Puerto Rico To Receive Nearly $4 Billion In Pandemic Relief Funds
On Monday, it was announced that Puerto Rico will receive nearly $4 billion in federal education pandemic relief funds to help boost the U.S. territory’s fight against COVID-19.
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardon shared the news during his official three-day trip to Puerto Rico. According to the Associated Press, approximately half of the funds will come from the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package that President Biden signed into law in March.
Cardona said “I am honored to be in Puerto Rico – the island of my roots – as the federal government releases critical funds to support Puerto Rico’s efforts to safely reopen its schools for in-person learning.” As ABC News notes, strict conditions had prevented the U.S. territory from receiving certain federal funds in a timely manner under the Trump administration. However, these have been easing under U.S. President Joe Biden.
To note, Puerto Rico has reported more than 173,000 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. They had more than 2,500 deaths, according to The New York Times.
As of Monday, 42 percent of the island’s population was fully vaccinated, according to the Times, The Hill Reports.
RELATED: Senate Passes Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Covid-19 Relief Bill