States, localities, and individuals need certainty that FEMA won’t try to recoup disaster funds years after they’ve completed projects. A three year statute of limitations after a project concludes is a lot fairer than waiting a decade or more later until a disaster is formally ended.
FEMA should retain the ability to recoup disaster funds until three years after a state closes out a declared disaster, even if that step in the process doesn’t occur until years or decades after the disaster occurred.