By The Star Staff
Coamo Mayor Juan Carlos García Padilla, the interim president of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association, expressed concern Tuesday about the continuity of federal programs following President Donald Trump’s orders freezing loans and subsidies.
A memo from the White House budget office called for a spending freeze on federal assistance by 5 p.m. Tuesday, affecting everything from aid to nonprofits, universities, small business loans and state and local government grants.
The freeze could have wide-ranging implications, with the White House noting that $3 trillion was spent in 2024 on federal assistance programs.
“This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements,” the memo says.
As of press time the White House had not yet commented on the memo, which was leaked Monday night, with several mainland media outlets saying it is authentic.
García Padilla communicated in writing to Eduardo Soria Rivera, the designated director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3), with a copy sent to Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, who at press time was holding conversations with federal officials aimed at keeping federal funds flowing to the island. In the letter, García Padilla expressed the mayors’ concerns regarding Memorandum 25-13 and the continuity of federal programs.
“In Memorandum 25-13, issued on January 27, 2025, a pause is ordered in the disbursement of federal programs that may contradict the policies established by President Donald J. Trump, as outlined in the document,” García Padilla said in the letter.
García Padilla emphasized the importance of aligning federal programs with the provisions of the memorandum.
“However, as the primary recipients of funds designated for disaster recovery in Puerto Rico, we are worried about the potential impact that this directive may have on ongoing projects and commitments made to affected communities,” he added.
Specifically, García Padilla requested an official statement from Soria Rivera clarifying whether the current federal recovery programs in Puerto Rico will continue to operate as planned, without interruptions in disbursements, and if any programs are affected by Memorandum 25-13, what specific instructions will be provided for concluding those projects, managing unused funds. He also asked for an expedited communication mechanism between commonwealth agencies, municipalities and COR3 to address any issues related to the implementation of the memorandum.
“It is widely acknowledged throughout Puerto Rico and in the United States that the municipalities of Puerto Rico have been, and continue to be, a vital pillar in responding to natural disasters and in rebuilding our communities,” García Padilla said. “Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that our ongoing efforts are not compromised, as this would adversely affect those who rely on these resources the most.”
The federal document establishes new priorities, such as reducing burdens on taxpayers, promoting energy and manufacturing, ending programs considered “radical” or “wasteful” and promoting efficiency in government. It also requests ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and reevaluating foreign aid under “America-first” initiatives.
The governor, who on Tuesday afternoon met with a range of local and U.S. officials, including from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, urged local agencies to review federal programs to identify possible impacts and make revisions or requests to the White House budget office as necessary. González Colón stressed that ensuring the proper use of federal funds allocated to Puerto Rico has been a priority in recent years.
The STAR tried to get a response from the University of Puerto Rico on the funding matter, but at press time had not obtained a response. However, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reportedly canceled all of its grant review panels this week, as the organization works to align its grantmaking process with new executive orders from the Trump administration. The NSF funds a wide range of scientific research through grants to universities and research institutions. It convenes panels of experts to weigh the merits of those proposals, ultimately determining which receive federal funding. It has a budget of around $9 billion.
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