A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Helene Small Business Recovery Act aims to provide a waiver for the duplication of benefits regarding assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This applies to major disasters or emergencies that occurred in the calendar years of 2023 or 2024. The President may grant these waivers upon a request from a Governor for a state, a person, a business concern, or another entity. To grant a waiver, the President must find it is in the public interest and will not lead to waste, fraud, or abuse. This bill also includes specific rules regarding how loans are treated and ensures no income thresholds limit eligibility for the waiver.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +7
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
The bill facilitates faster relief by allowing waivers for duplicate benefits after major disasters.
- Scored +6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Business owners can access additional relief by waiving duplication of benefits requirements.
- Scored +6
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill helps small businesses recover from disasters by allowing waivers for duplicate benefits.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Waiver of Duplication of Benefits: The President may waive the general prohibition against receiving duplicate assistance, which can help a person, business concern, or entity suffering losses from a major disaster or emergency (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Protection of Loans: The President is prohibited from determining that a loan is a duplication of assistance, provided the federal assistance is used toward the losses suffered from the disaster or emergency (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Removal of Financial Barriers: No income threshold may be applied to limit a recipient's eligibility to qualify for a waiver (Section 2(a)(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Discretionary Decision Making: The President may deny a waiver if they find it is not in the public interest or could result in waste, fraud, or abuse (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Limited Timeframe for Applicability: This assistance and the ability to request a waiver only applies to major disasters declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act that occurred in the calendar years 2023 or 2024 (Section 2(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Business owners can access additional relief by waiving duplication of benefits requirements. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill removes income thresholds, helping low-income individuals access waiver-based assistance. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill removes income thresholds, helping middle-income individuals access waiver-based assistance.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill facilitates faster relief by allowing waivers for duplicate benefits after major disasters.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill helps small businesses recover from disasters by allowing waivers for duplicate benefits.
- 3/27/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/26/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
Virginia FoxxRepublican · North Carolina
David RouzerRepublican · North Carolina