What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act or the HELP Response and Recovery Act This bill extends the maximum duration of noncompetitive Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contracts for disaster response and recovery from 150 days to one year by repealing a current limitation on such DHS contracts so that standard procurement regulations apply regarding urgent needs. It also requires DHS to report to Congress annually for five years to review how this repeal has prevented waste and provide information on noncompetitive Federal Emergency Management Agency contracts.
Action Timeline
2025-12-17
Held at the desk.
2025-12-17
Received in the House.
2025-12-17
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
2025-12-16
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8764-8765; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S8764-8765)
2025-12-16
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
2025-11-03
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 252.
2025-11-03
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
2025-11-03
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
2025-07-30
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2025-02-13
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.594 pass?
S.594 is still alive. Current stage: PASSED_ONE. Pass likelihood: 30%.
What does S.594 do?
Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act or the HELP Response and Recovery Act This bill extends the maximum duration of noncompetitive Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contracts for disaster response and recovery from 150 days to one year by repealing a current limitation on such DHS contracts so that standard procurement regulations apply regarding urgent needs. It also requires DHS to report to Congress annually for five years to review how this repeal has prevented waste and provide information on noncompetitive Federal Emergency Management Agency contracts.
Who sponsored S.594?
S.594 was sponsored by Gary C. Peters (D-Michigan).
Full Bill Text
109 S594 ES: Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act U.S. Senate text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 594 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACT To amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal certain obsolete requirements, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act or the HELP Response and Recovery Act . 2. Repeal of obsolete DHS contracting requirements The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 ( Public Law 109–295 ; 120 Stat. 1394) is amended by striking section 695 ( 6 U.S.C. 794 ). 3. Reports (a) Covered period defined In this section, the term covered period means— (1) with respect to an initial report required under subsection (b), the period between the date of enactment of this Act and the date of the report; and (2) with respect to any succeeding report required under subsection (b), the period between the date of the most recent report and the succeeding report. (b) Requirement Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date that is 5 years thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that— (1) reviews how the repeal under section 2 has— (A) prevented waste, fraud, and abuse; and (B) promoted taxpayer savings; and (2) includes, with respect to a contract entered into or extended by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under urgent and compelling circumstances during the covered period for which the Administrator did not solicit bids— (A) the number of those contracts; (B) the subject of each contract; (C) the amounts obligated by the Administrator for each contract; (D) if applicable, the State benefitted by each contract; and (E) if applicable, the name of the major disaster or emergency for which each contract was entered into or extended. Passed the Senate December 16, 2025. Secretary
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