5 IF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO WERE FUNDED AS ANY STATE OF THE UNION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD MATCH EIGHTY THREE PERCENT (83%) OF OUR OUTLAYS. IF WE USE THIS AS A YARDSTICK, FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1990 WOULD HAVE BEEN THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($381 MILLION), NOT THE PRESENT CEILING OF SEVENTY NINE MILLION DOLLARS ($79 MILLION). AS A MATTER OF FACT, PUERTO RICO RECEIVES MORE FUNDS FROM A PROGRAM OF SIGNIFICANTLY LESS NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, WIC, FROM WHICH IT RECEIVES EIGHTY THREE MILLION DOLLARS ($83 MILLION). GIVEN THAT THIS DISTINGUISHED PANEL IS EFFECTIVELY FORMULATING FEDERAL POLICY TOWARDS PUERTO RICO, WE WOULD LIKE YOU EVALUATE OUR NEEDS, TO BE RECEPTIVE TO THESE CONCERNS, THAT YOU WE HAVE DONE OUR SHARE OF RESPONSIBILITIES BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP IF HEALTHY LIVES FOR THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO. WE ARE TO ENSURE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. February 15, 1990 Hon. Ron De Lugo Chairman Sub-Committee on Insular Affairs U.S. House of Representatives Honorable Congressman De Lugo: The Caribbean Project for Justice and Peace, a nonprofit non-governmental organization committed to justice, peace and human rights in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean (see brief description enclosed), requests of the Committee on Insular Affairs of the. U.S. House of Representatives, to be included as a deponent at the public hearings on the political status of Puerto Rico to be held next March in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Conscious of our responsibility and right to express ourselves on such an important matter, we hope this petition will be conceded. Awaiting your response, I remain, Respectfully. Magenta Peiz Margarita Pérez General Coordinator Enclosure PROYECTO Caribeño de Justicia y Paz P.O. Box 21226, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico 00928 Tel. (809) 763-2451 |