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DeLauro Statement on the Long-Overdue Release of Federal Education Funds to Puerto Rico

March 22, 2021

NEW HAVEN, CT – House Appropriations Committee Chair and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) issued the following statementon Secretary Cardona's plan to release federal education funds to Puerto Rico that have been held since 2019.

"I am pleased that under Secretary Cardona's leadership the Department of Education has reached an agreement with the Puerto Rico Department of Education that will finally release education funding provided by the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Over the past year, I have repeatedly urged Secretary DeVos to work with me to find a solution that gives Puerto Rico access to the funds that they need to serve their students. Sadly, Secretary DeVos was not willing to work with me on this important issue.

"With today's announcement, I am relieved to see that Puerto Rico's students, families, and educators once again have a strong champion at the U.S. Department of Education in Secretary Cardona."