UPDATE: H.R.539 – Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act

LATEST ACTION: July 14, 2021 - Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

BILL TITLE: Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act

BILL SUMMARY:

Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act

This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to waive certain debts owed to the United States related to disaster assistance provided to an individual or household.

Specifically, FEMA must waive a debt owed to the United States related to disaster assistance provided to an individual or household if such assistance (1) was distributed based on an error by FEMA and such debt is construed as a hardship, and (2) is subject to a claim or legal action.

FEMA must report to Congress on (1) actions that it will take to reduce the error rate, and (2) the internal processes used to make decisions regarding the distribution of federal disaster assistance to individuals and households and any changes made to such processes.

[NOTE: The contents of this legislative update are current as of 06:00 AM on July 18, 2021.]

BILL NUMBER: 117th Congress: House Bill 539 (H.R.539)

CHAMBER OF ORIGIN: U.S. House of Representatives

CURRENT CHAMBER: U.S. Senate

For DETAILED LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION on H.R.539, visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/539

BILL TEXT: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/539/text

ACTIONS-TO-DATE (ordered by most recent first):

07/14/2021 -- Senate -- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

06/16/2021 -- Senate -- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

06/15/2021 -- House -- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

06/15/2021 -- House -- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2767)

06/15/2021 -- House -- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 539.

06/15/2021 -- House -- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2767-2768)

06/15/2021 -- House -- Ms. Norton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

06/14/2021 -- House -- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 43.

06/14/2021 -- House -- Committee on the Budget discharged.

06/14/2021 -- House -- Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 117-61, Part I.

03/24/2021 -- House -- Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

03/24/2021 -- House -- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

03/24/2021 -- House -- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Discharged.

02/04/2021 -- House -- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

01/28/2021 -- House -- Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

01/28/2021 -- House -- Introduced in House.

SPONSOR(S)*:

-- Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]

CO-SPONSOR(S)*:

[*Note: Sponsors and co-sponsors are current as of July 14, 2021. For the most up-to-date version of the sponsor and co-sponsor lists, visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/539/cosponsors ]

-- Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]

-- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]

-- Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]

-- Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]

-- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

-- Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

-- Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11]

-- Rep. Delgado, Antonio [D-NY-19]

-- Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]

COMMITTEES: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; House Budget Committee; House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

SUBJECTS: Congressional oversight, Debt collection, Disaster relief and insurance, Residential rehabilitation and home repair.