HR 9541 — POWER Act of 2024 Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience Act of 2024

changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is 
printed in italics and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

 ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT

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TITLE IV--MAJOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

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SEC. 403. ESSENTIAL ASSISTANCE.

 (a) In General.--Federal agencies may on the direction of the 
President, provide assistance essential to meeting immediate 
threats to life and property resulting from a major disaster, 
as follows:
 (1) Federal resources, generally.--Utilizing, 
 lending, or donating to State and local governments 
 Federal equipment, supplies, facilities, personnel, and 
 other resources, other than the extension of credit, 
 for use or distribution by such governments in 
 accordance with the purposes of this Act.
 (2) Medicine, food, and other consumables.--
 Distributing or rendering through State and local 
 governments, the American National Red Cross, the 
 Salvation Army, the Mennonite Disaster Service, and 
 other relief and disaster assistance organizations 
 medicine durable medical equipment,, food, and other 
 consumable supplies, and other services and assistance 
 to disaster victims.
 (3) Work and services to save lives and protect 
 property.--Performing on public or private lands or 
 waters any work or services essential to saving lives 
 and protecting and preserving property or public health 
 and safety, including--
 (A) debris removal;
 (B) search and rescue, emergency medical 
 care, emergency mass care, emergency shelter, 
 and provision of food, water, medicinedurable 
 medical equipment,, and other essential needs, 
 including movement of supplies or persons;
 (C) clearance of roads and construction of 
 temporary bridges necessary to the performance 
 of emergency tasks and essential community 
 services;
 (D) provision of temporary facilities for 
 schools and other essential community services;
 (E) demolition of unsafe structures which 
 endanger the public;
 (F) warning of further risks and hazards;
 (G) dissemination of public information and 
 assistance regarding health and safety 
 measures;
 (H) provision of technical advice to State 
 and local governments on disaster management 
 and control;
 (I) reduction of immediate threats to life, 
 property, and public health and safety; and
 (J) provision of rescue, care, shelter, and 
 essential needs--
 (i) to individuals with household 
 pets and service animals; and
 (ii) to such pets and animals.
 (4) Contributions.--Making contributions to State or 
 local governments or owners or operators of private 
 nonprofit facilities for the purpose of carrying out 
 the provisions of this subsection.
 (b) Federal Share.--The Federal share of assistance under 
this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible 
cost of such assistance.
 (c) Utilization of DOD Resources.--
 (1) General rule.--During the immediate aftermath of 
 an incident which may ultimately qualify for assistance 
 under this title or title V of this Act, the Governor 
 of the State in which such incident occurred may 
 request the President to direct the Secretary of 
 Defense to utilize the resources of the Department of 
 Defense for the purpose of performing on public and 
 private lands any emergency work which is made 
 necessary by such incident and which is essential for 
 the preservation of life and property. If the President 
 determines that such work is essential for the 
 preservation of life and property, the President shall 
 grant such request to the extent the President 
 determines practicable. Such emergency work may only be 
 carried out for a period not to exceed 10 days.
 (2) Rules applicable to debris removal.--Any removal 
 of debris and wreckage carried out under this 
 subsection shall be subject to section 407(b), relating 
 to unconditional authorization and indemnification for 
 debris removal.
 (3) Expenditures out of disaster relief funds.--The 
 cost of any assistance provided pursuant to this 
 subsection shall be reimbursed out of funds made 
 available to carry out this Act.
 (4) Federal share.--The Federal share of assistance 
 under this subsection shall be not less than 75 
 percent.
 (5) Guidelines.--Not later than 180 days after the 
 date of the enactment of the Disaster Relief and 
 Emergency Assistance Amendments of 1988, the President 
 shall issue guidelines for carrying out this 
 subsection. Such guidelines shall consider any likely 
 effect assistance under this subsection will have on 
 the availability of other forms of assistance under 
 this Act.
 (6) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
 (A) Department of defense.--The term 
 ``Department of Defense'' has the meaning the 
 term ``department'' has under section 101 of 
 title 10, United States Code.
 (B) Emergency work.--The term ``emergency 
 work'' includes clearance and removal of debris 
 and wreckage and temporary restoration of 
 essential public facilities and services.
 (d) Salaries and Benefits.--
 (1) In general.--If the President declares a major 
 disaster or emergency for an area within the 
 jurisdiction of a State, tribal, or local government, 
 the President may reimburse the State, tribal, or local 
 government for costs relating to--
 (A) basic pay and benefits for permanent 
 employees of the State, tribal, or local 
 government conducting emergency protective 
 measures under this section, if--
 (i) the work is not typically 
 performed by the employees; and
 (ii) the type of work may otherwise 
 be carried out by contract or agreement 
 with private organizations, firms, or 
 individuals.; or
 (B) overtime and hazardous duty compensation 
 for permanent employees of the State, tribal, 
 or local government conducting emergency 
 protective measures under this section.
 (2) Overtime.--The guidelines for reimbursement for 
 costs under paragraph (1) shall ensure that no State, 
 tribal, or local government is denied reimbursement for 
 overtime payments that are required pursuant to the 
 Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et 
 seq.).
 (3) No effect on mutual aid pacts.--Nothing in this 
 subsection shall affect the ability of the President to 
 reimburse labor force expenses provided pursuant to an 
 authorized mutual aid pact.
 (e) Electric Utilities.--
 (1) Hazard mitigation activities.--An electric 
 utility may carry out cost-effective hazard mitigation 
 activities jointly or otherwise in combination with 
 activities for the restoration of power carried out 
 with assistance provided under this section.
 (2) Eligibility for additional assistance.-- In any 
 case in which an electric utility facility receives 
 assistance under this section for the emergency 
 restoration of power, the receipt of such assistance 
 shall not render such facility ineligible for any 
 hazard mitigation assistance under section 406 for 
 which such facility is otherwise eligible.

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