Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Meets With Governor Of Puerto Rico Ahead Of Senate Consideration Of Emergency Funding
WASHINGTON (Friday, Oct. 20, 2017) – Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) late Thursday met with the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, ahead of Senate consideration of emergency supplemental appropriations to respond to recent natural disasters.
Leahy said: “As a Vermonter, a Senator and the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I assured Governor Rosselló that we stand with the people of Puerto Rico. The path to recovery from Hurricane Maria is not measured in days. It is measured in years, and it will require the unwavering support of the United States Government to recover and to rebuild our communities to be more resilient. However, I continue to be concerned with the slow pace of the administration’s response, and I urge the administration to rapidly overcome any remaining obstacles. As U.S. citizens, we stand by each other in times of disaster. It is who we are.”
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed an emergency supplemental appropriations request that included $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, $16.0 billion for National Flood Insurance Program debt forgiveness, $1.2 billion for nutrition assistance and $576.5 million to address wildfires in the western United States. The Senate expects to pass the emergency funding next week.
Congress in early September approved a $15.25 billion emergency supplemental package to address destruction caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The Trump Administration has committed to putting forward a third comprehensive disaster package for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in the coming weeks.
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