A three-year statute of limitations would be established for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recover disaster assistance funds under bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Reps. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY).
Under the Disaster Assistance Fairness and Accountability Act of 2017, FEMA would be subject to the same three-year statute of limitations for disaster assistance clawbacks from taxpayers that state and local governments face.
“Since I first came to Congress, fighting for natural disaster victims, who have been treated unfairly by FEMA, has always been a top priority of mine,” MacArthur said. “This bipartisan bill will bring common sense reform to FEMA by protecting victims from recoupment years after their claims have been received. As South Jersey continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy, Jersey Shore families shouldn’t have to pay for FEMA’s mistakes.”
Victims of Superstorm Sandy and other natural disasters use whatever assistance they receive to rebuild their homes and businesses, Rice added, and it’s not fair for FEMA to attempt to recoup money years later when a mistake is found.
“While we keep working to waive all debts for homeowners who may have been overpaid through no fault of their own, this bipartisan legislation will impose a three-year statute of limitations on attempts to recoup funds from individuals, as is already the case for states and municipalities,” Rice said.