I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6567 
To require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a Terri-
torial Disaster Recovery Program to continuously identify, monitor, and 
address factors and capability gaps that hinder the execution and comple-
tion of recovery activities relating to major disasters by eligible entities 
located in the territories of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 1, 2023 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr. 
SABLAN, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. MENG, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. 
GREEN of Texas, Mr. GOLDMAN of New York, Ms. CLARKE of New York, 
Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. TITUS, Mrs. GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N, 
and Ms. PLASKETT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 
establish a Territorial Disaster Recovery Program to con-
tinuously identify, monitor, and address factors and ca-
pability gaps that hinder the execution and completion 
of recovery activities relating to major disasters by eligi-
ble entities located in the territories of the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Capac-
ity for Disaster Resilient Territories Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The United States territories are particu-
larly vulnerable to extreme weather events, which 
have become more frequent and stronger in recent 
years. 
(2) Category-5 Hurricane Marı´a, which made 
its landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20th, 2017, 
is considered to be the second deadliest storm re-
corded in United States history. 
(3) Category-5 Hurricane Irma, which struck 
the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Sep-
tember 6th, 2017, is considered to be the second- 
most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2017. 
(4) Typhoon Mawar, which struck Guam on 
May 19th, 2023, and the south of Rota, Northern 
Mariana Islands on May 24th, 2023, is considered 
to be the strongest to hit Guam since 2002. 
(5) Super Typhoon Yutu, which struck the 
Northern Mariana Islands on October 24th, 2018, is 
considered to be the strongest typhoon recorded to 
impact the Mariana Islands. 
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(6) Hurricane Fiona made its landfall as a Cat-
egory-1 Hurricane in Puerto Rico on September 
18th, 
2022, 
causing 
severe 
flooding 
and 
compounding the damage left by Hurricanes Irma 
and Marı´a. 
(7) A major disaster declaration was issued for 
the territory of American Samoa on September 16th, 
2022, due to high surf, high winds, and flooding. 
(8) Rising sea levels, caused by ocean warming, 
contribute to the increased frequency and intensity 
of hurricanes, and the fragile condition of coastal 
environments in the United States territories. This 
translates to disrupted economic activity, such as 
tourism, agriculture and fishing, damaged dwellings, 
and limited drinking water supplies. 
(9) The Federal Emergency Management Agen-
cy (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘FEMA’’) has obli-
gated significant amounts of funding to address 
multiple natural disasters in the United States terri-
tories. 
(10) As of October 2023, FEMA had obligated 
an estimated $40,980,000,000 in Public Assistance, 
Hazard Mitigation, Power Reconstruction and Per-
manent Work to address damages caused by Hurri-
cane Marı´a in Puerto Rico. In addition, as of Sep-
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tember 2023, FEMA had obligated an estimated 
$328,000,000 in Public Assistance to address dam-
ages caused by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico. 
(11) As of April 2023, FEMA had obligated an 
estimated $2,900,000,000 in Public Assistance and 
Hazard Mitigation to address damages caused by 
Hurricane Marı´a in the Virgin Islands. In addition, 
as of December 2022, FEMA had obligated an esti-
mated $89,000,000 in Public Assistance and Hazard 
Mitigation to address damages caused by Hurricane 
Irma in the Virgin Islands. 
(12) After the passage of Typhoon Mangkhut 
and Super Typhoon Yutu in Guam and the Northen 
Mariana Islands, FEMA obligated a total of 
$677,200,000 between 2018 and 2020 to aid re-
sponse and recovery efforts related to both disasters. 
(13) The United States territories have similar 
vulnerabilities that result in long and difficult recov-
ery processes. 
(14) The economies of the United States terri-
tories depend heavily on tourism to create revenue. 
Such dependency undermines disaster resiliency, 
given the industry’s susceptibility to external shocks, 
such as atmospheric conditions, financial crises, and 
global pandemics. Any of this phenomenon can re-
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duce the number of visitors and trigger the closure 
of businesses and lay-offs. 
(15) The United States territories struggle with 
high levels of public debt, which impact their ability 
to provide cash advances to initiate disaster recovery 
projects. Notably— 
(A) Puerto Rico is in the midst of debt re-
structuring proceedings that, as of 2023, have 
reduced Puerto Rico’s public debt from over 
$70 billion to $37 billion and pension liabilities 
from $55 billion to $7 billion; 
(B) as of 2019, Virgin Islands’ public debt 
stood at $2,600,000,000, representing 65 per-
cent of its Gross Domestic Product; and 
(C) as of 2021, Guam’s public debt stood 
at $2,600,000,000, representing 43 percent of 
its Gross Domestic Product. 
(16) The physical infrastructure of the United 
States territories, including electricity grids and 
water plants, is outdated, and has lacked appro-
priate maintenance and hardening. 
(17) The United States territories face housing 
affordability and availability challenges that impact 
their ability to absorb the influx of the recovery 
workforce after a disaster occurs. 
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(18) The United States territories are situated 
in remote locations, which results in higher import 
costs, significant delays in the shipping and trans-
portation of construction materials necessary to 
carry out recovery projects, and barriers for staff 
seeking to travel to the continental United States to 
receive recovery training. 
(19) The United States territories have limited 
specialized staff to adequately navigate and manage 
recovery programs, including developing projects for 
obligation, using Public Assistance to cover adminis-
trative and managerial costs, and procuring goods 
and services according to Federal standards. 
(20) The United States territories hurdle to 
find and procure specialized personnel to advance re-
covery efforts, such as engineers and construction 
contractors, given the high demand for these profes-
sionals by public agencies and large corporations in 
the aftermath of disasters. 
(21) The United States territories struggle with 
dangerous demographic patterns that exacerbate so-
cial, financial, and economic fragilities. From 2010 
to 2020, the populations of the territories shrunk, 
and at a faster pace than any other continental 
state. In such period, Puerto Rico’s population was 
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reduced by 11.8 percent, U.S. Virgin Islands’ popu-
lation by 18.1 percent, Northen Mariana Islands’ 
population by 12.2 percent, American Samoa’s popu-
lation by 10.5 percent, and Guam’s population by 
3.5 percent. Additionally, the islands are experi-
encing lower birthrates and higher death rates. 
(22) The postal addresses used in the United 
States territories have not been recognized and reg-
istered by the United States Postal Service, which 
can result in additional obstacles for recovery, pri-
marily for individuals and households seeking to ob-
tain FEMA assistance. 
(23) The United States territories have endured 
consecutive major disasters, which has made it more 
difficult for FEMA to correctly assess recent and 
older damages, and therefore obligate funding for 
Public Assistance projects. 
(24) The United States territories encompass a 
variety of languages, political sensitivities, and cul-
tural differences that Federal authorities like FEMA 
have not traditionally considered, thereby impacting 
the territories’ full and equal participation in Fed-
eral disaster recovery programs. 
(b) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of 
this Act to establish a program within FEMA to continu-
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ously identify, monitor, and address factors and capability 
gaps that hinder the execution and completion of recovery 
activities by eligible entities located in the territories of 
the United States under sections 403, 404, 406, 407, and 
502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(2) 
COMMUNITY.—The 
term 
‘‘community’’ 
means a network of individuals and families, busi-
nesses, governmental and nongovernmental organiza-
tions, and other civic organizations that reside or op-
erate within a shared geographical boundary and 
may be represented by a common political leadership 
at a regional, county, municipal, or neighborhood 
level. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means an entity eligible for a grant under sec-
tion 403, 404, 406, 407, or 502 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (5121 U.S.C. et seq.). 
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(4) RECOVERY.—The term ‘‘recovery’’ means 
the capabilities and actions necessary to recover ef-
fectively from a major disaster declared under the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), including— 
(A) rebuilding infrastructure systems; 
(B) providing adequate interim and long- 
term housing for individuals impacted by such 
incident; 
(C) restoring health, social, and commu-
nity services; 
(D) promoting economic development; and 
(E) restoring natural and cultural re-
sources. 
(5) TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES.—The 
term ‘‘territory of the United States’’ means Amer-
ican Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northen 
Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any 
other territory or possession of the United States. 
SEC. 4. TERRITORIAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall es-
tablish a Territorial Disaster Recovery Program (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to continuously 
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identify, monitor, and address factors and capability gaps 
of local emergency managers, or other applicable emer-
gency response coordinators, and eligible entities located 
in the territories of the United States in carrying out re-
covery activities relating to major disasters declared under 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As-
sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
(b) DUTIES.—In carrying out the Program, the Ad-
ministrator shall— 
(1) not later than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, 
identify and analyze gaps in identifying, applying 
and receiving assistance, and carrying out recovery 
activities described in subsection (a) that are specific 
to eligible entities located in the territories of the 
United States; 
(2) provide technical assistance to the entities 
described in paragraph (1) in applying for grants 
under sections 403, 404, 406, 407, and 502 of such 
Act that— 
(A) is tailored to meet the needs of appli-
cants at each stage of the administration of 
projects for which grants are made under such 
sections; and 
(B) takes into account the challenges of— 
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(i) applicants who are located in re-
mote or difficult-to-access areas; 
(ii) applicants who are part of a mi-
nority cultural group; 
(iii) applicants with limited English 
language proficiency; and 
(iv) applicants with slow internet 
speeds or limited broadband access; 
(3) design online and in-person training courses 
that are specific to the entities described in para-
graph (1) and that address the capability gaps iden-
tified under this section; 
(4) develop best practices regarding the admin-
istration of projects in the territories of the United 
States for which grants are made under sections 
403, 404, 406, 407, and 502 of such Act; 
(5) develop feedback mechanisms for entities re-
ceiving technical assistance or training under this 
section; and 
(6) foster meaningful collaboration with local 
experts, community leaders, and other members of 
the community, that leads to the performance of ac-
tivities under this section that are locally informed 
and relevant to local needs. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years 
thereafter for the duration of the Program, the Ad-
ministrator shall submit to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure and the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate a report on— 
(A) any capability gaps identified under 
subsection (b)(1); 
(B) the nature of any technical assistance 
provided under the Program; 
(C) any online or in-person training 
courses developed, or planned to be developed 
under the Program; 
(D) any best practices identified under 
subsection (b)(4); and 
(E) an analysis of, responses to, and any 
activities carried out as a result of feedback re-
ceived by applicants for assistance under the 
Program and entities receiving such assistance. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—In the report required to 
be submitted in the final year for which the Pro-
gram is authorized, the Administrator shall include 
recommendations on— 
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