S. 3648Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Senate

HELP Response and Recovery Act

Introduced January 24, 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 2:14 PM UTC

The HELP Response and Recovery Act amends the Post‑Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 by removing an outdated Department of Homeland Security contracting provision (section 695). It also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit periodic reports to Congress on how the repeal has reduced waste, fraud, and abuse and on any FEMA contracts awarded without competitive bids during emergencies. The bill affects federal agencies, especially DHS and FEMA, and the states or disasters that receive such contracts.

Key Provisions

  • Repeals section 695 of the Post‑Katrina Management Reform Act, eliminating an obsolete DHS contracting requirement.
  • Defines a "covered period" for reporting, starting from the law’s enactment and continuing for each subsequent report.
  • Mandates the Secretary of Homeland Security to deliver an initial report within 540 days and then annual reports for up to five years.
  • Reports must assess how the repeal prevented waste, fraud, and abuse and promoted taxpayer savings.
  • Reports must detail any FEMA contracts entered or extended without bids during the covered period, including number, subject, amount, benefiting state, and associated disaster.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

March 21, 2024 • 12:07 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 24, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

January 24, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

January 31, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 118-161.

March 14, 2024

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 348.

March 14, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2478; text: CR S2478)

March 20, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 21, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 21, 2024 • 12:02 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

March 21, 2024 • 12:07 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3648 on the floor

1 Democrat
Chris Van Hollen
Sen. Chris Van HollenD-MD · Mar 20, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 348, S. 3648. I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued March 20, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3648

AN ACT

To amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal certain obsolete requirements, and for other purposes.

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.

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).

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 540 days 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 March 20, 2024.

Secretary