[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    PUERTO RICO NEEDS OUR ASSISTANCE

  (Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, last week, Hurricane Maria hit the island 
of Puerto Rico. The damage on the island has been described as 
apocalyptic: buildings destroyed, a major dam at risk of collapse, and 
millions of American citizens looking for help. But 1 week later, we 
still have not addressed this extraordinary crisis. Congress is not 
planning to vote on providing aid until next week.
  President Trump tweeted about Puerto Rico owing money to Wall Street, 
as if that should be a priority right now. President Trump and my 
friends on the other side of the aisle who control Congress need to 
start treating this with the urgency it demands.
  My district is home to more than 20,000 Puerto Ricans. Over the last 
week, they have told me that they don't understand what is going on in 
Washington. Why is this taking so long?
  This President talks a lot about putting America first, but why isn't 
he doing more to help our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico?
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, bring a bill to the floor. 
Let's get this done, and let's address the humanitarian crisis that is 
besetting citizens in Puerto Rico.

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