The President shall designate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency a Small State and Rural Advocate.

The Small State and Rural Advocate shall be an advocate for the fair treatment of small States and rural communities in the provision of assistance under this chapter.

The Small State and Rural Advocate shall—

(1) participate in the disaster declaration process under section 5170 of this title and the emergency declaration process under section 5191 of this title, to ensure that the needs of rural communities are being addressed;

(2) assist small population States in the preparation of requests for major disaster or emergency declarations; and

(3) conduct such other activities as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency considers appropriate.

(Pub. L. 93–288, title III, § 326, as added Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 689g(a), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1453; amended Pub. L. 111–351, § 3(c)(2), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3864.)