Durbin, Colleagues Urge President Biden To Fully Fund Hurricane Relief in Puerto Rico
“We are concerned that Puerto Rico will have difficulty covering the 25% local match, which could delay access to federal assistance for removing debris and making emergency repairs to public facilities and infrastructure.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 11 of his colleagues in a letter to President Biden asking him to waive any local cost-share for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid to Puerto Rico.
On September 18, 2022, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico, cutting off power to the entire island and leaving many areas under water. That same day, President Biden approved an emergency declaration to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA to work in coordination on disaster relief efforts. Public Assistance grants issued by FEMA come with a requirement that states and territories shoulder a share of the cost of recovery. On September 21, President Biden also issued a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico. While these cost-share requirements can be adjusted to lighten the state or territory’s burden, this has not yet been done for Puerto Rico.
“In light of the continued concerning news about the devastation the hurricane has wrought on the island, which has prompted Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi to announce his request for a Major Disaster Declaration for all of Puerto Rico’s municipalities, as well as the ongoing economic challenges faced by the island, we write to urge you to waive the local cost-sharing requirements by setting the federal cost-share at 100% for Public Assistance grants issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Puerto Rico,”wrote the Senators.
This letter was also signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
Prior to President Biden’s approval of Governor Pierluisi’s request for a major disaster declaration, Durbin joined a letter to the President supporting this request for all of Puerto Rico’s municipalities in response to Hurricane Fiona.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
September 21, 2022
Dear President Biden:
Thank you for swiftly declaring an emergency in Puerto Rico resulting from Hurricane Fiona, and for acting swiftly to surge federal support to the island. In light of the continued concerning news about the devastation the hurricane has wrought on the island, which has prompted Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi to announce his request for a Major Disaster Declaration for all of Puerto Rico’s municipalities, as well as the ongoing economic challenges faced by the island, we write to urge you to waive the local cost-sharing requirements by setting the federal cost-share at 100% for Public Assistance grants issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico was already facing an extremely challenging financial situation before Hurricane Maria struck five years ago this week. That hurricane and its aftermath, along with a failed federal response, resulted in the deaths of thousands of U.S. citizens. The island’s economic challenges mounted, and Puerto Rico still has not fully recovered. Now, Hurricane Fiona deals another blow to U.S. citizens who need urgent federal support. We are concerned that Puerto Rico will have difficulty covering the 25% local match, which could delay access to federal assistance forremoving debris and making emergency repairs to public facilities and infrastructure.
The President has statutory authority, pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, to reduce or eliminate the local cost-share requirement following major disasters. This has been done in the past. We strongly urge you to take this step now, and not to allow the cost-share to impede the provision of maximum help to those in need.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent request.
Sincerely,
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