[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2265 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2265

To direct the President to forgo recoupment of liabilities relating to 
 assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
           Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 21, 2011

 Mr. Richmond (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced 
      the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Homeland Security, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the President to forgo recoupment of liabilities relating to 
 assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
           Emergency Assistance Act, 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 ``FEMA Recoupment Fairness Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. RECOUPMENT OF LIABILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The President shall forgo recoupment of 
liabilities to the United States relating to covered assistance 
provided to an individual or household if--
            (1) the covered assistance was provided based on an error 
        by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
            (2) there was no fault on behalf of the recipient with 
        respect to the error, including that fraud, the presentation of 
        a false claim, or misrepresentation by the recipient or any 
        party having an interest in the claim was not involved.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter during the 18-
month period beginning on such date, the Inspector General of the 
Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report that assesses the cost-effectiveness 
of the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recoup 
erroneous assistance.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the--
                    (A) Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
                of the House of Representatives;
                    (B) Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (C) Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                Affairs of the Senate.
            (2) Covered assistance.--The term ``covered assistance'' 
        means assistance provided--
                    (A) under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
                Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
                5174); and
                    (B) in relation to a major disaster declared by the 
                President under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
                5170) during the period beginning on August 28, 2005, 
                and ending on December 31, 2010.
            (3) Erroneous assistance.--The term ``erroneous 
        assistance'' means assistance subject to recoupment by the 
        Federal Emergency Management Agency provided--
                    (A) under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
                Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
                5174);
                    (B) in relation to a major disaster declared by the 
                President under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
                5170) during the period beginning on August 28, 2005, 
                and ending on December 31, 2010; or
                    (C) in response to a catastrophic incident under 
                section 501 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
                U.S.C. 311).
                                 <all>