dollar size of the loans. SCDLs also had unique provisions that slightly altered the purpose of the loans, lowered the interest rate charged on the loans, and clarified the cancellation procedures for the loans."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.

  2012-12-14
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [July 25, 2017]

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  "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, Title XIII of P.L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was most recently reauthorized by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Title II of P.L. 112-141, henceforth BW-12). Congress amended elements of BW-12, but did not extend the NFIP's authorization further in the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-89, henceforth HFIAA). The NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its subcomponent the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). As of February 2017, the NFIP had 4.99 million flood insurance policies providing approximately $1.24 trillion in coverage. The program collects about $3.5 billion in annual premium revenue. Nationally, as of April 2017, about 22,249 communities in 56 states and jurisdictions participated in the NFIP. According to FEMA, the program saves the nation an estimated $1.87 billion annually in flood losses avoided because of the NFIP's building and floodplain management regulations. This report provides introductory information on key components of the NFIP, ranging from floodplain mapping to the standard flood insurance forms. This report does not provide detail on current or future legislative issues for Congress. This report will be updated as significant revisions are made to the NFIP through legislation or administrative action. CRS also has a separate report on flood insurance and other federal disaster assistance programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Horn, Diane P.; Brown, Jared T.

  2017-07-25
• Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [April 30, 2018]

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  "The NFIP [National Flood Insurance Program] was established by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was most recently reauthorized to July 31, 2018, through a series of short-term reauthorizations. The general purpose of the NFIP is both to offer primary flood insurance to properties with significant flood risk, and to reduce flood risk through the adoption of floodplain management standards. Communities volunteer to participate in the NFIP in order to have access to federal flood insurance, and in return are required to adopt minimum standards. [..] Congress has provided appropriations to the NFIP for some of the cost of Risk MAP. Congress also authorizes the use of premium revenues for other NFIP costs, including administration, salaries, and other expenses. NFIP premiums also include other charges, such as a Federal Policy Fee, a Reserve Fund assessment, and a surcharge to help fund the NFIP. In October 2017, Congress cancelled $16 billion of NFIP debt, making it possible for the program to pay claims for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. The NFIP currently owes $20.525 billion to the U.S. Treasury, leaving $9.9 billion in borrowing authority from a $30.425 billion limit in law. This debt is serviced by the NFIP and interest is paid through premium revenues. After July 31, 2018, key authorities of the NFIP, such as the authority to issue new insurance contracts, will expire if they are not reauthorized by Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Horn, Diane P.; Brown, Jared T.

  2018-04-30
• Private Flood Insurance in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [April 25, 2016]

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  "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) The NFIP was first authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was most recently reauthorized by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (BW-12, Title II of P.L. 112-141). In statute, Congress has found that: (1) many factors have made it uneconomic for the private insurance industry alone to make flood insurance available to those in need of such protection on reasonable terms and conditions; but (2) a program of flood insurance with large-scale participation of the Federal Government and carried out to the maximum extent practicable by the private insurance industry is feasible and can be initiated. (42 U.S.C. §4001(b))"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Brown, Jared T.; Webel, Baird

  2016-04-25