Res. No. 562-A
Title
Resolution calling on the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation that would establish a national commission on the federal response to the 2017 natural disasters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Body
By Council Member Ayala, The Speaker (Council Member Johnson) and Council Members Rivera, Salamanca, Miller, Rosenthal and Chin
Whereas, New York City has the largest Puerto Rican population of any mainland city and many New Yorkers have deep ties to the Island; and,
Whereas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are both part of the Second Federal Reserve District that is overseen by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and,
Whereas, In September 2017, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were hit by a series of natural disasters that included hurricanes, landslides and widespread flooding; and,
Whereas, The most devastating of these was Hurricane Maria; and,
Whereas, Together, these disasters destroyed more than a third of homes in Puerto Rico, knocked out power to all 3.4 million residents and contributed to the spread of disease; and,
Whereas, In the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a population of just over 100,000, the hurricanes destroyed approximately 18,500 homes and businesses; and,
Whereas, Two months after the hurricanes hit the U.S. Virgin Islands, over two thirds of the residents remained without power; and,
Whereas, Credit rating agency Moody's estimated the cost of the damage in Puerto Rico be somewhere between $45 billion and $95 billion; and,
Whereas, In addition to the devastating effects on Puerto Rico's environment, infrastructure and economy, the hurricanes caused widespread fatalities; and,
Whereas, The original death toll, which was the official tally for months, stated that only 64 fatalities were due to the hurricanes and their lingering effects; and,
Whereas, However, a recent study by researchers from the George Washin...
Click here for full text