WASHINGTON- House Speaker Paul Ryan and GOP leadership Wednesday detailed their plans to provide $36.5 billion in emergency disaster relief funding for recovery efforts from recent hurricanes and the wildfires in California.
The bill includes $5 billion to Puerto Rico, and $14 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“It’ll take time to control these (California) fires, but we’ll begin to rebuild, just as it will take time to rebuild Puerto Rico,” said Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. “This Congress will continue to work with all those who are affected.”
Ryan will visit Puerto Rico Friday to assess Hurricane Maria’s damage.
“I want to echo what Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said,” Ryan said. Our thoughts and prayers go to the people in Puerto Rico. We’re going to be doing that directly and expressing that concern on Friday.”
President Donald Trump’s administration denied lawmakers the ability to travel by federal plane last month, saying only life-supporting trips would be allowed