The Biden-Harris Administration has funneled billions into Puerto Rican recovery – those efforts holistically resolve Puerto Rican structural problems

From the first day in office and every day since, the Biden-Harris Administration has been fully committed to supporting Puerto Rico’s recovery and renewal. President Biden has long believed that Puerto Rico, and the more than 3 million American citizens who call it home, deserves to be treated with dignity, equality, and respect, with good jobs and a bright future for all of its residents. One year in, the Administration has delivered real and concrete change for Puerto Rico: Unlocking Unprecedented Disaster Recovery Funds The Biden Administration has taken historic action to address Puerto Rico’s ongoing recovery and resilience needs. This includes obligating long-awaited disaster recovery funds and removing unfair and unnecessary restrictions that were uniquely applied to Puerto Rico, such as incremental grant obligations, Federal Financial Monitor review, and more. In 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved nearly $3 billion in funds for 3,542 projects for Hurricane Maria and earthquake recovery – an unprecedented level of support touching every sector of the island. This builds on ongoing work to restore over 1,000 school campuses, 300,000 streetlights, and essential water, sewer, and electrical lines serving 1.4 million Puerto Ricans. Just this month, FEMA canceled more than $371 million in community disaster loans to Puerto Rico, so that local leaders can focus on recovery and not on paying back federal debt. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) obligated ninety percent of promised funds to Puerto Rico, an increase of $16 billion since the start of the Administration, and freed up $1.97 billion to strengthen Puerto Rico’s electrical grid against future disasters. HUD Deputy Secretary Todman’s visit to the island, along with continued collaboration and technical assistance from FEMA and the Department of Energy, reinforced the Administration’s commitment to partnering with the Puerto Rican government, local leaders, and people to achieve a full, equitable, and resilient recovery. Additionally, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $16 million dollar grant to construct a disaster preparedness, recovery, education, and training center, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a free lead remediation training initiative to support the extensive repair and renovation work happening in Puerto Rico’s schools, homes, and communities. Providing Historic Relief through the American Rescue Plan The American Rescue Plan delivered immediate relief for Puerto Rican families and small businesses hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, building a bridge toward economic recovery. Specifically, it provided working families with a $1,400 per-person direct payment, extended unemployment benefits, and enhanced supplemental nutrition assistance for children and school students. It also provided $4 billion in Fiscal Recovery Funds to Puerto Rico’s commonwealth and local governments, and nearly $3 billion in funds to help Puerto Rico’s schools stay open, address learning loss, and support students. To prevent a wave of evictions and foreclosures, Puerto Rican families received $50 million in rent relief – with more funding on the way – and the Department of the Treasury approved Puerto Rico’s plan to distribute millions in mortgage assistance for distressed homeowners. Tax and Benefit Parity for Puerto Rican Families and Workers Additionally, the American Rescue Plan made two important permanent changes to federal tax benefits in Puerto Rico First, it permanently extended the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to families of all sizes in Puerto Rico, from families with three or more children to families with one or more children living in their household, so that the credit is the same as on the mainland. Second, it provided substantial funding to expand Puerto Rico’s version of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This investment will quadruple the EITC for Puerto Rican workers. Together, these measures are estimated to provide over $1 billion in tax relief per year. They stand to benefit hundreds of thousands of families – with the families of over 500,000 children eligible for the 2021 expanded CTC. And with many struggling to make ends meet, the American Rescue Plan provided nearly $1 billion in emergency food assistance for Puerto Rico, and the island will see a permanent, annual increase of over $463 million for its food assistance block grant going forward. Establishing a White House Working Group on Puerto Rico In July, the White House hosted the inaugural meeting of the White House Working Group on Puerto Rico, a cabinet-level task force chaired by Domestic Policy Advisor Susan E. Rice, National Economic Advisor Brian Deese, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Julie Rodriguez that reports directly to the President and is focused on providing Puerto Rico with the resources and technical assistance it needs to recover and prosper. Since the inaugural meeting, agencies have been consulting with stakeholders and devising strategies to support the island’s economic development and recovery efforts, promote workforce and educational opportunities, and invest in greater transparency and governance efforts. Making Additional Medicaid Funds Available The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to addressing the chronic underfunding of Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program and making affordable, quality health care available to its residents. In September, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined that Puerto Rico will permanently receive nearly $3 billion per year in additional federal Medicaid funding, indexed to inflation. This additional funding will allow Puerto Rico to continue to invest in its Medicaid program, ensuring access to critical health care services for 1.5 million residents. The Biden-Harris Administration’s funding determination is yet another example of the President’s commitment toward parity for the island. Repairing Puerto Rico’s Aging Infrastructure For decades, infrastructure in Puerto Rico has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will make life better for millions of Puerto Rico residents, create a new generation of good-paying union jobs, and spur economic growth that will grow the island’s economy. In Puerto Rico, the legislation will provide $900 million to rebuild roads and highways; $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs; more than $470 million to improve public transportation; $13.6 million to support the expansion of an EV charging network on the island; a minimum of $100 million to provide broadband coverage across the island; at least $78 million in 2022 alone to improve water infrastructure and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities; and $102 million for airport infrastructure development on the island. Just this month, the Administration announced it will provide $163 million to restore the Cano Martin Pena urban tidal channel and surrounding areas of the San Juan Bay National Estuary – a project that will significantly improve the health and welfare of the surrounding communities in San Juan by reducing exposure to contaminated waters and sediments, improving water quality, and restoring fish and mangrove habitat.