H.R. 5501

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5501 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5501

To require a study on the critical data gaps experienced by Federal 
agencies providing grants for the recovery of Puerto Rico.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 18, 2025

Ms. Velazquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require a study on the critical data gaps experienced by Federal 
agencies providing grants for the recovery of Puerto Rico.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Data Improvement for Puerto Rico 
Recovery Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY REQUIRED.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall complete and 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing 
the results of a study on the specific data needs across grant-awarding 
agencies. The report shall contain the following:
(1) A list of all grants provided by grant-awarding 
agencies to support Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricanes 
Irma, Maria, and Fiona, the 2020 earthquakes, and the COVID-19 
pandemic. The list shall specify the grant type, amount, and 
the specific disaster or emergency to which it pertains.
(2) An assessment of statistical products that details the 
stages of the grant process at which statistical products were 
used, including--
(A) notice of funding opportunity;
(B) development;
(C) application review;
(D) award selection;
(E) formulation of terms and conditions; and
(F) technical assistance.
(3) An evaluation of the most critical data needs 
identified by grant-awarding agencies in managing disaster-
related grants for Puerto Rico, including issues related to 
lack of data coverage, disparities, reporting delays, and 
limitations in data reliability.
(4) A description of the extent to which the identified 
data gaps have impeded effective grant allocation, management, 
and evaluation for Puerto Rico, including any specific examples 
where grant execution was hindered.
(5) Where applicable, a list of Federal products that 
currently exclude Puerto Rico, but which could improve grant 
processes if the Puerto Rico was included. The grant-awarding 
agencies shall provide recommendations on integrating Puerto 
Rico into such Federal products to enhance grant allocation and 
oversight.
(b) Access to Prompt and Complete Information.--Any Federal 
official from whom the Comptroller General seeks information for 
purposes of the report required by subsection (a) shall comprehensively 
respond to such request for information, not later than 90 days after 
the receipt of that request.
(c) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on National Resources of the 
House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate.
(2) Grant-awarding agencies.--The term ``grant-awarding 
agencies'' means relevant agencies what have allocated, 
obligated, or disbursed recovery funds for Puerto Rico.
(3) Relevant agencies.--The term ``relevant agencies'' 
means the following:
(A) Environmental Protection Agency.
(B) Federal Communications Commission.
(C) Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(D) General Services Administration.
(E) National Science Foundation.
(F) Small Business Administration.
(G) Army Corps of Engineers.
(H) Department of Agriculture.
(I) Department of Commerce, including the Economic 
Development Administration, Minority Business 
Development Agency.
(J) National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
(K) National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(L) International Trade Administration.
(M) National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
(N) Department of Energy.
(O) Department of Health and Human Services.
(P) Department of Homeland Security.
(Q) Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(R) Department of Justice.
(S) Department of Labor.
(T) Department of the Interior.
(U) Department of Transportation.
(V) Department of Veterans Affairs.
(4) Statistical products.--The term ``statistical 
products'' means Federal statistical inputs, estimates, and 
products used by grant-awarding agencies to develop and manage 
grant funding.
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