Sen. Warren, Colleagues Urge President to Fully Fund Disaster Response in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., issued the following news release:

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and three other senators to call on President Trump to waive the local cost-sharing requirement for the hurricane response in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and for the federal government to fully cover recovery expenses. The senators noted the challenging financial situation and extensive damage in both jurisdictions in calling for the waiver.

"We are concerned Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will have extreme difficulty finding the funds to pay for the 25 percent local match required for all of the necessary Public Assistance funding they need," the senators wrote to the president. "This could prevent or delay access to critical federal assistance to clear debris and make emergency repairs to public facilities and infrastructure."

"The federal government should not allow the cost-share to be a barrier to getting help to people who are desperately in need."

The letter was also signed by Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)

Read a PDF copy of the letter here (https://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017-9-22_PR_USVI_letter.pdf).