SSI Litigation Update
There have been two recent developments in the ongoing litigation regarding the application of the Supplemental Security Income program to residents of Puerto Rico.
Issues
Reinvigorating the Puerto Rico Task Force
Management of territorial affairs has historically fallen under the purview of the Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs. However, President Kennedy changed that situation in the case of Puerto Rico by issuing a memorandum ordering that all matters regarding the U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship be referred to the Office of the President.
The Mess in Texas
Last week the people of Texas had their most recent close encounter with extreme weather. For the sixth time in twenty years, temperatures dropped to frigid lows and demand for electricity, as could be expected, shot up. But the manager of the Texas grid was singularly ill-equipped to face this foreseeable contingency.
¿Cómo reabrir las escuelas?
Las Naciones Unidas le han llamado una “catástrofe generacional” en ciernes. El cierre prolongado de las escuelas tendrá repercusiones negativas en el futuro de los niños y jóvenes de todo el mundo y Puerto Rico no será una excepción.
The Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (“EITC”), enacted by Congress in 1975, is a tax credit available to working families in the United States whose incomes range from well below the federal poverty threshold to roughly double the poverty line.
Puerto Rico’s Unmet Needs
It has been three years and 145 days since Hurricane Maria struck the island. In other words, Puerto Rico has entered its fourth year of reconstruction. The amount of time that has gone by could suggest that recovery is fully underway. The reality on the ground, however, is very different.
Plan de Ajuste
La Junta de Supervisión y Administración Fiscal anunció ayer que “llegó a un acuerdo en principio con varios grupos de acreedores para reducir la deuda de Puerto Rico a niveles sostenibles luego de un exitoso proceso de mediación”. Como resultado de ese acuerdo, la JSAF solicitó a la corte extender hasta el 8 de marzo de 2021 el plazo para presentar un Plan de Ajuste modificado.
Recomendaciones al Gobernador de Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico atraviesa por la situación más difícil que ha enfrentado en medio siglo y la complejidad de la coyuntura actual requiere que se establezcan prioridades claras de trabajo. En este memorando al gobernador identificamos cuáles deben ser las prioridades de trabajo para la nueva administración y ofrecemos recomendaciones sobre cómo atenderlas.