US Sen. Elizabeth Warren and fellow Massachusetts lawmakers survey storm damage in Puerto Rico

Jan. 12--Massachusetts lawmakers, including US Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jim McGovern, are visiting a hospital, a health center and a shelter in Puerto Rico has part of a tour of storm damage caused by Hurricane Maria.

The lawmakers were set to meet with volunteers and rescue workers in an effort to press for additional aid.

The delegation's trip to Puerto Rico, which is part of the United States, also included US Sen. Ed Markey and US Reps. Richard Neal, Michael Capuano, Katherine Clark, Niki Tsongas, and Seth Moulton.

"Far too many of our fellow U.S. citizens are still without electricity and the resources they need to rebuild. Even before Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Massachusetts was the proud home of 300,000 Puerto Ricans -- and thousands more have come to the Bay State since Hurricane Maria upended their lives," the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

"We're going to Puerto Rico to see firsthand the devastation on the island and how we can help our fellow citizens along the path to a full recovery," they added. "We have not forgotten our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico -- they can count on us."

Neal on Twitter thanked the Massachusetts State Police for their volunteer efforts.

The delegation's schedule includes a stop at Hospital de Nino, which treats children with autism and special needs in San Juan, a health center in Loiza, and a shelter in Canovanas. They are also receiving a briefing on federal relief efforts at Joint Field Office in Guaynabo.

According to ABC, more than 40 percent of people who are power customers are still in the dark. The hurricane hit Puerto Rico in September 2017.

Many residents on Puerto Rico don't expect power to be full restored for months.

Massachusetts lawmakers have repeatedly criticized the Trump administration's recovery efforts as inadequate.

The delegation plans to return to Washington, D.C. Friday night.

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