Sen. Murphy Issues Statement on Senate Passage of Disaster Relief for Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- The office of Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Senate passage of a $36.5 billion disaster relief package that will help Puerto Rico recover and rebuild following devastation left by Hurricane Maria. The funding will also support ongoing relief efforts for hurricane victims in Texas, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands and for victims of the fires in northern California:

"This relief package was absolutely necessary, but it's far from sufficient.

"I will not let Congress lose focus of the fact that Puerto Rico needs and deserves more help. The situation on the island is dire. More than a month after the hurricane, 80% of the island's lights are still out and many families are searching far and wide for clean drinking water. People in Connecticut who have friends and family in Puerto Rico tell me that devastation on the island was made worse by decades of Washington's neglect.

"We have a lot more work to do beyond immediate disaster relief - including major reforms to the island's health care system and infrastructure - to get Puerto Rico back on its feet."

Immediately following Hurricanes Maria and Irma, Murphy called on Senate leaders to work with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosello to formulate and pass an emergency bill to rebuild Puerto Rico and restore stability to the island. Murphy has held several meetings with the Puerto Rican community in Connecticut to receive feedback on federal relief efforts. He also joined various other senators in demanding that the Trump administration take eight specific actions to assist Puerto Rico and in urging FEMA to immediately greenlight the federal funds Puerto Rico needs to rebuild.