Meng Visits Puerto Rico to Assess Hurricane Recovery Efforts

Meng Puerto Rico Photo 1
January 27, 2018
Press Release

Congresswoman sees devastation first-hand; visits with residents and officials and renews call for increased aid to the island

QUEENS, NY – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) late last night returned from Puerto Rico where she spent the past two days (Thursday and Friday) assessing recovery efforts from damage caused by Hurricane Maria.
Meng received briefings on rebuilding, toured damaged and impacted facilities, spoke with local residents and met with officials from Puerto Rico and the U.S. government.
Meng visited the island in her capacity as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for funding all federal agencies, programs, and projects within the United States.
"More than four months after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, the island continues to struggle with efforts to recover and rebuild," said Meng. "During my visit, I saw the devastation first-hand and spoke with local residents about the conditions that they've been forced to endure. Puerto Rico continues to need help and assistance. Many still have no power; damage remains to property and infrastructure; and people continue to suffer."
"The funding that has been provided to Puerto Rico is woefully inadequate," Meng added. "As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to do all I can to ensure that our fellow Americans receive the aid they need. We cannot forget or ignore the struggles that our brothers and sisters on the island continue to endure. I want to thank all the residents and officials I met with, particularly San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, a strong and dedicated leader who continues to stand up for the people of San Juan and Puerto Rico. I also want to thank the hundreds of federal employees in Puerto Rico who are working tirelessly while away from their loved ones for weeks or months at a time, as well as the many volunteers and those who donated supplies."
Meng's itinerary included:
  • A helicopter tour of damage caused by Hurricane Maria in which Meng saw temporary blue roofs that have been installed on the tops of houses, destroyed solar panels and wind turbines that had their blades blown off.
  • Visit to the FEMA Joint Field Office, the centralized location where hundreds of FEMA staff and teams from other agencies work together to support Hurricane Maria recovery. During the visit, Meng met with various personnel and received infrastructure and hurricane response-recovery briefings from officials at FEMA and the Department of Health and Human Services. Officials included Don Boyce, Michael Byrne and Thomas Von Essen, all former officials from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). Von Essen previously served as FDNY Commissioner.
  • Visit to HealthproMed, a community health center that provides primary care services to low-income patients. HealthproMed offers medical, dental, mental health, and substance abuse services to patients—all of whom live at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Meeting with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz to discuss recovery efforts. Meng met with the mayor at the site where relief supplies are stored. Many of these supplies are donations that were sent in by New Yorkers.
  • Visit to Hospital Centro Medico, the largest public hospital on the island. Meng toured the hospital's facilities and received an update on the island's health care needs from Dr. Rafael Rodríguez-Mercado, Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health.
  • Trip to the San Agustín Elementary School where Meng spoke with students and teachers and heard about local education needs.
  • Tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Dengue Branch and Lab where Meng received a briefing on disaster response efforts including infectious disease prevention and disease surveillance, safe water, mold, and other public health issues. Meng also received an update on the ongoing response to the Zika virus.
Meng traveled to Puerto Rico with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), her colleague on the Appropriations Committee and the Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.
Meng Puerto Rico Photo 2.jpeg
Attached photos:
  1. Meng Puerto Rico Photo 1: Meng meeting with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. Also pictured: Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.
  1. Meng Puerto Rico Photo 2: Photo Meng snapped of destroyed solar farm during helicopter tour.