Story highlights
The House is expected to approve a $29 billion disaster relief package this week
A congressional delegation is expected to visit with local officials and responders
House Speaker Paul Ryan will lead a bipartisan delegation visiting Puerto Rico on Friday, according to the speaker’s office.
Ryan will travel to the island with House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey and Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the top Democrat on the panel. Puerto Rico’s sole representative in Congress, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers also will be part of the congressional delegation.
The House of Representatives is expected to approve a $29 billion disaster relief package later this week that includes aid for victims in Puerto Rico, as well as resources for those in Texas, Florida and the US Virgin Islands still recovering from Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey.
The delegation is expected to visit with local officials and emergency responders and hold a news conference on the island, according to a senior House GOP leadership aide.
Last week, the speaker met with González-Colón in Ryan’s office to discuss the situation on the ground, according to the aide.
The speaker visited both Texas and Florida after they were hit with hurricanes Harvey and Irma and he has publicly committed that Congress would work with the Trump administration to provide emergency funding to those areas struggling with extensive flooding and infrastructure damage. The vote this week is on a second installment of federal money for those recovering from natural disasters, and another package is likely to be needed before the end of the year.