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Allows the President to waive the usual ban on receiving duplicate federal disaster aid for the same loss when requested by a Governor or affected person, if it serves the public interest and includes safeguards against waste, fraud, and abuse. It sets factors the President must consider and requires a clear decision within 45 days. The policy forbids using income level to decide who can benefit from a waiver. It applies retroactively to disasters declared on or after January 1, 2016, and directs FEMA to report to Congress within one year and again within four years.
Adds a new paragraph (4) to section 312(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155(b)) establishing a waiver of the general prohibition on duplicative assistance.
The President may waive the general prohibition in subsection (a) upon request of a Governor on behalf of the State or on behalf of a person, business concern, or any other entity suffering losses from a major disaster or emergency, if the President finds the waiver is in the public interest and will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse.
Factors the President may consider when deciding whether to grant a waiver: (i) recommendations of the FEMA Administrator made in consultation with the Federal agency or agencies administering the duplicative program; (ii) whether the assistance to be funded is cost effective; (iii) equity and good conscience; and (iv) other matters of public policy the President considers appropriate.
A request for a waiver must be granted or denied not later than 45 days after submission of the request.
Notwithstanding subsection (c), the President may not determine that a loan is a duplication of assistance, provided that all Federal assistance is used toward a loss suffered as a result of the major disaster or emergency.
Disaster survivors could access additional federal help when strict duplication rules would otherwise block assistance, speeding recovery for households that still have unmet needs. Homeowners, renters, and small businesses may benefit when a waiver lets them combine types of aid that previously conflicted.
State governments gain a formal pathway to request waivers for their residents, while federal agencies—especially FEMA—must implement clear review criteria, make decisions within 45 days, and provide oversight reports to Congress. The ban on income thresholds broadens equitable access, but careful case-by-case review and antifraud safeguards are needed to manage costs and protect program integrity.
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Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced March 25, 2025 by David Rouzer · Last progress March 25, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House