(a) If, because of national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare, the President should consider the level of comparability payments which would otherwise be payable under section 5304 in any year to be inappropriate, the President shall—

(1) prepare and transmit to Congress, at least 1 month before those comparability payments (disregarding this section) would otherwise become payable, a report describing the alternative level of payments which the President instead intends to provide, including the reasons why such alternative level is considered necessary; and

(2) implement the alternative level of payments beginning on the same date as would otherwise apply, for the year involved, under section 5304.

(b) The requirements set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, of section 5303(b) shall apply with respect to any decision to exercise any authority to fix an alternative level of comparability payments under this section.