Skip to main content
S 1761 109th Congress Senate

Gulf Coast Recovery Act

Official title: A bill to clarify the liability of government contractors assisting in rescue, recovery, repair, and reconstruction work in the Gulf Coast region of the United… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to clarify the liability of government contractors assisting in rescue, recovery, repair, and reconstruction work in the Gulf Coast region of the United States affected by Hurricane Katrina or other major disasters.

Introduced: September 22, 2005 Introduced by: Thune, John Republican · South Dakota See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics AlabamaCivil actions and liabilityClaimsCommerce
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Construction industriesDamagesDisaster reliefEmergency ManagementEnvironmental ProtectionFloodsGovernment contractorsHurricane aftermath legislationHurricanesLawLiability (Law)Liability for environmental damagesLouisianaMaintenance and repairMississippiRescue workSubcontractors
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 26, 2005
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 222.
Sep 22, 2005
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Sep 22, 2005
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action September 26, 2005

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 222.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Gulf Coast Recovery Act - Prohibits any person or entity awarded a government contract to perform rescue, recovery, repair, or reconstruction work in any part of a disaster zone, as a result of the performance of that work, from being subject to liability that any private party may seek to impose under any provision of federal law (including any regulation) that: (1) is administered by the Secretary of the Army, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Secretary of Transportation; and (2) otherwise permits the filing of a lawsuit by a private individual.

Sets forth provisions with respect to a federal cause of action for claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the performance of a government contract in a disaster zone for: (1) the search, rescue, or recovery of individuals or property dislocated by the disaster; (2) the demolition, removal, repair, or reconstruction of structures or utilities damaged by the disaster; (3) the clean-up or remediation of property polluted by the disaster; (4) the removal of debris deposited by the disaster (including dredging); or (5) the dewatering of property flooded by the disaster. Makes the Chief of Engineers of the Department of the Army exclusively responsible for the review of any government contract that any person or entity claims to be necessary for the recovery of a disaster zone from a disaster for the purpose of establishing a government contractor defense in any lawsuit for claims relating to the performance of a government contract.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1761: Gulf Coast Recovery Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1761/
MLA
"S. 1761: Gulf Coast Recovery Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1761/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1761, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1761/.
Markdown link
[S. 1761: Gulf Coast Recovery Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1761/)
Report a problem