January 21, 2025
Ms. Velázquez (for herself, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms. Meng, Mr. Espaillat, and Mr. Hernández) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To require a study relating to the consolidation of certain grant programs currently available to insular areas and the suitability of such consolidation for Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Report on Grant Consolidation Authority for Puerto Rico Act
.
Sec. 2. Congressional findings and statement of purpose
(a) Increased burden on the public sector of Puerto Rico
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
Puerto Rico faces a severe economic crisis, characterized by the largest municipal bankruptcy in the United States history, higher levels of poverty and socioeconomic inequality when compared to the rest of the United States, and a reduced labor force.
(2)
Puerto Rico is managing a large recovery and reconstruction process prompted by hurricanes Irma, María, and Fiona, the 2020 earthquakes, and the COVID pandemic.
(3)
The set of post-disaster conditions has exerted a great burden on the public sector of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Public employees have had to comply with new fiscal requirements imposed by the Financial Oversight and Management Board under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA
), handle historic allocations of Federal funds, which involves engaging with new agencies, programs, and requirements over time, and balance fiscal constraints with the urgency to recruit specialized and full-time workforce for the best use of disaster funding.
(b) Statement of Purpose
It is the purpose of this Act to study the suitability of grant consolidation to minimize the burden upon the public sector of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and maximize its available resources to access Federal funding.
Sec. 3. Study required
(a) In general
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing the results of a study on the process by which grants made available by the Federal Government are consolidated for insular areas pursuant to part 97 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations. Such report shall also contain the following:
(1)
An analysis, in consultation with appropriate officials of local agencies in Puerto Rico, about the manner in which such agencies currently access funding from programs that are listed in section 97.12 of such part 97.
(2)
A list of each grant or other program that such officials would recommend adding to the list of programs under such section 97.12.
(3)
Any challenges noted by the Comptroller General or by such officials relating to meeting the existing requirements for obtaining funding for Puerto Rico from such listed programs.
(4)
An assessment by the Comptroller General whether any of the challenges described pursuant to paragraph (3) with respect to existing requirements for obtaining funding would be partially or wholly addressed by extending access to the consolidation of such funding to Puerto Rico in the same manner and to the same extent as the insular areas.
(5)
Any recommendations of such officials regarding the manner in which that current process for access to such funding should change, including recommendations relating to extending access to the consolidation of such funding to Puerto Rico.
(b) Access to prompt and complete information
Any official of Puerto Rico from whom the Comptroller General seeks information for purposes of the report required by subsection (a) shall promptly and comprehensively respond to such request for information, and in no case later than 90 days after the receipt of such a request. To the extent appropriate, the Comptroller General may interpret a lack of response, or a partial or incomplete response, to any such request for information adversely in compiling the report required by such subsection.
(c) Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
(1)
the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Education and Labor, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
(2)
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.