Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Following Earthquakes, HUD Will Lift Months-Long Block On $8.2B In Disaster Aid For Puerto Rico
Politico: Trump To Lift Hold On $8.2B In Puerto Rico Disaster Aid
The Department of Housing and Urban Development will allow Puerto Rico to access more than $8 billion in blocked disaster aid funding, ending a monthslong hold by the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the matter. Puerto Rico, which suffered devastating losses from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, has received just $1.5 billion of the roughly $20 billion in congressionally authorized disaster funds that HUD is supposed to administer. (O'Donnell, 1/15)
The Hill: Schumer, Senate Democrats Push Trump To Release Full Aid To Puerto Rico Following Earthquakes
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined 33 other Senate Democrats on Tuesday in a letter calling on the Trump administration to approve full aid to Puerto Rico in the wake of a series of earthquakes that hit the island in January. In the wake of a particularly strong 6.4-magnitude quake Jan. 7, “more than one million of our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico were still without power” more than two days later, the letter states. (Budryk, 1/14)
