Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1858) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to establish a deadline for applying for disaster unemployment assistance.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 1858

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 ``Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act''. SEC. 2. DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE APPLICATION DEADLINE.

Section 410 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5177) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(c) Application Deadline.--

``(1) In general.--With respect to a major disaster for which assistance is provided under this section and section 408, the application deadline for an individual seeking assistance under this section shall match the application deadline for individuals and households seeking assistance under section 408.

``(2) Extension.--The President may accept an application from an individual described in paragraph (1) that is submitted after the deadline described in paragraph (1) if--

``(A) the individual has good cause for the late submission; and

``(B) the individual submits the application before the date on which the period during which assistance is provided under this section for the applicable major disaster expires.''. SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY.

The amendment made by section 2 shall apply only with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

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Mr. MOLINARO. 1858.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1858 would align the application deadlines for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance and disaster unemployment assistance.

Currently, disaster victims are faced with two different deadlines for their applications, which creates confusion during what is already a stressful time.

This bill simply aligns and ensures identical deadlines to reduce burdens and help disaster victims in their application process for assistance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill will help to reduce confusion for disaster victims by aligning the deadlines for certain types of assistance.

This bill makes a simple adjustment that will ultimately ease the process by which disaster victims seek assistance, relieving a burden during a difficult period of recovery.

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

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