Sen. Menendez Fights for Equal Treatment for Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- The office of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., issued the following news release:

When Hurricane Maria ravaged the island 3.4 million Americans call home, leaving behind historic devastation, Sen. Menendez helped lead the fight in the Senate to fight for Puerto Rico. Since the Hurricane struck the island, Menendez has:

* Visited Puerto Rico to survey the devastation, gauge the federal response, and meet with local officials and residents on the ground to assess how Congress can help provide necessary resources.

* Joined forces with Sen. Booker and five other Senate colleagues, including Chuck Schumer, urging the administration to immediately fund Long-Term Rebuilding & Recovery Projects in Puerto Rico

* Lead Senate-wide call to immediately suspend the Austerity Fiscal Plan for Puerto Rico that was drafted before the hurricanes devastated the island, and lists a series of necessary steps to stem the immediate crisis and begin the task of formulating a new fiscal plan that matches the reality on the ground.

* Urged Health Deptartment to take action in the wake of the public health crisis unfolding in Puerto Rico

* Called for a long-term recovery and supplemental package on the Senate Floor while blasting the Administration for its lackluster response to the devastation on the island.

* Called for the President to use authority given to him under the Cold War-Era Defense Production Act to use Defense Department resources to more quickly respond.

* Sent a letter (https://www.menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Menendez-Hurricane-Maria-Cost-Share-Letter.pdf) with his Senate colleagues asking President Trump to waive the local cost shares for Puerto Rico for FEMA disaster assistance. The cost share for most projects is 75% federal, 25% local.

* Denounced the GOP Budget on the Senate floor, while demanding Equal Treatment for the 3.5 million Puerto Ricans in Disaster Relief Bill

* Lead a coalition of Senators in writing to Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell urging them to bring up an emergency disaster supplemental bill to fund CDBG-DR, FEMA's disaster relief fund (DRF), and other disaster accounts. FEMA is expected to run out of money in its DRF before the end of the calendar year and no CDBG-DR funding is currently available for PR.

* Sent a letter to U.S. Airlines serving Puerto Rico (https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/on-puerto-rico-menendez-asks-us-airlines-to-spare-hurricane-victims-from-exorbitant-costs-) requesting they take additional steps that ensure victims of Hurricane Maria are not stuck on the island due to unreasonable fees or exorbitant ticket prices to the mainland United States.

* Joined colleagues in sending a letter expressing deep concern about the situation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and outlining eight specific actions to be undertaken by the Trump administration.