Faced with a change of command in the U.S. government, new President Joe Biden’s campaign promises could find fertile ground for Puerto Rico thanks to a Democratic Party majority in Congress.
In the opinion of analysts consulted Subwaythe new presidential administration represents a change of course in relations between the federal government and the island after four years of antagonistic tone under Donald Trump’s presidency.
Among Biden’s proposals is the inclusion of residents of the Puerto Rican archipelago in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), accelerating the disbursement of federal funds for Hurricane María recovery, a public debt audit, and the rollback of the austerity policy imposed by the Tax Control Council.
But while the Democratic Party dominates the lower house seats, the community in the Senate has the same number of seats as the Republican Party, so they need the vice president, Kamala Harris, to serve as chair of the legislative body. to exercise the casting vote.
Political science professor José Javier Colón, while the Democratic Party is in a more favorable position than it has been for the past four years, it will need to have consensus in the delegation to advance budgetary measures. “Any measure not agreed within the Democratic caucus will be problematic because that delegation must be fully united in order for Kamala Harris to tie the tie,” said the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras Campus professor. He also noted that when the legislative session begins, President Biden could face a fraught legislative agenda that includes a possible impeachment against outgoing president, Donald Trump.
“The terrain is complicated, especially at the beginning of the semester because the agenda is overloaded. There will be impeachment lawsuit against Trump while cabinet candidates are being watched … But what is clear is that the animosity that President Trump had against Puerto Rico and, a little of which we know, was almost a guideline to throw up obstacles sending money as it should not triumph in democratic governance, ”he said.
For attorney and analyst Joel Montalvo, once sworn in, Biden can push for measures without congressional approval, such as dropping the Vaello v. United States case discussing whether island residents can get additional social security. In this case, the federal government appealed a decision of the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston allowing residents of Puerto Rico to receive this benefit, arguing that the plaintiff had received the money he received from this program , had to pay back after moving from Nueva York to the island.
“Once it’s there, President Biden can get there [a Casa Blanca] and order its Justice Department to waive that appeal and in that way it is already a presidential move that could help Puerto Rico immediately without Congressional intervention, as there is already a court decision from both the Boston Circuit as the judge [Gustavo] Gelpí in Puerto Rico, ”said former adviser to former governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá.
While analyst Alejandro Figueroa said Biden’s agenda for Puerto Rico could face few obstacles in Congress, predicting that Puerto Ricans will be included under benefits like SNAP.
However, Figueroa acknowledged that Biden could face difficulties changing the decisions of the Fiscal Control Board (JCF) as the entity’s composition was renewed under Trump’s mandate and the appointments of both bodies were completed. legislative.
“As far as they are designated [los integrantes de la Junta] you no longer have the power of the president to appoint them. However, it is clear that opinion and public policy weigh and will influence the form and positions taken by the Council on issues of both fiscal and budgetary importance, ”he said.
He did not rule out the Democratic Party promoting changes to the Promises Act in this scenario. “You have to see how the committees that have meddling in Puerto Rico are put together to understand who chairs them and then how much thought they are going to give to the changes they are trying to make and see how the debt renegotiation process has been going on these weeks,” he noted. he on.
However, in a different distance from outgoing President Trump’s public policy, Figueroa said an audit of the country’s national debt could take place under Biden’s chairmanship. “[Trump] they were much more ‘pro-bondholders’ and looked with suspicion at the allegations made about an audit request and the cuts in reimbursement to bondholders, ”he said.