Letter to the Hon. Rob Bishop, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman - Natural Resources Democrats Demand Hearing on Puerto Rico

Letter

Dear Chairman Bishop:

A Harvard study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine has raised serious questions about the Puerto Rican government's reporting of Hurricane Maria-related deaths. Where official estimates suggested that fewer than 70 deaths had occurred, the Harvard findings now indicate a minimum of 4,645 deaths can be attributed to the hurricane and its aftermath. This staggering loss of American life and the significant variance from officially-reported figures points to the need for further oversight. We therefore respectfully request that our Committee conduct a hearing before the August recess to properly evaluate this newly-available information as well as to assess the urgent needs that remain in Puerto Rico.

As you know, Hurricane Maria represents the third costliest storm in the United States since 1900 with over $90 billion in damage. As we have recently learned, thousands of Puerto Ricans may have lost their lives because of insufficient access to transportation, electricity, and medical care in the months following the hurricane -- a death toll that could have been considerably reduced with a more robust and timely federal response.

With hurricane season now upon us, time is of the essence. It is imperative that our country learn from this trying experience and gather any lessons for future planning. Further, it is our responsibility to be honest about the shortcomings of the Trump Administration's response to this disaster, provide answers to the Puerto Rican people, and take immediate steps to correct any outstanding inadequacies. A timely hearing would contribute to each of these aims.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,