Rep. Thompson Issues Statement on Anniversary of Hurricane Maria Landfall

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Mississippi, ranking Democratic member of the House Homeland Security Committee, issued the following statement marking the first anniversary since Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:

"Hurricane Maria was - by almost all accounts - the worst natural disaster this country has seen in over a century. We know that at least 2,975 perished and we know the recovery process will take years.

"Puerto Ricans, one year later, still need our help and assistance - but they continue to receive second rate treatment by President Trump and his Administration. It is painfully clear that President Trump has no appetite to help Puerto Rico rebuild and get back on track. Instead, he spends his time trying to rewrite the history of last year's woefully inadequate Federal government response while denying the death of thousands on his watch."

"What is most stunning is that the Republican-led Congress has had 365 days to investigate why the Federal government was so unprepared for Hurricane Maria and how 2,975 of our fellow Americans were allowed to die. Instead, the Republican-led Congress has barely lifted a finger and is no rush to do anything more.

"We still have seen little evidence that FEMA has learned from its errors from Puerto Rico and is ready to handle increasingly extreme weather patterns. Democrats continue to call for a full and comprehensive investigation into what went wrong in Puerto Rico."