Rep. Smith Issues Statement on President Trump’s Disaster Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement about President Trump's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico:

"The Trump administration's response to the destruction in Puerto Rico has been wholly inadequate.

"A territory of 3.5 million American citizens is almost completely without power, water, food, and telephone service, and we have a handful of helicopters involved in DOD's response.

"It's a disgrace. At a minimum, President Trump needs to assemble a coordinated military effort headed by a three-star general officer, as President Bush did after Hurricane Katrina."