Bill Overview
Title: Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023
Description: This bill provides FY2023 supplemental appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for programs and activities to respond to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and flooding.
Sponsors: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: People vulnerable to natural disasters
Estimated Size: 110000000
- Natural disasters affect people living in vulnerable areas globally, including regions prone to hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, and significant flooding.
- The bill provides financial assistance and resources to multiple federal departments and agencies in the United States to respond to natural disasters.
- Globally, approximately one-third of the world's population is vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters.
- The financial and operational support from the United States can affect international aid programs and responses to global natural disasters, as the U.S. often contributes to global disaster relief efforts through agencies like USAID and NGOs.
Reasoning
- The Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 is designed to provide funding to assist individuals and communities affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and flooding. Given the U.S. geographical diversity, these events can impact a significant portion of the population at various times.
- I will simulate the experiences of individuals living in high-risk disaster areas, mixed with people who are unlikely to be directly affected by this policy, to reflect the diverse population in the United States.
- Considering the policy budget and that relief is typically prioritized in the most affected areas, I expect the highest impact to be on those who frequently experience severe weather events.
- The policy's impact will be categorized as high, medium, low, or none, based on the frequency and intensity of natural disasters typically affecting the individual's location.
- Wellbeing scores will consider the psychological impact of living in anticipation of natural disasters, the actual occurrence of such events, and subsequent relief efforts provided by the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Electrician (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've lived in New Orleans my whole life, and disasters are part of the deal. It would be reassuring to have more financial and logistical support from the government.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Teacher (Paradise, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's terrifying during fire season. Any extra help we can get is definitely welcome, especially in rebuilding trust and infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Graphic Designer (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've been lucky so far, but knowing there's a federal safety net is a comfort.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Nurse (Houston, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These floods are devastating. If the government can step in and help with rebuilding efforts, it would ease the burden on families like ours.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Retired (Springfield, IL)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We're pretty sheltered from natural disasters here, so I don't expect to feel much impact from this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
College Student (Midwest City, OK)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's scary when tornadoes hit. We hear about aid but more clearly knowing who gets help and how would be nice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Sales Manager (Fargo, ND)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Flood risk is always in the back of our heads. Federal assistance could really help should the worst happen.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Portland, OR)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've been okay so far, but if things get worse, knowing the government has a plan in place is reassuring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Landscaper (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Heat can be brutal, but most federal assistance focuses on storms and floods. We often feel left out of the relief efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Tech Executive (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 49 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We're all about preparation here, and I think federal support is crucial, especially for infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $18000000000 (Low: $16000000000, High: $20000000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Uncertainty in predicting the number and severity of natural disasters affects cost estimation.
- Federal, state, and local coordination efficiency in disaster response impacts cost-effectiveness.
- Potential for increased reliance on technology and private sector partnerships may lead to cost fluctuations.