On September 20, 2017, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands endured a direct impact from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the islands causing significant power outages and destroying major infrastructure, including telecommunication and transportation systems. Just two weeks prior, both territories had endured a direct impact from Hurricane Irma, which, like Hurricane Maria, impacted the islands as a major hurricane.
Over 3.6 million U.S. citizens reside in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. To date, relief operations on the islands appear to be inadequate, leaving these millions of U.S. citizens without access to basic necessities including water, food, telecommunications, and healthcare.
The proposed resolution urges President Donald Trump to provide additional resources in support of the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. |