Trump again objects to aid for Puerto Rico in disaster dispute

With the House ready to vote later this week on a $17 billion disaster relief bill from Democrats for victims of hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, President Donald Trump on Monday made clear again that he thinks too much money has gone to help Puerto Rico recover from severe hurricane damage in 2017, a dispute which has held up Senate action on billions in relief money for several months.

On Twitter Monday, the President again incorrectly said that Congress had given Puerto Rico $91 billion in aid - lawmakers have approved $41 billion in aid for Puerto Rico for hurricane damage in 2017 - and of that amount, only about $13 billion has actually been sent to the U.S. island by the Trump Administration.

"Now the Democrats are saying NO Relief to...Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and others unless much more money is given to Puerto Rico," the President wrote on Twitter, as his allies in the Senate tried to pin the blame on Democrats.

"It’s been 208 days since Hurricane Michael devastated Florida’s Panhandle and Southwest Georgia and a disaster funding bill is still in limbo," said Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and David Perdue (R-GA) in a letter to Senate Democrats, in which they urged action on a relief bill.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/blog/jamie-dupree/trump-again-objects-aid-for-puerto-rico-disaster-dispute/QEfkPya8tzvRx5swCGa0mI/