Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after the Senate passed, on a vote of 85-8, a $19.1 billion disaster aid package for Americans impacted by natural disasters in Puerto Rico, and throughout the country.
“As a United States Senator one of my first duties is to act on legislation that provides aid and recovery funding to communities devastated by natural disasters. From one of the worst wildfire seasons in the west, to one of the worst hurricane seasons along the Gulf Coast and in the Caribbean, American communities have waited for far too long for help. I’m proud to vote for bipartisan legislation that includes funding for Puerto Rico to recover and rebuild from hurricanes Irma and Maria, and that finally brings much needed relief to communities recovering from natural disasters all across the United States.”
BACKGROUND:
In February, Senators Cortez Masto and Menendez sent a letter to Senate and House appropriators calling on Congress to include disaster relief funding for Puerto Rico in any supplemental disaster assistance package.