Nita Lowey: “In recent weeks, thousands of families in Puerto Rico were forced from their homes, schools were flattened, roads and…”

“In recent weeks, thousands of families in Puerto Rico were forced from their homes, schools were flattened, roads and infrastructure were severely damaged as earthquakes racked an island still struggling to recover from the devastation of Hurricanes Maria and Irma. While President Trump has finally released some of the aid that Congress appropriated for those hurricanes, more support is clearly needed. We must act now on our shared responsibility to assist Americans in need. This emergency supplemental would provide $4.67 billion in targeted assistance to help families and communities recover from these devastating earthquakes and put Puerto Rico on a better path to long- term recovery. It includes: $3.26 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds; $1.25 billion for repairs to damaged road systems; $100 million to restart school operations; $40 million for disaster nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico; and More than $20 million to help address the island's energy needs. In addition, this bill would provide Puerto Rico with flexibility to use this funding in conjunction with earlier disaster relief resources. Critically, it also takes swift action against the Trump administration's outrageous withholding of vital aid to Puerto Rico. This bill would require detailed spending plans and mandate that funding be released in a timely manner.…”