Trump Says He's Done More for Puerto Rico Than "Any Man Ever"
Issue #39: Lawmakers introduce a bill to make the territory a state, issues with Medicaid could result in more migration and more...
→ Trump Privately Questioned Aid for Puerto Rico, but Says Publicly: 'I've Taken Better Care of Puerto Rico Than Any Man Ever'
Trump has said that Puerto Rico has received $91 billion in aid, though it’s unclear from where he got that number. (Maria Pasquini / People)
→ Puerto Rico Governor Warns White House: 'If the Bully Gets Close, I'll Punch the Bully in the Mouth'
White House officials allegedly told Puerto Rican representatives that they were pushing too hard to arrange a meeting with the president. Trump has repeatedly declined requests by Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló to discuss the ongoing issues on the island. (Jim Acosta and Kevin Liptak / CNN)
→ The Woman Fixing Puerto Rico’s Finances Knows Not to Waste a Crisis
Natalie Jaresko, a Ukrainian investment banker, was tapped in early 2017 to lead Puerto Rico’s federal oversight board and help manage the island’s debt. She discusses with Bloomberg how investors and governments should think about debt. (Michelle Kaske / Bloomberg)
→ 2019 Medicaid Funding Cliff Could Cause Mass Migration from Puerto Rico
Medicaid funding in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories is fixed at a federal matching rate. Additional relief funds will expire at the end of September, and 900,000 Puerto Rican residents may lose their coverage, Jaime R. Torres, the president of Latinos for Healthcare Equity, writes. (Jamie R. Torrest for The Hill)
→ Puerto Rico Seeks More Food Stamp Funding as Congress Stalls
Puerto Rico started cutting federal benefits in March, after an infusion of funds from Congress ran out. (Danica Coto / Associated Press)
→ Florida Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Make Puerto Rico 51st state
Rep. Darren Soto and Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón sponsored the Puerto Rico Admission Act of 2019 would give the island statehood within 90 days of passage. (WFLA)
→ Will More Powerful Hurricanes Threaten Disappearing Forests?
A Columbia University researcher found that Hurricane Maria killed twice as many trees as Hurricanes Hugo and George. Many of the trees that died were slow-growing trees with broad canopies that provide habitat for the wildlife in the forest. (Jenny Staletovich / Miami Herald)