Bill > HR2341

This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide more flexibility in addressing duplications of benefits (DOB) during disaster relief efforts. Specifically, the bill allows the President to waive the general prohibition on receiving duplicate assistance from multiple federal programs if the waiver is in the public interest and will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse. The President can consider factors such as recommendations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), cost-effectiveness, equity, and other public policy matters when deciding whether to grant a waiver. The bill prohibits applying an income threshold to limit waiver eligibility and prevents loan assistance from being automatically considered a duplication of benefits, as long as all federal assistance is used for losses suffered in a major disaster or emergency. The bill also requires FEMA to submit a report within one year detailing efforts to improve disaster assistance coordination between federal agencies, clarify assistance delivery sequences, standardize interpretations of benefit duplication rules, and enhance communication with disaster assistance applicants. A follow-up report is mandated four years after the bill's enactment to update progress on these objectives. The bill applies to major disasters declared on or after January 1, 2016.

Business and Industry, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2341/all-info