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S. 594

U.S. SenateEngrossed

Summary

S. 594, the HELP Response and Recovery Act, was introduced in the Senate on Feb 13, 2025 by Sen. Gary Peters (D) with 1 co-sponsor. It last saw action on Dec 17, 2025: Held at the desk.


Record

Text

S. 594 has 1 co-sponsor.

sb594/engrossed-in-senate.txt
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

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-02-13
  2. Passed Senate2025-12-16
  3. Passed House
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in Senate Feb 13, 2025

sb594/introduced-in-senate.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in Senate (02/13/2025)

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.

Sponsors

Sen. Gary Peters (D) sponsors S. 594, and 1 member has co-sponsored it from the day it was introduced.

Committees

S. 594 went before 1 committee: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Reported By · Nov 3, 2025 · 444 Bills

Actions

S. 594 has taken 10 actions since Feb 13, 2025, the latest on Dec 17, 2025.

ChamberAction
Dec 17, 2025
Senate
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 17, 202509:58
House
Received in the House.
Dec 17, 202510:21
House
Held at the desk.
Dec 16, 2025
Senate
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8764-8765; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S8764-8765)
Dec 16, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Votes

S. 594 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

S. 594 goes by 8 titles, 6 of them short titles.

  • HELP Response and Recovery Act — Display Title
  • HELP Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
  • Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
  • HELP Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
  • Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
  • HELP Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • A bill to amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal certain obsolete requirements, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for S. 594, the latest on Aug 28, 2025.


Classification

The Congressional Research Service files S. 594 under Emergency Management, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 5 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; S. 594’s is Emergency Management.

s594/policy-areas.txt
Emergency ManagementAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

S. 594 carries 5 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Congressional oversight to Public contracts and procurement.

s594/subjects.txt
Congressional oversightDisaster relief and insuranceGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsPublic contracts and procurement

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com