By El Nuevo Día - Washington D.C. - The President Joe Biden today launches the White House interagency task force on Puerto Rico, with the immediate task of supporting the rebuilding effort, the battle against the COVID-19 and to study initiatives that will promote long-term economic development.
The committee will consist of officials from federal government departments and will be co-chaired by three White House senior staff members: Julie Chavez Rodriguez Rodriguez, director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council; and Susan Rice, director of the Domestic Public Policy Council.
For the first meeting, which will take place at noon today, the vast majority of Biden's Cabinet has been summoned, including Secretaries of Education, Puerto Rico's Miguel Cardona; Energy, Jennifer Granholm; Health, Xavier Becerra; Transportation, Pete Buttigieg; Homeland Security, Alexander Mayorkas; Agriculture, Tom Vilsack; Labor, Marty Walsh; Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland; Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Wally Adeyemo; Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kath Hicks; Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Adrianne Todman; and Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Don Graves, among others.
From the White House, also in attendance will be, among others, Office of Budget and Management Acting Director Shalanda Young; Deputy Cabinet Secretary Cristobal Alex; Deputy Director for Domestic Public Policy Carmel Martin, who was instrumental in developing Biden's plan for Puerto Rico; economic advisor Gene Sperling; and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Deputy Director for Puerto Rico and the territories, Puerto Rican Gretchen Sierra Zorita.
Biden promised, during the campaign, to reactivate the White House interagency group on Puerto Rico, which was inoperative during the entire administration of Republican Donald Trump.
This time, in addition to incorporating Chavez Rodriguez as the head of the office that normally handles Puerto Rico issues at the White House, he has integrated President Biden's top advisors on economic and domestic public policy issues. All three will report directly to the U.S. President.
In confirming the first meeting of the working group, Chávez Rodríguez stated that they will focus initially on ensuring the implementation of the recovery and reconstruction of Puerto Rico, whether through disaster assistance provided by HUD or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (FEMA), or the Coronavirus Rescue Act.
"We will be really looking at a comprehensive approach to longer-term sustainability for the people of Puerto Rico," Chávez Rodríguez said yesterday in an interview with El Nuevo Día, affirming that the work will be focused on "recovery, renewal and respect" for the island and Puerto Ricans.
Potential economic development initiatives, including studying a new incentive for manufacturing investment in Puerto Rico, will be part of the discussions, she said.
Biden has endorsed giving Puerto Rico parity in Medicaid and food assistance. Although the president supported Congress' inclusion of Puerto Rico in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, he endorsed the U.S. Supreme Court challenge to prevent that program from applying to the island. Department of Justice the U.S. Supreme Court challenge to prevent the program from applying to the island through the courts.
Asked if the issue of Puerto Rico's political future will be part of the discussions - given the vague response the White House has given on how to address that crucial issue - Chavez Rodriguez said they are looking to make sure they support "the people and that we continue to be able to address some of the real and critical needs that the island has now," such as the fight against COVID-19.
"We have been working closely with the governor and the director of health and the pharmacies on the island to ensure that we are getting the vaccines to the community and making sure that we are addressing the public health crisis," Chavez Rodriguez said.
Although the U.S. Department of Justice gave its approval - after recommending amendments - to the status bills under consideration by Congress, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki limited herself to indicating, in March, that Biden supports a new referendum in Puerto Rico, without specifying what the alternatives for a future referendum should be.
"The task force is really focused on implementing (initiatives) right now. We see the critical needs facing the island, whether it's rebuilding their hospitals and healthcare facilities and schools that have been decimated by recent disasters, whether it's supporting small businesses and helping to ensure that they can open and continue to thrive in the wake of this global pandemic," Chavez Rodriguez added.
Contrary to the working groups in past administrations, this time the Biden administration's interagency committee will have to take into account the existence of the Fiscal Oversight Board (FOMB), which controls Puerto Rico's public finances over the elected government. Fiscal Oversight Board (JSF), which controls Puerto Rico's public finances over the elected government.
"It's important that we reach out to the Board... Obviously, they have a tremendous oversight task," he said, but he said they want to work with broad sectors of Puerto Rican society, such as municipal governments, non-profit and philanthropic organizations.