Last week, Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), the Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), a Communications and Technology Subcommittee member, introduced the RESILIENT Networks Act. The bill is intended to strengthen communications during emergencies. The full title of the bill is “Reinforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity,… Read more »
Rep. Michael San Nicolas (D-GU) of Guam has introduced HR 5820, a bill allowing the U.S. territories to display statues in the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall. National Statuary Hall The National Statuary Hall contains statues of prominent Americans from each of the States. Standing Bear represents Nebraska, Junipero Serra represents California, and Thomas Edison represents… Read more »
The United States owns 14 territories, five of which are inhabited. Among these five territories, federal tax law is applied differently to its residents. Three U.S. territories are required to use a mirror code for taxes: Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Residents of each of these territories are U.S. citizens,… Read more »
Disadvantages of Puerto Rico’s exclusion from the federal nutrition program were on display last week as the U.S. House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee heard testimony from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Inspector General. “Puerto Rico does not have the legislative authority to operate a disaster nutrition assistance program,” Phyllis K. Fong,… Read more »
Last week, the House of Representatives passed HR 5687, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020. The debate that led up to House passage gave members of Congress an opportunity to make points about the legislative package and their priorities concerning Puerto Rico. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman… Read more »
The debt reduction agreement for Puerto Rico’s General Obligation (GO) bonds released by the PROMESA Financial Board just before press time for many newspapers last night was not supported by all Board Members and was immediately opposed by Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced (New Progressive Party/PNP). The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board submitted a filing disclosing the… Read more »
A new federal program called “Healthy Adult Opportunity,” which will allow States to choose block grants for part of their Medicaid funding, has been released as guidance by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) The House quickly responded with House Resolution expressing disapproval and asking the CMS to withdraw the guidance. The Resolution… Read more »
On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives brushed aside a veto threat from President Trump and passed a $21 billion plus spending bill prompted by the earthquakes that began in Puerto Rico December 28th. The measure would primarily benefit the U.S. territory. Seventeen Republicans joined Democrats to pass the legislation to which an additional $224… Read more »
Just a couple of months ago, former Vice President Joe Biden picked up endorsements from 25 Puerto Rican leaders, ranging from former Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla to several Florida members of the U.S. legislature. One of these leaders, former state Rep. Robert Asencio, has changed his mind. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg… Read more »
Jennifer Lopez, a performing artist of Puerto Rican heritage, brought excitement to the Super Bowl Halftime Show with a performance of “Born in the USA” featuring a Puerto Rican flag. Social media got the point and supported it. Jennifer Lopez, who performed with with her daughter Emme and Colombian singer Shakira in the halftime show,… Read more »
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