Senate Bill
Gary Peters
D - MI
Cosponsors
1
Policy Area
Summary
This bill would remove certain contracting requirements for the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency during emergencies. It requires regular reports on how this change has impacted waste, fraud, and taxpayer savings.
Latest Action
Held at the desk.
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill would remove certain contracting requirements for the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency during emergencies. It requires regular reports on how this change has impacted waste, fraud, and taxpayer savings.
Last updated: 12/26/2025
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act or the HELP Response and Recovery Act</strong></p><p>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.</p>
Main provisions of the bill
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would give the Federal government more flexibility in contracting during emergencies, which could allow for quicker response and recovery efforts. However, the reporting requirements are intended to ensure this flexibility does not lead to waste or abuse of taxpayer funds.
Primary Policy Area
Related Subjects
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
594, 119th Congress (2025). "HELP Response and Recovery Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-s-594