Harrisburg – October 3, 2017 – A Senate resolution urging the President and Congress to make emergency financial assistance available for Puerto Rico as it seeks to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria was introduced today by state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia).
“Hurricane Maria left a trail of death and destruction in its wake,” Tartaglione said. “The federal government must move swiftly and bring resources to the island to relieve suffering and despair.
“There are American citizens in need of our help. They are depending on an effective government response.”
Tartaglione, along with resolution co-sponsors Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Judy Schwank (D-Berks), gave speeches on the Senate floor in support of the aid for Puerto Rico, which is called for in Senate Resolution 211.
In her floor speech, Tartaglione said that the debt crisis had already strained the island’s infrastructure and its resources were spread thin and now the hurricane has made those problems exponentially worse.
“We have all seen the horrific images of the devastation,” Tartaglione said. “We are urging that emergency financial resources are swiftly made available to assist the residents of Puerto Rico so they may return to their normal everyday lives.”
Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the number of Puerto Ricans who live in the United States, with one-third residing in Philadelphia.
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