H.R. 8695

119 HR 8695 IH: No Delays in Disaster Relief Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-05-07
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 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8695  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   May 7, 2026   Ms. Letlow  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure    A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to appoint an Acting Regional Administrator in any case in which a Regional Administrator position of the Agency has been vacant for at least 90 days, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   No Delays in Disaster Relief Act  .
2.
Acting Regional Administrators of Federal Emergency Management Agency
(a)
Establishment
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish a process by which the Administrator appoints an Acting Regional Administrator in any case in which a Regional Administrator position of the Agency has been vacant for at least 90 days.
(b)
Authority of Acting Regional Administrator
In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure that an Acting Regional Administrator shall have the authority to—
(1)
make relevant grant and programmatic decisions necessary to support the timely obligation and disbursement of funds; and
(2)
process and disburse Federal grant assistance to States and local governments.
(c)
Report to Congress
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to Congress that includes the following:
(1)
A description of actions taken to implement the delegation of approval authority, including any updates to policy, guidance, or internal controls.
(2)
Identification of regions of the Agency with vacancies exceeding 180 days and the status of Acting Regional Administrator designations.
(3)
The scope of authorities delegated to Acting Regional Administrators and any limitations placed on such authorities.
(4)
Data on grant processing and award timelines before and after implementation, including any measurable improvements in timeliness of obligations and disbursements.
(5)
An assessment of the impact of delegated authority on program efficiency, internal controls, and risk management.
(6)
Any challenges encountered in implementation, including legal, operational, or staffing constraints, and steps taken to address them.
(7)
Any recommendations for legislative or administrative changes needed to further improve the timely delivery of Federal assistance of the Agency.