Puerto Rico and US Religious Leaders Urge Biden on Jobs, Disaster Aid and SSI

international | politics / elections | press release Tuesday February 16, 2021 19:23 by Zachary Conti - Jubilee USA

In a letter sent to President Biden, 20 major Puerto Rico and US religious leaders urged actions on disaster relief, job creation and a legal move to aid people on the heavily indebted island.

Administration Legal Move Could Release $2.3 Billion for Vulnerable Puerto Ricans Say Faith Leaders

In a letter sent to President Biden, 20 major Puerto Rico and US religious leaders urged actions on disaster relief, job creation and a legal move to aid people on the heavily indebted island.

"Please immediately instruct the Department of Justice to withdraw the suit, filed by the previous administration, that blocks $2.3 billion in annual Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. About 300,000 poor and vulnerable US citizens with disabilities are critically impacted," wrote the religious leaders representing major religious institutions from Puerto Rico and the United States. "We look forward to working with you so Puerto Rico can emerge with renewed resilience from our debt and child poverty crises, challenges with ongoing natural disasters and the impacts of the pandemic."

The letter also requests that Biden implement measures to return manufacturing pharmaceutical jobs to Puerto Rico to help in the fight against COVID. Actions to reduce the island's 60% child poverty rate were noted in the letter from the religious leaders.

“Debt and disasters mired Puerto Rico in multiple crises, and then COVID-19 hit,” stated Eric LeCompte the director of Jubilee USA, the organization that coordinated the letter with Puerto Rico and US religious leaders. "The White House and Congress can move forward critical actions to address the crises facing Puerto Rico."

The heads of US and Puerto Rico churches signed the letter representing Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Christian (Disciples) and Evangelical churches. The 20 signers include leaders of the National and Puerto Rico Council of Churches, Catholic Charities, the General Bible Society and Jubilee USA Network.

Since 2015, religious leaders pressed Republican and Democratic White Houses and Congressional leaders to address the island's debt, child poverty and jobs crises. In 2017 after hurricanes Irma and Maria decimated the island, US and Puerto Rico religious leaders included disaster relief in their advocacy efforts.

Read the Puerto Rico letter to President Biden and the 20 Puerto Rico and US religious leaders signers in English and Spanish here: https://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee_usa_biden_puerto_rico_letter

Leer carta en español aquí: https://www.jubileeusa.org/espanol_jubilee_usa_biden_puerto_rico_letter