CRISIS/DEMS/PUERTO RICO: “Democratic lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech glossed over the grim reality that at least 3 million of Puerto Ricans are facing.
In his 80-minute speech, Trump acknowledged Puerto Ricans when he expressed solidarity toward those affected by the floods, fires and storms that hit the country in the past year… But the lawmakers said he failed to give Puerto Ricans hope after FEMA said it was ending food and water shipments to the island.
‘Not even a mention on PR and FEMA will stop providing food and water tomorrow. We are not in the Republican radar. We must double the fight,’ tweeted San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz after attending Trump’s speech.
Cruz, a member of Puerto Rico’s Popular Democratic Party, joined other lawmakers in calling out Trump for what they say is the President’s failure to adequately address the crisis in the commonwealth in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria…
Hours before Trump’s speech, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had announced plans of halting new shipments of food and water to the island… FEMA is cutting off shipments Wednesday. More than four months have passed since the hurricane battered Puerto Rico but nearly half a million power utility customers remain without electricity and some areas have no water or even supplies of milk, local officials said.”
–Nicole Chavez, “Lawmakers say speech proves Trump doesn’t care about Puerto Rico crisis,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Jan. 31, 2018 10:27am