Majority Whip Scalise Discusses Hurricane Recovery Efforts

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 -- House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., issued the following news:

At the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference this morning, Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) discussed ongoing hurricane recovery efforts and working with Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR) to provide relief in Puerto Rico.

On Congress' response to hurricane relief...

"When you grow up in Southeast Louisiana, unfortunately you're all too familiar with the damage that hurricanes and other storms can do. Over this last few months we've seen a higher than normal hurricane season. It's done damage throughout so many parts of this country, damaged so many of our territories, and Congress has responded. Recently President Trump asked Congress to again address the shortfalls in the disaster relief program to make sure that FEMA and our other agencies can respond to the Hurricanes that we've experienced.

...

"As we're dealing with the other states in Texas, in Florida, fires in the West that we've seen, and as the strains have been put on FEMA and the disaster relief fund, Congress is going to continue to act this week to make sure that the [necessary] resources are [available] to take care of the people that have been affected by these storms."

On working with Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon...

"I've admired the work that Jenniffer Gonzalez has done coming in and making sure that she's educating the rest of our leadership. She actually traveled down to Puerto Rico with the President to show him directly the damage that was done and to continue to advocate for the importance of making sure that the island is taken care of.

...

"My very first day back to Congress a week and a half ago, I got to sit down with her and she made that case directly to me as well. We're going to do what we can to help and we're going to take more steps this week to make sure that that help is in place and the Trump administration has the resources they need to continue responding to these storms."