Territory Continues To Lose Unspent Federal Grants; Human Service's Head Start Program Recently Lost $1.5 Million
- Ernice Gilbert
- July 20, 2018
During an Office of Management of Budget budget hearing on Thursday, it was revealed by the Senate's Post Audit Division that of $25 million in federal funding under O.M.B., more than $16 million had yet to be spent. The post audit report also revealed that there were 39 federal grants awarded to the territory between 2017 with an expiration date of 2022, and only four of those grants had been completely exhausted. Case in point: It was revealed that the Department of Human Services lost $1.5 million in Headstart funding because the funds were not used on time. The grant expired on June 28, and O.M.B. Director Julio Rhymer concurred that a request for extension from the federal government by D.H.S. was most likely not sought. Senator Nereida Rivera-O'Reilly said $1.5 million in Headstart dollars "going back to the federal government is not anything this community can accept." Mr. Rhymer responded by stating, "That's correct." D.H.S. Commissioner Felicia Blyden did not re...
