Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act
- Bill Number
- S. 1619
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-06: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T06:26:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
S. 1619: Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act
Purpose
This bill aims to increase transparency in how federal disaster assistance funds are used by creating an online public repository. It requires federal agencies to report detailed information on disaster aid provided in response to natural disasters, making it easier for the public to track spending and project progress.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of Online Repository: The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), working with the Secretary of the Treasury and heads of relevant federal agencies, must create a dedicated subpage on the existing USAspending.gov website (established under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006). This subpage will host public reports on disaster assistance.
- Quarterly Reporting Requirements: Covered federal agencies must submit information to the subpage within 30 days after each calendar quarter. Reports must include:
- Total amount of disaster assistance provided during the quarter.
- Amount of assistance that was spent or committed (obligated) for specific projects or activities.
- A detailed list of all projects or activities funded, including:
- Project name and description.
- Completion status (e.g., ongoing or finished).
- Award identification number.
- Catalog for Disaster Assistance number (assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA).
- Location, including ZIP codes.
- Any additional reporting details collected by the agency.
- All data must be in a machine-readable format (e.g., easily downloadable and analyzable by computers).
- Guidance and Implementation: Agency heads, in coordination with OMB and the Treasury, must issue guidance to ensure compliance. OMB may partner with a private entity (like a nonprofit) to build and maintain the subpage if needed for better transparency.
Definitions
The bill defines key terms to clarify its scope:
- Covered Federal Agency: Includes agencies under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (e.g., FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Disaster Assistance: Federal funds for natural disasters, such as SBA loans for disaster-declared events, HUD aid for recovery and housing, flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program, and Stafford Act assistance.
- Eligible Recipient: Non-individual entities (e.g., states, businesses, or organizations) that receive aid directly via grants, loans, or contracts.
- Specified Natural Disaster: Includes major disasters or emergencies declared by the President, fires on forest or grassland, or other federally declared natural disasters.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Builds on the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 by adding a specialized subpage focused solely on disaster assistance, which was not previously required.
- Introduces mandatory quarterly, machine-readable reporting for disaster aid, expanding beyond general federal spending transparency to include detailed project-level details like status and location.
- No direct amendments to core disaster laws like the Stafford Act, but it imposes new administrative duties on agencies without altering eligibility or funding mechanisms.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for covered agencies (e.g., FEMA, SBA, HUD) due to quarterly reporting and data formatting requirements, but promotes better internal tracking and accountability for aid distribution.
- Citizens and Taxpayers: Improves public access to real-time information on how disaster funds are spent, potentially reducing waste, fraud, or mismanagement, and helping affected communities monitor recovery efforts.
- Eligible Recipients: States and organizations receiving aid may face indirect pressure to provide timely project updates, fostering more efficient use of funds.
- International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic disaster response.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Primarily FEMA (under Homeland Security), SBA, and HUD, which must compile and submit reports; also OMB and Treasury for oversight and website management.
- State and Local Governments: As eligible recipients, they benefit from and contribute to transparent recovery tracking.
- Businesses and Nonprofits: Entities receiving loans, grants, or contracts for disaster projects, who may need to report progress.
- General Public and Taxpayers: Gain tools to oversee federal spending on disasters like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens existing transparency laws without creating new enforcement penalties, relying on agency coordination; ensures compliance with open data standards (machine-readable formats) to avoid legal challenges over accessibility.
- Constitutional: Aligns with the government's duty to account for public funds under Article I (spending power), promoting accountability without infringing on privacy (focuses on non-individual recipients).
- Political: Encourages bipartisan support for fiscal responsibility in disaster aid, potentially reducing political disputes over fund misuse; could influence future budgets by highlighting inefficiencies, but may face resistance from agencies due to added bureaucracy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-06: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-05-06: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act — issued 2025-05-06 — PDF (6 pages)