Press Release
Five Years after Superstorm Sandy Still Work to Be DoneReps. Smith, Meng Reintroduce Bipartisan ‘Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017’Nearly five years after Superstorm Sandy ravaged New Jersey’s coastline, many unmet needs remain, even after the victims received some insurance support and funding from several federal agencies to help rebuild, lift, renovate and mitigate damage from future natural disasters. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and other members of the New Jersey Delegation still continue to close these gaps homeowners and individuals continue to face. In addition to the individual funding shortfalls, there were many nonprofit religious organizations, churches, synagogues, and other religious centers that were completely shut out of getting federal assistance despite damage they sustained, and their leadership helping so many people in the immediate aftermath of the storm. To help mark Hurricane Preparedness Week, and in an effort to address this specific flaw in U.S. disaster assistance policy, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and lead Democrat co-sponsor Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) today reintroduced the bipartisan Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017 (HR 2405), legislation that would put houses of worship on an even playing field with other non-profit organizations seeking disaster assistance when they are otherwise qualified. “Following the devastation of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, we witnessed faith communities serving the needs of their suffering neighborhoods, providing hot food, warm clothes and shelter—even though many of those houses of worships themselves were severely damaged,” said Smith, who first introduced this legislation in the 113th Congress. “Houses of worship are critical institutions within our communities, and they must not be denied the equal treatment they deserve.” The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act (Stafford Act, P.L. 100-707) provides the President with authority to issue disaster declarations, triggering federal assistance—the primary source of which is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF). “Many houses of worship provide essential social and humanitarian services to the communities in which they are located. It is only fair that these facilities have access to the same disaster aid that other nonprofits are eligible to receive.” Meng said “The inability of churches, synagogues, mosques and temples to repair structural damage to their buildings can have devastating effects on the neighborhoods that depend on them for such things such as child care, food pantries and other crucial programs. It is critical that we continue to our efforts to pass this legislation so that houses of worship qualify for this FEMA aid before another natural disaster occurs.” The Smith-Meng bill, also co-sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-08) and Rep. Peter King (NY-02), stipulates that FEMA’s disaster relief program is a general government program under which disaster relief assistance is provided using criteria that are neutral with regard to religion. Any funds granted to houses of worship would be allocated in accordance with FEMA’s standard policies and procedures for other private nonprofit facilities in the wake of a natural disaster. In 2013, just months after Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey, New York, and other Northeast regions, the Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013 (H.R. 592) passed the House in a decisive 354-72 vote. The Senate failed to act on the legislation. There are several noteworthy precedents for federal aid to disaster-damaged houses of worship. For example, after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, Congress overruled FEMA’s refusal to provide assistance to the damaged churches and in 2002, after an earthquake in Seattle, the Justice Department intervened to order FEMA to assist religious organizations damaged by the quake. Currently, other nonprofits that provide educational, enrichment, social and community building activities—like houses of worship do—are already eligible for FEMA grant funds. It is time that houses of worship had parody with other nonprofit organizations to help in their recovery after a disaster. H.R. 2405 will be referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Smith said he anticipates the committee will support the bill as it did in 2013. To address shortfalls still faced by individual homeowners, Smith is working on legislation to reform the National Flood Insurance Program for homeowners with federally backed flood insurance, as the program was shown to be rife with incompetence and fraud, resulting in delayed and often insufficient reimbursements. He will also reintroduce legislation to help those who were penalized and shut out of federal grant funds that were available after the homeowners had secured federal loans through the Small Business Administration (114th Congress HR 5774.) |