House Passes Two Bipartisan Bills Backed by Hernández to Increase Transparency and Improve Access to Federal Disaster Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed two bipartisan bills cosponsored by Congressman Pablo José Hernández, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. These measures, previously introduced by the now Governor of Puerto Rico and former Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, aim to improve transparency and streamline access to federal disaster funding for impacted communities.

“These simple, yet effective bipartisan bills will increase transparency and improve access to funding for victims of federal disasters in Puerto Rico. I’ll continue to work on legislation that provides real solutions for Puerto Rico,” said Hernández.

The Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the disaster assistance process. Specifically, it requires FEMA to:

• Conduct a study and develop a plan to simplify and reduce duplication in disaster assistance applications and reporting.
• Convene a working group to address inefficiencies in preliminary damage assessments and explore emerging technologies, such as drones, to expedite these assessments.
• Publish a publicly available report outlining plans to improve disaster information management and transparency.

The Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act enhances transparency in disaster funding by requiring federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to create a centralized online portal for reporting disaster assistance information that must be available to the public quarterly. The passage of these bipartisan bills marks a significant step forward in improving disaster response and recovery for Puerto Rico.

Last Friday, the Resident Commissioner issued a statement calling on the designated Secretary of Natural Resources and his predecessor to provide honest and convincing explanations as to the Administrative Order archiving the case of illegal construction at La Parguera. The Resident Commissioner also called on the Puerto Rico Senate to conduct its advice and consent power cautiously and with great attention in light of the recent developments.

###