Sen. Hirono: Trump Administration Not Doing Enough for Puerto Rico

Sen. Hirono, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) requested the briefing following media reports of the administration’s lackluster response to helping the people of Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria. Courtesy photo.

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters to receive an update on the Trump administration’s response to helping Puerto Ricans recovering from Hurricane Maria.

Sen. Hirono heard from FEMA Acting Deputy Administrator Daniel Kaniewski and other top Administration officials on the status of federal disaster relief efforts.

“President Trump’s consistent and repeated failure to recognize the full scope of the devastation in Puerto Rico has resulted in legitimate criticism of the administration’s response to the crisis there,” Sen. Hirono said. “The commonwealth’s 3.5 million American citizens have every right to be frustrated. Today’s briefing focused on the major logistical challenges Puerto Rico still faces. Progress is being made, but as long as people there do not have food, water and electricity, the administration is not doing enough. That is the bottom line.”

Sen. Hirono, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) requested the briefing following media reports of the administration’s lackluster response to helping the people of Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria.

Puerto Rico, officially, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is an unincorporated U.S. territory.