House Speaker Paul Ryan pledged Tuesday that federal aid was coming for Puerto Rico, where a dire humanitarian crisis has developed after two devastating hurricanes.
“They need our help and are going to get our help,” Ryan announced following a closed-door meeting with Republicans on Tuesday.
Democrats have begun criticizing President Trump’s response to the crisis in Puerto Rico, and suggest that he is not moving fast enough to deliver aid to the devastated U.S. territory. The island lacks electricity and sufficient supplies of food and water.
Ryan said Trump is assessing the damage and need for assistance and plans to deliver a request to Congress, which must pass all supplemental federal aid.
Ryan said Puerto Rico will receive an aid package comparable to Florida and Texas, where Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damages.
“Right now this is a rescue mission,” Ryan said of Puerto Rico. “When we get the information we need from the administration we will be doing more to help.”
