(A) Puerto Rico is in the midst of debt re-
structuring proceedings that, as of 2025, have 
reduced Puerto Rico’s public debt from over 
$70,000,000,000 to $31,000,000,000 and pen-
sion 
liabilities 
from 
$55,000,000,000 
to 
$7,000,000,000; 
(B) as of September 2021, Virgin Islands’ 
public debt stood at $2,200,000,000, rep-
resenting 50 percent of its gross domestic prod-
uct; and 
(C) as of September 2023, Guam’s public 
debt stood at $2,500,000, representing 38 per-
cent 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water plants, is outdated, and has lacked appro-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. 
(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 
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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 
reduced by 11.8 percent, U.S. Virgin Islands’ popu-
lation by 18.1 percent, Northern Mariana Islands’ 
population by 12.2 percent, American Samoa’s popu-
lation by 10.5 percent, and Guam’s population by 
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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-
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 
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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.). 
(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— 
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(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 Northern 
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 
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 
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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— 
(i) applicants who are located in re-
mote or difficult-to-access areas; 
(ii) applicants who are part of a mi-
nority cultural group; 
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(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.— 
(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-
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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— 
(A) whether to continue the Program; 
(B) if a continuation of the program is rec-
ommended, the suggested duration of such con-
tinuation; and 
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(C) the necessary funding to carry out the 
Program. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
Æ 
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