Local Group Calling On Federal Officials To Increase Help For Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A local group is calling on federal officials to increase support and help for the people of Puerto Rico following this year's hurricanes.
"Unidos Pa PR" is a group of local elected officials and activists who have come together to help the people of Puerto Rico recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
"Locally we've raised over $300,000, adopted 2,000 families, but more importantly we are an aggressive campaign to lobby congress to help Puerto Rico," said Philadelphia council woman Maria Quinones-Sanchez.
Quinones-Sanchez says in their letter, they're asking congress to prioritize relief funding for the island and to make health care accessible to all Puerto Ricans.
"This is a tragedy, I am embarrassed as an American the lack of response and urgency by the United States government to see what's going on in Puerto Rico," she said.
Quinones-Sanchez says the current tax bill in congress unfairly taxes goods and income tax in Puerto Rico.
"You can't pass a tax bill that further hurts Puerto Rico, given its rebuild conditions right now," said Quinones-Sanchez.
