INSIGHTi
Southeastern Tornado Outbreak: Brief
Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources
Updated December 17, 2021
Introduction
A late-season tornado outbreak produced significant damage and numerous fatalities across portions of
the southeastern United States and Ohio Val ey from the evening of December 10 to the early morning of
December 11, 2021. This Insight briefly overviews emergency and major disaster declarations and federal
assistance programs relevant to those affected by the storm. It also provides selected Congressional
Research Service (CRS) reports on federal emergency management policy.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed an emergency declaration for Kentucky (December 11) under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, as amended; 42 U.S.C.
§§5121 et seq.), to support state and local efforts to save lives, protect property, and avert the incident
from becoming a major disaster. Under the declaration, Public Assistance (PA) for emergency protective
measures is available for 16 counties. Subsequently, President Biden declared a major disaster for
Kentucky (December 12), making available a broader range of federal assistance programs to state, local,
and territorial governments, private nonprofit organizations, and individuals through the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies, including PA for emergency work
(e.g., debris removal and emergency protective measures) and Individual Assistance (IA) for fourteen
counties. On December 15, President Biden increased the federal cost share for Public Assistance to
100% for debris removal and emergency protective measures, effective for thirty days from the date of the
declaration. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is available throughout the entire
commonwealth.
On December 13, 2021, President Biden approved emergency declarations authorizing PA emergency
protective measures for nine counties in Tennessee and 13 counties in Il inois.
Additional declarations for other states (or additional forms of assistance for existing declarations) may be
forthcoming if the President determines that federal assistance is necessary to support state and local
recovery. This information wil be published in FEMA’s declaration database.
FEMA’s website provides additional information on federal response efforts related to the tornado
outbreak.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress
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FEMA Emergency and Major Disaster Assistance
FEMA provides three major categories of assistance, some of which may be available pursuant to an
emergency declaration and/or a major disaster declaration:
Public Assistance (PA) provides grants and direct assistance to state, tribal, territorial, and
local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, for emergency work (can
be authorized pursuant to either an emergency or major disaster declaration), and
permanent work (can only be authorized pursuant to a major disaster declaration).
Individual Assistance (IA) provides financial and/or direct assistance to affected
individuals and households, and can take the form of housing assistance and assistance
for other needs (can be authorized pursuant to either an emergency or major disaster
declaration), as wel as crisis counseling, case management services, legal services, and
disaster unemployment assistance (can only be authorized pursuant to a major disaster
declaration).
Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) funds mitigation and resiliency projects and
programs, typical y across the entire state or territory. States which receive a major
disaster declaration are awarded Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding.
The forms of assistance authorized by a declaration may vary by the designated areas, per the declaration
(subject to amendment). The President can also amend emergency and major disaster declarations to
decrease the cost-share requirements for PA.
Federal Funding for Disaster Response and Recovery
Typical y, Congress also expresses interest in funding following a disaster declaration. FEMA’s Disaster
Relief Fund (DRF) is the primary source of federal government resources for response and recovery
activities. It is often used as an indicator of the overal availability of federal resources for response and
recovery.
As a result of historical y high levels of annual and supplemental appropriations provided in recent fiscal
years associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, the balance in the DRF stood at
more than $40 bil ion in unobligated funds for major disasters before the tornadoes struck, more than a
third of which was from the FY2022 continuing resolution. These resources are available to support the
elements of the federal response and recovery effort authorized under the Stafford Act. DRF funds do not
expire at the end of the fiscal year, and are to remain available until expended.
Additional Recovery Resources
FEMA Programs and Resources:
Public Assistance Program Overview
Individual Assistance Program Overview
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Overview
FEMA Blog
CRS Resources
Tornado Resources
Congressional Research Service
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CRS Report R46438, Natural Disasters and Hazards: CRS Experts
CRS Report R44977, Preliminary Damage Assessments for Major Disasters: Overview,
Analysis, and Policy Observations
CRS Report R44941, Disaster Debris Management: Requirements, Challenges, and
Federal Agency Roles
Federal Disaster Assistance—Process and Programs
CRS Report WMR10001, CRS Guide to Federal Emergency Management
CRS Report RL31734, Federal Disaster Assistance Response and Recovery Programs:
Brief Summaries
CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on Responding to and Recovering from
Major Disasters and Emergencies, by Bruce R. Lindsay and Elizabeth M. Webster.
CRS Report R46749, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program: A Primer and Considerations
for Congress, by Erica A. Lee
CRS Report R46014, FEMA Individual Assistance Programs: An Overview
CRS Insight IN11187, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard
Mitigation Assistance
CRS Report R45238, FEMA and SBA Disaster Assistance for Individuals and
Households: Application Processes, Determinations, and Appeals
CRS Report R43537, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund: Overview and Selected Issues
Author Information
Lauren R. Stienstra, Coordinator
Bruce R. Lindsay
Section Research Manager
Specialist in American National Government
Diane P. Horn
William L. Painter
Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management Specialist in Homeland Security and Appropriations
Erica A. Lee
Elizabeth M. Webster
Analyst in Emergency Management and Disaster
Analyst in Emergency Management and Disaster
Recovery
Recovery
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
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information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However,
as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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