Bryan said HEROES Act would send $2.25 billion to U.S. Virgin Islands if approved

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said during a May 18, 2020, COVID-19 briefing that the proposed federal HEROES Act would provide the U.S. Virgin Islands with $2.25 billion in aid if Congress approved the measure.

Bryan also urged the 33rd Legislature to act on his proposed Cannabis Act legislation, saying it could help address funding pressures at the Government Employees Retirement System.

During the briefing, Bryan said 6,271 stimulus checks totaling $9.9 million had been mailed and that another $10 million in stimulus funds was scheduled to be sent during the week of May 18. He also said the territory was awaiting details from the Social Security Administration that would allow Social Security recipients to receive checks without filing a 2018 tax return.

The administration said credits from the YES program began appearing on Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority bills on May 7. It said 10,492 residential customers had received a $250 credit and 2,397 commercial customers had received a $500 credit.

Officials said the Labor Department had received 8,074 unemployment applications since April 7, 2020, and had issued 5,208 checks totaling more than $3.7 million. They said federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments were retroactive to April 4 and would continue weekly through July 31, 2020.

The government reported two active COVID-19 cases as of May 18, with 69 positive tests, 61 recoveries and six deaths. It said 1,348 people had been tested, 1,272 tests were negative and seven were pending.

Officials said no COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix. They said one COVID-19 patient was hospitalized on a ventilator at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas after being allowed into the territory for medical treatment and then quarantined.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-says-territory-would-get-2-25-billion-if-heroes-act-passes-congress/