I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4169 
To suspend temporarily the application of laws which would deny certain 
federal benefits, entitlements, grants, and licenses to victims of Hurricane 
Katrina or Hurricane Rita due to convictions for certain drug crimes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 27, 2005 
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. THOMP-
SON of Mississippi, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. 
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. PAUL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Ms. LEE, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. AL GREEN of Texas) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Fi-
nancial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, 
Education and the Workforce, and Agriculture, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To suspend temporarily the application of laws which would 
deny certain federal benefits, entitlements, grants, and 
licenses to victims of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane 
Rita due to convictions for certain drug crimes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TANF, FOOD STAMP, AND HOUSING BENEFITS. 
(a) TEMPORARY SUSPENSION.—During the tem-
porary suspension period, the provisions specified in sub-
section (b) shall not apply with respect to an individual 
or family who, at the time a Gulf hurricane disaster was 
declared to exist, resided in an area covered by the disaster 
declaration. 
(b) PROVISIONS SUSPENDED.—The provisions speci-
fied in this subsection are as follows: 
(1) Section 115 of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, 
but only to the extent that a conviction referred to 
in such section occurred before the disaster declara-
tion for the Gulf hurricane disaster. 
(2) Subsection (f) of section 16 of the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437n(f)) 
(relating to ineligibility of individuals convicted of 
manufacturing or producing methamphetamine on 
the premises), but only to the extent that a convic-
tion referred to in such subsection occurred before 
the disaster declaration for the Gulf hurricane dis-
aster. 
(3) Subsection (a) of section 576 of the Quality 
Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (42 
U.S.C. 13661(a)) (relating to ineligibility because of 
eviction for drug crimes), but only to the extent that 
the drug-related criminal activity referred to in such
subsection occurred before the disaster declaration 
for the Gulf hurricane disaster. 
(4) Subsection (c) of section 576 of the Quality 
Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (42 
U.S.C. 13661) (relating to authority to deny admis-
sions to criminal offenders), but only to the extent 
that— 
(A) such subsection applies to drug-related 
criminal activity; and 
(B) the drug-related criminal activity re-
ferred to in such subsection occurred before the 
disaster declaration for the Gulf hurricane dis-
aster. 
SEC. 2. HIGHER EDUCATION BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During the temporary suspension 
period, section 484(r) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(r)) shall not apply with respect to 
any individual who, at the time a Gulf hurricane disaster 
was declared to exist— 
(1) resided in an area covered by the disaster 
declaration; or 
(2) was enrolled or accepted for enrollment at 
an institution of higher education (as defined in sec-
tion 102 of such Act) located in an area covered by 
the disaster declaration.
(b) LIMITATION.—Subsection (a) shall only apply to 
the extent that a conviction referred to in section 484(r) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(r)) 
occurred before the disaster declaration for the Gulf hurri-
cane disaster. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) TEMPORARY
SUSPENSION
PERIOD.—The 
term ‘‘temporary suspension period’’ means the 3- 
year period beginning on the date on which the 
President declared a major disaster to exist in ac-
cordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5170), that was caused by Hurricane 
Katrina. 
(2) GULF
HURRICANE
DISASTER.—The term 
‘‘Gulf hurricane disaster’’ means a major disaster 
that the President declared to exist, in accordance 
with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170), and that was caused by Hurricane Katrina or 
Hurricane Rita. 
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