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S 3658 116th Congress Senate Emergency Management Cardiovascular and respiratory health Congressional oversight Department of Homeland Security Disaster relief and insurance Emergency medical services and trauma care Emergency planning and evacuation Executive agency funding and structure Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Federal-Indian relations Infectious and parasitic diseases Intergovernmental relations Performance measurement Poverty and welfare assistance Racial and ethnic relations Rural conditions and development State and local government operations

Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resilience Act of 2020

Introduced: May 7, 2020 Introduced by: Peters, Gary C. Democratic · Michigan See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 14, 2020
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 619.
Dec 14, 2020
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 116-316.
Jul 22, 2020
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 7, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
May 7, 2020
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in Disaster Response, Recovery, and Resilience Act of 2020

This bill establishes the Office of Equal Rights and Community Inclusion (OERCI) within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The OERCI shall be responsible, among other things, for (1) improving underserved community access to disaster assistance and improving the quality of assistance such communities receive; and (2) eliminating racial, ethnic, and other underserved community disparities in the delivery of various preparedness, response, and recovery assistance.

The bill defines underserved community to mean an historically disadvantaged community, including the Native American, African-American, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and North African, rural, low-income, and disability communities.

FEMA shall (1) administer and evaluate its programs and activities, including those of recipients of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation grants, in a manner to affirmatively further inclusion and engagement of underserved communities and improved outcomes for underserved communities tied to FEMA programs and activities; and (2) establish an underserved community initiative to award grants to specified nonprofit entities.

The OERCI shall develop measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities of program offices in FEMA and the activities of recipients aimed at reducing disparities in the services provided to underserved communities.

During the period of time for which there is a major disaster or emergency declared by the President with respect to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), the OERCI shall regularly consult with state, local, territorial, and tribal government officials and community-based organizations from underserved communities that it identifies as disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

What's happening now December 14, 2020

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 619.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1