42 U.S.C. § 5155 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 5155. Duplication of benefits
(a) General prohibition
The President, in consultation with the head of each Federal agency administering any program providing financial assistance to persons, business concerns, or other entities suffering losses as a result of a major disaster or emergency, shall assure that no such person, business concern, or other entity will receive such assistance with respect to any part of such loss as to which he has received financial assistance under any other program or from insurance or any other source.
(b) Special rules
(1) Limitation
This section shall not prohibit the provision of Federal assistance to a person who is or may be entitled to receive benefits for the same purposes from another source if such person has not received such other benefits by the time of application for Federal assistance and if such person agrees to repay all duplicative assistance to the agency providing the Federal assistance.
(2) Procedures
The President shall establish such procedures as the President considers necessary to ensure uniformity in preventing duplication of benefits.
(3) Effect of partial benefits
Receipt of partial benefits for a major disaster or emergency shall not preclude provision of additional Federal assistance for any part of a loss or need for which benefits have not been provided.
(4) Waiver of general prohibition
(A) In general
The President may waive the general prohibition provided in subsection (a) upon request of a Governor on behalf of the State or on behalf of a person, business concern, or any other entity suffering losses as a result of a major disaster or emergency, if the President finds such waiver is in the public interest and will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse. In making this decision, the President may consider the following:
(i) The recommendations of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency made in consultation with the Federal agency or agencies administering the duplicative program.
(ii) If a waiver is granted, the assistance to be funded is cost effective.
(iii) Equity and good conscience.
(iv) Other matters of public policy considered appropriate by the President.
(B) Grant or denial of waiver
A request under subparagraph (A) shall be granted or denied not later than 45 days after submission of such request.
(C) Prohibition on determination that loan is a duplication
Notwithstanding subsection (c), in carrying out subparagraph (A), the President may not determine that a loan is a duplication of assistance, provided that all Federal assistance is used toward a loss suffered as a result of the major disaster or emergency.
(c) Recovery of duplicative benefits
A person receiving Federal assistance for a major disaster or emergency shall be liable to the United States to the extent that such assistance duplicates benefits available to the person for the same purpose from another source. The agency which provided the duplicative assistance shall collect such duplicative assistance from the recipient in accordance with chapter 37 of title 31, relating to debt collection, when the head of such agency considers it to be in the best interest of the Federal Government.
(d) Assistance not income
Federal major disaster and emergency assistance provided to individuals and families under this chapter, and comparable disaster assistance provided by States, local governments, and disaster assistance organizations, shall not be considered as income or a resource when determining eligibility for or benefit levels under federally funded income assistance or resource-tested benefit programs.
(Pub. L. 93–288, title III, § 312, as added Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 105(i), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4693; amended Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(1), (4), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3442, 3443.)
heading: Amendment of Section
text: Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(4), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that, effective 5 years after Oct. 5, 2018, this section is amended by striking subsection (b)(4). See 2018 Amendment note below.
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 5155, Pub. L. 93–288, title III, § 315, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 152, consisted of similar provisions, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–707, § 105(i).
A prior section 312 of Pub. L. 93–288 was renumbered section 309 by Pub. L. 100–707 and is classified to section 5152 of this title.
heading: Amendments
text: 2018—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1210(a)(4), struck out par. (4) which provided for a presidential waiver of the general prohibition in subsec. (a).
Pub. L. 115–254, § 1210(a)(1), added par. (4).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 115–254 applicable to each major disaster and emergency declared by the President on or after Aug. 1, 2017, and authorities provided under div. D of Pub. L. 115–254 applicable to each major disaster and emergency declared by the President on or after Jan. 1, 2016, except as otherwise provided, see section 1202 of Pub. L. 115–254, set out as a note under section 5121 of this title.
Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(3), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply to any major disaster or emergency declared by the President under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170, 5191) between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021.”
Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(4), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that the amendment made by section 1210(a)(4) is effective on the date that is 5 years after Oct. 5, 2018.
heading: Limitation
text: Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(2), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that: “This subsection [amending this section], including the amendment made by paragraph (1), shall not be construed to apply to section 406 or 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172, 5174).”