Hundreds of Hurricane Sandy victims may have received too much in financial aid – or may not have even been eligible for that federal assistance – but shouldn’t be required to pay it back if the government was to blame for the mistake, two of New Jersey’s top federal Democratic lawmakers said on Friday.

To give teeth to their claim, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Frank Pallone said they plan to introduce legislation next week requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency to forgive the debts of Sandy victims who earn less than $200,000 annually the agency says erroneously received aid.

In all, FEMA has already sent out about 809 debt notice letters to New Jersey residents representing about $5.6 million the agency wants reimbursed for emergency assistance doled out by mistake in the early days after the storm, Menendez said. FEMA calls it recoupment. Lawmakers and the affected homeowners call it claw back.

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