Approved the CTC and EITC that would provide the parents and workers of Puerto Rico $ 1.6 billion annually
Press Release
The House of Representatives concurred with the Senate's amendments to the new coronavirus aid package that contains the legislation promoted by the Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, which gives parents with one or two children in Puerto Rico access to the incentive or Child Tax Credit (CTC) and that workers receive an incentive known as the Earn Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Both initiatives are key in the resident commissioner's work plan for economic development and fighting poverty in Puerto Rico. President Joseph Biden is expected to sign HR 1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law today.
The measure expands the Child Tax Credit for 2021 to $ 3,000 per child ($ 3,600 for children under 6 years of age), including for residents of Puerto Rico. For subsequent years, it makes the CTC applicable to the first and second children of residents of Puerto Rico in the same way that it applies to three or more minor dependents. This should mean approximately $ 5 billion in refundable credits for residents of Puerto Rico over the next 5 years.
It also makes the Earned Income Tax Credit applicable to Puerto Rico as of 2021 for up to $ 600 million per year.
Other direct funds for Puerto Rico
Coronavirus State and Local Aid Fund: Estimated at $ 2.4 billion for the Government of Puerto Rico and up to $ 1.9 billion for municipalities to keep first responders, frontline health workers, and other providers safe at work vital services.
Provides an estimated $ 970 million in additional funding for Nutrition Assistance (PAN).
Incentives to individuals
A direct assistance to families was approved with an additional direct payment of $ 1,400 per person for those with a maximum income of $ 80,000.
Transportation, Infrastructure and FEMA
The Federal Transit Administration will receive $ 30 billion to help public transportation (including private providers) with operating costs for buses and mass transit, including payroll and personal protective equipment, operating costs to maintain service due to the loss of income, purchase of PPE and payment of administrative leave for parents with children out of school, illness or sick parents
Puerto Rico benefits directly as follows: Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián will receive $ 424,535 between them; Arecibo $ 464,030; Fajardo $ 19,710,203; Guayama $ 93,949; Florida-Imbéry-Barceloneta $ 181,594; Juana Díaz $ 43,615; Mayagüez $ 962,804; Ponce $ 656,887; San Germán, Cabo Rojo, Sabana Grande $ 113,063; San Juan $ 95,156,466; and Yauco $ 234,752.
$ 50 million is earmarked to improve mobility for seniors and people with disabilities. The distribution of the funds in Puerto Rico would be for Aguadilla, Isabela and San Sebastián, $ 68,773 would be divided; for San Juan it would be $ 444,021; and at the central level $ 1,410,223.
For the airports $ 8 billion is allocated to cover the costs of operations, personnel and compensation; $ 6.4 billion for primary airports (with less than 10,000 shipments per year) and cargo airports for operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitation, cleaning services, fighting COVID-19 and debt service payments; $ 800 million for airport concessions for rent relief and other costs.
$ 15 billion to further extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program (PSP3) through September 30, 2021, to provide payroll support for airline workers and related contract workers.
The Economic Development Administration is allocated: $ 3 billion to provide economic adjustment assistance to help prevent, prepare for and respond to the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including 15% reserved for communities that have suffered job losses in travel, tourism, or outdoor recreational activities.
FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund will receive $ 50 billion for reimbursements to state, local, and territorial governments that address response and recovery activities, including vaccination efforts, National Guard deployment, and equipment supply. protection for public facilities such as schools and courts.
It also directs FEMA to continue providing funeral assistance for deaths related to COVID-19. Payment of 100% of the cost of funerals covered by the Presidential Executive Order of March 13, 2020.
Unemployment and leave
Unemployed Worker Support - Extends unemployment and temporary federal benefits through August 29, 2021; the weekly benefit remains at $ 300.
The Pandemic Emergency Fund will be allocated $ 1 billion for states and territories to provide short-term, non-recurring benefits, such as cash and vouchers, to eligible low-income families.
Paid Sick and Family Leave Credits: Extended until September 30, 2021, fully refundable credits against payroll taxes established by the CARES Act to compensate employers and self-employed workers for related paid sick leave. with the coronavirus and family and medical leave.
It extends until December 31, 2021, the availability of the employment retention credits established by the CARES Act. For qualified employers, the refundable credit amount can reach 70% $ of up to 10,000 in qualified wages paid to eligible employees in any calendar quarter prior to July 1, 2021.
600 hours of paid emergency leave is covered for federal workers for quarantine or care of family members affected by COVID,
Education and care of minors
$ 128.5 billion is allocated to the Elementary and Middle School Aid Funds: to help public schools in grades K-4 to reopen safely; to cover the costs of repairs and improvements to school facilities, to improve indoor air quality in school facilities; and for apprenticeship programs such as summer school, extended day programs, or the extended school year.
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund will receive $ 39.6 billion for public and private colleges and universities struggling to recoup lost revenue after campus closings, including emergency financial aid for students.
$ 39 Billion Dedicated to Child Care and Development Block Grant Program: States should use these to award grants to qualified child care providers that are temporarily open or closed to help support their operations during the pandemic. Grants can be used for expenses such as staff costs, rent and mortgage payments, cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment, mental health services for children and staff, and other goods and services necessary to maintain or resume provider operations. child care.
Head Start is allocated $ 1 billion to ensure that families can continue to access early learning opportunities.
Expands access to the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program, increasing student access to food assistance during the school year and summer months. The commissioner managed to include Puerto Rico in this benefit for students through a Joint Resolution tested in September 2020, helping 326,680 students from public and private schools who participate in the School Lunch Program will receive $ 119 monthly to meet their needs. feeding.
WIC Program will receive $ 800 million to support low-income women and babies and increase the value of WIC Cash Value Vouchers (CVV).
Vaccination, tracking and testing
$ 20 billion is earmarked to improve the administration and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, including vaccination clinics and mobile vaccination units, a vaccine awareness campaign, and increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for the recipients of a vaccine covered by Medicaid. It is also requesting more than $ 5 billion for research, development and manufacturing of vaccines, therapies and ancillary supplies.
$ 46 billion is allocated to implement a national strategy for testing, contact tracing, surveillance and mitigation; providing support and grants to state and local governments to expand contact tracing and testing capabilities, including investments in laboratory capacity, community-based test sites, and mobile test units.
$ 7.6 billion will be set aside for public health departments to hire 100,000 full-time employees (social support specialists, community health workers, public health nurses, epidemiologists, laboratory personnel, communications, others).
Health services would be expanded with an allocation of $ 4 billion that includes prevention and treatment of mental and behavioral health.
Partial COBRA subsidies are provided to ensure displaced workers can continue to pay for their employer's health care.
Funding will be provided for health services to the underserved and to address health disparities.
$ 250 million to help nursing homes manage COVID outbreaks.
Community Health Centers will be allocated $ 7.6 billion.
$ 1.8 billion to support states, localities, territories in the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 test and vaccines for staff and individuals in congregated settings, such as prisons, jails, detention centers, long-care facilities term, psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment facilities, intermediate care centers, and other settings that provide care for people with disabilities.
$ 10 billion for the purchase, production and distribution of medical supplies and equipment related to the fight against the pandemic, including tests, personal protective equipment and vaccines.
Long distance education
To strengthen distance learning, $ 7.6 billion is provided to expand Internet connectivity to students and communities by reimbursing schools and libraries for the purchase of equipment such as access points, Internet service, and computers on behalf of students and users; and ensure that schools and libraries can quickly access these critical funds by relying on the Federal Communications Commission and its E-rate program to manage the funds.
Help businesses
Strengthens and expands the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by allocating an additional $ 7.25 billion to them; expands PPP to reach critical nonprofits experiencing increased demand for services during the pandemic, as well as digital journalism entities.
Powers the Economic Disaster Damage Loan (EIDL) Advance Program by allocating $ 15 billion to it.
Provides an additional $ 1.25 billion for the Small Business Administration's Closed Headquarters Operator Grant Program.
Allocates $ 25 Billion for New Program at SBA Offering Assistance to Restaurants and Other Food and Beverage Establishments; $ 5 billion of this amount is reserved for companies with less than $ 500,000 in annual revenue in 2019.
Grants are available for up to $ 10 million per entity, with a limit of $ 5 million per physical location. Entities are limited to 20 locations. Grants are calculated by subtracting 2020 income from 2019 income. These grants can be used for a wide variety of expenses including: payroll, mortgage, rent, utilities, supplies, food and beverage expenses, paid sick leave and operating expenses.
living place
$ 19.05 billion in funds to the Treasury Department for emergency rental and utility assistance that would be allocated to states, territories, counties and cities to help stabilize tenants during the coronavirus pandemic and assist property owners in rent of all sizes to continue to cover your costs.
$ 5 billion for emergency housing vouchers to transition individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, and victims of trafficking to stable housing.
$ 100 million to support households without financial assistance, but living in properties subsidized by the federal Department of Agriculture (USDA) and struggling to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic
$ 9.961 billion to states and territories to provide direct assistance to homeowners struggling to pay mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, utilities, and other housing-related costs due to the impacts of the pandemic.
$ 39 million for the Department of Agriculture to continue providing home loans to low- and very-low-income borrowers to purchase, repair and rehabilitate homes in rural areas, and to assist existing USDA borrowers struggling to pay for their housing during the pandemic of COVID-19.
$ 10 billion to support up to $ 100 billion in small business financing through local government programs aimed at supporting businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, including minorities.
Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will receive $ 272 million to increase staff overtime and other related functions to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on delayed benefits and appeals claims and delays.
VA will also receive $ 13.5 billion to support health care services and related support for eligible veterans, including expansion of VA staff and level of service to cover the expenses of veterans who are more dependent on VA due to hardship.
$ 100 million to invest in VA information technology systems to support acceleration of VA's supply chain modernization efforts.
$ 750 million for state homes for veterans; the State Veterans Home in Juana Diaz could benefit.
$ 400 million for up to 12 months of retraining assistance for veterans who are unemployed due to COVID-19 and have no other veteran education benefits. This funding covers the cost of the retraining program and provides a housing allowance for veterans while they receive this training.
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