We can all agree that environmental protection should go hand-in-hand with economic development.

Progress has been made, but despite best collective efforts, the territory has not physically been able to finish all of these projects by March 15 deadline.

would you support an extension of Stafford Act language so that it is not only bringing resilience to those things that are considered emergency...

Recovery is far from over and the rebuilding has yet to begin.

It seems that it is not the most efficient use of funding.

Until then, public schooling for the children of the Virgin Islands is operating on 4-hour rotations.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have been talking quite a bit about infrastructure, and in my opening statement I discussed the President's infrastructure plan with a budget cut of $122 billion from the highway trust fund.

Both Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, as well as Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, wrote an opinion piece together after coming to the Virgin Islands who recognized that the Stafford Act must be amended to allow for resiliency and the hardening…

And how long did it take for all of the troops to actually be able to come on the ground?

So I guess the reason I'm asking this question is I'm concerned about those homes that still appear to be extremely damaged.

I was struck by testimony from some of the witnesses who talked about the psychological feeling of having waiting days...

As a policymaker, I think we must address the following: A more effective and timely process by the Army Corps of Engineers with roof coverings after a storm.

Why would you expend the money for the program if you didn't think that the Federal Government was going to reimburse you for it, which is how the STEP program works?

What can we do as the Federal Government and the local government working together to ensure that people who are living in homes that look like this don't have to go into the 2018 Hurricane Season like this?

So you'll send the report to FEMA and then FEMA sends the report to the Governor. Is that how that works?

But the Virgin Islands Government, Governor Mapp, did not go into the contract negotiations until he knew that Brock Long had agreed to begin the reimbursement at a reasonable amount for each one of those homes; is that correct?

To better prepare ourselves for future hurricanes, I've worked with Congress to introduce H.R. 4782, the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild.

Mr. Vogel, would that be through you, FEMA, that the Rapid Repair Program is now being initiated rather than--and that's supposed to be rather than having creating temporary housing, you repaired the homes that are in place already…

There are so many people that we lost during these hurricanes.

Please don't think that that means that I don't recognize the tremendous work and the amount of hours that you all put in.

I first want to thank Chairman Farenthold for calling this hearing to examine the impact of the Federal Government's response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

I know that I had heated and very colorful discussions with Brock Long because FEMA of course as we know in the Federal Government only gives what is requested.

A permanent FEMA process--presence, sorry, in the territory or enter the fact that this is to become our new reality and that a permanent presence would mean a more efficient experience.

I think it is unacceptable that a Federal agency that is trained to respond to disasters such as FEMA has taken this long to make a final determination regarding the status and the condition and the future of our healthcare structures.

And did you receive a request before the storms to be prepared to come?