[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15211]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        ASSETS NEEDED IN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am glad President Trump listened to 
Secretary Clinton and deployed the U.S. Naval Ship Comfort to Puerto 
Rico, even though it was 7 days after Hurricane Maria destroyed the 
island. But President Trump must do more and do it now.
  Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States has a moral and legal 
duty to protect the well-being of our citizens. That is why today, 
right now, the President must order the Department of Defense to deploy 
all available assets to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to prevent 
this catastrophe from getting worse.
  The thousands of Puerto Ricans and all of the Virgin Islanders I 
represent deserve to know that our Nation's priority is their well-
being, their families', their friends', and their fellow citizens' as 
well--American citizens.

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