To expand the availability of resources under the Community Services Block Grant Act for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina.

September 21, 2005

Mr. ENZI (for himself and Mr. KENNEDY) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

September 22, 2005

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

To expand the availability of resources under the Community Services Block Grant Act for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina.

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 `Community Services Disaster Assistance Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. FUNDING, ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE, AND STAFF.

(a) Funding- A State that receives a payment or allotment under section 675A or 675B of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9905, 9906) may use not more than 1 percent of the portion of the payment or allotment that is available for expenditure under section 675C(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 9907(b)) (including sums available for administrative expenses under paragraph (2) of such section) to transfer funds to Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama. A State that receives such funds shall use the funds to make grants, or carry out any activities, described in section 675C of such Act (42 U.S.C. 9907).

(b) Eligibility for Assistance- The Secretary of Health and Human Services may waive the provisions of the Community Services Block Grant Act relating to income limitations on eligibility to receive assistance under such Act for any area in which the President has determined that an emergency, or a major disaster, as defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), exists, related to Hurricane Katrina, for the purpose of assisting individuals who resided on August 22, 2005 in such an area.

(c) Staff- An eligible entity (as defined in section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902)) or a State lead agency designated under section 676(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 9908(a)(1)) may send an employee of the eligible entity, or State lead agency, who receives compensation provided under the Community Services Block Grant Act to an area described in subsection (b) to provide disaster assistance.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--

(1) Federal law permits the Federal Emergency Management Agency to utilize eligible entities to provide emergency assistance under section 676 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9908); and

(2) the Federal Emergency Management Agency should make this emergency assistance available to the eligible entities immediately.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 674(a) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9903(a)) is amended by striking `through 2003' and inserting `through 2006'.

SEC. 5. TERMINATION.

The authority provided by this Act (other than section 4) terminates on August 29, 2006.

Calendar No. 219

To expand the availability of resources under the Community Services Block Grant Act for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina.

September 22, 2005

END