Reforming Disaster Recovery Act Moves to Senate
By PVA National Staff
On November 18, in a strong bipartisan vote of 290 to 118, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3702, the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019. This measure has been a key focus of the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC), of which PVA is a part. Sponsored by Congressman Al Green (D-TX) and Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO), the bill includes many critical reforms proposed by DHRC members to help ensure that the federal government’s long-term disaster recovery program – Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grants – better serves the most vulnerable survivors and their communities. If enacted, the bill would help target CDBG-DR resources to survivors with the greatest needs, ensure greater data transparency and oversight, protect civil rights and fair housing, and encourage mitigation and resiliency.
With the House bill passed, attention now moves to the Senate, where Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) have introduced the Senate version of the bill. That bill, S. 2301, has been assigned to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.
