2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 61 - Federal Affairs Administration of Puerto Rico (§§ 1701 — 1708) › § 1704 - Functions

The Administration shall perform the functions that are necessary and convenient to carry out and execute the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including, but without it being understood as a limitation, [the following functions:]
(a) Advise the Governor, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington, and the various entities of the Government of Puerto Rico and its municipalities, regarding the undertakings, activities and developments in the United States of interest to Puerto Rico.
(b) Provide information, coordination, continuity, evaluation and training with regard to the participation of the Government of Puerto Rico, its instrumentalities and municipalities, in the federal government programs.
(c) Analyze the various topics of federal public policy with special attention, but without being limited, to matters related to a mandate or order issued by any of the branches of the federal government that require the Government of Puerto Rico, its agencies and municipalities to comply with, perform and obey such mandate or order, and which in some way intervene with the internal public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico, and prepare recommendations thereon.
(d) Prepare reports on the status of federal initiatives pending before any of the branches of the government and with special attention, but without being limited, to those matters on which said federal initiatives intervene in any way with the internal public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico.
(e) Represent the Governor of Puerto Rico before local, regional or national, public or private agencies, instrumentalities and entities.
(f) Represent the Government of Puerto Rico, its instrumentalities and municipalities, before local, regional or national, public or private agencies, instrumentalities and entities, after consulting with the Director.
(g) Prepare and give testimony before the branches of the federal government in coordination with the Governor and the Government of Puerto Rico, its instrumentalities and municipalities.
(h) Cooperate with the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington in the performance of his duties.
(i) Advise the branches of the federal government by providing official interpretations on the public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico, as requested.
(j) Help develop and update electronic data systems related to the participation of the Government of Puerto Rico, its agencies and municipalities, in the different federal government programs. Furthermore, it shall promote the full inclusion of Puerto Rico’s statistics, as produced by the agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico, in all national statistics produced by agencies of the federal government and non-governmental organizations in order to have measurement mechanisms that allow us to compare the development of the Island and the performance of our population with the rest of the states of the United States. In this effort, the Administration shall receive the advice and technical support of the Statistics Institute of Puerto Rico, in accordance with the faculties delegated in Act No. 209 of August 23, 2003, as amended [sic.].
(k) Develop information and news programs on Puerto Rico to be disseminated in the United States.
(l) [Promote] cultural, scientific, economic, civic and other activities in the United States to make known and enhance the image of the People of Puerto Rico.
(m) Establish and maintain channels of communication with local and national groups and hispanic entities in the various communities throughout the United States.
(n) Render legal services to the Governor, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington, the Government of Puerto Rico, its instrumentalities and municipalities.
(o) Select, and supervise the work of the persons or firms:
(1) That have their main offices in the United States which render professional legal services in the United States or Puerto Rico in representation of the interests of the Government of Puerto Rico, and
(2) with their main offices in Puerto Rico which render professional legal services through their offices in the United States in representation of the interests of the Government of Puerto Rico.
(p) Execute any other action directed by the Governor of Puerto Rico.
(q) Evaluate and suggest alternatives to avoid duplication of the resources to be used by the Government of Puerto Rico, its agencies and municipalities, in implementing the federal programs that intervene in any way with the internal public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, without altering said federal programs.
(r) Require any public official of the Government of Puerto Rico, its agencies, and municipalities, to provide any necessary information related to the implementation of any federal mandate or order, and especially on those matters that intervene with the internal public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
History —June 19, 1979, No. 77, p. 159, § 4; Jan. 13, 1999, No. 45, § 1; Mar. 7, 2011, No. 28, § 1.