Senate Votes on Disaster Funding Bill Despite Continued Failure to Release Funds for Puerto Rico, Democrats Oppose

San Juan, Puerto Rico, -- Today, the Senate voted on amendments to a disaster relief bill that provides badly needed relief for flood-impacted states in the Midwest, particularly in Iowa. The Republican-led amendment did not provide adequate funding for continued recovery of Puerto Rico. The amendment was on Senator Shelby’s substitute amendment to HR 268, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, which failed with all Democrats opposed. Democrats voted no on the bill because Puerto Rico has not received the funds promised for recovery. The bill has become a flashpoint for debate over reported remarks from Donald Trump that indicate that approved disaster relief funding has been held back from Puerto Rico.

In response, Sierra Club environmental justice organizer for Sierra Club de Puerto Rico, Adriana Gonzalez, issued the following statement:

“If you fly into San Juan, you can see that our city is still held together with blue FEMA tarps instead of real roofs. Sierra Club members raised over a million dollars for immediate relief to communities impacted by Hurricane Maria, because the federal government’s response was so inadequate. Eighteen months after Hurricane Maria, aid money is being withheld and communities on the island are still struggling to rebuild. Thank you to the Senate Democrats who voted no today. Democrats are working to ensure that communities in Puerto Rico are not left behind and that the island receives the aid promised. We stand in solidarity with all the communities across the Midwest and other parts of the country who need disaster relief just like Puerto Rico.”