HELP Response and Recovery Act

S. 594, the Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act (HELP Response and Recovery Act), proposes two main steps related to FEMA and DHS contracting practices. First, it would repeal an obsolete contracting requirement from the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (specifically Section 695). Second, it creates a new, multi-year reporting obligation for the Department of Homeland Security (via the FEMA Administrator) to assess the impact of that repeal and to provide detailed information about emergency contracts issued without competitive bidding under urgent and compelling circumstances. The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Peters (with Sen. Kennedy) and is introduced, not yet enacted. In practical terms, the bill aims to streamline certain DHS contracting requirements by removing an old provision, while simultaneously increasing congressional oversight through regular, detailed reporting on non-competitive contracts tied to emergencies. The reporting requirement is designed to monitor waste, fraud, and abuse and to show taxpayer savings, including specific contract-by-contract data when non-bid awards were used.