Would Puerto Rico Be Better Off as a Freely Associated State?

[TexasTowelie]

The American Rescue Plan dedicates unprecedented resources to the five territories of the U.S. and also includes some assistance to the three former territory areas freely associated with the U.S.

Under the terms of the new law, U.S. territories receive much more generous economic assistance than the freely associated states (FAS) to address the health and financial implications of the coronavirus.

Residents of the U.S. territories are also poised to receive billions of dollars in federal assistance under the terms of the new law – both in the short term and for many years to come. Some of the economic provisions of the new law designed to benefit working families are made permanent.

The Freely Associated States

The U.S. has signed Compacts of Free Association (COFAs) with three sovereign nations that were administered by the United States for the United Nations after World War II. The three nations – the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau – currently receive limited Federal financial resources and provide the U.S. military with complete control over the land, sea and air routes in this strategically important area of the Pacific. The Free Association relationships are viewed as especially important relative to China’s growing influence in the area.

Read more: https://www.puertoricoreport.com/would-puerto-rico-be-better-off-as-a-freely-associated-state/