On the recordSeptember 5, 2018
Recently FEMA released a report into its own response after Hurricane Maria swept Puerto Rico last year. To sum up the report, FEMA screwed up. FEMA underestimated how much food people would need. FEMA miscalculated how much fresh water people would need. FEMA didn't foresee how difficult it would be to get supplies to the island. And when Hurricane Maria struck, FEMA's warehouse in Puerto Rico was basically empty. I was most shocked by FEMA's admission that its plans for a crisis in Puerto Rico were based on a focused disaster like a tsunami, not a major hurricane devastating the whole island. Just last week, the island's death toll was adjusted to reflect the reality that thousands of people died because of Hurricane Maria. Mr. Speaker, these were American citizens. The Federal Government must do better. Lives are at stake. ____________________
