Velázquez, Schumer Call On Biden Administration To Establish A Puerto Rico Recovery Task Force

New York, NY – U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led a bicameral letter calling on the Biden Administration to establish a Recovery Task Force for Puerto Rico. The task force would be modeled after the successful Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force created by the Obama Administration in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Puerto Rico Recovery Task Force's goal would be to provide a roadmap for the island's long-term recovery and ensure greater interagency cooperation. Five years after Hurricane Maria and as the island continues to deal with the devastating impacts of Hurricane Fiona, the Senators and Representatives are also urging the Biden Administration to continue to expeditiously send resources and increase coordination to ensure Puerto Rico's swift, equitable, and full recovery.

"In this stage of the recovery, federal efforts must focus on addressing coordination challenges and facilitating the effective disbursement of funds rather than creating additional obstacles. To that end, we request the creation of a Recovery Task Force and at minimum the coordination of all relevant federal agencies as well as engagement with a broad coalition of local stakeholders in planning the recovery—including Puerto Rico's central government, municipalities, non-profits, academic, and the private and civic sectors," wrote the lawmakers.

Though Congress has allocated $80 billion for the island's recovery, persistent bottlenecks have complicated the disbursement of federal disaster funding. Many of the delays can be attributed to the Trump Administration's inaction and delay in releasing recovery funding. According to the Center for a New Economy, a local think tank, the post-Maria recovery has suffered from a systemic lack of coordination: among federal agencies, between federal agencies and their local counterparts, and between federal and state agencies on one side and municipalities on the other. The Fiscal Oversight and Management Board's (FOMB) ongoing austerity policies have also hobbled the ability of local governments to respond to crises and prepare for future climate impacts. While the Biden Administration has taken steps to remove unnecessary barriers to federal disaster funding and taken actions to advance the recovery and rebuilding effort, Velázquez, Schumer, and other congressional leaders believe a Recovery Task Force is still needed to provide a long-term outlook that will support Puerto Rico's most vulnerable populations.

"After five years of bottlenecks, the Biden Administration must continue to act with urgency to establish the necessary mechanisms for a comprehensive, effective, and forward-looking recovery for Puerto Rico. We believe an increased interagency coordination and oversight are crucial first steps for ensuring a better, more resilient future for the island and we look forward to working together with your Administration," concluded the Senators and Representatives.

The letter was also signed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Representatives Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Ted W. Lieu (D-CA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Darren E. Soto (D-FL), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY).

The full text of the letter can be found here.