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Policy Paper

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H.R. 5305, the "Extending Government Funding and Providing Emergency Assistance

Act," contains a brief funding bill that provides the fiscal year 2022 allowances to Federal

agencies for ongoing Federal programs and initiatives through December 3, 2021; includes

additional appropriations for emergency aid; includes complimentary subsidies for Afghan

evacuees; and extends several due to expire authorizations (govinfo.gov). This bill raises several

expired programs and authorities and also funds federal agencies through FY2022. The bill

explicitly extends FY2022 funding to federal departments until December 3, 2021, or the

corresponding appropriations act. It is referred to as a continuing resolution (C.R.), and it averts

a budget crisis if the FY2022 funding bills are not completed by October 1, 2021, the start date

of FY2022. The C.R. maintains funding levels for most activities and programs at FY2021 rates,

with a few exemptions that provide financial flexibility and enhanced appropriations for specific

programs (Prabhakar et al., 2021).

Additionally, the bill provides additional financing for numerous federal agencies to

respond to natural disasters and evacuees from Afghanistan. Additionally, the bill extends

several expired programs and authorities. In the fiscal year 2022, Division B would offer

additional funds for various natural disaster-related projects. Division C of H.R. 5305 would

provide extra cash for the fiscal year 2022, specifically for costs associated with Project Allies

Welcome and actions relating to humanitarian and other aid to specific Afghan persons. S. Con.

Res. 14 (117th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the fiscal year 2022 budget, would apply

sections 4001(a)(1) and 4001(b) to designate sums in divisions B and C as emergency

requirements. Division D would extend the increased federal medical aid percentage established

by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to the United States territories through
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December 3, 2021. Additionally, this division would extend assistance to victims of human

trafficking through December 31, 2021.

The bill extends crucial federal funding through December 3 and provides $28.6 billion

for disaster relief and $6.3 billion to aid Afghan evacuees as the Afghanistan conflict winds

down. By extending government funds until December 3, this law provides tens of billions of

dollars to low-income working families. While they continue to provide critical funds for

education, healthcare, housing, and public health and safety services, they also contribute $28.6

billion to relief efforts and $6.3 billion to Afghan evacuees marking the termination of a two-

decade conflict." According to Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Chairwoman of the House

Appropriations Committee. "I look forward to beginning discussions with my colleagues all

across the aisle and across the Capitol in the coming weeks to complete full-year government

spending bills that reverse decades of disinvestment and ensure that the government looks out for

the upper income, working families, and local firms."

The Appropriations components of the law, which are the outcome of bicameral,

nonpartisan bargaining, have included a Reconciliation Bill through December 3 and two

additional emergency funding acts to handle recent natural catastrophes and developments in

Afghanistan. The Continuing Resolution finances critical federal agencies through December 3,

including education, healthcare, housing, and public safety. This funding will expand

opportunity through the childhood education, education investments, and high-quality job

programs; it will also provide a safety net to the vulnerable through nutrient assistance and cheap

homes. It will honor Senate's solemn obligation to secure our country and support our veterans.

Emergency disaster funding totals $28.6 billion to meet the increasing cost of climate change,

which includes recent natural disasters such as Hurricanes Ida, Delta, Zeta, and Laura, as well as
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wildfires, severe droughts, and winter storms, as well as other natural and significant disasters,

declared in 2021 and prior years. This money will be used to rehabilitate working people, small

businesses, and communities and restore federal assets.

The $6.3 billion Afghan evacuees extra provides cash to temporarily house evacuees at

American facilities and foreign countries, complete appropriate security screenings, and

eventually relocate eligible evacuees in the United States. Additionally, the bill includes funds

for humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees in neighboring countries. To assist communities

in preparing for the inevitable humanitarian crises that accompany major disasters, state

governments have established agencies to help local authorities, charitable organizations, and

private businesses navigate emergency cases caused by Mother Nature. While these agencies'

mission is to safeguard communities, economies, and natural habitats within a particular area,

they can only go so far in charge of planning businesses for disaster situations. As a result,

authorities frequently contract out services to firms that specialize in responding to large-scale

events.

Additionally, keep in mind that one disaster can swiftly lead to another: droughts can

result in wildfires, just as storms can result in flooding, earthquakes, sinkholes, and power

failures. Such calamities can also affect a community's food supply, whether that be through crop

destruction or soil contamination, limiting accessible food, and increasing prices. According to

RestoreYourEconomy.org, food contamination due to a big disaster may have a $140 billion

negative impact on U.S. agricultural exports. While agencies such as the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) are given the task of delivering assistance in a disaster, history

demonstrates that they cannot always reach affected areas quickly enough and frequently lack

the human resources required to execute the situation appropriately. Fortunately, private
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businesses focus on providing emergency management services for such types of problems; they

assist organizations in preparing for disasters and provide the resources and tools necessary for

companies to recover from catastrophic events and rebuild structurally and financially.

When a tragedy happens, many people feel powerless and turn to the government for

assistance. Previous disasters, such as Hurricanes Gulf, and Sandy, which were the worst storms

in U.S. history, wreaked havoc; current man-made disasters, such as the Flint, Michigan, and

Hoosick Falls, New York water crises, have left communities struggling with tainted water

supplies. These emergency scenarios have a negative influence on people's health and the

economics of the impacted areas.

Natural and artificial catastrophes demonstrate how governments must work harder to not

only prepare organizations, employees, and departments to respond more effectively to these

types of situations but also to put plans in place that facilitate faster response times, improved

training for crisis workers and volunteers, and monetary help for recovery operations.

Natural disasters are an unavoidable fact of life. Regardless of our views, these natural disasters

such as earthquakes and floods profoundly affect people's lives throughout the world. Each year,

individuals all around the globe are confronted with a variety of tragedies. Many of these

people's lives are shattered utterly as a result of these calamities.

Often, citizens are unsatisfied with their governments' efforts. Many believe that because

they have paid taxes to the government, the authority should now bail individuals out in their

time of need. Governments throughout the world appear incapable of meeting these aspirations.

This has been the case, regardless of how closely historical records are examined. Governments

rarely contribute to natural disasters. When such catastrophes occur, it appears as though private

charity and religious institutions have the most impact. Natural calamities cause widespread
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devastation. Individuals lose their houses, businesses, and other sources of income. Even the

working class is facing a substantial income loss. This is because economic activity took a

significant hit during this period. As a result, some people are left to fend for themselves on the

streets (Demby & Northridge 2018). These are all the people who look to the government for

assistance. They require food, housing, and clothing to survive until normalcy returns. These

provisions are occasionally referred to as "services" for disaster relief purposes.

To begin, relief efforts necessitate a high level of local expertise. In an ideal world, the

relief team would be decentralized. Decisions should be made quickly to ensure that assistance

reaches the affected individuals on time. This is not how governments operate. Every policy

decision must be documented. This explains why decision-making is centralized. This is a highly

time-consuming technique. This is why charitable organizations, such as the Red Cross are better

equipped to provide these services. Additionally, those affiliated with charities such as the Red

Cross wish to help the case voluntarily. They are committed and so more inclined to contribute

without ulterior motives.

On the other hand, government officials are compelled to contribute to disaster

assistance. Additionally, government officials are infamous for corruption in many regions of the

world. This is why organizations such as the Red Cross are better equipped to provide economic

assistance. It must be recognized that historically, natural calamities have also been moments

when law and order have broken down. That's because an earthquake or a flood devastates the

entire area. This is an excellent period for anti-social elements to perform their actions. As a

result, the citizens' safety and security are jeopardized. This is an area where the state can assist.

The government needs to ensure that many militaries, police officers, and navy personnel are

positioned in areas prone to natural disasters. It is critical to maintaining law and order to
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alleviate people's problems. The majority of governments globally effectively accomplish this.

Citizen groups, on the other hand, frequently fail to recognize this effort.

In conclusion of the policy, the government is the most positioned to provide rescue

assistance. The government possesses all the essential equipment to perform such operations.

This is why the government's and its agencies' responsibility is to conduct rescue efforts

(Schmid, A et al., 2013). Occasionally, individuals must be identified before they can be rescued.

The government is better equipped to provide these benefits than private entities. This is why the

majority of governments throughout the world are capable of conducting successful rescue

missions. Governments do not and should not compensate private property owners for damages.

They must, however, encourage citizens to be prepared to manage their resources in the event of

natural disasters. This might be accomplished by promoting private insurance. Governments

should mandate some form of insurance. Additionally, they must provide tax advantages to

individuals who want more comprehensive insurance. The primary line is that it is fiscally

impractical for the government to assume sole responsibility for a natural disaster. Thus, the

government continues to do what it does best while allowing private charities to take on jobs

where they have a competitive edge through the act.

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Schmid, A., & Leader, D. R. T. Action Plan for Disaster Recovery.

http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/38178

Prabhakar, S. V. R. K., Tamura, K., Okano, N., & Ikeda, M. (2021). Strengthening External

Emergency Assistance for Managing Extreme Events, Systemic, and Transboundary

Risks in Asia. Politics and Governance, 9(4), 27-42.

Demby, N., & Northridge, M. E. (2018). Delivering equitable care to underserved communities.

American journal of public health, 108(11), 1446.

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-117hr5305enr