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This bill removes an old contracting rule from a 2006 disaster law that lawmakers say is no longer needed. The main goal is to cut outdated red tape at the Department of Homeland Security, especially at FEMA, so the agency can respond more quickly and avoid waste, fraud, and unnecessary spending. It also requires DHS to report back to Congress on how the change is working and to give details about emergency contracts awarded without bidding during the period covered by the bill.
- It repeals section 695 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, which is described as an obsolete DHS contracting requirement.
- The Secretary of Homeland Security must send Congress a report within 2 years after the bill becomes law, and then once a year for the next 5 years.
- The reports must explain whether removing the old rule has helped reduce waste, fraud, and abuse and whether it has saved taxpayer money.
- The reports must also list certain FEMA emergency or urgent contracts that were awarded without bidding, including how many there were, what they were for, how much money was obligated, what state benefited if any, and the disaster or emergency involved if any.
Official Summaries
Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act or the HELP Response and Recovery Act
This bill extends the maximum duration of noncompetitive Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contracts for disaster response and recovery from 150 days to one year by repealing a current limitation on such DHS contracts so that standard procurement regulations apply regarding urgent needs. It also requires DHS to report to Congress annually for five years to review how this repeal has prevented waste and provide information on noncompetitive Federal Emergency Management Agency contracts.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 594 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 594
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal
certain obsolete requirements, and for other purposes.
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 ``Helping Eliminate Limitations for
Prompt Response and Recovery Act'' or the ``HELP Response and Recovery
Act''.
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE DHS CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.
The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Public
Law 109-295; 120 Stat. 1394) is amended by striking section 695 (6
U.S.C. 794).
SEC. 3. REPORTS.
(a) Covered Period Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered
period'' means--
(1) with respect to an initial report required under
subsection (b), the period between the date of enactment of
this Act and the date of the report; and
(2) with respect to any succeeding report required under
subsection (b), the period between the date of the most recent
report and the succeeding report.
(b) Requirement.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date that is 5
years thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives a report that--
(1) reviews how the repeal under section 2 has--
(A) prevented waste, fraud, and abuse; and
(B) promoted taxpayer savings; and
(2) includes, with respect to a contract entered into or
extended by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency under urgent and compelling circumstances
during the covered period for which the Administrator did not
solicit bids--
(A) the number of those contracts;
(B) the subject of each contract;
(C) the amounts obligated by the Administrator for
each contract;
(D) if applicable, the State benefitted by each
contract; and
(E) if applicable, the name of the major disaster
or emergency for which each contract was entered into
or extended.
Passed the Senate December 16, 2025.
Attest:
Secretary.
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 594
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal
certain obsolete requirements, and for other purposes.