,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ccdg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #ac1 #bjbe,mr4 ,higgins of ,louisiana introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to abolish ,,fema and establish a block grant program for disaster relief1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,sovereign ,states ,emergency ,management ,act4 #b4 ,abolishment of ,,fema 7a7 ,abolishment ,the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency is abolished effective on the date that is #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7b7 ,unobligated funds ,any funds made available to the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency that are unobligated on the abolishment date described in subsection 7a7 shall be transferred to the general fund of the ,treasury and made available to carry out the program established under section #b4 7c7 ,transfer of functions ,all functions that immediately before the abolishment date specified in subsection 7a7 are authorized to be performed by the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency1 any other officer or employee of the ,agency acting in that capacity1 or any agency or office of the ,agency1 are transferred to the ,president effective on such abolishment date4 7d7 ,personnel and assets ,except as otherwise provided in this ,act1 so much of the personnel1 property1 and records employed1 used1 held1 available1 or to be made available in connection with a function transferred to the ,president under subsection 7c7 shall be available to the ,president1 at such time or times as the ,president directs for use in connection with the functions transferred4 7e7 ,references ,any reference in any other ,federal law1 ,executive order1 rule1 regulation1 or delegation of authority1 or any document of or pertaining to the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency-- 7#a7 to the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency is deemed to refer to the ,president2 or 7#b7 to the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency is deemed to refer to the ,executive ,office of the ,president4 #c4 ,disaster relief block grant program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall establish a program to provide grants to ,states for natural disaster and emergency relief4 7b7 ,grant terms 7#a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the program established under this section1 the ,secretary shall provide a grant to each ,state in an amount determined in accordance with the formula established pursuant to paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,allocation of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall1 by rule1 establish a formula for the allocation of grant funds to each ,state under this section4 7,b7 ,considerations ,in establishing the formula under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall consider the following3 7i7 ,population size4 7ii7 ,historical disaster frequency and severity during the #bj-year period preceding the date of enactment of this ,act4 7iii7 ,geographic risk factors 7such as seismic zones1 flood plains1 hurricane-prone areas74 7iv7 ,economic need1 as determined by per capita income4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,a ,state may use a grant provided under this section to carry out-- 7,a7 disaster preparedness training and acquire and maintain related equipment2 7,b7 response and recovery operations following a natural disaster or emergency2 and 7,c7 mitigation projects to reduce future disaster risks4 7#d7 ,administrative costs ,a ,state may use not more than #e percent of the amount allocated to such ,state under this subsection for administrative costs4 7#e7 ,allocation ,the ,secretary may not allocate grant funds to a ,state for a fiscal year under this section unless and until the ,secretary1 pursuant to subsection 7c71 approves the emergency management plan submitted by such ,state for such fiscal year4 7c7 ,state emergency management plans ,not later than ,april #a of each year1 each ,state shall develop and submit for approval by the ,secretary an emergency management plan for the fiscal year beginning on ,october #a of such year1 and such plan shall include-- 7#a7 a description of how the ,state intends to use funds allocated under this section2 7#b7 documentation of coordination between the ,state1 local governments1 and ,tribal authorities in developing and implementing such emergency management plan2 and 7#c7 measurable goals for disaster preparedness and response4 7d7 ,reports ,not later than #ij days after the end of each fiscal year1 each ,state shall submit to the ,secretary a report describing-- 7#a7 how funds allocated under this section were used during the preceding fiscal year2 7#b7 outcomes achieved with such funds1 including improvements in preparedness metrics1 response times1 and completed mitigation projects2 and 7#c7 the extent to which the ,state complied with the emergency management plan developed under subsection 7c74 7e7 ,duplication of benefits ,the ,secretary shall ensure that no ,state receives a grant under this section if such ,state receives assistance from any other ,federal source for the same purposes for which such a grant may be used4 7f7 ,audit ,not less frequently than annually1 the ,secretary shall conduct an audit of the program established under this section and submit a report thereon to the ,committees on ,oversight and ,government ,reform1 ,homeland ,security1 and ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate4 7g7 ,administrative and audit expenses ,of the amounts made available to carry out this section1 #aj percent shall be for expenses related to administering the program established under this section and #aj percent shall be for expenses related to carrying out the audit of such program required under subsection 7f74 7h7 ,termination ,the program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is #d years after the date on which the ,secretary issues the rule required by subsection 7b77#b74 7i7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,emergency ,the term emergency means an occasion or instance for which assistance is needed to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety1 or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of a ,state4 7#b7 ,natural disaster ,the term natural disaster means any natural catastrophe 7including any hurricane1 tornado1 storm1 high water1 winddriven water1 tidal wave1 tsunami1 earthquake1 volcanic eruption1 landslide1 mudslide1 snowstorm1 or drought71 or1 regardless of cause1 any fire1 flood1 or explosion1 in any part of a ,state1 for which assistance is needed to alleviate the damage1 loss1 hardship1 or suffering caused thereby4 7#c7 ,state ,the term ,state any of the fifty ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 ,puerto ,rico1 the ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4