,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bbi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #c1 #bjai,ms4 
,velzquez 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,?ompson (    
,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4      
,soto1 ,mr4 ,espaillat1 ,mr4 ,s]rano1   
,mr4 ,rask91 & ,mr4 ,lewis7 introduc$ ! 
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,transportation &         
,infra/ructure  ,a ,,bill  ,to e/abli% a
 national commission on ! ,f$]al        
response to ! #bjag natural disa/]s 9   
,pu]to ,rico1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4    
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,national ,commission on ! ,f$]al       
,response to ,natural ,disa/]s 9 ,pu]to 
,rico ,act ( #bjai4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t &  
purpose  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,!re is        
e/abli%$ a ,national ,commission on !   
,f$]al ,response to ,natural ,disa/]s 9 
,pu]to ,rico 79 ?is ,act ref]r$ to z !  
,commission74  7b7 ,purpose ,! purpose (
 ! ,commission is to exam9e ! ,f$]al    
prep>$ness1 response1 & recov]y to !    
#bjag natural disa/]s 9 ,pu]to ,rico1   

includ+ ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t's            
consid]ation ( ! foll[+ aspects3  7#a7  
,f$]al prep>$ness activities prior to   
,hurricanes ,irma & ,m>ia1 includ+      
,f$]al plans = ! #bjag hurricane season 
& decision mak+ reg>d+ preposition+     
contracts & supplies4  7#b7 ,f$]al      
response activities dur+ ,hurricanes    
,irma & ,m>ia1 includ+ ,f$]al           
coord9ation1 di/ribution ( assi/ance1 & 
contract+4  7#c7 ,f$]al recov]y         
activities aft] ,hurricanes ,irma &     
,m>ia1 includ+ ,f$]al ef=ts to obta9    
accurate acc\nt+ ( ! dea? toll1 damage  
impacts1 & long-t]m rebuild+ assi/ance =
 survivors4  #c4 ,consid]ations ,to c>ry
 out its exam9ation1 ! ,commission %all 
take into consid]ation ! ,f$]al         
prep>$ness1 response1 & recov]y ef=ts 9 
,pu]to ,rico z comp>$ to o!r            
jurisdictions t 7 impact$ by ! #bjag    
hurricane season1 z well z ! foll[+     
issues3  7#a7 ,! impact & de/ruction (  
,hurricane ,irma1 ,hurricane ,m>ia1 !   
result+ l&slides1 & flood+4  7#b7 ,!    

adequacy ( ! dea? toll me?odology &     
processes1 & :e!r previ\s dea? c\nts &  
mortality e/imates sl[$ or o!rwise      
affect$ ,f$]al response ef=ts4  7#c7 ,! 
,f$]al em]g5cy & cont+5cy plans 9 place 
be=e ! #bjag hurricane season4  7#d7 ,! 
,f$]al prep>$ness guidel9es issu$ ahead 
( ! #bjag hurricane season4  7#e7 ,!    
vuln]ability ( ,pu]to ,rico's economic  
situation on ,f$]al prep>$ness4  7#f7 ,!
 implications ( ,pu]to ,rico's reliance 
on import$ oil = p[] g5]ation4  7#g7 ,! 
adequacy ( ! telecommunications network 
9 ,pu]to ,rico4  7#h7 ,! capacity ( !   
local gov]nm5t & ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t to    
quickly mobilize & respond to disa/]s & 
em]g5cies 9 ,pu]to ,rico4  7#i7 ,!      
impact ( ! unc]ta9ty 9 long-t]m ,f$]al  
heal? c>e fund+ on m$ical & em]g5cy     
read9ess4  7#aj7 ,! implication ( ,pu]to
 ,rico's treatm5t "u ! ,int]nal ,rev5ue 
,code ( #aihf & its impact on read9ess4 
7#aa7 ,! adequacy ( available data & its
 effects on ! ,f$]al response4  7#ab7 ,!
 geographic1 ecological1 & infra/ructure

 issues t c\ld h affect$ response ef=ts4
  7#ac7 ,a comp>ison ( response ef=ts 9 
o!r ,unit$ ,/ates jurisdictions         
vis-a-vis ef=ts 9 ,pu]to ,rico = ! #bjag
 hurricane season4  #d4 ,composition &  
comp5sation ( ,commission  7a7 ,memb]s  
,! ,commission %all be compos$ ( #h     
memb]s1 ( :om two %all be appo9t$ by !  
,speak] ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 two
 %all be appo9t$ by ! ,majority ,lead] (
 ! ,s5ate1 two %all be appo9t$ by !     
,m9ority ,lead] ( ! ,h\se (             
,repres5tatives1 & two %all be appo9t$  
by ! ,m9ority ,lead] ( ! ,s5ate4  7b7   
,*air & ,vice ,*air ,! ,commission1 by  
majority vote1 %all *oose a ,*air &     
,vice ,*air4  7c7 ,qualifications &     
re/rictions  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,individuals 
%all be select$ = appo9tm5t on !        
,commission solely on ! basis ( _!      
pr(essional qualifications1 exp]i5ce1 & 
exp]tise 9 relevant fields1 includ+     
disa/] response & em]g5cy prep>$ness4   
7#b7 ,re/rictions ,individuals may n be 
an (fic] or employee ( ! ,f$]al         

,gov]nm5t or any ,/ate1 or a curr5t     
elect$ (ficial ( ! local gov]nm5t4  7d7 
,appo9tm5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,all memb]s ( 
! ,commission %all be appo9t$ n lat] ?an
 #cj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act4  7#b7 ,presid5tial au?ority ,!   
,presid5t %all h no au?ority to t]m9ate 
! appo9tm5t ( any memb] ( ! commission4 
7e7 ,vacancies ,any vacancy 9 !         
,commission %all n affect its p[]s1 b   
%all be fill$ 9 ! same mann] 9 :i* !    
orig9al appo9tm5t 0 made n lat] ?an #fj 
days aft] ! date on :i* ! vacancy       
occurs4  7f7 ,comp5sation  7#a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,memb]s ( ! ,commission may be         
comp5sat$ = travel exp5ses necess>y to  
conduct ! "w & s]vices = ! ,commission4 
7#b7 ,travel exp5ditures ,memb]s %all be
 all[$ travel exp5ditures1 includ+ p]   
diem 9 lieu ( subsi/5ce1 9 ! same mann] 
z p]sons employ$ int]mitt5tly 9 !       
,gov]nm5t s]vice are all[$ exp5ses "u   
section #egjc ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code4  7g7 ,/aff  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,) a   
majority vote ( ! ,commission1 memb]s   

may recruit p]sonnel to assi/ ) !       
,commission's "w1 includ+ ! creation ( !
 report4  7#b7 ,p]sonnel ,any su*       
p]sonnel may include private citiz5s1   
employees or detailees ( ! ,f$]al       
,gov]nm5t1 or employees ( ! t]ritorial  
gov]nm5t4  #e4 ,functions & p[]s ( !    
,commission  7a7 ,quorum  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date on :i* 
all memb]s ( ! ,commission h be5        
appo9t$1 ! ,commission %all meet & beg9 
! op]ations ( ! ,commission4  7#b7      
,subsequ5t meet+s ,ea* subsequ5t meet+  
%all occur ^u ! call ( ! ,*air or a     
majority ( its memb]s4  7#c7 ,quorum ,a 
majority ( ! memb]s ( ! ,commission %all
 con/itute a quorum1 b a less] numb] may
 hold meet+s4  7b7 ,public meet+s ,!    
,commission %all ho/ n less ?an #aj     
public meet+s 9 locations t are         
accessible to individuals ( e           
municipality ) elect$ (ficials1 local   
community lead]s1 academic in/itutions1 
=-pr(it & non-=-pr(it organizations1 &  
individuals 9 ,pu]to ,rico to ! ext5t   

appropriate4  7c7 ,writt5 input ,!      
,commission %all all[ p>ticipants bo? 9 
,pu]to ,rico & ! ma9l& to provide writt5
 input to be includ$ 9 an app5dix ( !   
f9al report4  7d7 ,he>+s  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,! ,commission may hold he>+s1 take     
te/imony1 & receive evid5ce = its       
inve/igation4  7#b7 ,protection (       
in=mation ,any public he>+s ( !         
,commission %all be conduct$ 9 a mann]  
consi/5t ) ! protection ( in=mation     
provid$ to or develop$ = or by !        
,commission z requir$ by any applicable 
/atute1 regulation1 or ,executive ord]4 
7e7 ,subpo5as ,! ,commission may issue  
subpo5as requir+ ! att5dance & te/imony 
( witnesses1 & requir+ ! submission (   
data1 books1 records1 correspond5ce1    
memor&a1 pap]s1 docum5ts1 electronic    
files1 metadata1 tapes1 & mat]ials ( any
 nature relat+ to any matt] "u          
inve/igation4  7f7 ,in=mation f ag5cies 
,! ,commission may secure directly f any
 executive dep>tm5t1 bureau1 ag5cy1     
bo>d1 commission1 (fice1 indep5d5t      

e/abli%m5t1 or in/rum5tality ( !        
,gov]nm5t1 in=mation1 sugge/ions1       
e/imates1 & /ati/ics4  7g7 ,,gsa s]vices
 ,! ,adm9i/rator ( ,g5]al ,s]vices %all 
provide to ! ,commission on a           
reimbursable basis adm9i/rative support 
& o!r s]vices = ! p]=mance ( !          
,commission's functions4  7h7 ,f$]al    
assi/ance f o!r ag5cies ,dep>tm5ts &    
ag5cies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates may provide to
 ! ,commission su* s]vices1 funds1      
facilities1 /aff1 & o!r support s]vices 
z !y may det]m9e advisable & z may be   
au?oriz$ by law4  7i7 ,po/al s]vices ,! 
,commission may use ! ,unit$ ,/ates     
mails 9 ! same mann] & "u ! same        
conditions z o!r dep>tm5ts & ag5cies ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates4  #f4 ,reports (         
,commission  7a7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #ab
 mon?s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is   
,act1 ! ,commission %all submit to !    
,presid5t & ,congress a f9al report on !
 causes & circum/ances surr\nd+ !       
natural disa/]s 9 ,pu]to ,rico1 includ+ 
prep>$ness & imm$iate response1 &       

provid+ recomm5dations to gu>d aga9/    
future natural disa/]s outside ( !      
cont95tal ,unit$ ,/ates1 :i* %all conta9
 f9d+s1 conclusions1 & recomm5dations z 
h be5 agre$ to by a majority (          
,commission memb]s & %all--  7#a7 be    
made available to ! public 9 ! ,engli% &
 ,spani% languages2  7#b7 include f9d+s 
= ! issues describ$ 9 section #b2 &     
7#c7 include-- 7,a7 ! numb] & nature (  
compla9ts fil$ to ! ,inspectors ,g5]al =
 ,f$]al ag5cies responsible 9 ! aft]ma? 
( ! #bjag natural disa/]s2  7,b7 details
 on ,f$]al procurem5t & acquisition     
practices 9 ! aft]ma? ( ! #bjag natural 
disa/]s2  7,c7 details on disa/]        
mitigation protocols giv5 cultural &    
language diff]5ces2 &  7,d7 disa/]      
response processes tak+ into acc\nt     
demographics 7age1 race1 g5d]1 income7 &
 ! impact on segm5ts ( ! population )   
disabilities4  7b7 ,app5dix ,an app5dix 
to ! f9al report %all include writt5    
input ( p>ticipants 9 ,pu]to ,rico & !  
ma9l&4  7c7 ,int]im report ,n lat] ?an  

#f mon?s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is   
,act1 ! ,commission %all provide to     
,congress an int]im report4  #g4 ,sunset
 ,! ,commission %all t]m9ate on ! day t 
is #ij days aft] ! date on :i* ! f9al   
report is submitt$4  #h4 ,au?orization (
 appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be  
appropriat$ #c1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ?is  
,act1 to rema9 available until exp5d$4