Senate approved disaster recovery bill extending Virgin Islands unemployment aid

The U.S. Senate gave final approval on October 3, 2018, to the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, legislation that retroactively provided an additional 26 weeks of disaster-related unemployment assistance for the U.S. Virgin Islands following the federal disaster declarations for Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The extension increased available assistance to 52 weeks and was expected to make about $8 million available to approximately 1,340 Virgin Islanders.

The measure, included in a broader Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, also amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to give the territory additional flexibility in the use of federal disaster funding. According to Government House, the bill increased the use of FEMA funds for upgrades to modern building codes and standards, expanded the types of resiliency projects eligible for funding, increased reimbursement rates for administrative costs tied to disaster recovery, and gave the territory the option to manage direct temporary housing and permanent housing construction assistance programs in future disasters.

The House had approved the legislation earlier, and the bill next went to President Donald Trump.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/congress-approves-recovery-reforms-recommended-by-governor-mapp-package-includes-extension-for-disaster-unemployment-assistance/