Congress and Biden Administration Must “Take Action for Puerto Rico!” – Members of Congress Join Group to Demand Parity in Benefits and Build Back Better

Watch video here.

WASHINGTON — Today, four years after the devastating Hurricane Maria, which resulted in catastrophic damage to Puerto Rico, Hispanic Federation launched the Take Action for Puerto Rico! campaign in a press conference near the U.S. Capitol steps. The campaign calls on Congress to insist on federal investments that rebuild a resilient and self-sufficient Puerto Rico and treat the territory equitably in the dispersal of federal benefit programs, especially those intended to support the most vulnerable (SSI, Medicaid, SNAP).

The Territorial Equity Act of 2021 would, among other important things, provide the territories with the same need-based, open-ended Medicaid funding that is currently available to the fifty states and the District of Columbia. In addition, it would address Medicare disparities and provide the same level of nutrition support to low-income families on the island.

Speakers at the event included Hispanic Federation president and CEO Frankie Miranda, alongside several members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), and Rafael "Tatito" Hernandez, President of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, in addition to Carmen Feliciano, director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), who represented Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi.

The press conference also featured moving testimony from Aurelis Aponte, a directly impacted Puerto Rican mother who lost social security benefits for her disabled child when she moved from Florida back to Puerto Rico after being displaced by Hurricane Maria.

“Hurricane Maria was the worst natural disaster in Puerto Rico's history, resulting in the longest blackout in American history responsible for killing up to an estimated 4,600 people. Since then, earthquakes, droughts, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, austerity measures imposed as a result of debt, and years of intentional barriers to accessing federal disaster recovery programs, have further harmed the island’s economy, increasing its vulnerability amidst ongoing threats of severe weather events. The poverty rate in Puerto Rico is higher than all of the states on the U.S. mainland, currently at 44 percent (compared to 13 percent on the mainland),” said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “The need for Puerto Ricans to receive their fair share of federal funds has never been greater. The Take Action for Puerto Rico! campaign aims to remind the Biden administration and Congress that the island can’t be left behind and must be treated equitably in comparison to the rest of the country.”

“Four years after Hurricane Maria, Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico have equal and fair access to federal resources that will help the island rebuild and prosper. Our Build Back Better agenda provides Puerto Rico with the funding it needs to build a more resilient infrastructure, construct and retrofit more housing, upgrade its energy grid, and expand internet access. After years of neglect and indifference under the Trump administration and Republican control of Congress, these investments will help Puerto Rico withstand the type of natural disasters it has endured over the last few years and mitigate the devastating effects of climate change,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

"Four years ago, Hurricane Maria barreled down on Puerto Rico, leaving a trail of destruction and devastation in its wake. Today, there is still much work to be done, and as extreme weather becomes more common, it is critical that we rebuild stronger and more resilient than ever before. That help starts with ensuring that Puerto Rico’s needs are included in the Build Back Better plan, from upgrading its electric grid to making its roads, bridges, and sewer systems more resilient. That is how we will Build Puerto Rico Back Better and lay the foundation for a brighter future," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

“We are here this afternoon to pay tribute to the lives lost during Hurricane Maria, the worst natural disaster in the history of Puerto Rico, which ravaged the island four years ago today,” said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.). “As anyone with connections to Puerto Rico will tell you, Maria’s sheer force not only battered the island’s infrastructure, but left deep economic and psychological wounds as well. Now four years later, I’ve been proud to fight tooth and nail for an equitable federal recovery effort, which included holding the previous administration accountable for their moral failures in responding to Maria. Today, I’m grateful to have a President who has been a partner to the people of Puerto Rico and has helped to ensure Maria recovery funds are reaching those still in need. As we reflect upon the solemn anniversary, we must also continue to fight against the unequal treatment of Puerto Rico and the territories when it comes to receiving numerous federal benefits. That’s why I’m urging Congress to pass my bill with Senator Bernie Sanders, the Territorial Equity Act, which offers sweeping reforms to extend popular programs such as SSI and SNAP equally to Puerto Rico. The path to recovery has been long, and in order to make Puerto Rico whole, the federal government must commit to the long-overdue need for parity in federal benefits for Puerto Rico.”

“We have failed our sisters and brothers in Puerto Rico. Today marks four years since Hurricane Maria struck and devastated Puerto Rico, and much of the island still remains in despair. The hurricane exposed the second-class citizenship Puerto Ricans experience and the long-standing inequities they continue to face,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “The people of Puerto Rico have suffered for far too long, and our failures in disaster response and unequal access to safety net programs only drives home this point. Congress and the White House must ensure Puerto Rico has the necessary funds and resources to rebuild, prepare, protect itself from future disasters, and thrive.”

“Four years ago, Hurricane María decimated the island of Puerto Rico, leaving thousands dead in its wake,” said Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.). “Today, we remember the devastation and renew our fight to secure equal treatment for Puerto Rican U.S. citizens. The Biden administration has already released billions in held up funding, and we will continue to support our brothers and sisters on the island as they rebuild.”

“Puerto Ricans are Americans, and the federal government must stop turning its back on them,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “All our communities deserve fair and equal access to federal benefits, but Puerto Ricans have long been denied this basic parity. While my office has been fighting for this equality from New York all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, we also need action from the federal government. It is past time we give Puerto Rico the support it deserves, and I thank the Hispanic Federation for its leadership in this fight.”

“I thank the Hispanic Federation for the invitation to this event and their efforts to continue educating and advocating in Congress on behalf of the people of Puerto Rico. As we continue to move forward with our recovery and reconstruction, I would like to thank President Biden for his commitment to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has finally begun to receive funds appropriated by Congress to reconstruct and build a resilient Puerto Rico. We have learned a lot during the recovery process and accomplished much; however, I recognize that we still have a long way to go. Under the leadership of Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi we will continue to divert all our resources in Washington, DC to ensure that Puerto Rico is treated equally across all the programs in the federal government. I will continue fighting for Puerto Rico to be treated equally and fairly under all federal programs,” concluded PRFAA’s Executive Director Carmen M. Feliciano.

“We were at the event today in Congress as one Puerto Rico. It is an outstanding achievement that our private sector, non-profit institutions, the Executive branch, and the Legislative branch raised all voices in unity. We demand that the Biden administration and Congress take action and execute the established plans so that every American citizen living in Puerto Rico has access to SSI, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits. Stories like Aurelis Aponte and her daughter Isabella should never happen again; we must do better. Our families on the island need to be certain that they will not be discriminated against for living in Puerto Rico,” said Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico Rafael "Tatito" Hernández Montañez.

In the 2019 U.S. v. Vaello-Madero case, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling that found that the exclusion of otherwise eligible Puerto Ricans from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) only because of their status as Puerto Rican residents violated the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. In August 2020, in the similar case of Peña Martinez v. United States Health and Human Services, the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico also ruled that it was a violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment to deny not only SSI, but also other government assistance, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) to residents of Puerto Rico.

Hispanic Federation thanks the Biden administration and the champions in Congress for taking critical first steps towards parity for Puerto Rico, and looks forward to continuing to work together to ensure that no American - regardless of where they live - is left behind as we work to Build Back Better.

If you would like to see a video recording of the press conference, please reach out to Fernanda Durand at fernanda@communicationsshop.us.

Menu

Congress and Biden Administration Must “Take Action for Puerto Rico!” – Members of Congress Join Group to Demand Parity in Benefits and Build Back Better