Hispanic Federation Calls on Congress and the Biden Administration to “Take Action for Puerto Rico!”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 20, 2022

CONTACT:
Mynellies Negrón
202-993-7844
mynellies@communicationsshop.us

Kenia Guerrero
202) 938-6511
kenia@communicationsshop.us

Exactly Five Years after Hurricane Maria - and New Devastation from Hurricane Fiona - Hispanic Federation Calls on Congress and the Biden Administration to “Take Action for Puerto Rico!”

WASHINGTON — Exactly five years after Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic damages to Puerto Rico, and as the island is facing another severe weather emergency from Hurricane Fiona, Hispanic Federation continued the Take Action For Puerto Rico! campaign in a press conference today near the U.S. Capitol. The campaign calls on the Biden administration and Congress to take action around critical issues for Puerto Rico, including a just and sustainable recovery, equity and an end to discrimination in federal benefits, and a return of democratic self-governance to Puerto Rico. You can find a list of legislation the campaign supports to move Puerto Rico forward, a detailed list of policy asks, an analysis of the federal government's response in the five years since Maria, and more on our website.

At the press conference, Hispanic Federation announced an immediate $100,000 emergency assistance fund to support community organizations in Puerto Rico that are responding to the needs of residents following Hurricane Fiona. Hispanic Federation is also urging philanthropic partners and others to donate and match this funding to provide urgent assistance to those in need. In addition to the emergency assistance fund, Hispanic Federation is distributing over 30,000 solar lamps and delivering generators to some of the island’s most vulnerable residents, including patients on dialysis. Those interested in donating to support this work can find more information here: http:/hispanicfederation.org/fionahelp.

“We could not have imagined the level of devastation and marginalization that our beloved Puerto Rico would endure from the impact of Hurricane Maria. The entire island lost electricity in the longest blackout in U.S. history, a situation that crippled the economy and left many people homeless, jobless, without access to life-saving medical care, clean water to drink, and living under plastic sheeting,” said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “Five years later, the rains from Hurricane Fiona have resulted in displacement, life-threatening flooding, and the devastation of a revitalized coffee crop that was getting ready for harvest. This moment in time reflects the ongoing devastation felt by those on the island. We are proud to have worked alongside the community on the ground and have seen firsthand the resiliency of those on the island and how they have worked to rebuild and rise above numerous hardships. However, underinvestment by the federal government has worsened the island’s social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities. Hispanic Federation is committed to helping build a truly sustainable future for Puerto Rico and will continue to ensure that all U.S. citizens are treated equally, no matter where they live.”

Hurricane Maria - a category 5 hurricane super-powered by the realities of climate change - exposed the vulnerability of an island with decaying energy infrastructure, a weak social safety-net, an unfair relationship with the United States, and a profound financial crisis. Although billions of dollars in federal funds were finally allocated for the island’s recovery, much more needs to be done. The campaign aims to ensure that those funds are used effectively to help the most vulnerable, create a resilient future that meets the island’s climate goals of 100% renewable energy by 2050, end the systemic discrimination in all federal programs, and ultimately, save lives.

The press conference speakers included Hispanic Federation president and CEO Frankie Miranda, alongside several members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Darren Soto, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Rep. Ritchie Torres, Rep. Nydia Velásquez, and Sen. Bob Menendez. Other speakers included Carmen Feliciano, Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, and Adi Martínez-Roman, UPR Resiliency Law Center.

“Five years ago, Puerto Rico was the site of the deadliest natural disaster to hit a U.S. territory in 100 years, and the response was shamefully hampered by the inept and disdainful approach from the previous administration. Yet, working with House leaders, we overcame that and delivered billions to our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico to deal with housing, health care, education, water, power challenges, and more. As the island now confronts Hurricane Fiona, we will work with President Biden and FEMA to deliver any and all aid needed as quickly as possible so that Puerto Rico can fully recover from this devastating storm. My commitment has always been to making sure Puerto Rico can access federal resources equally and fairly; that’s why I’m working with FEMA and urging the Biden administration to reimburse 100% of costs to help the island quickly recover. The American citizens of Puerto Rico deserve nothing less,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“Hurricane Maria did unimaginable damage to Puerto Rico, leaving most of the nearly 3.5 million American citizens on the island without basic necessities such as power, food, medical supplies, and other critical items that we take for granted,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Five years later, hit by yet another devastating hurricane, the people of Puerto Rico are again without power. Unfortunately, Hurricane Fiona is exposing the painfully slow-paced recovery process Puerto Ricans on the island have been dealing with for half a decade since Hurricane Maria battered the island. It’s imperative that Congress make sure not only that Puerto Rico has the resources it needs to rebuild and weather future storms, but also that we deliver equitable and permanent federal benefits for Puerto Rico’s residents.”

“The people of Puerto Rico have courage and resilience and strength that is beyond words. And to them, I want to say you are not alone. We’re going to have your back. The time of throwing paper towers and counting it as action is over. We’re going to demand real action from the federal government. Not just rhetoric, but rebuilding and recovery,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “We need a Major Disaster Declaration now. We need that $15 billion provided to Puerto Rico now. We need rebuilding of schools and hospitals now. We need rebuilding of the grid. Investment in Puerto Rico has to be done now. In the long run, investing in Puerto Rico is investing in America and Americans.”

“A few weeks ago, as we were approaching the fifth-year anniversary of the devastation caused by Hurricane María and pondering about the lessons learned and the challenges that lie ahead, none of us would have imagined dealing with another natural disaster today. Thanks to the resiliency of our people and the support of the Biden-Harris administration, Puerto Rico is in a better position to deal with Fiona's aftermath. Sadly, it is at these times of emergencies when the unequal treatment in important federal programs that serve our most vulnerable constituents becomes more palpable. We will work hard to continue rebuilding Puerto Rico and will not rest until we receive equal treatment in healthcare, social security disability programs, and nutrition assistance programs,” said Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, Carmen M. Feliciano.

The press conference also touched on the testimony of people from Puerto Rico, who were sadly prevented from attending due to Hurricane Fiona:

Isabel Abislaiman, Attorney in Rivera-Fuentes v. Commissioner of the Social Security Administration et al.
Lizette Rosario Guzmán, Coordinator of Emergency Management of Kidney Patients at Consejo Renal de Puerto Rico.
Elizabeth Colón, Executive Director of Ponce Neighborhood Housing.

“Over 300,000 poor, blind, disabled, and elderly US citizens residing in Puerto Rico live in a daily hurricane. Without Supplemental Security Income (SSI), yet another storm is brewing. With less food stamp assistance and higher inflation, elderly people are increasingly stealing bread and coffee at supermarkets and getting evicted from their homes. This segment of the population is eligible for SSI, and $841/month would make a huge difference in their lives. Depriving eligible US citizens in Puerto Rico of SSI has many side effects,” said Isabel Abislaiman, Attorney for Rivera Fuentes, a plaintiff seeking Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in federal court. “We urge this Administration to put an end to this grave injustice, which also causes ongoing, systemwide uncertainty, social instability, and economic losses in Puerto Rico.” Read Isabel’s full statement here.

“Frequent blackouts and power problems in Puerto Rico are a matter of life and death. Many vulnerable people, from young children to the elderly, depend on treatments and medical care that require electricity - including regular dialysis treatment. Without power, vital treatment is halted, putting their lives at risk. Most low-income families in Puerto Rico do not have backup generators or other resources, including transportation. Skipping a treatment can make it difficult for the body to recover and can result in death. I have seen the impact of this situation first-hand. No human being should be subject to these inequalities in such a wealthy country. Puerto Ricans, as Americans, deserve better. This is why we urgently need to create a power system that allows life-saving health equipment to operate at all times. A strong, reliable power system is fundamental for that,” said Lizette Rosario Guzmán, Coordinator of Emergency Management of Kidney Patients at Consejo Renal de Puerto Rico. Read Lizette’s full statement here.

“Housing is another fundamental area that Congress and the Biden administration must prioritize. Five years after María, thousands of blue tarps are still visible across the island. Flooding areas, poor planning, and housing inequalities continue to be a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. With the impact of hurricane Fiona this weekend, the situation is even more dire,” said Elizabeth Colón, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS). “A sustainable and just recovery must focus on long-term solutions. The billions of federal dollars in reconstruction funding and recovery efforts must take a holistic approach, achieving a balance between economic, social, and environmental development, and should heed the recommendations of the communities who know their needs best. A sustainable and just recovery process must be community-driven and forward-thinking, with robust stakeholder engagement during all phases of decision-making processes. But It also requires transparency.” Read Elizabeth’s full statement here.

Puerto Rico receives far less funding for federal health care programs than other U.S. jurisdictions. The island is also excluded from receiving additional federal safety-net benefits like SSI and SNAP. This type of discrimination by the federal government toward Puerto Rico has allowed for the inequitable delivery of federal benefits - including disaster response and recovery - and directly contributed to the island’s high poverty rates. In 2021, 43.4% of Puerto Rico’s residents lived in poverty, compared to the U.S. national poverty rate, which was dramatically lower at 12.8%.

The federal government has a moral and legal responsibility to help the people in Puerto Rico recover from these compounded crises just as it would help any other group of U.S. citizens. The TakeAction4PR! coalition 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 U.S. citizen - regardless of where they live - is left behind.

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Hispanic Federation (HF) has worked since 1990 to uplift millions of Hispanic children, youth, and families through policy advocacy, innovative community programs, and strengthening Latino nonprofits. HF fulfills its mission to empower and advance Hispanic communities through extensive grant-making and programmatic initiatives and by working with its network of nonprofit leaders and institutions to educate policymakers, funders, the public, and media about the needs and aspirations of Latinos in the areas of education, health, immigration, civil rights, economic empowerment, civic engagement, Puerto Rico, and the environment.