---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 3199"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "3199"
heading: "Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/3199"
units:
  - "Chapter 38 — Public Works and Economic Development"
  - "Subchapter V — Administration"
---

# §3199. Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall establish an Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience—
  - (1) to direct and implement the post-[disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) economic recovery responsibilities of the Economic Development Administration pursuant to subsections (c)(2) and (e) of [section 3149 of this title](/usc/42/3149.md) and [section 3233 of this title](/usc/42/3233.md);
  - (2) to direct and implement economic recovery and enhanced resilience support function activities as directed under the National [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery Framework; and
  - (3) support long-term economic recovery in communities in which a major [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) or emergency has been declared under the Robert T. Stafford [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ([42 U.S.C. 5121](/usc/42/5121.md) et seq.), or otherwise impacted by an event of national significance, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13), through—
    - (A) convening and deploying an economic development assessment team;
    - (B) hosting or attending convenings related to identification of additional Federal, [State](/usc/42/3122.md?p=14), local, and philanthropic entities and resources;
    - (C) exploring potential flexibilities related to existing awards;
    - (D) provision of technical assistance through staff or contractual resources; and
    - (E) other activities determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) to be appropriate.
- (b) **Appointment authorities—**
  - (1) **Appointment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) is authorized to appoint such temporary personnel as may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of [chapter 33](/usc/5/chptIII/sptB/ch33.md) of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service.
  - (2) **Conversion of employees—** Notwithstanding [chapter 33](/usc/5/chptIII/sptB/ch33.md) of title 5, or any other provision of law relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of individuals in the competitive service, a temporary employee appointed under this subsection may be selected by the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) for a permanent appointment in the competitive service in the Economic Development Administration under internal competitive promotion procedures if—
    - (A) the employee has served continuously for at least 2 years under 1 or more appointments under this subsection; and
    - (B) the employee’s performance has been at an acceptable level of performance throughout the period or periods referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A).
  - (3) **Status upon conversion—** An individual converted under this subsection shall become a career-conditional employee, unless the employee has already completed the service requirements for career tenure.
  - (4) **Reporting—** For any fiscal year during which the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) exercises the authority under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that describes the use of that authority including, at a minimum—
    - (A) the number of employees hired under the authority during the fiscal year;
    - (B) the positions and grades for which employees were hired;
    - (C) the number of employees converted to career-conditional;
    - (D) a description of how the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) assessed employee performance to determine the eligibility of the employee for conversion under [paragraph (2)(B)](#b-2-B);
    - (E) the number of employees who were hired under that authority as temporary employees who have met the continuous service requirements described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A) of paragraph (2) but not the performance requirements described in [subparagraph (B)](#b-4-B) of that paragraph; and
    - (F) the number of employees who were hired under that authority who have separated from the Economic Development Administration.
  - (5) **Rule of construction—** Nothing in this subsection waives any requirement relating to qualifications of applicants for positions in the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience under this subsection.
  - (6) **Termination—** The authority provided by this subsection shall expire on September 30, 2029.
- (c) **Disaster team—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** As soon as practicable after January 4, 2025, the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall establish a [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team (referred to in this section as the “[disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team”) for the deployment of individuals to carry out responsibilities of the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience after a major [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) or emergency has been declared under the Robert T. Stafford [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ([42 U.S.C. 5121](/usc/42/5121.md) et seq.) and the [Department](/usc/42/3122.md?p=4) has been activated by the Federal Emergency Management [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Membership—**
    - (A) **Designation of staff—** As soon as practicable after January 4, 2025, the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall designate to serve on the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team—
      - (i) employees of the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience;
      - (ii) employees of the [Department](/usc/42/3122.md?p=4) who are not employees of the Economic Development Administration; and
      - (iii) in consultation with the heads of other [Federal agencies](/usc/42/3122.md?p=7), employees of those [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate.
    - (B) **Capabilities—** In designating individuals under [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall ensure that the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team includes a sufficient quantity of—
      - (i) individuals who are capable of deploying rapidly and efficiently to respond to major [disasters](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) and emergencies; and
      - (ii) highly trained full-time employees who will lead and manage the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team.
  - (3) **Training—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall ensure that appropriate and ongoing training is provided to members of the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team to ensure that the members are adequately trained regarding the programs and policies of the Economic Development Administration relating to post-[disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) economic recovery efforts.
  - (4) **Expenses—** In carrying out this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) may—
    - (A) use, with or without reimbursement, any service, equipment, personnel, or facility of any [Federal agency](/usc/42/3122.md?p=7) with the explicit support of that [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), to the extent such use does not impair or conflict with the authority of the President or the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Federal Emergency Management [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) under the Robert T. Stafford [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ([42 U.S.C. 5121](/usc/42/5121.md) et seq.) to direct [Federal agencies](/usc/42/3122.md?p=7) in any major [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) or emergency declared under that Act; and
    - (B) provide members of the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team with travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) under subchapter I of [chapter 57](/usc/5/chptIII/sptD/ch57.md) of title 5, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of services for, or relating to, the [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) team.
- (d) **Annual reports—** Not later than July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/3122.md?p=13) shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes—
  - (1) a summary of the activities of the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience and any [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) teams established pursuant to [subsection (c)](#c);
  - (2) the number and details of the [disasters](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) in which the Office of [Disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) Recovery and Resilience and permanent and temporary personnel, including [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2) teams, were involved and deployed;
  - (3) the locations and length of any deployments;
  - (4) the number of personnel deployed, broken down by category, including permanent and temporary personnel; and
  - (5) a breakdown of expenses, with or without reimbursement.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–136, title V, § 509, as added Pub. L. 118–272, div. B, title II, § 2228, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 3192.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3) and (c)(1), (4)(A), is Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§ 5121 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.