[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2024)] [House] [Pages H1073-H1074] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DISASTER ASSISTANCE DEADLINES ALIGNMENT ACT Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1858) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to establish a deadline for applying for disaster unemployment assistance. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 1858 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act''. SEC. 2. DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE APPLICATION DEADLINE. Section 410 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5177) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(c) Application Deadline.-- ``(1) In general.--With respect to a major disaster for which assistance is provided under this section and section 408, the application deadline for an individual seeking assistance under this section shall match the application deadline for individuals and households seeking assistance under section 408. ``(2) Extension.--The President may accept an application from an individual described in paragraph (1) that is submitted after the deadline described in paragraph (1) if-- ``(A) the individual has good cause for the late submission; and ``(B) the individual submits the application before the date on which the period during which assistance is provided under this section for the applicable major disaster expires.''. SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY. The amendment made by section 2 shall apply only with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. General Leave Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on S. 1858. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 1858 would align the application deadlines for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance and disaster unemployment assistance. Currently, disaster victims are faced with two different deadlines for their applications, which creates confusion during what is already a stressful time. This bill simply aligns and ensures identical deadlines to reduce burdens [[Page H1074]] and help disaster victims in their application process for assistance. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 1858. This bipartisan and bicameral effort was led by Senators Peters and Paul in the Senate and Representative Neguse and Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon in the House. This legislation aligns the deadlines to apply for FEMA Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Individual Assistance programs. The application process for Federal disaster assistance can be cumbersome and often makes it difficult for survivors to get that critical aid. The Federal Government must take every possible step to simplify and streamline this process. We want to do that with disaster survivors quickly because they need help. Navigating the disaster recovery application process should not be an added stressor. Having to keep track of separate deadlines for Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Individual Assistance is unnecessary, complex, and confusing for disaster survivors. This legislation helps alleviate the burden to keep track of multiple deadlines. Mr. Speaker, I support the bill. I ask everyone else to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill will help to reduce confusion for disaster victims by aligning the deadlines for certain types of assistance. This bill makes a simple adjustment that will ultimately ease the process by which disaster victims seek assistance, relieving a burden during a difficult period of recovery. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 1858. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________