PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 222.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 22, 2005
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.
People & committees
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · R–SD
Legislative record
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Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 222.
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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