02.08.18

Highlights of the Third Emergency Supplemental

(Prepared by the Democratic Staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee)

The third emergency supplemental provides more than $89.4 billion to help communities impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as communities devastated by wildfires in the west.  The bill is $8.4 billion above the House bill, and provides twice the assistance compared with the Trump administration’s request of $44 billion. 

The bill provides relief for Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, California and other communities impacted by disaster, and it will help better prepare the country for future disasters, including:

  • $23.5 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund.
  • $28 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), including $12 billion for mitigation and resiliency projects to improve the sustainability of communities affected by disasters (nearly $2 billion above the House bill; $16 billion above the administration’s request).   
  • $15 billion for the construction of Army Corps of Engineers mitigation and resiliency projects, including flood and storm damage reduction projects and shore protection ($4.6 billion above the House bill).
  • $2.36 billion to provide disaster assistance for Florida citrus and other major agricultural losses incurred because of the 2017 hurricanes and wildfires.
  • $2.7 billion to help school systems and institutions of higher education recover from damage caused by hurricanes and wildfires, and support schools that are temporarily assisting displaced students who have relocated, including homeless children and youth ($1.5 billion above the administration’s request).
  • An estimated $3.3 billion to rebuild and repair federal facilities damaged by disasters, including Coast Guard facilities, veterans facilities, military housing, National Guard facilities, and National Parks and Wildlife Refuges.
  • $1.37 billion for the Federal Highway Emergency Relief Program and $330 million for the Public Transit Emergency Relief Program. 
  • $1.65 billion for Small Business Administration Disaster Loans.
  • $600 million for Economic Development Assistance (EDA) grants to help businesses rebound and attract new industry (twice the amount requested by the Trump administration).
  • $100 million for Department of Labor Dislocated Workers Assistance Grants ($70 million more than provided in the House bill; no funding for Dislocated Worker Grants was requested by the administration).
  • $50 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s State and Tribal Grants program to fund grants to states and territories to address hazardous waste and solid waste cleanup efforts related to the 2017 hurricanes (not requested by the Administration; not included in the House bill).
  • $15 million for the Legal Services Corporation to help thousands of victims and their families get legal assistance, as well as provide for repair and mobile resources for damaged legal aid offices ($14 million above the House bill; no funding was requested by the administration).

Provides Assistance to Meet the Unique Needs of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

In addition to the funds noted above, the bill also provides assistance to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to help address their unique recovery needs, including:

  • $4.8 billion over 2 years to fully fund Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program, and $142 million over 2 years for Medicaid in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The bill also waives 100 percent of the Medicaid Cost Share Requirement for both Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands.
  • A $2 billion CDBG set-aside to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to rebuild and enhance their electrical grids.
  • Waives the pre-disaster condition requirement under FEMA for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, allowing them to expedite recovery, save unnecessary management costs, and strengthen infrastructure as they rebuild.
  • Extends for an additional 185 days (to 365 days) the period in which Community Disaster Loan levels in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands can account for revenue and tax losses attributed to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. 
  • Makes $150 million available in Disaster Assistance Loans to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands meet FEMA’s local cost-share requirements related to disaster declarations.
  • Waives the match requirement for Army Corps of Engineers projects.
  • Waives the match requirement for Federal Highway Emergency Relief projects in Puerto Rico, and waives the statutory funding cap on Federal Highway Emergency Relief for the U.S. Virgin Islands.