Washington, D.C. Office

Washington, D.C. Office

We cannot neglect the role Washington D.C. plays in Puerto Rico’s affairs.

In 2016 all three branches of the federal government took action related to Puerto Rico.  The judicial branch, through two separate rulings issued by the U.S. Supreme Court, opined that Puerto Rico is not a sovereign territory and ultimately responds to the plenary powers of the U.S. Congress.  The legislative branch authored and voted for the Puerto Rico Oversight Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) allowing the island to access a comprehensive restructuring process, under the purview of a seven-member oversight board.  Finally, the executive branch signed the law and subsequently appointed members to the oversight board.

It was evident this turning point underscored the need for a think tank dedicated to the island’s issues to be present in Washington D.C. and lend its voice to federal policymakers. CNE is doing just that, becoming the principal non-political voice from Puerto Rico and a resource for knowledge and information. It channels its expertise through distinguished analysis and fact-based advocacy. With its office in D.C., we expect to get the U.S. Congress, the executive branch and federal agencies to focus on the right issues and make progress for CNE’s only client: Puerto Rico.

The CNE D.C. Team

Rosanna close-up

Rosanna Torres

Director, Washington D.C. Office

Rosanna Torres joined CNE after ten years of public service in several roles within the federal government. Prior to this role, she served as Legislative Director for a senior member of Congress, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez, a role she assumed after having worked as a professional staff member in the House Small Business Committee. Rosanna also served as a Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she worked closely on the federal government’s response to Puerto Rico’s fiscal and economic crisis. She has experience at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget where she gained insight into the budget and appropriation process for multiple federal government agencies. Her first role in government was with the U.S. Census Bureau, where she also participated in detail programs with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Performance Improvement Council.

Rosanna holds a master’s degree in International Commerce and Public Policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Statistics from the University of Puerto Rico.

View from the Hill

A specialized high-level outlook on federal policy issues that affect Puerto Rico

Congressional Response to Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 Outbreak

Puerto Rico, which has seen its share of significant back-to-back crises, is once again caught unprepared to tackle the economic costs and public health challenges that will arise from this epidemiological shock. It is just not equipped to face a large-scale health care crisis. That is unless we can secure federal support and empower local institutions.
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Tragic Start to the New Year and Actions from the Federal Government

Puerto Rico received the new year with a series of earthquakes, aggravating its ability to recover from the 2017 hurricanes. In response to the significant damages suffered once again by the residents of Puerto Rico, and increasing public pressure, on January 16, 2020, the Federal Government took several actions related to Puerto Rico’s Disaster Recovery Process. Read on for a brief summary of these actions.
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Puerto Rico Small Business Contracting Provision in NDAA

On December 11, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed in a 377-48 vote the Conference Report to accompany the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), or S. 1790 which authorizes funding for fiscal year 2020 for military and defense activities of the U.S. Government. Embedded in the massive legislation is Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s H.R. 3372, the Small Business Contracting Credit Act of 2019.
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Averting a government shutdown and Puerto Rico’s Medicaid cliff

Last night the House unveiled a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through December 20. What does this mean for Puerto Rico?
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Puerto Rico and the EITC

Upward mobility has always been a cornerstone of the “American dream”; the opportunities are boundless as long as you put in the work. Ringing true to that promise, the federal government created the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in 1975 to reduce the tax burden for low- and moderate-income working families.
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Addressing Puerto Rico’s Medicaid Cliff

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to markup 26 bills tomorrow at 9:30AM, including H.R. 2328, the "Reauthorizing and Extending America's Community Health Act".  An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) – essentially a full replacement of bill text – will be offered to incorporate language of H.R. 3631, the "Territories Health Care Improvement Act" which includes a temporary fix to Puerto Rico’s Medicaid cliff. 
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Additional Content from the D.C. Team

PROMESA, 4 years later

Four years after the enactment of PROMESA, Puerto Rico still faces massive debt and economic challenges - now, further exacerbated by the 2017 hurricanes, the series of earthquakes that have rattled the island since December 2019, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Early on, the Center for a New Economy (CNE) warned the measures being considered by Congress would not address the underlying issues affecting the island.
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El lavado de manos del Congreso

Rosanna Torres explica las medidas que el Congreso de EE. UU. debe tomar para apoyar a Puerto Rico durante la pandemia del COVID-19.
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Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico

Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding COVID-19 in Puerto Rico
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Third Economic Stimulus Package in Response to COVID-19 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

What provisions will impact Puerto Rico? What's missing? CNE's DC Office Director Rosanna Torres breaks it down.
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No todo lo que es oro, brilla

Rosanna Torres, directora de la oficina de CNE en Washington, explica las restricciones punitivas incluidas en el nuevo acuerdo de fondos federales para la reconstrucción.
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Why the Federal Government Should Support Puerto Rico’s New EITC

Puerto Rico faces a host of daunting challenges, including chronically high poverty (especially among children), low labor force participation, over a decade of economic decline, an unsustainably high debt burden, and the lingering effects of the devastating hurricanes of 2017 that make its long-term prosperity harder to attain. To address these challenges, the Commonwealth needs a comprehensive economic package that centers around powerful tools such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
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