WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to help rebuild Puerto Rico’s power grid and prevent an even greater health care crisis on the island, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) today called on Senate leaders to include additional disaster assistance for Puerto Rico in a government spending bill the chamber is expected to take up this week.

Nelson made the request in a letter he sent today to Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in which he urged the leaders to fund several important projects aimed at helping Puerto Rico recover, including:

• Funding to help rebuild Puerto Rico's electrical grid.
• Funding for Puerto Rico's Medicaid program. According to the governor of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico's Medicaid program costs approximately $1.6 billion per year to operate. 

Nelson also urged the leaders to temporarily waive several cost-share requirements that have prevented Puerto Rico from fully utilizing the federal funds it receives, including:

• Temporarily decreasing Puerto Rico's Medicaid cost-share requirement. The federal government matches only 55% of the cost for Puerto Rico to operate its Medicaid program. By temporarily decreasing this cost-share requirement, the federal government would be allowed to pay a greater share of the cost of Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program while it works to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
• Temporarily waive Puerto Rico's FEMA cost-share agreement. Puerto Rico is required to pay 10% of the cost of certain FEMA claims made on the island. By temporarily waiving this cost-share requirement, the federal government would pay the full cost of any FEMA claims made in the wake of Hurricane Maria. 
• Eliminating rules requiring the government of Puerto Rico to seek approval from the Puerto Rico Oversight Board for certain disaster payments.

A copy of Nelson’s letter is here.