US Islands Ask Federal Government for Help in Wake of Disasters

Leaders of U.S. territories including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands asked the federal government on Tuesday for more help in their efforts to recover from a deadly 2017 hurricane season, saying federal funds have been denied or released too slowly to help rebuild schools, roads and hospitals as another hurricane season approaches. Governors for both Caribbean territories told a Senate committee in Washington, D.C. that the U.S. government is no longer fully funding debris removal, demolition of unsafe structures and other projects even though much work remains after the strikes by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.