Overview

Title

To make supplemental appropriations for disaster relief in response to Hurricane Helene, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

H. R. 9905 is a bill that gives a big budget to help fix damage from a big storm called Hurricane Helene. It plans to give $10 billion to a group named FEMA and $5 billion to help people find new homes, but it doesn't say exactly how they will use the money or check if it's spent well.

Summary AI

H. R. 9905 proposes to allocate additional federal funds for disaster relief in response to Hurricane Helene. Specifically, the bill seeks to provide $10 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. It also allocates $5 billion to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for disaster-related support under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The funds would come from available Treasury resources not already earmarked for other uses.

Published

2024-10-01
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Introduced in House
Date: 2024-10-01
Package ID: BILLS-118hr9905ih

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
1
Words:
241
Pages:
2
Sentences:
5

Language

Nouns: 90
Verbs: 14
Adjectives: 7
Adverbs: 2
Numbers: 13
Entities: 30

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.63
Average Sentence Length:
48.20
Token Entropy:
4.43
Readability (ARI):
27.98

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, H.R. 9905, seeks to provide supplemental funding in response to Hurricane Helene. Introduced on October 1, 2024, in the House of Representatives, the bill aims to allocate significant monetary resources toward disaster relief efforts. Specifically, the bill provides $10 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and an additional $5 billion to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are intended to support initiatives under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, respectively.

Summary of Significant Issues

Lack of Detailed Utilization Plans

One of the primary concerns with the proposed bill is the lack of detailed plans regarding how the allocated funds will be used. The massive amount of $10 billion directed to FEMA and $5 billion to Housing and Urban Development lacks specificity. This ambiguity may lead to questions about potential misuse or inefficient distribution of resources.

Concerns Over Accountability and Transparency

There is also concern over accountability, as the bill does not elaborate on specific programs or initiatives the funds are intended to support. Without clear metrics or success criteria, it becomes challenging for stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness and fiscal responsibility of the appropriations. The absence of such details might also open the door to potential favoritism in the fund allocation process.

Potential Scrutiny and Fiscal Responsibility

Given the large sums involved, the bill may face scrutiny concerning fiscal responsibility. Critics may argue that appropriating substantial amounts without clearly defined objectives could lead to wasteful spending. The straightforward language in the bill does not provide necessary guardrails for fund utilization, which might be a red flag for fiscally conservative stakeholders.

Impact on the Public and Stakeholders

The bill's passage could have both broad and specific impacts. On a general level, the appropriations aim to provide significant relief to communities and individuals affected by Hurricane Helene. These funds could help restore infrastructure, provide housing assistance, and support disaster recovery efforts, offering a lifeline to those in need.

Positive Impacts

For communities hit hardest by the hurricane, the funding represents crucial support that can aid in rebuilding homes, schools, and other essential services. Local businesses and economies might benefit in the longer term through restored infrastructure and improved living conditions.

Negative Impacts

Conversely, without clear guidelines on fund distribution, there is a risk that resources may not reach those most in need. Stakeholders, particularly in regions not directly affected by Hurricane Helene, may critique the bill's lack of specificity and argue for a more balanced, nationwide disaster relief effort. Additionally, taxpayers might express concern over the sizable expenditure without guaranteed accountability.

In summary, while the intention of H.R. 9905 is to provide necessary relief to those affected by a natural disaster, the bill's lack of detailed spending plans and oversight mechanisms could pose significant challenges in achieving its goals effectively and responsibly.

Financial Assessment

The bill titled H. R. 9905 proposes to allocate substantial federal funds to aid in disaster relief following Hurricane Helene. It specifies two major financial allocations:

Financial Allocations

  1. The bill seeks to provide $10 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This funding is intended for assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which guides federal response to disasters.

  2. An additional $5 billion is designated for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are meant to support disaster-related activities under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

These funds are intended to be sourced from available money in the Treasury that is not already designated for other purposes.

Related Issues

Several issues arise from the proposal of these financial allocations.

Lack of Detailed Spending Plans: The appropriation lacks specific guidelines on how the $10 billion for FEMA and $5 billion for HUD will be utilized. Without a detailed plan, there could be concerns regarding accountability and potential mismanagement of funds.

Transparency Concerns: The bill references established acts but does not detail which specific programs or initiatives the funds will support. This omission could lead to ambiguity and questions about how effectively the funds will be applied to meet their intended purposes.

Lack of Metrics and Success Criteria: The bill does not outline success criteria or provide metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed disaster relief efforts. This absence of measurable outcomes might hinder efforts to assess the responsible and impactful use of the funds.

Overall Fiscal Responsibility: Without compensation for the lack of detailed plans or mechanisms to monitor fund utilization, the straightforward language of the bill raises potential issues about fiscal responsibility. This shortfall might lead to scrutiny over wasteful spending and favoritism concerns.

Through these financial allocations, the bill attempts to address the urgent need for disaster relief. However, the outlined concerns indicate the importance of transparency, detailed planning, and accountability to ensure these substantial funds are used effectively and responsibly.

Issues

  • The appropriation of $10,000,000,000 to FEMA lacks specific details on how the funds will be utilized, potentially leading to scrutiny over wasteful spending and lack of accountability. This is mentioned in Section 1.

  • A significant sum of $5,000,000,000 is allocated to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development without a detailed breakdown of spending, causing concerns about accountability and potential favoritism, as noted in Section 1.

  • The section references the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 but fails to elaborate on which specific programs or initiatives the funds are intended to support, leading to ambiguity and lack of transparency, as highlighted in Section 1.

  • There are no specific metrics or success criteria provided in the bill text to measure the effectiveness of the disaster relief efforts, which could make it challenging to evaluate the fiscal responsibility and impact of these appropriations. This is mentioned in Section 1.

  • The overall straightforward language of the bill does not compensate for the lack of detailed spending plans or guardrails for fund utilization, raising potential issues about fiscal responsibility, as discussed in Section 1.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Supplemental appropriations for disaster relief related to Hurricane Helene Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

In this section, the bill allocates $10 billion to FEMA for disaster relief efforts under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and $5 billion to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for disaster relief under the Housing and Community Development Act, both in response to Hurricane Helene.

Money References

  • In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated— (1) $10,000,000,000 to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to Hurricane Helene; and (2) $5,000,000,000 to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide assistance under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) related to disaster relief for Hurricane Helene. ---