HR 662 United States House · 118th Congress

Block Grant Assistance Act of 2023

HR 662, the Block Grant Assistance Act of 2023, amends the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to provide disaster loss assistance to eligible states and territories through block grants. This change permits states and territories to use the funds more flexibly for disaster recovery under the existing disaster relief framework, rather than requiring direct federal disbursement for specific losses. The bill directly affects states and territories experiencing disasters covered by the Disaster Relief Act. It modifies the current process by adding a specific provision enabling block grants as an option for distributing relief funds.

Bill status failed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2023

Committee Review

Nov 2023

House Passage

Jun 2023

Senate Failed

Nov 2023

President

Introduced Jan 31, 2023 Last action Nov 1, 2023

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 2 edits · Jun 12, 2023

MINOR

The Engrossed version adds a new Section 3 designating the Act as an emergency requirement under federal budget enforcement rules (PAYGO). This exempts the block grant spending from deficit targets and prevents automatic spending cuts that would otherwise be triggered. The core policy of allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to provide block grants to states and territories for disaster losses remains unchanged.

FISCAL

New Section 3 designates the Act as an emergency requirement under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, meaning the spending authorized by this bill is exempt from PAYGO budget enforcement rules and will not trigger automatic across-the-board spending cuts.

TECHNICAL

Subsection (b) provides that in the Senate, the same emergency designation applies under S. Con. Res. 14 (the FY2022 concurrent budget resolution), ensuring the exemption carries over if the bill proceeds to the Senate.

Floor votes · Senate Nov 1, 2023

How they voted

43–53

Failed · 4 other

Total votes 100

Nov 1, 2023

D Democratic47

47 Nay

100% Nay

I Independent4

3 Nay 1

75% Nay

R Republican49

43 Yea 3 Nay 3

87% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Nov 1, 2023

Vote failed

Senate Vote: Bill Defeated (43-53-4)

senate

Nov 1, 2023

Upper · Passed

Senate Committee on Appropriations discharged by Unanimous Consent.

upper

Jun 13, 2023

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

upper

Jun 12, 2023

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2804)

lower

Jun 12, 2023

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2804)

lower

Jun 12, 2023

Introduced

Mrs. Cammack moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

May 22, 2023

Lower · Passed

Reported by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 118-73.

lower

May 11, 2023

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

lower

May 11, 2023

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Discharged.

lower

Feb 23, 2023

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.

lower

Jan 31, 2023

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

lower

Jan 31, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 31 co-sponsors