Plain English
GovGreed Synthesis ·
Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies Act or the REPLACE Act This bill automatically waives the fees to replace certain federal documents (e.g., passports, visas, or immigration documents) destroyed by a major disaster. Under current law, the Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may waive replacement fees for these critical documents for individuals or households adversely affected by a major disaster. The bill requires the State Department and USCIS to waive these replacement fees when the documents are destroyed by a major disaster for which assistance is provided under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Households Program. The agencies must notify the public of the availability of these waivers on their respective websites. The bill also requires the State Department and USCIS to annually report to Congress the number of such fee waivers granted and the resulting cost to the respective agencies.
Market Impact Map
Action Timeline
2025-02-13
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
2025-02-13
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
2025-02-13
Introduced in House
2025-02-13
Introduced in House
Full Bill Text
119 HR 1338 IH: Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-02-13 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. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1338 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2025 Mr. Neguse (for himself and Ms. Maloy ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to require the President to automatically waive certain critical document fees for individuals and households affected by major disasters for which assistance is provided under the Individuals and Households Program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies Act or the REPLACE Act . 2. Critical document fee waiver Section 1238(a) of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 ( 42 U.S.C. 5174b ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking applies regardless and inserting and the requirement of the President to waive fees under paragraph (4) apply regardless ; (2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (8); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) Waiver The President, in consultation with the Governor of a State, shall provide a fee waiver described in paragraph (1) to any individual or household that has been adversely affected by a major disaster declared under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 )— (A) for which the President provides assistance to individuals and households under section 408 of that Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5174 ); and (B) that destroyed a critical document described in paragraph (1) of the individual or household. (5) Waiver availability The Secretary of State and the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall make publicly available on the website of the Department of State and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, respectively, a notice of the availability of fee waivers described in paragraph (4). (6) Report from USCIS Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, and every year thereafter, the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall submit to Congress a report that includes, for the period covered by the report— (A) the number of fee waivers granted under this subsection; and (B) the cost to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services of granting fee waivers under this subsection. (7) Report from Department of State Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, and every year thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a report that includes, for the period covered by the report— (A) the number of fee waivers granted under this subsection; and (B) the cost to the Department of State of granting fee waivers under this subsection. .
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