An influential congressman is considering a measure that would let people hit by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma dip into retirement funds to pay for emergency and recovery costs.

Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican whose district near Houston was flooded by Harvey last month, said he might propose legislation that would let hurricane victims take money from their 401(k) plans without paying the standard penalty. Brady is chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the House’s chief tax-writing panel.

A waiver would require Congressional approval, and Brady has not released a bill or any details. His only comment came in an exchange last week with reporters in which he said that a hurricane relief bill “will include tax provisions, some of which will help people access their retirement funds without penalty for rebuilding activities.”

The idea is drawing a mixed response. Supporters say it would help people struggling with a crisis. Critics say other mechanisms such as disaster aid are better suited to help hurricane victims.

Brady’s idea involves suspending or reducing the 10-percent penalty that 401(k) holders now pay when they make a “hardship withdrawal” from their account before they reach age 59 ½. The penalty is imposed on the amount of money withdrawn and aims to deter people from tapping into accounts that provide tax advantages to encourage retirement savings.

Withdrawals from 401(k) accounts are subject to federal income tax, and Brady gave no indication he was considering lifting that tax.

“It’s important to recognize this is a crisis,” said Diann Howland, vice president for legislative affairs of the American Retirement Council, which supports Brady’s idea. “These people [affected by the hurricanes] need to be able to take action to support themselves and their families.”

Congress waived the 10-percent penalty after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Howland said, adding that lawmakers need to act quickly. “The sooner they do it, the better,” Howland said. The council’s members include large U.S. employers and employer-service organizations.

Ways and Means spokeswoman Emily Schillinger said the committee is “working quickly to help people as soon as possible.”

Roughly 54 million employees in the U.S. participated in 401(k) plans in 2015, according to the Investment Company Institute. The nation’s 401(k) plans hold an estimated $5 trillion in assets, which represents nearly 20 percent of the $26.1 trillion in U.S. retirement assets, the institute said. About 64 percent of the assets are in mutual funds.

It’s not clear how many people would benefit from a waiver of the 401(k) withdrawal penalty, and that raises questions about its likely utility, said Gordon Gray, director of fiscal policy at the American Action Forum, a center-right think tank in Washington, D.C.

“You’re not talking about a whole lot of people,” Gray said.

The federal government has numerous disaster-relief programs for individuals, including housing grants and loans, unemployment compensation and business loans. State and local governments and charities such as the American Red Cross also help with services such as shelters, food and water.

“Nowhere in there do I really see a screaming need to introduce the 401(k) issue,” Gray said. “If the idea is to have liquidity, for what? If it’s for food and shelter, the response system is designed to ensure those needs are met.”

Brady also said he was looking at increasing limits on tax deductions for casualty losses for people affected by Harvey and Irma, and increasing write-offs for rebuilding costs.

“This won’t be boilerplate,” Brady said. “We’re going to tailor these to our communities and their needs going forward.”