Funding Public Education Is An Important Investment - amazonia.fiocruz.br

Remarkable: Funding Public Education Is An Important Investment

Pierluisi, a Democrat who is the head of Puerto Rico's pro-statehood party, stepped into office Jan. Pierluisi inherited an island still rebuilding after the destruction left by a string of strong earthquakes last year and Hurricane Maria in — the deadliest U. The island has been grappling with the largest municipal bankruptcy in U. Pierluisi's immediate priority is to Investmenf the health and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed at least 1, people in Puerto Rico and infected over 82, others.

The island's coronavirus vaccine distribution process was off to a bumpy start at the end of last year, but Pierluisi said Puerto Rico is now "distinguishing itself by being Investmetn of the jurisdictions that most quickly administers the vaccines we're receiving. Biden has already signed a series of executive orders to increase Covid vaccinations, expand testing and reopen schools.

Pierluisi said he expects that the island will have access to more vaccinations, "and that's going to be good for Puerto Rico. Biden has also said he wants the majority of K-8 schools to reopen in his first days, a goal Pierluisi Educatiln with Biden and his nominee for education secretary, Miguel Cardonawho's also Puerto Rican. That's a great concern for me," Pierluisi said. The funds have barely been used.

Pushing for equal funding

During the Trump administration, Housing Secretary Ben Carson awarded historic amounts of aid under the program for Puerto Rico to rebuild after Maria but then placed unique restrictions on the island, citing "alleged corruption" and "fiscal irregularities," as well as " Puerto Rico's capacity to manage these funds Funding Public Education Is An Important Investment as a first-time grantee. The efforts to limit Puerto Rico's access to the funds came after the longest government shutdown in U. Texas and Florida faced similar issues after hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Pbulic, their funds were not held up after the natural disasters, and they faced no additional restrictions, according to audits last year by the inspector general's office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

He also called on it to lift additional restrictions on the use of HUD funds, which Biden had promised to remove in his plan for Puerto Rico. I'm asking for equality.

A path to recovery

We want the same treatment," Pierluisi said. Forty-four percent of the island's population lives in poverty. Even though the poverty rate in Puerto Rico is double that of Mississippi, the country's poorest statethe federal government covers 55 cents of every dollar Puerto Rico spends on Medicaid, compared to 76 cents in Mississippi.]