How has Biden helped Puerto Rico rebuild? VP Harris highlights investments during visit

This visit marked Harris’ first trip to Puerto Rico since taking office. Her previous visit to the island was in 2017, where she witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Vice President Kamala Harris and top administration officials visited Puerto Rico on Friday to highlight the Biden administration’s efforts to aid in Puerto Rico’s recovery post-Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as to acknowledge the significant contributions of Puerto Rican artists and community leaders on a global scale. 

“This island is home to some of the most talented and innovative people in our nation, [people who] don’t lose their grit, their ambition, their momentum,” Harris said while visiting a family home in Canóvanas rebuilt with federal funds. “We all need to [learn from] that.” 

Harris was joined on her trip by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman, and Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi.

During her visit to Canóvanas, located just outside of San Juan, Harris emphasized the role of the HUD-funded Home Repair, Reconstruction, or Relocation (R3) Program in assisting Puerto Ricans in repairing and rebuilding their homes. The program, which has already aided over 6,000 homeowners across the island, targets low- and moderate-income households, prioritizing the elderly, disabled, and those with significant property damage. 

“There’s more work to do,” Harris said during her remarks to the press. 

Following this, Harris visited Taller Comunidad La Goyco in Calle Loíza, where she engaged with local artists and community leaders. 

The pleneros took the opportunity to share their concerns about local issues such as tax incentives to foreigners and access to affordable housing in a protest song. 

“We want to know, Kamala, what did you come here for? We want to know what you think of the colony,” they sang. 

“What we all need to do then is just supply the community and the talent here with the capacity and the resources,” Harris said during the trip. “And so President Joe Biden and I have been very intentional about what we are doing for the leaders and the people and the families of Puerto Rico. So far, our administration has invested over $140 billion in Puerto Rico.” 

She reiterated the importance of these investments in aiding Puerto Rico’s recovery and building a prosperous future for the island and its residents. Officials noted Puerto Rico has added more than 100,000 jobs in recent years.

Some of the projects the investments have funded include:

• *Renovations to two major avenues in Carolina
• *An apartment complex in Cataño that offers 100 affordable housing units
• *An expansion of the Rafael Hernández International Airport
• *A deepening of the San Juan Harbor to increase tourism and economic trade
• *Environmental restoration projects and flood protection systems

This visit marked Vice President Harris’ first trip to Puerto Rico since taking office. Her previous visit to the island was in 2017, where she witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. As a senator, Harris led efforts to hold the previous administration accountable for its response to the disasters and continued her advocacy for Puerto Rico during her tenure as Vice President.

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