Title: Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2017
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
Disaster Assistance Recoupment Fairness Act of 2017
This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) waive a debt owed to the United States related to federal assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to an individual or household in relation to a major disaster declared by the President between January 1, 2012, and the date of enactment of this bill, unless the debt involves fraud, the intentional presentation of a false claim, or intentional misrepresentation by the debtor or any party having an interest in the claim; and (2) reimburse a debtor for any payments already made on such a debt.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4600 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4600

  To waive and repay certain debts relating to assistance provided to 
                      individuals and households.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2017

 Mr. Pallone (for himself, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Payne, Mr. King of New York, 
  Mr. Sires, Mr. Engel, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New 
 York, Mr. Pascrell, Miss Rice of New York, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mrs. 
Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Clarke of 
New York, and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To waive and repay certain debts relating to assistance provided to 
                      individuals and households.

    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 ``Disaster Assistance Recoupment 
Fairness Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. DEBTS ARISING SINCE 2012.

    (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``covered assistance'' 
means assistance provided--
            (1) under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
        Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174); and
            (2) in relation to a major disaster declared by the 
        President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
        Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) during the 
        period beginning on January 1, 2012, and ending on the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
    (b) Waiver Authority.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall waive a debt owed to the United States related 
to covered assistance provided to an individual or household, unless 
the debt involves fraud, the intentional presentation of a false claim, 
or intentional misrepresentation by the debtor or any party having an 
interest in the claim.
    (c) Repayment Authority.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall reimburse a debtor for any payments 
made by the debtor on a debt owed to the United States related to 
covered assistance, if the Administrator would have otherwise been 
required to waive the debt under subsection (b).
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