Disaster Assistance Simplification Act

The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act would establish a unified system for federal disaster assistance. Currently, disaster survivors must complete separate applications with different federal agencies to access various forms of aid, a process that is time-consuming and confusing. This bill would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to create a single, consolidated application that allows survivors to apply for multiple types of assistance through one platform.

Under the bill, FEMA would be responsible for developing this unified system within 360 days of enactment. The system would allow applicants to submit a single application, receive status updates, update their information throughout the recovery process, and access information about additional recovery resources. FEMA would also be permitted to securely share applicant information with other federal agencies involved in disaster relief, eliminating the need for survivors to repeatedly provide the same information to different agencies.

The bill includes strong protections for survivors' personal information. It requires federal agencies to comply with data security standards, conduct privacy impact assessments, and establish rules governing how they access and use disaster assistance information. Additionally, the bill mandates that Congress receive regular reports on how the system is working, including its impact on disaster survivors and the efficiency of assistance delivery.