Bill · H.R. 153· House(119-HR-153)
Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act
- Introduced
- 1/3/2025
- Last activity
- 1/15/2025 — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Ezell
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 2
- Introduced
- Passed House
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act establishes an online repository to track federal disaster assistance. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget will create a subpage on a specific federal website to publish required information. Covered federal agencies must submit details regarding disaster assistance every 30 days after a calendar quarter ends. This information includes the total amount of assistance provided and specific details about projects or activities funded. The act covers agencies providing assistance for specified natural disasters, including the Small Business Administration and HUD.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+8
The bill creates a new online repository to provide public access to detailed information regarding how disaster assistance is distributed and spent.
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?+3
The bill increases fiscal responsibility by requiring detailed tracking and reporting of all expended or obligated disaster assistance funds.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+2
The bill increases transparency for disaster-related assistance that often benefits low-income populations via HUD.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
What Congress actually voted on
One recorded vote has been taken on this bill.
- The House: a fast-track vote, needing two-thirds to passPassed 426–0
The House sets aside its normal procedure to move quickly: no amendments, little debate, and a two-thirds bar instead of a simple majority. It is used for measures expected to be uncontroversial, so a bill that fails here failed despite broad expectations that it would not.
01/14/2025 · Roll call 10 · recorded as “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Transparency: The creation of a subpage to publish information regarding disaster assistance provides public access to how funds are used (Section 2(a)).
-
Detailed Project Tracking: The bill requires agencies to provide a detailed list of projects, including descriptions, completion status, and locations via ZIP Codes, allowing people to see exactly where assistance is being directed (Section 2(c)(3)).
-
Data Accessibility: By requiring that data assets be machine readable, the bill ensures the information is accessible for digital use (Section 2(b)).
-
Public Accountability: The requirement for agencies to report the total amount of assistance provided and the amount expended or obligated helps track the distribution of funds (Section 2(c)(1-2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are mentioned in the text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+8
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Public Land Management+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+2
- Education And Technology
- Improves Data Privacy+1
- 1/15/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 1/14/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 426 - 0 (Roll no. 10). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H101-102)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 426 - 0 (Roll no. 10). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H101-102)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H138-139)
- 1/13/2025
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 153.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H101-103)
- Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/4/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Small Business, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Pablo HernándezDemocrat · Puerto Rico
Stacey PlaskettDemocrat · Virgin Islands