U.S. withholds hurricane emergency loan for Puerto Rico

A billion-dollar emergency loan approved by Congress to help Puerto Rico deal with the effects of Hurricane Maria has been temporarily withheld by federal officials who say the U.S. territory is not facing a cash shortage like it has repeatedly warned about in recent months.

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Treasury Department said in a letter to the director of the island’s fiscal agency that Puerto Rico has had a central cash balance exceeding $1.5 billion in the nearly four months since the Category 4 storm. Federal officials also noted the local government released documents in late December showing it had nearly $7 billion available in cash. The letter was first published Wednesday by the newspaper El Nuevo Dia.

Federal officials said the U.S. government will create a cash balance policy to determine when the funds will be released via the Community Disaster Loan Program. They said in the letter that the cash balance level will be decided on by the federal government in consultation with Puerto Rico officials and a federal control board overseeing the island’s finances. Once the central cash balance decreases to that level, the funds will be released, officials said.

www.phillytrib.com...

I can't help but wonder, just what is the central cash balance of texas or florida? and why wasn't the money that has been given to them in a form of a loan?
Congress passed legislation allowing for this loan, It's the executive's job to see that it's carried out... wtf?

Some of yous have accused me of hating president trump because he won the election. well, sorry, but hate is an awfully strong word and I know that hate usually does more harm for the hater while having very little effect on the hated. But, this president makes it very hard to like him!!! There is no reason to treat the US CITIZENS of puerto rico so differently than those of any state on the mainland. Maybe China should open up talks with them, encourage them to declare independence from the US, offer them assistance in exchange for a military base on the island.... since it's obvious that the US finds it too cumbersome to act as it's trustee?

a reply to: dawnstar

Too bad Puerto Rico isn't a "dirty bank"that caused the 2008 world collapse of the financial sector during the Bush years (and Obama).
Then Puerto Rico could have a ficken blank check.


.

a reply to: dawnstar

Then talk to the politicians of P.R.. Plenty of allegations/evidence that the local 'leaders' are less than forthcoming.

We're one step from withholding funds from Sanctuary Cities, as well. they're 'citizens', as well.

a reply to: dawnstar

In order to help the citizens of Puerto Rico, you can not give money to their government. We have to bring the aid to the citizens directly. Some of their "leaders" are keeping the aid from the citizens. That is why.

it sounds like they obtained the loan under false pretenses, they have 7 billion in unspent cash already so I don`t see how another unspent billion is going to help the people of PR.

too much corruption in PR is making the hurricane clean up take way too long.

a reply to: nwtrucker

lol.... there's probably plenty of evidence that the local leaders in texas and florida ain't that forthcoming either. and as far as the sanctuary cities, as far as I know ain't none of them had their roofs torn off months ago and still don't even have a tarp to cover the hole..
when it comes to natural disasters, should politics be the main issue when it comes to deciding who should get aide and who shouldn't? Should the color of their skin? Seems to me that's the pathway to becoming one of those sh...thole countries that trump was talking about.

Trump probably doesnt realise its part of the USA thinks Puerta Rica is a seperate "# hole" latin American country.

a reply to: 3daysgone
so, are they bringing aide directly to the citizens?? doesn't look like it...

bluechevytree:

what is too long?? there are still scars from katrina in new orleans. and ya, they have 7 billion in unspent cash, that they need to also use to run the gov't, provide the services that are necessary, pay their bills, and do all the things that a gov't does.. and the island was totally decimated, so just how much more money are they gonna be able to bring in with half the country shut down and spending all their time just trying to survive? how much money did texas have in unspend cash, how much money did florida have... my guess would be more than 7 billion... and yet, we just gave them the money.

what yous are doing is just making excuses. but like I said, if the US don't want to help them rebuild, then maybe they should just cut them lose, give them their independence... I am sure there are plenty of countries out there that would be more than happy to step in and help them out in exchange for a nice military base on the island!!!

a reply to: dawnstar

there's probably plenty of evidence

Up to you to find it. Until then....

when it comes to natural disasters, should politics be the main issue when it comes to deciding who should get aide and who shouldn't?

According to San Juan's Mayor it does.

Seems to me that's the pathway to becoming one of those sh...thole countries that trump was talking about.

Exactly. It is the leaders that create the $hithole's that the people live in.

a reply to: Theprodicalson

when it first hit, people were on ATS whining about how we shouldn't let them in...
ummm... they are US citizens, they don't need us to let them in, they have the right to freely come and go!

At Leslie Campbell’s office in the central Florida city of St. Cloud, the phone will not stop ringing.

Director of special programs for the Osceola County School District, Ms. Campbell helps enroll students fleeing storm-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Her job has been a busy one. Since hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the Caribbean in September, more than 2,400 new students have arrived in the district. That is enough to fill more than two typical-sized elementary schools. Dozens more youngsters show up weekly.

"We're just inundated, from the minute we come in, to the minute we leave," said Campbell, who helps families obtain transportation, meals, and clothing.

Across the country, state and local officials are scrambling to manage an influx of Puerto Ricans, a migration that is impacting education budgets, housing, demographics, and voter rolls in communities where these newcomers are landing.

www.csmonitor.com...

and, of course, under the circumstances... they are coming!!

a reply to: dawnstar



This should explain it for you.

The hurricanes that hit PR exposed a lot more than tree roots and weak structures.

The entire government down there has been exposed.

originally posted by: dawnstar
a reply to: nwtrucker

lol.... there's probably plenty of evidence that the local leaders in texas and florida ain't that forthcoming either. and as far as the sanctuary cities, as far as I know ain't none of them had their roofs torn off months ago and still don't even have a tarp to cover the hole..
when it comes to natural disasters, should politics be the main issue when it comes to deciding who should get aide and who shouldn't? Should the color of their skin? Seems to me that's the pathway to becoming one of those sh...thole countries that trump was talking about.

Your spinning. Period. PR has the cash. Read the responses to your thread....

they delivered most of the aide to the main capitol and left them to figure out how to get it to the outlying villages...
which was impossible considering the state of the roads...
we did more for the people of haiti than we did out own citizens!!!

a reply to: dawnstar

With $7bil in reserves it sounds like the government of PR should buy some tarps then.

I fail too how fiscally comservative action is somehow wrong. If you have money...use it before asking for more

a reply to: dawnstar

Typical Republican response. They'll only help if their state and their voters are affected. Remember Hurricane Sandy? Well, the GOP didn't want to provide relief because the states affected typically didn't vote for R, but when the latest Hurricanes hit they made sure Texas and Florida got their funds. PR is just another victim of Republican asshatedness.

Hopefully a good many of them will be voted out this year because their trash and need to be taken to the curb!

Whomever says PR has cash reserves is lying. Prior to the hurricane they were indebted to the tune of billions to uS firms.

The reason they won't extend more loans is because they can't hope to pay it back. As soon as everyone dies or moves the international Industrial tourism complex can move in and begin bulldozing and establishing the next tourist Mecca.

a reply to: dawnstar

There have been dozens of accusations against PR's officials corruption where every kind of aid taken there was being blocked from distribution to people in need and victims, by the very officials trying to get this loan from the feds.

Now it looks like they are attempting even more fraud.

We have all the resources to give direct aid, re build infrastructure, etc. We just chose not to do it, because it's not an official "state". Even though we "own" it. It's pretty disgusting. Just make it a damn state already.

We have all the resources to give direct aid, re build infrastructure, etc. We just chose not to do it, because it's not an official "state". Even though we "own" it. It's pretty disgusting. Just make it a damn state already.