Governor Jenniffer González Colón departs Puerto Rico today for the second time in a week, traveling to Mississippi to attend the 66th annual meeting of the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB). According to a written statement from La Fortaleza, she will take part in meetings, forums and discussions on the energy sector, focusing on how southern states and territories can meet the growing energy needs of the United States and promote reliable, affordable energy to support regional economic growth.
The SSEB includes 16 southern states and two territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
Last week, González Colón was off the island from Monday until Thursday, September 17, meeting in Washington D.C. about Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico, ahead of the expiration of the 76% federal match in just over a year — a cut that would add pressure to the island's budget, which currently covers the remaining 24%. She departs today and returns Tuesday; Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera will serve as acting governor during her absence.