"The Biden administration on Monday freed up roughly $8 billion in disaster relief funding for Puerto Rico and lifted restrictions that curtailed how it could spend such funds in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the obligation of $8.2 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funds for the island. The move is the latest step from the Biden administration to accelerate the allocation of money for Puerto Rico and ease restrictions on the aid put in place during the Trump administration.

"The actions taken by HUD today will unlock access to funds Puerto Rico needs to recover from past disasters and build resilience to future storms, while ensuring transparency and accountability. We are committed to an ongoing partnership with Puerto Rico to empower the island’s communities and help them build back better," HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement."

Brett Samuels reports for The Hill April 19, 2021. [2]