S. 594 · Where this bill is now
In the House
Passed the Senate Dec 16, 2025. Received Dec 17, 2025; no House vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExtends disaster response contract limits
When disasters strike, the Department of Homeland Security currently uses noncompetitive contracts—agreements made without open bidding—to respond quickly. This bill would extend how long those emergency contracts can last from 150 days to up to one year. The bill also requires DHS to report to Congress every year for five years about how this change affects waste and spending on disaster recovery.
How it affects you
If you live in an area hit by a disaster, this could affect how quickly and for how long the federal government can bring in contractors to help with recovery work. The longer contract period might speed up disaster response, though the official summary doesn't detail specific impacts on individuals.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Feb 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 594
AN ACT
HELP Response and Recovery Act
Sponsor: Sen. Gary C. Peters (D-MI) · Introduced Feb 13, 2025 · Emergency Management · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 17, 2025: “Held at the desk.”
Numbers that changed
Dollar amounts, dates and percentages, taken word for word from the text| Section | Where | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sec. 3Time period | Reports…the succeeding report. (b) Requirement Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act,…Committee version → Passed the Senate | 540 days | 2 years |
Listed only when one value replaced another and the surrounding words stayed the same. Open a section to read the full wording.