Committee Prints

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Arkansas, Chairman

HENRY M. JACKSON, Washington

SAM J. ERVIN, JR., North Carolina
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY, Minnesota
ERNEST GRUENING, Alaska
EDMUND S. MUSKIE, Maine

KARL E. MUNDT, South Dakota
CARL T. CURTIS, Nebraska
HOMER E. CAPEHART, Indiana

WALTER L. REYNOLDS, Chief Clerk and Staff Director
GLENN K. SHRIVER, Professional Staff Member
ELI E. NOBLEMAN, Professional Staff Member
MILES SCULL, Jr., Professional Staff Member
W. E. O'BRIEN, Professional Staff Member
ARTHUR A. SHARP, Professional Staff Member

SUBCOMMITTEE ON REORGANIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

HUBERT H. HUMPHREY, Minnesota, Chairman

JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Arkansas
ERNEST GRUENING, Alaska
EDMUND S. MUSKIE, Maine

HOMER E. CAPEHART, Indiana
KARL E. MUNDT, South Dakota

MILES SCULL, Jr., Professional Staff Member

ITV

FOREWORD

By Hon. Hubert H. Humphrey, Chairman, Subcommittee on
Reorganization and International Organizations

Throughout its history, nature has struck devastating blows to the citizens of the United States through fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts, and other natural disasters.

In the early days of the Republic, the Federal Government's responsibility to assist communities in times of great disaster was recognized. For example, in the early 1800's the Congress extended the time for discharging customhouse bonds of the sufferers from the great Portsmouth fire.

However, over the years Federal assistance was restricted chiefly to special grants of money appropriated by the Congress on the occasions when a natural disaster of great magnitude occurred. At other times, agencies of the Government were granted specific authority to provide relief.

It was not until 1947 that the Federal Government laid the framework for a general policy for disaster relief. In that year the 80th Congress empowered the President to direct the Federal Works Administrator to make surplus wartime supplies available to States, local governments, and citizens in a disaster area.

The present policy for disaster relief was established by the Federal Disaster Act of 1950, Public Law 875 of the 81st Congress, which gave the President broad powers to provide immediate assistance through all departments of the Government when a major natural disaster occurs. The act authorizes the President to provide―

an orderly and continuing means of assistance by the Federal Government to States and local governments in carrying out their responsibilities to alleviate suffering and damage resulting from major disasters.

Today, there are fully half a hundred Federal agencies, bureaus, and offices which have statutory responsibility for providing disaster assistance either under the provisions of the Federal Disaster Act or under other statutes which give them specific authority in certain

areas.

However, because of the vast complexities of the disaster program considerable confusion has existed at local governmental levels as to (1) what Federal assistance is available, (2) which agency of the Government provides it, and (3) where local officials apply for relief. For that reason, at my direction the Legislative Reference Service of the Library of Congress has compiled the accompanying disaster handbook which documents the Federal assistance available, detailing the responsibilities, the locations of regional offices, and the specific services Federal agencies provide.

Four categories are covered. These are: (1) Assistance available; (2) responsibilities, as provided by specific statutory authority, or as

directed in agreement with the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, or within the normal statutory authority of the agency; (3) to whom assistance is rendered, whether directly to individual sufferers, through State or local governments, or to those instrumentalities themselves; and, (4) where to apply, whether to the regional office of the Office of Civil Defense Mobilization, or directly to the national or regional offices of the Federal agency providing the assistance. In my opinion the widespread distribution of this information to Governors, the mayors of our cities, and all other officials who are responsible for disaster relief will clarify much of the confusion which has previously existed. It will, I am confident, aid in more expeditious execution of the Federal program.

In conclusion, I would be, indeed, remiss if I did not express on behalf of the subcommittee my sincere appreciation to Mr. C. Frank Keyser, of the Legislative Reference Service of the Library of Congress, who has been responsible for the compilation of this report.