What This Bill Does
This bill directs the head of the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy to create and carry out a plan for collecting and publishing statistics about Puerto Rico the same way the federal government collects statistics for the 50 states. The bill requires a detailed report on how this plan will be implemented, including timelines and costs.
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Who It Affects
Federal statistical agencies that collect data, Puerto Rico, Congress (specifically the committees that will receive reports).
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Key Provisions
• The Interagency Council on Statistical Policy must develop a plan to collect Puerto Rico statistics in the same manner as statistics collected for the 50 states. (Sec. 2(a))
• The plan must include an action plan to bring Puerto Rico fully into the Census Bureau's data collection programs on the same terms as states. (Sec. 2(b)(1))
• The plan must include an action plan to include Puerto Rico in the National Income and Product Accounts produced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, including in quarterly calculations of gross domestic product and personal income. (Sec. 2(b)(2))
• The plan must include an action plan to stop requiring Electronic Export Information for shipments between the United States and Puerto Rico and develop alternative methods for calculating Puerto Rico's gross domestic product. (Sec. 2(b)(3))
• The plan must include an action plan to fully integrate Puerto Rico statistics into national figures, including calculations of total unemployment rate, inflation rate, and total population size of the United States. (Sec. 2(b)(4))
• A report must be submitted to Congress no later than two years after the bill becomes law, and then every two years afterward, describing the plan and its implementation with specific timelines and cost estimates. (Sec. 2(c))
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the federal government will be required to count Puerto Rico the same way it counts the 50 states when collecting and publishing economic and demographic data. Puerto Rico's data will be included in national figures for unemployment, inflation and population counts that currently only include the 50 states.
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Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
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I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 258
To improve the collection and publication of statistics relating to Puerto
Rico, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 10, 2023
Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N (for herself and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in
addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Ac-
countability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To improve the collection and publication of statistics
relating to Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Data Col-
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lection Equality Act’’.
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•HR 258 IH
SEC. 2. PLAN TO INCLUDE PUERTO RICO IN FEDERAL STA-
1
TISTICAL PROGRAMS.
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(a) PLAN.—The head of the Interagency Council on
3
Statistical Policy shall develop and implement a plan to
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collect and publish statistics regarding Puerto Rico in the
5
same manner as statistics are collected and reported by
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Federal agencies for the several States.
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(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan developed under sub-
8
section (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following in-
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formation:
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(1) An action plan for bringing Puerto Rico
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fully into the programs and surveys of data collec-
12
tion managed by the Bureau of the Census, along
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with sponsoring agencies where appropriate, on the
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same terms as States.
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(2) An action plan for integrating Puerto Rico
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into the full set of the National Income and Product
17
Accounts produced by the Bureau of Economic
18
Analysis, including in the quarterly calculation of
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real gross domestic product and personal income by
20
State and including such calculations in estimates of
21
the gross domestic product of the United States as
22
a whole.
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(3) An action plan to phase out the Electronic
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Export Information requirements located in Part 30
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of title 15, Federal Code of Regulations, for ship-
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•HR 258 IH
ments between the United States and Puerto Rico,
1
which shall identify alternative methods of devel-
2
oping gross domestic product for Puerto Rico with-
3
out using Electronic Export Information.
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(4) An action plan to fully integrate statistics
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collected for Puerto Rico in national figures, includ-
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ing with respect to any calculation or estimate of the
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total unemployment rate, total inflation rate, and
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total resident and total population size of the United
9
States.
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(5) Any other initiatives that each of the prin-
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cipal statistical agencies that sit on the Interagency
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Council on Statistical Policy will pursue to ensure
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they are collecting and publishing statistics regard-
14
ing Puerto Rico on the same terms as States.
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(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date
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of the enactment of this Act, and every two years there-
17
after, the head of the Interagency Council on Statistical
18
Policy shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
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mittees a report which shall include—
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(1) a description of the plan developed under
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subsection (a); and
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(2) information on the implementation of such
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plan, including specific timelines and cost estimates.
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•HR 258 IH
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES
1
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
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gressional committees’’ means—
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(1) the Committee on Natural Resources and
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the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
5
Representatives; and
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(2) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
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sources and the Committee on Appropriations of the
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Senate.
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Æ
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