WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) today reintroduced the bipartisan Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt (HELP) Response and Recovery Act. The bill would enable the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond to disasters and other emergencies effectively and promptly.

“When a disaster hits, time and effectiveness are crucial to supporting communities. However, an outdated emergency response law can limit recovery efforts. Our bill would help Louisianians and all Americans by making sure that private sector and federal officials work together to respond to catastrophes efficiently,” said Kennedy.

“As natural disasters continue to affect communities across the nation, it is imperative that the federal government is able to help those in need efficiently and effectively. This bill would ensure that DHS can streamline the process of helping disaster survivors rebuild their lives in the wake of these tragedies,” said Peters.

The HELP Response and Recovery Act would repeal Section 695 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, which restricts the length of non-competitive DHS contracts for urgent and compelling requirements to 150 days. The repeal of this regulation ensures that DHS deadlines for emergency contracts follow current government-wide rules that allow contracts of up to one year. Extending non-competitive DHS contracts to one year gives private businesses and government more time to help communities recover after a disaster.

In March 2024, the Senate passed the HELP Response and Recovery Act by unanimous consent.

Text of the HELP Response and Recovery Act is available here.