AFSCME President Lee Saunders issued the following statement calling on President Trump and Congress
to act on hurricane relief to Puerto Rico: “3.5 million American citizens have been abandoned by their president and Congress during their greatest time of need. Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico nearly a week ago, and the situation has grown worse every day since then. The people of Puerto Rico are American citizens with the same rights and privileges as any mainland resident and they cannot wait a minute longer for Washington to act. No legislative or political priority is more important than addressing this rapidly escalating crisis, and the fact that tax cuts, health care repeal efforts, and socially divisive rants have taken priority over the lives of Puerto Ricans in the recent days is utterly unacceptable.
“Thousands of working and retired AFSCME members are among those struggling to survive and rebuild their communities. We call on the president and Congress to act immediately and without delay to move financial and material assistance that meets Puerto Rico’s needs. This cannot wait.”
