U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007/Title IV

— ADDITIONAL HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY

Sec. 4101.

 * Section 1231(k)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(k)(2)) is amended by striking "During calendar year 2006, the" and inserting "The".

CHAPTER 2

 * For an additional amount for "State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance", for discretionary grants authorized by subpart 2 of part E, of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 as in effect on September 30, 2006, notwithstanding the provisions of section 511 of said Act, $50,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount made available under this heading shall be for local law enforcement initiatives in the Gulf Coast region related to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: Provided further, That these funds shall be apportioned among the States in quotient to their level of violent crime as estimated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report for the year 2005.


 * For an additional amount for "Operations, Research, and Facilities", for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the shrimp and fishing industries, $110,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008.


 * For an additional amount for "Exploration Capabilities" for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, $20,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009.

Sec. 4201.

 * Funds provided in this Act for the "Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Operations, Research, and Facilities", shall be made available according to the language relating to such account in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on of the 110th Congress (H. Rept. 110-107).

Sec. 4202.

 * Up to $48,000,000 of amounts made available to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Public Law 109-148 and Public Law 109-234 for emergency hurricane and other natural disaster-related expenses may be used to reimburse hurricane-related costs incurred by NASA in fiscal year 2005.

CHAPTER 3

 * For an additional amount for "Construction" for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $25,300,000, to remain available until expended, which may be used to continue construction of projects related to interior drainage for the greater New Orleans metropolitan area.


 * For an additional amount for "Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies", as authorized by section 5 of the Act of August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), for necessary expenses relating to the consequences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and for other purposes, $1,407,700,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $1,300,000,000 of the amount provided may be used by the Secretary of the Army to carry out projects and measures for the West Bank and Vicinity and Lake Ponchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana, projects, as described under the heading "Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies", in chapter 3 of Public Law 109-148: Provided further, That $107,700,000 of the amount provided may be used to implement the projects for hurricane storm damage reduction, flood damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration within Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, Mississippi substantially in accordance with the Report of the Chief of Engineers dated December 31, 2006, and entitled "Mississippi, Coastal Improvements Program Interim Report, Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, Mississippi": Provided further, That projects authorized for implementation under this Chief's report shall be carried out at full Federal expense, except that the non-Federal interests shall be responsible for providing for all costs associated with operation and maintenance of the project: Provided further, That any project using funds appropriated under this heading shall be initiated only after non-Federal interests have entered into binding agreements with the Secretary requiring the non-Federal interests to pay 100 percent of the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation costs of the project and to hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction or operation and maintenance of the project, except for damages due to the fault or negligence of the United States or its contractors:
 * Provided further, That the Chief of Engineers, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall provide a monthly report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations detailing the allocation and obligation of these funds, beginning not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act.

Sec. 4301.

 * The Secretary is authorized and directed to determine the value of eligible reimbursable expenses incurred by local governments in storm-proofing pumping stations, constructing safe houses for operators, and other interim flood control measures in and around the New Orleans metropolitan area that the Secretary determines to be integral to the overall plan to ensure operability of the stations during hurricanes, storms and high water events and the flood control plan for the area.

Sec. 4302.

 * (a) The Secretary of the Army is authorized and directed to utilize funds remaining available for obligation from the amounts appropriated in chapter 3 of Public Law 109-234 under the heading "Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies" for projects in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area to prosecute these projects in a manner which promotes the goal of continuing work at an optimal pace, while maximizing, to the greatest extent practicable, levels of protection to reduce the risk of storm damage to people and property.


 * (b) The expenditure of funds as provided in subsection (a) may be made without regard to individual amounts or purposes specified in chapter 3 of Public Law 109-234.


 * (c) Any reallocation of funds that are necessary to accomplish the goal established in subsection (a) are authorized, subject to the approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriation.

Sec. 4303.

 * The Chief of Engineers shall investigate the overall technical advantages, disadvantages and operational effectiveness of operating the new pumping stations at the mouths of the 17th Street, Orleans Avenue and London Avenue canals in the New Orleans area directed for construction in Public Law 109-234 concurrently or in series with existing pumping stations serving these canals and the advantages, disadvantages and technical operational effectiveness of removing the existing pumping stations and configuring the new pumping stations and associated canals to handle all needed discharges to the lakefront or in combination with discharges directly to the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish; and the advantages, disadvantages and technical operational effectiveness of replacing or improving the floodwalls and levees adjacent to the three outfall canals: Provided, That the analysis should be conducted at Federal expense: Provided further, That the analysis shall be completed and furnished to the Congress not later than three months after enactment of this Act.

Sec. 4304.

 * Using funds made available in Chapter 3 under title II of Public Law 109-234, under the heading "Investigations", the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with other agencies and the State of Louisiana shall accelerate completion as practicable the final report of the Chief of Engineers recommending a comprehensive plan to deauthorize deep draft navigation on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet: Provided, That the plan shall incorporate and build upon the Interim Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Deep-Draft De-Authorization Report submitted to Congress in December 2006 pursuant to Public Law 109-234.

CHAPTER 4

 * Of the unobligated balances under the heading "Small Business Administration, Disaster Loans Program Account", $181,069,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used for administrative expenses to carry out the disaster loan program, which may be transferred to and merged with "Small Business Administration, Salaries and Expenses", of which $500,000 is for the Office of Inspector General of the Small Business Administration for audits and reviews of disaster loans and the disaster loan program and shall be paid to appropriations for the Office of Inspector General; of which $171,569,000 is for direct administrative expenses of loan making and servicing to carry out the direct loan program; and of which $9,000,000 is for indirect administrative expenses.


 * Of the unobligated balances under the heading "Small Business Administration, Disaster Loans Program Account", $25,000,000 shall be made available for loans under section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business Act to pre-existing businesses located in an area for which the President declared a major disaster because of the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in calendar year 2005, of which not to exceed $8,750,000 is for direct administrative expenses and may be transferred to and merged with "Small Business Administration, Salaries and Expenses" to carry out the disaster loan program of the Small Business Administration.


 * Of the unobligated balances under the heading "Small Business Administration, Disaster Loans Program Account", $150,000,000 is transferred to the "Federal Emergency Management Agency, Disaster Relief" account.

CHAPTER 5

 * For an additional amount for "Disaster Relief", $710,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $4,000,000 shall be transferred to "Office of Inspector General": Provided further, That the Government Accountability Office shall review how the Federal Emergency Management Agency develops its estimates of the funds needed to respond to any given disaster as described in House Report 110-60.

Sec. 4501.

 * (a) In General.—
 * Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including any agreement, the Federal share of assistance, including direct Federal assistance, provided for the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Texas in connection with Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, Dennis, and Rita under sections 403, 406, 407, and 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, 5173, and 5174) shall be 100 percent of the eligible costs under such sections.


 * (b) Applicability.—
 * (1) In general.—
 * The Federal share provided by subsection (a) shall apply to disaster assistance applied for before the date of enactment of this Act.
 * (2) Limitation.—
 * In the case of disaster assistance provided under sections 403, 406, and 407 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the Federal share provided by subsection (a) shall be limited to assistance provided for projects for which a "request for public assistance form" has been submitted.

Sec. 4502.

 * (a) Community Disaster Loan Act.—
 * (1) In general.—
 * Section 2(a) of the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-88) is amended by striking "Provided further, That notwithstanding section 417(c)(1) of the Stafford Act, such loans may not be canceled:".
 * (2) Effective date.—
 * The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-88).


 * (b) Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.—
 * (1) In general.—
 * Chapter 4 of title II of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234) is amended under Federal Emergency Management Agency, "Disaster Assistance Direct Loan Program Account" by striking "Provided further, That notwithstanding section 417(c)(1) of such Act, such loans may not be canceled:".
 * (2) Effective date.—
 * The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234).

Sec. 4503.

 * (a) In General.—
 * Section 2401 of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234) is amended by striking "12 months" and inserting "24 months".


 * (b) Effective Date.—
 * The amendment made by this section shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234).

CHAPTER 6

 * For an additional amount for the "Historic Preservation Fund" for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $10,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the funds provided under this heading shall be provided to the State Historic Preservation Officer, after consultation with the National Park Service, for grants for disaster relief in areas of Louisiana impacted by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita: Provided further, That grants shall be for the preservation, stabilization, rehabilitation, and repair of historic properties listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, for planning and technical assistance: Provided further, That grants shall only be available for areas that the President determines to be a major disaster under section 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) due to Hurricanes Katrina or Rita: Provided further, That individual grants shall not be subject to a non-Federal matching requirement: Provided further, That no more than 5 percent of funds provided under this heading for disaster relief grants may be used for administrative expenses.

Sec. 4601.

 * Of the disaster relief funds from Public Law 109-234, 120 Stat. 418, 461, (June 30, 2006), chapter 5, "National Park Service—Historic Preservation Fund", for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season that were allocated to the State of Mississippi by the National Park Service, $500,000 is hereby transferred to the "National Park Service—National Recreation and Preservation" appropriation: Provided, That these funds may be used to reconstruct destroyed properties that at the time of destruction were listed in the National Register of Historic Places and are otherwise qualified to receive these funds: Provided further, That the State Historic Preservation Officer certifies that, for the community where that destroyed property was located, the property is iconic to or essential to illustrating that community's historic identity, that no other property in that community with the same associative historic value has survived, and that sufficient historical documentation exists to ensure an accurate reproduction.

CHAPTER 7

 * For an additional amount under part B of title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ("HEA") for institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 or section 102(c) of that Act) that are located in an area in which a major disaster was declared in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act related to Hurricanes Katrina or Rita, $30,000,000: Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Education only for payments to help defray the expenses (which may include lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, and construction) incurred by such institutions of higher education that were forced to close, relocate or significantly curtail their activities as a result of damage directly caused by such hurricanes and for payments to enable such institutions to provide grants to students who attend such institutions for academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2006: Provided further, That such payments shall be made in accordance with criteria established by the Secretary and made publicly available without regard to section 437 of the General Education Provisions Act, section 553 of title 5, United States Code, or part B of title VII of the HEA: Provided further, That the Secretary shall award funds available under this paragraph not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.


 * For carrying out activities authorized by subpart 1 of part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, $30,000,000, to remain available until expended, for use by the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama primarily for recruiting, retaining, and compensating new and current teachers, school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, assistant directors, and other educators, who commit to work for at least three years in school-based positions in public elementary and secondary schools located in an area with respect to which a major disaster was declared under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) by reason of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, including through such mechanisms as paying salary premiums, performance bonuses, housing subsidies, signing bonuses, and relocation costs and providing loan forgiveness, with priority given to teachers and school-based school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, assistant directors, and other educators who previously worked or lived in one of the affected areas, are currently employed (or become employed) in such a school in any of the affected areas after those disasters, and commit to continue that employment for at least 3 years, Provided, That funds available under this heading to such States may also be used for 1 or more of the following activities: (1) to build the capacity, knowledge, and skill of teachers and school-based school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, assistant directors, and other educators in such public elementary and secondary schools to provide an effective education, including the design, adaptation, and implementation of high-quality formative assessments; (2) the establishment of partnerships with nonprofit entities with a demonstrated track record in recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers and other school-based school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, and assistant directors; and (3) paid release time for teachers and principals to identify and replicate successful practices from the fastest-improving and highest-performing schools: Provided further, That the Secretary of Education shall allocate amounts available under this heading among such States that submit applications; that such allocation shall be based on the number of public elementary and secondary schools in each State that were closed for 19 days or more during the period beginning on August 29, 2005, and ending on December 31, 2005, due to Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita; and that such States shall in turn allocate funds to local educational agencies, with priority given first to such agencies with the highest percentages of public elementary and secondary schools that are closed as a result of such hurricanes as of the date of enactment of this Act and then to such agencies with the highest percentages of public elementary and secondary schools with a student-teacher ratio of at least 25 to 1, and with any remaining amounts to be distributed to such agencies with demonstrated need, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education: Provided further, That, in the case of any State that chooses to use amounts available under this heading for performance bonuses, not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and in collaboration with local educational agencies, teachers' unions, local principals' organizations, local parents' organizations, local business organizations, and local charter schools organizations, the State educational agency shall develop a plan for a rating system for performance bonuses, and if no agreement has been reached that is satisfactory to all consulting entities by such deadline, the State educational agency shall immediately send a letter notifying Congress and shall, not later than 30 days after such notification, establish and implement a rating system that shall be based on classroom observation and feedback more than once annually, conducted by multiple sources (including, but not limited to, principals and master teachers), and evaluated against research-based rubrics that use planning, instructional, and learning environment standards to measure teacher performance, except that the requirements of this proviso shall not apply to a State that has enacted a State law in 2006 authorizing performance pay for teachers.


 * Funds made available under section 102 of the Hurricane Education Recovery Act (title IV of division B of Public Law 109-148) may be used by the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, in addition to the uses of funds described in section 102(e), for the following costs: (1) recruiting, retaining, and compensating new and current teachers, school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, assistant directors, and other educators for school-based positions in public elementary and secondary schools impacted by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, including through such mechanisms as paying salary premiums, performance bonuses, housing subsidies, signing bonuses, and relocation costs and providing loan forgiveness; (2) activities to build the capacity, knowledge, and skills of teachers and school-based school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, assistant directors, and other educators in such public elementary and secondary schools to provide an effective education, including the design, adaptation, and implementation of high-quality formative assessments; (3) the establishment of partnerships with nonprofit entities with a demonstrated track record in recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers and school-based school principals, assistant principals, principal resident directors, and assistant directors; and (4) paid release time for teachers and principals to identify and replicate successful practices from the fastest-improving and highest-performing schools.

Sec. 4701.

 * Section 105(b) of title IV of division B of Public Law 109-148 is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: "With respect to the program authorized by section 102 of this Act, the waiver authority in subsection (a) of this section shall be available until the end of fiscal year 2008.".

Sec. 4702.

 * Notwithstanding section 2002(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397a(c)), funds made available under the heading "Social Services Block Grant" in division B of Public Law 109-148 shall be available for expenditure by the States through the end of fiscal year 2009.

Sec. 4703.

 * (a) In the event that Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, or Texas fails to meet its match requirement with funds appropriated in fiscal year 2006 or 2007, for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may waive the application of section 2617(d)(4) of the Public Health Service Act for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas.


 * (b) The Secretary may not exercise the waiver authority available under subsection (a) to allow a grantee to provide less than a 25 percent matching grant.


 * (c) For grant years beginning in 2008, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas and any eligible metropolitan area in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas shall comply with each of the applicable requirements under title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300ff-11 et seq.).

CHAPTER 8

 * For an additional amount for the Emergency Relief Program as authorized under section 125 of title 23, United States Code, $871,022,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That section 125(d)(1) of title 23, United States Code, shall not apply to emergency relief projects that respond to damage caused by the 2005-2006 winter storms in the State of California: Provided further, That of the unobligated balances of funds apportioned to each State under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, $871,022,000 are rescinded: Provided further, That such rescission shall not apply to the funds distributed in accordance with sections 130(f) and 104(b)(5) of title 23, United States Code; sections 133(d)(1) and 163 of such title, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of Public Law 109-59; and the first sentence of section 133(d)(3)(A) of such title.


 * For an additional amount to be allocated by the Secretary to recipients of assistance under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, directly affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $35,000,000, for the operating and capital costs of transit services, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the Federal share for any project funded from this amount shall be 100 percent.


 * For an additional amount for the Office of Inspector General, for the necessary costs related to the consequences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $7,000,000, to remain available until expended.

Sec. 4801.

 * The third proviso under the heading "Department of Housing and Urban Development—Public and Indian Housing—Tenant-Based Rental Assistance" in chapter 9 of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2779) is amended by striking "for up to 18 months" and inserting "until December 31, 2007".

Sec. 4802.

 * Section 21033 of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by adding after the third proviso: ": Provided further, That notwithstanding the previous proviso, except for applying the 2007 Annual Adjustment Factor and making any other specified adjustments, public housing agencies specified in category 1 below shall receive funding for calendar year 2007 based on the higher of the amounts the agencies would receive under the previous proviso or the amounts the agencies received in calendar year 2006, and public housing agencies specified in categories 2 and 3 below shall receive funding for calendar year 2007 equal to the amounts the agencies received in calendar year 2006, except that public housing agencies specified in categories 1 and 2 below shall receive funding under this proviso only if, and to the extent that, any such public housing agency submits a plan, approved by the Secretary, that demonstrates that the agency can effectively use within 12 months the funding that the agency would receive under this proviso that is in addition to the funding that the agency would receive under the previous proviso: (1) public housing agencies that are eligible for assistance under section 901 in Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2781) or are located in the same counties as those eligible under section 901 and operate voucher programs under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 but do not operate public housing under section 9 of such Act, and any public housing agency that otherwise qualifies under this category must demonstrate that they have experienced a loss of rental housing stock as a result of the 2005 hurricanes; (2) public housing agencies that would receive less funding under the previous proviso than they would receive under this proviso and that have been placed in receivership or the Secretary has declared to be in breach of an Annual Contributions Contract by June 1, 2007; and (3) public housing agencies that spent more in calendar year 2006 than the total of the amounts of any such public housing agency's allocation amount for calendar year 2006 and the amount of any such public housing agency's available housing assistance payments undesignated funds balance from calendar year 2005 and the amount of any such public housing agency's available administrative fees undesignated funds balance through calendar year 2006".

Sec. 4803.

 * Section 901 of Public Law 109-148 is amended by deleting "calendar year 2006" and inserting "calendar years 2006 and 2007".

CHAPTER 9

 * For an additional amount for Department of Veterans Affairs, "Construction, Minor Projects", $14,484,754, to remain available until September 30, 2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season.
 * Of the funds available until September 30, 2007, for the "Construction, Minor Projects" account of the Department of Veterans Affairs, pursuant to section 2702 of Public Law 109-234, $14,484,754 are hereby rescinded.