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This bill would change federal disaster aid rules so people who need temporary housing after a disaster would not be blocked from getting that help just because they also have insurance. Right now, some aid can be reduced or denied if it is seen as a “duplicate” of money from another source. This bill says insurance should not count that way when the government decides whether someone can get displacement assistance, which is the help used for staying in a hotel or motel, staying with family or friends, or finding another short-term place to live after being forced out of home.
- It applies to disaster aid under the Stafford Act, the main law that governs federal disaster assistance.
- It focuses only on displacement assistance, not all types of disaster help.
- It would allow people with insurance to still qualify for this temporary housing aid without that insurance being treated as a duplicate benefit.
Official Summaries
Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act of 2025
This bill enables individuals or households to receive displacement assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following a disaster (i.e., funds to address immediate, short-term lodging needs) regardless of the recipient’s insurance status.
Under current law, in determining whether an individual or household is eligible for displacement assistance, FEMA generally must determine whether the applicant has insurance that will cover those same expenses, to avoid a duplication of benefits. The bill prohibits FEMA from considering insurance a duplication of benefits when determining an individual or household’s eligibility for displacement assistance, removing the need for FEMA to determine insurance status prior to providing the assistance.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1593 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1593
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to prohibit the President from considering insurance as
a duplication of benefits for certain assistance under such Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2025
Ms. Brownley (for herself, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Sherman, and
Ms. Chu) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to prohibit the President from considering insurance as
a duplication of benefits for certain assistance under such Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Displacement Assistance
Improvement Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS CLARIFICATION.
Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(k) Duplication of Benefits.--
``(1) In general.--In determining eligibility for
displacement assistance under this section, the President may
not consider insurance a duplication of benefits for the
purpose of applying section 312 of this Act.
``(2) Displacement assistance defined.--In this section,
the term `displacement assistance' means assistance provided
under this section to stay in a hotel or motel, stay with
family and friends, or for any other available housing
options.''.
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