GAO found that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) did not document the bases for decisions to classify projects as emergency repairs in 22 of the 25 project files reviewed. Without such documentation, it is not possible to definitively determine the justification for these decisions; GAO identified at least three projects that may have been inappropriately classified. For example, FHWA cla

Las agencias federales pueden apoyar los esfuerzos de recuperación de la red eléctrica a largo plazo en Puerto Rico a través de tres funciones principales—proporcionando fondos y asistencia técnica y coordinando entre agencias locales y federales. La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) son la

What GAO FoundFederal agencies can support long-term electricity grid recovery efforts in Puerto Rico through three primary roles—providing funding and technical assistance and coordinating among local and federal agencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are the primary federal funding sources for grid recovery. The Depar

The catastrophic destruction encountered as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria proved overwhelming to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican governments and resulted in a large federal disaster response, complicated by losses of power, communication, and health care infrastructure. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) led the federal public health and medical services response a

What GAO FoundFlorida, Texas, and Puerto Rico reported that they followed their local processes to identify and document deaths related to hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017. In Florida and Texas, medical examiners or other personnel were to complete death certificates. As of July 2019, Florida and Texas reported 84 and 94 deaths that were related to hurricanes Irma and Harvey, respective

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) rely on U.S. grants and programs, including several that are scheduled to end in 2023. In fiscal year 2016, U.S. compact sector grants and supplemental education grants, both scheduled to end in 2023, supported a third of the FSM's expenditures and a quarter of the RMI's. Agreements providing U.S. aviation, di

GAO's prior and ongoing work found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) obligated about $7.4 billion in Public Assistance grant funding to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) as of April 2019, in response to the 2017 hurricanes. FEMA obligated about $6.2 billion in Public Assistance grants for emergency work—debris removal activities, power restoration, and other emerg

Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico has finalized two out of six total debt restructuring agreements to date. Through this restructuring process, Puerto Rico's bonds are replaced by bonds with new repayment terms. Public debt was 93 percent of Gross National Product in fiscal year 2016, the most recent fiscal year for which audited financial statements were available. Puerto Rico's general revenue decreased

Federal agencies supported efforts to restore electricity in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico through the types of support they traditionally provide following disasters and, in Puerto Rico, in some unprecedented ways. (1) USVI. Federal agencies provided traditional federal support to the electric utility's restoration efforts. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (F

En el período que cubre desde los huracanes María e Irma hasta el 30 de septiembre de 2018, la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) obligó casi $4 mil millones en subvenciones de Asistencia Pública a Puerto Rico en respuesta a los huracanes de 2017. FEMA obligó casi $3.63 mil millones para obras de emergencia – medidas de emergencia como remoción