Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 27, 2026 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT’S STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR BRYAN’S FINAL STATE OF THE TERRITORY ADDRESS
ST. THOMAS, USVI – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-USVI) released the following statement in response to Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s final State of the Territory Address:
As I shared in my 2026 New Year’s message, we live in a time that calls for resolve, clarity, and shared purpose, and for recognizing that progress requires hard work and persistence. Tonight’s address underscored that reality by detailing the scale of recovery now underway—from federally funded rebuilding across our islands, to long-delayed infrastructure projects finally moving into construction, to reforms that have stabilized core systems like healthcare, energy, and pensions. I commend the Governor for his detailed review of accomplishments and would like the community to understand that the federal legislative victories that have paved much of this progress happened through relentless advocacy, strategic partnership, and an unwavering commitment to securing what our territory deserves from the federal government.
For Virgin Islanders, progress is not measured in speeches alone. It is measured by whether disaster recovery dollars are reaching our communities, whether our hospitals and clinics are being rebuilt and strengthened as outlined tonight, whether energy reliability is improving and costs are coming down, whether our schools and roads are moving from plans to construction, and whether our families can see a path toward stability. Many of the initiatives discussed in the address required congressional action led by my office, including securing historic disaster recovery funding, permanently improving the Medicaid match, restoring the rum cover-over rate, and reducing federal cost-share requirements that made large-scale rebuilding possible.
The permanent restoration of the rum cover-over rate to $13.25 per proof gallon—a victory the Governor rightly celebrated—was the result of years of coordinated effort with our congressional allies. Similarly, the permanent decrease of the required local Medicaid match from 45% to 17% by the federal government, which I had written into legislation, represents a transformational policy win that enables our healthcare system to serve over 29,000 Virgin Islanders annually without bankrupting our local government tax.
When the Trump Administration threatened to impose devastating maritime fees that would have inflated costs on everything from building supplies to groceries, as a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade policy, I presented the rationale for a Caribbean waiver, negotiated with the administration to make changes—and we won.
The $25 billion in federal recovery funds now rebuilding our schools, hospitals, roads, and infrastructure is the direct result of federal legislation I championed and defended. The reduced federal match requirement from 10% to 2%—saving Virgin Islands taxpayers $2 billion—did not materialize on its own. It required strategic legislative maneuvering and persistent pressure, calling in favors to the Biden Administration.
Through the American Rescue Plan Act, I was able to legislate that the Virgin Islands receive a permanent reimbursement of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit that has brought in annual funding of between $20 and $40 million to our local government. I was delighted when Governor Bryan and our legislature earmarked these funds for tax returns and the 8% retroactive payments to our government employees.
I also want to address the challenges we continue to face. Energy reliability remains a pressing concern for our families and businesses. The conviction of three cabinet members reminds us that the people’s trust is sacred and must be constantly earned through transparent, ethical governance. And as we look ahead to the significant infrastructure investments on the horizon, we must ensure that the next administration has the capacity, integrity, and vision to sustain this momentum. The road ahead demands more than ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings. It requires the discipline to maintain what we build, the wisdom to plan for sustainable growth, and the courage to make difficult decisions about how we invest in our collective future.
Our work is far from finished. The next four years will test our resolve as federal recovery dollars flow into active construction projects across all three islands. We must rebuild not just structures, but systems. We must create not just jobs, but careers. We must invest not just in today’s needs, but in tomorrow’s capacity. My team and I remain firmly committed to working Governor Bryan through the final year of this administration and the 36th Legislature to ensure that every federal dollar serves our people effectively and that every policy decision strengthens our foundation.
As Virgin Islanders look ahead, we must shift from recovery to readiness in ways people can feel in our homes, at work, in our schools, and in our communities. We have come too far to settle for progress that cannot be sustained. The work ahead calls for continued action, clarity, and commitment. It is time to keep building on what has been earned—let’s get to work.
###