Sponsors (4)
The bill makes replacing critical documents free for survivors of declared major disasters—helping low-income households and immigrants access services and maintain status—but narrows eligibility to disasters with IHP assistance and creates administrative costs and outreach challenges for agencies.
Disaster-affected individuals and households (including low-income families, parents, and immigrants) who lost critical documents will receive mandatory federal fee waivers for replacement documents, reducing upfront costs and easing access to benefits, services, and—for immigrants—the ability to maintain lawful status.
Residents will be more likely to learn about available waivers because the State Department and USCIS must publish notices on their websites, increasing public awareness of disaster-related assistance.
Congress will receive annual data on waiver usage and agency costs, improving transparency and oversight of how disaster-related fee waivers are used and funded.
People affected by disasters that do not meet the Individuals and Households Program assistance threshold are excluded from mandatory waivers, leaving some survivors (including low-income households and families) without relief to replace crucial documents.
Implementation requires coordination with Governors and multiple agencies; delays or inconsistent outreach could leave eligible residents unaware of or unable to access waivers promptly, undermining the policy's intended relief.
USCIS and the State Department will incur processing costs and absorb waived fees, which could divert agency resources or increase costs borne by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires mandatory fee waivers for replacement of critical documents for disaster survivors who received individuals-and-households assistance and mandates agency notices and annual reporting.
Requires the federal government to waive fees for replacing certain critical documents (like passports, immigration papers, and other essential IDs) for individuals and households who lose those documents because of a Presidential major disaster declaration under the Stafford Act and who receive individuals-and-households assistance. It also requires the State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to post public notices about the waivers and to submit annual reports to Congress on numbers of waivers granted and agency costs.
Official title: Amend the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to require the President to automatically waive certain critical document fees for individuals and households affected by major disasters for which assistance is provided under the Individuals and Households program.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by John Wright Hickenlooper · Last progress February 13, 2025