Territory receives boost in funding

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Monday that Puerto Rico will receive nearly $4 billion in federal education pandemic relief funds to help boost the U.S. territory’s fight against COVID19.

The announcement was made during Cardona’s official threeday trip to Puerto Rico, the first for a Biden administration Cabinet member. It marks the first time the island has full access to those funds.

“The students of Puerto Rico have suffered enough,” he said. “It’s time to get back to school safely and quickly.”

Roughly half of the nearly $4 billion will be released as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law in March to help offset the pandemic’s impact on the economy and public health.

Strict conditions had prevented the U.S. territory from receiving certain federal funds in a timely manner under the Trump administration, but these have been easing under President Biden.

The island of 3.3 million people has reported nearly 123,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 2,000 COVID19 deaths. More than 40% of the population has been vaccinated.