BUDGET/CRISIS/FEMA/HOUSE OR REPS: “The House of Representatives on Thursday [10-12-17] passed legislation that would provide $36.5 billion in disaster relief for victims of recent hurricanes and wildfires, as well as emergency credit to help Puerto Rico keep its government functioning.
The 353-69 vote came hours after President Donald Trump questioned in Twitter posts how long the federal commitment to the island should last and suggested that Puerto Rico had mismanaged its finances. Congressional leaders of both political parties defended the need to send resources to the U.S. territory, which was devastated by two hurricanes this summer. Most of the island still lacks electric power and there is limited access to health care and other basic needs…
A FEMA spokesman said Thursday that the agency still has personnel at work in Louisiana supporting local and state recovery efforts dating back to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. FEMA personnel are also supporting New York’s and New Jersey’s continuing recovery from superstorm Sandy of 2012. The spokesman said the agency aims to foster recoveries that are as swift as possible and that the length of their support varies based on the circumstances of each natural disaster.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said it was the federal government’s responsibility right now to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, but added he wanted to see the island become more self-sufficient…
At a White House briefing, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was asked whether Mr. Trump believed Puerto Ricans were American citizens deserving of the same access to federal aid as Texans and Floridians. He said, ‘Yes.’ “
-Kristina Peterson and Natalie Andrews, “House Passes Disaster Relief, Puerto Rico Credit Bill,” The Wall Street Journal online, Oct. 12, 2017 05:50pm