[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1451 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1451

    To provide for a waiver of duplication of benefits for certain 
 assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
 Assistance Act as a result of a major disaster or emergency, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 10, 2025

  Mr. Tillis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for a waiver of duplication of benefits for certain 
 assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
 Assistance Act as a result of a major disaster or emergency, 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 ``Helene Small Business Recovery 
Act''.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``major disaster'' and 
``emergency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 102 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5122).
    (b) Waiver of General Prohibition.--
            (1) In general.--The President may waive section 312(a) of 
        the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 5155(a)) upon the request of a Governor on 
        behalf of the State or on behalf of a person, business concern, 
        or any other entity suffering losses as a result of a major 
        disaster or emergency if the President finds that the waiver--
                    (A) is in the public interest; and
                    (B) will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse.
            (2) Considerations.--In determining whether to grant a 
        waiver under paragraph (1), the President may consider the 
        following:
                    (A) The recommendations of the Administrator of the 
                Federal Emergency Management Agency made in 
                consultation with the Federal agency or agencies 
                administering the relevant duplicative program.
                    (B) If a wavier is granted, whether the assistance 
                to be funded is cost effective.
                    (C) Equity and good conscience.
                    (D) Other matters of public policy considered 
                appropriate by the President.
            (3) Grant or denial of waiver.--Not later than 45 days 
        after the date of submission of a request under paragraph (1), 
        the President shall grant or deny the request.
            (4) Prohibition on determination that loan is a 
        duplication.--Notwithstanding section 312(c) of the Robert T. 
        Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5155(c)), in carrying out paragraph (1), the President 
        may not determine that a loan is a duplication of assistance if 
        all Federal assistance is used toward a loss suffered as a 
        result of a major disaster or emergency.
            (5) Prohibition on income threshold.--In carrying out this 
        subsection, no income threshold may be applied to limit the 
        eligibility of a recipient from qualifying for a waiver.
    (c) Applicability.--Subsection (b) shall apply to the provision of 
assistance in response to a major disaster or emergency declared by the 
President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that occurred during calendar 
year 2023 or 2024.
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