Federal Disaster Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries
Abstract
This report summarizes principal federal disaster assistance programs for possible use by Members of Congress and their staffs in helping address the needs of constituents. A number of federal agencies provide assistance to individual victims; state, territorial, and local governments; and nongovernmental entities, following a disaster. The Federal forms of assistance include grants, loans, loan guarantees, temporary housing, and counseling. The programs summarized in this report fall into two broad categories. First are programs specifically for disaster situations; most of these programs are administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Second are general assistance programs that may be used in either disaster situations, or to meet regular service needs. Many federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice, administer programs that may be brought to bear under certain circumstances. The programs also may be classified by recipients -- primarily individuals, state and local governments, or businesses. These programs address such short-term needs as food and shelter, and such long-term needs as repair of public utilities. The report includes a list of CRS reports about disaster assistance and assistance for victims of recent hurricanes. It also includes a web site that lists federal agencies that respond to disasters, the FEMA web site, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance web site, which describes over 1,600 federal assistance programs. This report will be updated as significant legislative or administrative changes occur.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA494891
Entities
People
- Carolyn V. Torsell
Organizations
- Library of Congress