Jenniffer González announces $ 211.5 million in federal funds to boost startups, childcare, manufacturing and recovery
December 12, 2018, Washington, D.C.- The resident commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, announced $ 211,564,046.51 in allocations of federal funds, hiring and reimbursements from five different federal government agencies of Puerto Rico.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) invested $396,232 to support the initiative of the Trust for Science, Technology and Research of Puerto Rico to establish the Project of Resilience and Business Innovation (RBI).
As explained by the EDA, this investment will help to build a model for the continent and the world on how to create innovation and economic opportunities after local disasters. The objective of this initiative is to support the creation of new companies, innovation and commercialization.
These funds by the EDA are granted through a competitive process based on the merit of the application, the eligibility of the applicant and the availability of funds. The total cost of the project is $ 795,491.
The Municipality of Dorado will receive $ 1,181,910 from the Administration of Families and Children attached to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Head Start.
The federal government invested a significant amount of funds to a small company in Camuy to make packages, the so-called "duffel bags", which will be used by the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard. The commissioner said that the two-year contract for $ 36,835,535 represents an acknowledgment of the quality of manufacturing in Puerto Rico and an important investment with a multiplying effect on the economy of the area.
The resident commissioner joined the congratulations on behalf of the National Foundation for the Humanities towards two cultural entities in Puerto Rico that obtained very competitive funds.
The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico obtained a donation of $ 10,000, the same amount granted to the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico under the Preservation Assistance Program. The program supports small and medium-sized institutions to take care of important collections of humanities.
The Foundation emphasizes that these funds are highly competitive and involve a rigorous process of peer review to ensure that the projects represent the highest level of humanitarian quality and public commitment.
On the other hand, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved reimbursements totaling $ 173,130,369.51
Under category B, which covers the measures taken to provide "essential assistance" to address the immediate threats to life and property resulting from a major disaster of the Public Assistance program, the Electric Power Authority (PREPA) will receive $ 11,121,112.
Under the same category, the Arecibo Educational Region of the Department of Education will receive $ 20,606,171.40; the Educational Region of Caguas will receive $ 20,606,171.40; the Educational Region of Humacao will receive $ 29,107,953.07; the Educational Region of Mayagüez will receive $ 25,531,136.08; the Educational Region of San Juan will receive $ 24,951,539.24; and the Educational Region of Ponce will receive $ 28,812,243.47.
FEMA has already begun disbursing reimbursements under Category G for permanent jobs under Engineering and Architecture Services in areas such as parks and other recreational areas.
Under that category, the Municipality of Aguada will receive $ 1,838,887.20; the Municipality of Las Marías will receive $ 1,056,621.60; and the Municipality of Rincón $ 1,005,669.90.
The funds that FEMA disburses come from assignments that the commissioner has worked since Congress, through the budget projects or through the projects of supplementary assignments for disasters. These funds are given under the Public Assistance program and are available once the recipients complete all the required documentation and after it is reviewed by the government.