,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #deii  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ba1     
#bjbb,mr4 ,peters 7for himself and ,mr4 
,lankford7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security
 and ,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  
,to streamline the sharing of           
information among ,federal disaster     
assistance agencies1 to expedite the    
delivery of life-saving assistance to   
disaster survivors1 to speed the        
recovery of communities from disasters1 
to protect the security and privacy of  
information provided by disaster        
survivors1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,disaster ,assistance               
,simplification ,act4  #b4 ,findings and
 purpose  7a7 ,findings ,congress finds 
the following3 7#a7 ,the disaster       
response framework of the ,united       
,states relies on a unified1 integrated1
 agile1 and adaptable whole-of-community

 effort by ,federal1 ,state1 and local  
disaster assistance agencies1 and by    
voluntary organizations1 to respond to  
any natural and man-made disasters that 
may strike communities4  7#b7 ,federal  
disaster assistance agencies must be    
ready to support ,states1 communities1  
and volunteer agencies immediately after
 unpredictable catastrophic disasters   
that occur without notice4  7#c7 ,the   
immediate sharing of information is     
essential to an efficient and effective 
delivery of disaster assistance-- 7,a7  
when lives and property are at risk2 and
  7,b7 as communities seek to recover   
from disasters as quickly as possible4  
7#d7 ,section #eeb;a of title #e1       
,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as
 the 8,privacy ,act of #aigd07 and      
subchapter ,i of chapter #ce of title   
#dd1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly    
known as the ,paperwork ,reduction ,act7
 require multiple layers of review1     
notice1 and publication in the ,federal 
,register before ,federal disaster      

assistance agencies can amend or adapt  
their information sharing practices4    
7#e7 ,such extended review processes can
 have the effect of inhibiting          
efficiency1 innovation1 and             
interoperability among ,federal1 ,state1
 ,tribal1 territorial1 local1 private1  
and volunteer partners in delivering    
disaster assistance within a            
whole-of-community disaster assistance  
effort4  7#f7 ,legal1 regulatory1 and   
policy limitations on the interagency   
sharing of information submitted by     
applicants for disaster assistance may  
require those applicants to submit      
separate applications to multiple       
,federal disaster assistance agencies1  
which increases the burden on those     
applicants1 reduces the efficiency of   
disaster assistance programs1 and places
 additional costs on taxpayers4  7b7    
,purpose ,the purposes of this ,act are 
to-- 7#a7 streamline the sharing of     
information among ,federal disaster     
assistance agencies2  7#b7 modernize the

 legal safeguards against the           
unauthorized disclosure or misuse of    
information about applicants for        
disaster assistance2 and  7#c7          
modernize1 streamline1 and consolidate  
the overlapping requirements of section 
#eeb;a of title #e1 ,united ,states     
,code1 subchapter ,i of chapter #ce of  
title #dd1 ,united ,states ,code1 and   
the agency policies that implement those
 authorities to improve the speed1      
convenience1 efficiency1 and            
effectiveness of disaster relief        
programs4  #c4 ,establishment of        
,disaster,assistance4gov electronic     
information system ,the ,robert ,t4     
,stafford ,disaster ,relief and         
,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #eaba et seq47 is amended by  
adding at the end the following3  #gjg4 
,establishment of                       
,disaster,assistance4gov electronic     
information system  7a7 ,definitions ,in
 this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the 
term ,administrator means the           

,administrator of the ,federal          
,emergency ,management ,agency4  7#b7   
,applicant ,the term applicant means--  
7,a7 an individual or organization who  
applies for disaster assistance from a  
disaster assistance program2 and  7,b7  
an individual or organization on behalf 
of which an individual described in     
subparagraph 7,a7 applies for disaster  
assistance from a disaster assistance   
program4  7#c7 ,disaster,assistance4gov 
,the term ,disaster,assistance4gov means
 the electronic information system      
established under subsection 7b77#a74   
7#d7 ,disaster assistance agency ,the   
term disaster assistance agency means-- 
7,a7 the ,federal ,emergency ,management
 ,agency2  7,b7 the ,department of      
,housing and ,urban ,development2  7,c7 
the ,small ,business ,administration2   
7,d7 the ,department of ,agriculture2   
and  7,e7 any ,federal agency that      
provides disaster assistance to         
individuals that the ,administrator     
certifies as a disaster assistance      

agency in accordance with subsection 7f7
 to carry out the purposes of a disaster
 assistance program4  7#e7 ,disaster    
assistance information ,the term        
disaster assistance information includes
 any personal1 biographical1            
demographic1 geographical1 financial1 or
 application decision information that a
 disaster assistance agency is          
authorized to collect1 maintain1 share1 
or use to-- 7,a7 process an application 
for disaster assistance from a disaster 
assistance program2 or  7,b7 otherwise  
carry out the purpose of a disaster     
assistance program4  7#f7 ,disaster     
assistance program ,the term disaster   
assistance program means-- 7,a7 a       
program that provides disaster          
assistance to individuals and households
 under title ,,iv or ,v in accordance   
with sections #djh and #ejb2 or  7,b7   
any other assistance program authorized 
by a ,federal statute under which a     
disaster assistance agency awards or    
distributes disaster assistance to an   

individual1 household1 or organization  
that arises from a major disaster or    
emergency declared under section #dja or
 #eja1 respectively1 including-- 7i7    
disaster assistance2  7ii7 long-term    
disaster recovery assistance2  7iii7 the
 post-disaster restoration of           
infrastructure and housing2  7iv7       
post-disaster economic revitalization2  
7v7 pre-disaster mitigation under title 
,i of the ,housing and ,community       
,development ,act of #aigd 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #ecja et seq472  7vi7 a loan  
authorized under section #g7;b7 of the  
,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4    
#fcf7;b772 and  7vii7 food benefit      
allotments under section #dab of this   
,act and ,section #e7;h7 of the ,food   
and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjad7;h774  7#g7 ,record ,the
 term record has the meaning given the  
term in section #eeb;a of title #e1     
,united ,states ,code4  7b7             
,establishment of consolidated          
application system  7#a7 ,in general    

,not later than #ahj days after the date
 of enactment of the ,disaster          
,assistance ,simplification ,act1 the   
,administrator shall establish a        
web-based1 interagency electronic       
information system to be known as       
,disaster,assistance4gov to-- 7,a7      
facilitate a consolidated application   
for any form of disaster assistance     
provided by a disaster assistance       
agency2  7,b7 carry out the purposes of 
disaster assistance programs swiftly1   
efficiently1 equitably1 and in          
accordance with applicable laws and the 
privacy and data protections provided   
under this section2 and  7,c7 detect1   
prevent1 and investigate waste1 fraud1  
abuse1 or discrimination in the         
administration of disaster assistance   
programs4  7#b7 ,capabilities of the    
consolidated application system         
,disaster,assistance4gov shall-- 7,a7   
allow for applicants to receive status  
updates on applications for disaster    
assistance programs through             

,disaster,assistance4gov2  7,b7 allow   
for applicants to update disaster       
assistance information throughout the   
recovery journeys of those applicants2  
7,c7 allow for the distribution of      
additional recovery resource information
 to disaster survivors that may be      
available in a disaster stricken        
jurisdiction2  7,d7 provide disaster    
survivors with information and          
documentation on the applications of    
those disaster survivors for a disaster 
assistance program2 and  7,e7 contain   
other capabilities determined necessary 
by the heads of disaster assistance     
agencies4  7c7 ,authorities of          
,administrator ,the ,administrator may--
 7#a7 collect1 maintain1 share1 and use 
disaster assistance information using   
,disaster,assistance4gov or received    
from any disaster assistance agency with
 any other disaster assistance agency2  
and  7#b7 subject to subsection 7d71    
authorize the collection1 sharing1 and  
use of disaster assistance information  

collected on or after the date of       
enactment of the ,disaster ,assistance  
,simplification ,act by publishing a    
notice on ,disaster,assistance4gov      
that-- 7,a7 includes a detailed         
description of-- 7i7 the specific       
disaster assistance information         
authorized to be collected1 maintained1 
and shared2  7ii7 why the collection1   
maintenance1 or sharing of the disaster 
assistance information is-- 7,i7        
necessary to carry out the purpose of a 
disaster assistance program2 and  7,,ii7
 consistent with fair information       
practice principles2 and  7iii7 the     
disaster assistance agencies that will  
be granted access to the disaster       
assistance information to carry out the 
purpose of any disaster assistance      
program2 and  7,b7 the submission of an 
application through                     
,disaster,assistance4gov constitutes    
prior written consent to disclose       
disaster assistance information to      
disaster assistance agencies for the    

purpose of section #eeb;a7b7 of title   
#e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7d7         
,collection and sharing of records and  
information  7#a7 ,effect of publication
 of notice on ,disaster,assistance4gov  
,the publication of a notice by the     
,administrator on                       
,disaster,assistance4gov of a revision  
to the ,disaster,assistance4gov system  
of records on ,disaster,assistance4gov  
prior to any new collection1 or uses1 of
 records1 to carry out the purposes of a
 disaster assistance program with       
respect to a major disaster or emergency
 declared by the ,president under       
section #dja or #eja1 respectively1 of  
this ,act shall be deemed to satisfy the
 notice and publication requirements of 
section #eeb;a7e77#d7 of title #e1      
,united ,states ,code1 for a period of  
not more than #ij days following such   
declaration1 unless such revision has   
been published in the ,federal ,register
 earlier than #ij days after the date of
 such declaration4  7#b7 ,paperwork     

,reduction ,act waiver  7,a7 ,in general
 ,upon the declaration of a major       
disaster or emergency pursuant to       
section #dja or #eja1 respectively1 of  
this ,act1 the ,president1 without      
delegation1 may direct the ,secretary of
 ,homeland ,security to waive the       
requirements of subchapter ,i of chapter
 #ce of title #dd1 ,united ,states      
7commonly known as the ,paperwork       
,reduction ,act7 with respect to        
voluntary collection of information to  
carry out the purposes of a disaster    
assistance program4  7,b7 ,duration ,a  
waiver described in subparagraph 7,a7   
shall be in effect for the duration of  
the major disaster or emergency1 as     
applicable4  7,c7 ,transparency ,if the 
,secretary of ,homeland ,security waives
 the requirements described in          
subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary       
shall-- 7i7 promptly post on the        
internet website of the ,department of  
,homeland ,security-- 7,i7 a brief      
justification for the waiver2 and       

7,,ii7 the agencies and offices to which
 the waiver shall apply2 and  7ii7      
update the information posted under     
clause 7i71 as applicable4  7,d7        
,effectiveness of waiver ,any waiver    
under subparagraph 7,a7 shall take      
effect on the date on which the         
,secretary of ,homeland ,security posts 
information on the internet website as  
provided for under subparagraph 7,c74   
7e7 ,data security ,the ,administrator  
shall facilitate the collection of      
disaster assistance information into    
,disaster,assistance4gov only after--   
7#a7 the ,administrator certifies that  
,disaster,assistance4gov substantially  
complies with the data security         
standards and best practices of the     
,national ,institute of ,standards and  
,technology2  7#b7 the ,secretary of    
,homeland ,security publishes a privacy 
impact assessment for                   
,disaster,assistance4gov that is similar
 to the privacy assessment conducted    
under section #bbb7;a77#d7 of the       

,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7#f   
,u4,s4,c4 #adb7;a77#d772 and  7#c7 the  
,administrator publishes standard rules 
of behavior for disaster assistance     
agencies and personnel granted access to
 disaster assistance information to     
protect such information from improper  
disclosure4  7f7 ,certification of      
disaster assistance agencies  7#a7 ,in  
general ,the ,administrator may certify 
a ,federal agency as a disaster         
assistance agency after posting an      
agreement between the ,administrator and
 the ,federal agency on                 
,disaster,assistance4gov that contains  
the detailed terms of the agreement4    
7#b7 ,contents of agreement ,an         
agreement between the ,administrator and
 a ,federal agency described in         
paragraph 7#a7 shall state that the     
,federal agency will-- 7,a7 collect1    
share1 maintain1 and use disaster       
assistance information-- 7i7 in         
accordance with this section2 and  7ii7 
in substantial compliance with the data 

security standards and best practices of
 the ,national ,institute of ,standards 
and ,technology2  7,b7 train any        
personnel granted access to disaster    
assistance information on the rules of  
behavior established by the             
,administrator under subsection 7e77#c72
  7,c7 in the event of any unauthorized 
disclosure of disaster assistance       
information-- 7i7 not later than #bd    
hours after discovering the unauthorized
 disclosure1 notify the ,administrator  
of the disclosure2  7ii7 cooperate fully
 with the ,administrator in the         
investigation and remediation of the    
disclosure2 and  7iii7 cooperate fully  
in the prosecution of a person          
responsible for the disclosure2 and     
7,d7 assume the responsibility for any  
compensation1 civil liability1 or other 
remediation measure awarded by a        
judgment of a court or agreed as a      
compromise of any potential claim by or 
on behalf of an applicant1 including by 
obtaining credit monitoring and         

remediation services1 for an improper   
disclosure of disaster assistance       
information that is-- 7i7 caused1       
directly or indirectly1 by the acts or  
omissions of an officer1 employee1 or   
contractor of the disaster assistance   
agency2 or  7ii7 from any electronic    
system of records that created or       
maintained by the disaster assistance   
agency pursuant to section #eeb;a7e7 of 
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7g7   
,rules of construction  7#a7            
,inapplicability of matching program    
provisions ,the sharing of disaster     
assistance information subject to the   
requirements of section #eeb;a of title 
#e1 ,united ,states ,code among disaster
 assistance agencies or with ,state1    
local1 or ,tribal governments carrying  
out disaster assistance programs shall  
not-- 7,a7 be construed as a matching   
program for the purpose of section      
#eeb;a7a77#h7 of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code2 and  7,b7 be subject to  
subsection 7e77#ab71 7o71               

7p77#a77;,a77ii71 7q71 7r71 or 7u7 of   
section #eeb;a of title #e1 ,united     
,states ,code4  7#b7 ,authorities in    
other laws ,nothing in this section     
shall be construed to affect the        
authority of an entity to share         
information in accordance with any other
 law4  4