Bill > HR5501

This bill requires the Comptroller General to conduct a comprehensive study on data challenges faced by federal agencies when providing grants for Puerto Rico's recovery from various disasters, including Hurricanes Irma, María, and Fiona, the 2020 earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study must produce a detailed report within one year, which will include a comprehensive list of all grants provided, an assessment of how statistical products are used throughout the grant process, an evaluation of critical data needs identified by grant-awarding agencies, and a description of how data gaps have impeded grant allocation and management. The bill specifies that the study will cover a wide range of federal agencies, from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and requires these agencies to provide complete information within 90 days of being requested. The report will also recommend ways to integrate Puerto Rico into federal statistical products and grant oversight processes, with the goal of improving future disaster recovery efforts. The findings will be submitted to the House Committee on National Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5501/all-info