#aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hbff ,,an ,,act ,to modify the ,federal cost share of certain emergency assistance provided under the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act1 to modify the activities eligible for assistance under the emergency declaration issued by the ,president on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 relating to ,,covid-#ai1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,fema ,assistance ,relief ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,cost share 7a7 ,temporary ,federal share ,notwithstanding sections #djc7;b71 #djc7;c77#d71 #djd7;a71 #djf7;b71 #djh7;d71 #djh7;g77#b71 #dbh7;e77#b77;,b71 and #ejc7;a7 of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaba et seq471 for any emergency or major disaster declared by the ,president under such ,act during the period beginning on ,january #a1 #bjbj and ending on ,december #ca1 #bjbj1 the ,federal share of assistance provided under such sections shall be not less than #ij percent of the eligible cost of such assistance4 7b7 ,cost share under ,,covid emergency declaration ,notwithstanding subsection 7a71 assistance provided under the emergency declaration issued by the ,president on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 pursuant to section #eja7;b7 of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaia7;b771 and under any subsequent major disaster declaration under section #dja of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj7 that supersedes such emergency declaration1 shall be at a #ajj percent ,federal cost share4 7c7 ,applicability ,this section shall apply to funds appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #c4 ,clarification of assistance 7a7 ,in general ,for the emergency declared on ,march #ac1 #bjbj by the ,president under section #eja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaia71 the ,president may provide assistance for activities1 costs1 and purchases of ,states1 ,indian tribal governments1 or local governments1 including-- 7#a7 activities eligible for assistance under sections #cja1 #dae1 #daf1 and #dbf of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eada1 #eahb1 #eahc1 #eahi;d72 7#b7 backfill costs for first responders and other essential employees who are ill or quarantined2 7#c7 increased operating costs for essential government services due to such emergency1 including costs for implementing continuity plans1 and sheltering or housing for first responders1 emergency managers1 health providers and other essential employees2 7#d7 costs of providing guidance and information to the public and for call centers to disseminate such guidance and information1 including private nonprofit organizations2 7#e7 costs associated with establishing and operating virtual services2 7#f7 costs for establishing and operating remote test sites1 including comprehensive community based testing2 7#g7 training provided specifically in anticipation of or in response to the event on which such emergency declaration is predicated2 7#h7 personal protective equipment and other critical supplies and services for first responders and other essential employees1 including individuals working in public schools1 courthouses1 law enforcement1 and public transit systems2 7#i7 medical equipment1 regardless of whether such equipment is used for emergency or inpatient care2 7#aj7 public health costs1 including provision and distribution of medicine and medical supplies2 7#aa7 costs associated with maintaining alternate care facilities or related facilities currently inactive but related to future needs tied to the ongoing pandemic event2 7#ab7 costs of establishing and operating shelters and providing services1 including transportation1 that help alleviate the need of individuals for shelter2 and 7#ac7 costs1 including costs incurred by private nonprofit organizations1 of procuring and distributing food to individuals affected by the pandemic through networks established by ,state1 local1 or ,tribal governments1 or other organizations1 including restaurants and farms1 and for the purchase of food directly from food producers and farmers4 7b7 ,application to subsequent major disaster ,the activities described in subsection 7a7 may also be eligible for assistance under any major disaster declared by the ,president under section #dja of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj7 that supersedes the emergency declaration described in such subsection4 7c7 ,financial assistance for funeral expenses ,for any emergency or major disaster described in subsection 7a7 or 7b7 and subject to the availability of appropriations1 the ,president shall provide financial assistance to an individual or household to meet disaster-related funeral expenses under section #djh7;e77#a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagd7;e774 7d7 ,advanced assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,in order to facilitate activities under this section1 the ,president1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency1 may provide assistance in advance to an eligible applicant if a failure to do so would prevent the applicant from carrying out such activities4 7#b7 ,annual report ,the ,administrator shall submit to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs a report on assistance provided in advance pursuant to paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,audit by ,department of ,homeland ,security ,inspector ,general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,inspector ,general of the ,department of ,homeland ,security shall conduct a follow-up review of assistance provided in advance pursuant to paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,review ,the audit under paragraph 7#b7 shall include1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 a review of the assumptions and methodologies used to determine eligibility for advanced assistance2 and 7,b7 a determination of whether the advanced assistance was used appropriately4 7#e7 ,report to ,congress ,the ,inspector ,general shall submit to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate a report on the results of the review carried out under this subsection4 7e7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to make ineligible any assistance that would otherwise be eligible under section #djc1 #djh1 or #ejb of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;b1 #eaib74 7f7 ,state2 ,indian ,tribal government2 local government defined ,in this section1 the terms ,state1 ,indian tribal government1 and local government have the meanings given such terms in section #ajb of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eabb74 7g7 ,applicability ,this section shall apply to funds appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,report on ,stafford ,act response capabilities ,not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall seek to enter into an agreement with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences to convene a committee of experts to conduct a comprehensive study on the use of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaba et seq47 to respond to an emergency which does not cause physical damages1 such as the emergency declaration issued by the ,president on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 including-- 7#a7 how non-physical damages can be quantified2 7#b7 consideration of any factors that allow for an adjustment of cost shares2 7#c7 recommendations to ,congress on thresholds or criteria to be met to trigger a future declaration2 and 7#d7 other items that the ,administrator determines necessary to increase future preparedness to such events4 #e4 ,federal assistance to individuals and households ,section #djh7;f77#c77;,j77iii7 of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagd7;f77#c77;,j77iii77 is amended by striking #b years and inserting #c years4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,november #ag1 #bjbj4;,clerk4