Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act of 2017
This bill provides $36.5 billion in FY2018 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of the Interior for relief and recovery efforts in response to recent hurricanes and wildfires.
For FEMA, the bill provides: (1) $18.67 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, of which up to $4.9 billion may be transferred to the Community Disaster Loan Program for direct loans to assist local governments in providing essential services as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria; and (2) $16 billion in debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program.
The bill also provides $576.5 million to the Forest Service and Interior for wildfire suppression activities.
USDA may use up to $1.27 billion of funds previously provided for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) contingency reserve to provide a grant to Puerto Rico for disaster nutrition assistance in response to the presidentially declared major disasters and emergencies.
The bill designates the funds as emergency requirements. (Emergency spending is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules.)