This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue certain disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown).
Specifically, the bill authorizes FEMA to
continue all disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations funded through the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF);
obligate and disburse DRF balances for all existing and future disaster declarations, including individual and public assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and
maintain personnel and contract support necessary to ensure uninterrupted processing of claims and payments.
The bill also (1) requires all unobligated balances in the DRF to remain available to FEMA for expenditure during a lapse in appropriations; and (2) prohibits the funds from being withheld, sequestered, or reprogrammed during a lapse in appropriations, except as necessary to comply with the Antideficiency Act.
Finally, the bill specifies that, for the purposes of the Antideficiency Act, the FEMA operations authorized by this bill must be considered essential to protect human life and property and are exempt from government shutdown restrictions.
