I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 601 

To modify certain requirements to encourage the recovery of Puerto Rico 

and the United States Virgin Islands. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 27, 2023 

Mrs. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To modify certain requirements to encourage the recovery 

of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES. 

4 In providing assistance pursuant to section 428 of the 

5 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist6 ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189f), for critical services as set 

7 forth in section 406(a)(3) for the duration of the recovery 

8 for incidents DR–4336–PR, DR–4339–PR, DR–4340– 

9 USVI, and DR–4335–USVI, the Administrator of the 

10 Federal Emergency Management Agency shall— 


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1 (1) revise the guidance definitions for applica2 tion of section 20601 of the Bipartisan Budget Act 

3 of 2018 (Public Law 115–123) to provide explicitly 

4 that multicomponent systems or facilities be in5 spected, evaluated, and estimated as a single project 

6 rather than requiring every component of the system 

7 to be inspected, evaluated, and estimated; 

8 (2) at the request of an applicant, put into ef9 fect a procedure for evaluation and authorization of 

10 projects through professionally licensed engineers, as 

11 provided by subparagraphs (F) and (G) of sub12 section (e)(1) of section 428 of the Robert T. Staf13 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; 

14 and 

15 (3) extend the deadline for the presentation of 

16 cost estimates and project worksheets under such in17 cidents until October 31, 2021. 

18 SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT RECOVERY. 

19 Section 20601 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 

20 (Public Law 115–123) is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and 

21 inserting ‘‘shall’’. 


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1 SEC. 3. TIMELY BASIS FOR PAYMENT AND REIMBURSE2 MENT. 

3 Section 428(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re4 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189f) is 

5 amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’; 

7 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and 

8 inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

9 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(5) ensuring that work performed by pro11 viders, suppliers, and contractors to the Federal, 

12 State, local, or tribal governments or nonprofit fa13 cilities under the provisions of this Act is paid for 

14 and reimbursed in a timely manner.’’. 

15 SEC. 4. SUBRECIPIENT PAYMENTS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—For incidents DR–4336–PR, 

17 DR–4339–PR, DR–4340–USVI, and DR–4335–USVI. 

18 For any major disaster or emergency declared under the 

19 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist20 ance Act (42 U.S.C 5121 et seq.) in Puerto Rico or the 

21 United States Virgin Islands, a subrecipient in meeting 

22 any Federal cost-sharing requirement may use available 

23 funds from any disaster recovery program/source, includ24 ing Community Development Block Grants—Disaster Re25 covery, Community Development Block Grants, commu26 nity disaster loans, and any in-kind contributions (unless 


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1 prohibited by law) to meet any Federal cost-sharing re2 quirement. Such funds or loans shall cover the cumulative 

3 costs of any approved obligation under the specific public 

4 assistance category determined by the Federal Emergency 

5 Management Administration under such Act rather than 

6 having to apply individually to each specific cost estimate 

7 or project worksheet issued under such obligation. 

8 (b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 

9 term ‘‘subrecipient’’ means a local government or a non10 governmental organization (NGO). 

Æ 


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