42 U.S.C. § 5155: Duplication of benefits

Summary

Requires the President, after talking with the heads of agencies that run disaster aid programs, to make sure people, businesses, and other groups do not get federal disaster money for any loss already paid by insurance, another program, or any other source. If someone might get other benefits but has not gotten them by the time they apply for federal help, they can get federal aid now only if they agree to pay back any duplicate money later. The President must make uniform rules to stop duplication. Getting some help for a loss does not stop getting more help for parts not yet paid. If duplicate federal money is paid, the person must repay the United States, and the agency that paid may collect the debt using federal collection rules if the agency head decides it is in the government’s best interest. Disaster aid given by federal, state, local, or charity programs to individuals and families is not counted as income or assets when checking eligibility for federal income-based benefit programs.

Title 42, §5155

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General prohibition

The President, in consultation with the head of each Federal agency administering any program providing financial assistance to persons, business concerns, or other entities suffering losses as a result of a major disaster or emergency, shall assure that no such person, business concern, or other entity will receive such assistance with respect to any part of such loss as to which he has received financial assistance under any other program or from insurance or any other source.

(b)Special rules

(1)Limitation

This section shall not prohibit the provision of Federal assistance to a person who is or may be entitled to receive benefits for the same purposes from another source if such person has not received such other benefits by the time of application for Federal assistance and if such person agrees to repay all duplicative assistance to the agency providing the Federal assistance.

(2)Procedures

The President shall establish such procedures as the President considers necessary to ensure uniformity in preventing duplication of benefits.

(3)Effect of partial benefits

Receipt of partial benefits for a major disaster or emergency shall not preclude provision of additional Federal assistance for any part of a loss or need for which benefits have not been provided.

(c)Recovery of duplicative benefits

A person receiving Federal assistance for a major disaster or emergency shall be liable to the United States to the extent that such assistance duplicates benefits available to the person for the same purpose from another source. The agency which provided the duplicative assistance shall collect such duplicative assistance from the recipient in accordance with chapter 37 of title 31, relating to debt collection, when the head of such agency considers it to be in the best interest of the Federal Government.

(d)Assistance not income

Federal major disaster and emergency assistance provided to individuals and families under this chapter, and comparable disaster assistance provided by States, local governments, and disaster assistance organizations, shall not be considered as income or a resource when determining eligibility for or benefit levels under federally funded income assistance or resource-tested benefit programs.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 5155, Pub. L. 93–288, title III, § 315, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 152, consisted of similar provisions, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–707, § 105(i). A prior section 312 of Pub. L. 93–288 was renumbered section 309 by Pub. L. 100–707 and is classified to section 5152 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1210(a)(4), struck out par. (4) which provided for a presidential waiver of the general prohibition in subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1210(a)(1), added par. (4).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–254 applicable to each major disaster and emergency declared by the President on or after Aug. 1, 2017, and authorities provided under div. D of Pub. L. 115–254 applicable to each major disaster and emergency declared by the President on or after Jan. 1, 2016, except as otherwise provided, see section 1202 of Pub. L. 115–254, set out as a note under section 5121 of this title. Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(3), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply to any major disaster or emergency declared by the President under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170, 5191) between

January 1, 2016, and

December 31, 2021.” Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(4), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that the amendment made by section 1210(a)(4) is effective on the date that is 5 years after Oct. 5, 2018. Limitation Pub. L. 115–254, div. D, § 1210(a)(2), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3443, provided that: “This subsection [amending this section], including the amendment made by paragraph (1), shall not be construed to apply to section 406 or 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5172, 5174).”

§5155 Duplication of Benefits