Small Project Efficient and Effective Disaster Recovery Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 5641) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to increase the threshold for eligibility for assistance under sections 403, 406, 407, and 502 of such Act, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the Senate amendments is as follows:

Senate amendments: (1)On page 2, line 13, strike [``AND REPORT'' after ``REVIEW''] and insert ``and Report'' after ``Review''. (2)On page 3, after line 3, insert: SEC. 3. AUDIT AND REVIEW.

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall conduct an audit, and submit to Congress a report, on whether there has been waste and abuse as a result of the amendment made under section 2(a)(1).

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Mr. CARSON. 5641.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5641. This legislation will expedite the approval process for small projects applying for aid through FEMA's public assistance program, a program that helps communities remove debris, implement emergency protective measures, and repair damage to public infrastructure.

The House has already passed this once with overwhelming support, and the amendment we are considering today would solely add a reporting requirement to the language we previously supported.

Also, in the time since we first passed this bill, the Biden administration has updated the small project threshold to $1 million via rulemaking. The $1 million threshold, Mr. Speaker, is currently expediting the post-disaster recovery process, cutting unnecessary red tape and helping communities get back on their feet.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this legislation supports FEMA's role and codifies that the qualifying small project threshold will be $1 million.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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