Schumer, Senate Democrats push Trump to release full aid to Puerto Rico following earthquakes

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined 33 other Senate Democrats on Tuesday in a letter calling on the Trump administration to approve full aid to Puerto Rico in the wake of a series of earthquakes that hit the island in January.

In the wake of a particularly strong 6.4-magnitude quake Jan. 7, “more than one million of our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico were still without power” more than two days later, the letter states.

With profound, widespread damage from the earthquakes in Puerto Rico, it’s past time to act.

I’m leading Senate Democrats to demand that President Trump approve Puerto Rico’s request for FULL aid from the federal government—NOW.

I stand with our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/laTQPP7wiv

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 14, 2020

“Eight landslides had been recorded, over 2,000 individuals were in shelters including 125 minors, and the island’s communications grid was only 75 percent operational. Many schools have been closed indefinitely and will only be reopened upon inspection,” the letter adds, also noting at least one death has been reported, that of a 73-year-old man in the southern city of Ponce.

“These earthquakes make … even more unconscionable the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s inaction disbursing the $8.3 billion in Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery funding appropriated by the United States Congress for mitigation projects in Puerto Rico,” the letter adds.

“There is no substantive reason to withhold this congressionally mandated disaster aid for our fellow Americans on the island, and indeed failure to disburse these funds has a damaging material impact on Puerto Rico and its residents. The bottom line is that this money must be made available to Puerto Rico now and failure to do so is in violation of Congress’ explicit intent,” the senators add.

Most recently, the island was rocked by a 5.2 aftershock Friday. Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced has declared a state of emergency, as have several of the island’s mayors.