Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. I thank our hardworking chair, Nita Lowey, for yielding me this time.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 5687, the Puerto Rico earthquake supplemental funding.

This $4.67 billion in funding is a vital lifeline for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico reeling most recently from a series of devastating earthquakes, but also still recovering from the consequential damage of 2017's massive Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Since late December, a series of quakes rattled Puerto Rico, including another magnitude 5 earthquake just this last Tuesday. Today, this body sends a powerful message to the island community: This House will not let you suffer from inaction by this administration.

Following the most powerful quake in early January, millions were left without power and running water for days. The electric grid struggled to keep up with demand. Anxiety remains high as more than 30 category 5 or higher earthquakes have hit this month. 30. Unbelievable.

As we learned from Hurricane Maria, the aftermath can prove to be even more dangerous and deadly if there is not speedy and effective action. And I want to thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and also the Ohio National Guard that has made journeys there, and other defense units that have risen to duty to protect and serve the people of our country in Puerto Rico.

This emergency supplemental will provide these hard-hit, anxiety- ridden fellow Americans and communities with strength, hope, and support to begin moving forward again. A failure to act now is not just unacceptable, it is immoral.

This bill provides the means to address current challenges inflicted on the human condition. It also includes funds to strengthen infrastructure for future mitigation.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Within my subcommittee's Energy and Water accounts, the bill provides over $21 million for the Department of Energy to provide technical assistance help restore and rebuild the electric grid in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. These funds will allow the Department and our National Labs to provide the expertise necessary to begin the repair.

Equally important is the significant financial support to meet the educational needs of island children for disaster nutrition assistance and repair all of the infrastructure.

This Nation must help destroyed communities of our fellow citizens to help them recover from these historic disasters. We never know when it will hit our own backyard.

I urge my colleagues to support this important emergency supplemental.

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