Sponsor
Thomas Roland Tillis
Senator · R-NC
Senator · R-NC
Official title: Provide for a waiver of duplication of benefits for certain assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act as a result of a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Thomas Roland Tillis · Last progress April 10, 2025
The bill lets Governors secure faster, more flexible federal aid for 2023–2024 disaster losses, but it raises risks of higher federal costs, reduced targeting to the poorest survivors, and potentially politicized or rushed relief decisions.
Homeowners and small-business owners affected by 2023–2024 disasters can access additional and more flexible federal recovery funds because Governors can request waivers that permit extra assistance and allow certain federal loans to be used alongside other aid.
State and local governments (and disaster survivors) can get decisions on waiver requests faster because the law imposes a 45-day deadline for Presidential action, shortening the wait for relief determinations.
Low-income individuals, renters, and other vulnerable groups may receive more targeted aid because the President can consider FEMA recommendations, cost-effectiveness, equity, and 'good conscience' when approving waivers.
Taxpayers could face higher federal costs because expanded waiver authority may increase overall federal spending and create a risk of duplicate payments if controls are not strict.
Low-income households and disaster survivors could receive less-targeted aid because waiver eligibility lacks an income threshold and could allow higher-income recipients to benefit.
State governments and affected communities may see uneven or politicized relief because the President's broad discretion to consider 'other public policy matters' could produce inconsistent decisions across states.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes the President to waive the ban on duplicative Federal disaster assistance for 2023–2024 disasters on a Governor’s request, with a 45-day decision deadline and specified considerations.
Allows the President to waive the statutory prohibition on providing duplicative Federal disaster assistance for disasters or emergencies that occurred in calendar years 2023 or 2024 when a Governor requests the waiver on behalf of a state or affected person, business, or entity. The President must decide within 45 days, may consider FEMA recommendations and factors like cost-effectiveness and equity, cannot treat certain loans as duplicative if used to cover disaster loss, and cannot use an income threshold to limit eligibility.