[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 7, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            DISASTER RELIEF

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on disaster, last week, the city of 
Davenport in Iowa became the site of the latest national disaster to 
wreak havoc on our homeland. It has been 8 weeks since the Midwest 
began battling major flooding, 6 months since the last major wildfire 
in California, 12 months since a volcano erupted in Hawaii, and over a 
year and a half since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the island 
of Puerto Rico. But because the President has stubbornly and 
inexplicably opposed aid to Puerto Rico, a comprehensive disaster 
package has failed to get the necessary support of my colleagues on the 
other side of the aisle, of a majority in the House, and has languished 
in the Congress.
  Unfortunately, the President continues to belittle Puerto Rico and 
tell flat-out mistruths about the level of support they are receiving. 
Just yesterday, the President said the people of Puerto Rico ``should 
be very happy'' with what he has done for them so far. Well, don't ask 
me. Ask the Governor of Puerto Rico--hardly a left-wing, partisan 
Democrat; ask the mayor of San Juan; ask the people of Puerto Rico if 
they are happy. Don't put words in their mouths. Ask them if they are 
happy with the support they have received from this administration. Ask 
them if they are happy with HUD's missing its own deadline to advance 
the release of $8 billion in disaster mitigation funding last week. Ask 
them, and you will get a much different answer. No one in the Puerto 
Rican community is happy with the way this President has treated the 
island and its 3 million American citizens. He has treated them with 
contempt. It needs to stop.
  So, President Trump, if you want to help the farmers in the Midwest, 
be fair to everyone. You can't pick and choose.
  Some of them say: Oh, but Puerto Rico isn't spending its aid well. I 
heard that when we wanted Sandy money for New York. You can say that 
about any region. In an emergency, no government program will be 
perfect, but that is not a reason to hold back the money. Instead, send 
the money and have some oversight, but help the people. They need it. 
You can't pick and choose which Americans to help.
  I would say this to President Trump: As our President, you must 
represent all Americans, not just the ones who voted for you.
  I yield the floor.

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