Debris Removal Act of 2005
Latest action. By Senator Collins from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/04/2006. Report No. 109-320.
Debris Removal Act of 2005 - (Sec. 2) Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to pay an eligible disaster relief applicant 50% of the federal share of assistance for which the applicant is eligible under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, within 60 days after the applicant files a claim for such assistance.
(Sec. 3) Authorizes reimbursement for clearing and removing debris to include reimbursement for clearing, removing, and disposing of debris from any emergency access road.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes federal assistance for removing debris and wreckage resulting from a major disaster from owner-occupied private residential residential property, utilities, and residential infrastructure (such as a private access route) as necessary for a safe and sanitary living or functioning condition.
(Sec. 5) Provides that, for at least 180 days after the declaration of an emergency or major disaster between August 25, 2005, and December 31, 2005, the federal share of assistance provided to eligible applicants for debris removal shall be 100%.
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide clear, concise, and uniform guidelines for the reimbursement to any county or government entity affected by a hurricane of the cost of hurricane debris removal.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed Senate amended" stage on October 27, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 30, 2006: By Senator Collins from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/04/2006. Report No. 109-320.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Mel Martinez (R-FL) introduced it on April 28, 2005, and 2 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 1 Democrat, 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 28, 2005, 7805 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7316 days ago, on August 30, 2006.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers