Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
link to page 1 
Updated March 6, 2017
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
Overview
Local Impacts
The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is managed by the Federal
All declarations for the District of Columbia have been
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the
provided to the entire District, which is considered to be a
primary source of federal assistance following a major
“county-equivalent” by FEMA. There have been no
disaster declaration. The authority to declare a major
declarations for only certain areas within the District.
disaster is provided to the President under the Robert T.
Stafford Emergency Relief and Disaster Assistance Act
Figure 1. DRF Actual and Projected Obligations for
(P.L. 93-288).
Declared Major Disasters in the District of Columbia,
by Fiscal Year
The information below includes only DRF funding
Figures are in millions of dol ars, truncated. The number of
provided to the District of Columbia as a result of
declarations per year is in parentheses.
assistance associated with a major disaster declaration. This
information does not include other assistance provided
through the DRF or disaster assistance provided by other
federal sources, such as Small Business Administration
disaster loans.
FEMA administers disaster relief through regional offices
around the country. The District of Columbia is part of
Region III, headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.
Major Disaster Declarations: FY2000-
FY2015
A total of 10 major disaster declarations were made in the
District of Columbia between FY2000 and FY2015. During
that time, there were no requests for major disaster
declarations that were denied. The approved declarations
led to $46 million in actual and projected federal
obligations from the DRF. Actual and projected obligations
are used throughout this In Focus to account for the total
amount of federal assistance ultimately obligated. This
funding does not include the assistance that was provided
directly by the state, either as a cost-share for federal
assistance or through the state’s own authorities and
programs.
There was a high level of variation in the amount of actual
and projected funding obligated for major disasters each
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligations data as of December
year, with more than $11 million in actual and projected
2015.
obligations for disasters in FY2010 alone. Figure 1
Notes: Actual and projected obligations are recorded in the fiscal
displays the actual and projected obligations to the District
year in which the major disaster was declared. Only obligations from
of Columbia each fiscal year. The highest number of
the FEMA DRF are included. Please consult the “Additional
declarations in a single year was two, which occurred in
Resources” section for information on other federal assistance
FY2000, FY2010, and FY2012.
programs.
Most Costly Declarations
Types of Assistance Provided for Major
The declaration associated with the largest actual and
Disasters
projected obligations from the DRF to the District of
A major disaster declaration can authorize funding for
Columbia was for Hurricane Isabel in FY2003. This
different purposes, depending on the needs of the state.
declaration resulted in more than $8 million in actual and
These purposes include:
projected obligations to the District of Columbia from the
DRF.
Public Assistance, which is used by tribal, state, or local
governments, or certain private nonprofit organizations
The next two most costly declarations were for severe
to provide emergency protective services, conduct
winter storms in FY2010 and earthquake in FY2012.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
debris removal operations, and repair or replace
Assistance Grants. The funding associated with these types
damaged public infrastructure;
of assistance typically results in lower obligation levels than
assistance provided as a result of major disaster
Individual Assistance, which provides direct aid to
declarations, although there is significant variation across
impacted households;
incidents.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance, which funds mitigation
Emergency Declarations are often made at the time a
and resiliency projects and programs, typically across
threat is recognized in order to assist tribal, state, and
the entire state;
local efforts prior to an incident.
FEMA administrative costs associated with each disaster Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide
declaration; and
aid for the control, management, and mitigation of fires.
Mission Assignment, which tasks and reimburses other
FEMA Assistance Not Funded Through
federal entities that provide direct disaster assistance.
the DRF: National Flood Insurance
Program
The decision concerning which types of assistance to
Floods represent a majority of all major disaster
provide is made either when the major disaster is declared
declarations nationwide. One of the primary sources of
or when the declaration is amended. For many major
assistance for flooding events is the National Flood
disasters, all of the assistance types outlined above are
Insurance Program (NFIP), which is not funded through the
authorized. For others, some assistance types are not
DRF. For more information on the NFIP, please refer to
authorized. Figure 2 compares the actual and projected
CRS Report R44593, Introduction to FEMA’s National
obligations for different types of assistance provided to the
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
District of Columbia as a result of a major disaster
declaration from FY2000 to FY2015.
Additional Resources
Many existing CRS products address issues related to the
Figure 2. DRF Assistance for the District of Columbia,
DRF, the disaster declaration process, and types of DRF
by Type (FY2000-FY2015)
assistance. Below is a list of several of these resources:
CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on
Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies
CRS Report R43519, Natural Disasters and Hazards:
CRS Experts
CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Process: A Primer
CRS Report R43537, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund:
Overview and Selected Issues
CRS Report R44619, FEMA Disaster Housing: The
Individuals and Households Program—Implementation
and Potential Issues for Congress
CRS Report R43990, FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant
Program: Background and Considerations for Congress
CRS Experts
FEMA Disaster Assistance:
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligation data as of December
Bruce R. Lindsay
2015.
Jared T. Brown
Shawn Reese
Note: The specific assistance within each of the identified types may
have changed in the period FY2000 to FY2015.
National Flood Insurance Program:
Other FEMA Assistance Funded
Diane P. Horn
Through the DRF
In addition to the major disaster assistance described above,
Bruce R. Lindsay, Analyst in American National
there are other forms of assistance that are funded through
Government
the DRF. These include assistance associated with
IF10066
Emergency Declarations and with Fire Management
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
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 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.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10066 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED
Updated March 6, 2017
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
Overview
Local Impacts
The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is managed by the Federal
All declarations for the District of Columbia have been
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the
provided to the entire District, which is considered to be a
primary source of federal assistance following a major
“county-equivalent” by FEMA. There have been no
disaster declaration. The authority to declare a major
declarations for only certain areas within the District.
disaster is provided to the President under the Robert T.
Stafford Emergency Relief and Disaster Assistance Act
Figure 1. DRF Actual and Projected Obligations for
(P.L. 93-288).
Declared Major Disasters in the District of Columbia,
by Fiscal Year
The information below includes only DRF funding
Figures are in millions of dol ars, truncated. The number of
provided to the District of Columbia as a result of
declarations per year is in parentheses.
assistance associated with a major disaster declaration. This
information does not include other assistance provided
through the DRF or disaster assistance provided by other
federal sources, such as Small Business Administration
disaster loans.
FEMA administers disaster relief through regional offices
around the country. The District of Columbia is part of
Region III, headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.
Major Disaster Declarations: FY2000-
FY2015
A total of 10 major disaster declarations were made in the
District of Columbia between FY2000 and FY2015. During
that time, there were no requests for major disaster
declarations that were denied. The approved declarations
led to $46 million in actual and projected federal
obligations from the DRF. Actual and projected obligations
are used throughout this In Focus to account for the total
amount of federal assistance ultimately obligated. This
funding does not include the assistance that was provided
directly by the state, either as a cost-share for federal
assistance or through the state’s own authorities and
programs.
There was a high level of variation in the amount of actual
and projected funding obligated for major disasters each
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligations data as of December
year, with more than $11 million in actual and projected
2015.
obligations for disasters in FY2010 alone. Figure 1
Notes: Actual and projected obligations are recorded in the fiscal
displays the actual and projected obligations to the District
year in which the major disaster was declared. Only obligations from
of Columbia each fiscal year. The highest number of
the FEMA DRF are included. Please consult the “Additional
declarations in a single year was two, which occurred in
Resources” section for information on other federal assistance
FY2000, FY2010, and FY2012.
programs.
Most Costly Declarations
Types of Assistance Provided for Major
The declaration associated with the largest actual and
Disasters
projected obligations from the DRF to the District of
A major disaster declaration can authorize funding for
Columbia was for Hurricane Isabel in FY2003. This
different purposes, depending on the needs of the state.
declaration resulted in more than $8 million in actual and
These purposes include:
projected obligations to the District of Columbia from the
DRF.
Public Assistance, which is used by tribal, state, or local
governments, or certain private nonprofit organizations
The next two most costly declarations were for severe
to provide emergency protective services, conduct
winter storms in FY2010 and earthquake in FY2012.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
debris removal operations, and repair or replace
Assistance Grants. The funding associated with these types
damaged public infrastructure;
of assistance typically results in lower obligation levels than
assistance provided as a result of major disaster
Individual Assistance, which provides direct aid to
declarations, although there is significant variation across
impacted households;
incidents.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance, which funds mitigation
Emergency Declarations are often made at the time a
and resiliency projects and programs, typically across
threat is recognized in order to assist tribal, state, and
the entire state;
local efforts prior to an incident.
FEMA administrative costs associated with each disaster Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide
declaration; and
aid for the control, management, and mitigation of fires.
Mission Assignment, which tasks and reimburses other
FEMA Assistance Not Funded Through
federal entities that provide direct disaster assistance.
the DRF: National Flood Insurance
Program
The decision concerning which types of assistance to
Floods represent a majority of all major disaster
provide is made either when the major disaster is declared
declarations nationwide. One of the primary sources of
or when the declaration is amended. For many major
assistance for flooding events is the National Flood
disasters, all of the assistance types outlined above are
Insurance Program (NFIP), which is not funded through the
authorized. For others, some assistance types are not
DRF. For more information on the NFIP, please refer to
authorized. Figure 2 compares the actual and projected
CRS Report R44593, Introduction to FEMA’s National
obligations for different types of assistance provided to the
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
District of Columbia as a result of a major disaster
declaration from FY2000 to FY2015.
Additional Resources
Many existing CRS products address issues related to the
Figure 2. DRF Assistance for the District of Columbia,
DRF, the disaster declaration process, and types of DRF
by Type (FY2000-FY2015)
assistance. Below is a list of several of these resources:
CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on
Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies
CRS Report R43519, Natural Disasters and Hazards:
CRS Experts
CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Process: A Primer
CRS Report R43537, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund:
Overview and Selected Issues
CRS Report R44619, FEMA Disaster Housing: The
Individuals and Households Program—Implementation
and Potential Issues for Congress
CRS Report R43990, FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant
Program: Background and Considerations for Congress
CRS Experts
FEMA Disaster Assistance:
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligation data as of December
Bruce R. Lindsay
2015.
Jared T. Brown
Shawn Reese
Note: The specific assistance within each of the identified types may
have changed in the period FY2000 to FY2015.
National Flood Insurance Program:
Other FEMA Assistance Funded
Diane P. Horn
Through the DRF
In addition to the major disaster assistance described above,
Bruce R. Lindsay, Analyst in American National
there are other forms of assistance that are funded through
Government
the DRF. These include assistance associated with
IF10066
Emergency Declarations and with Fire Management
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: District of Columbia
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 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.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10066 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED