President Joe Biden has promised to visit both Puerto Rico and Florida next week after Hurricanes Fiona and Ian both hit in the past decade.
Biden will visit Puerto Rico on Monday before traveling to Florida on Wednesday.
The White House has yet to release specific details for the visit, but Biden had previously said he expects to partially visit both locations to reassure residents that the federal government will help with the recovery effort.
Biden is set to meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in what will be the first meeting between the two since they clashed over transgender rights, abortion and immigration — all likely big issues for next month’s midterms.
The pair have managed to stay away from political attacks over the past week.
When asked by a reporter about Biden’s relationship with DeSantis, he was particularly positive
President Biden will travel to Puerto Rico with the First Lady on Monday to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona. The President is pictured Saturday night
‘Actually very well. He complimented me,” Biden said. “He thanked me for the immediate response we had. He told me how much he appreciated it. He said he’s very happy with what’s going on.
“This is not about something to do with our political differences. This is about saving lives, homes and businesses.”
DeSantis has also softened its rhetoric in recent days.
He had previously slammed federal hurricane relief as a “bondoggle” and said it was being delivered with a “put on the credit card” mentality.
However, last week, in Florida’s hour of need, DeSantis turned to the federal government for help.
“You know, when people are fighting for their lives, when their very existence is at stake, when they’ve lost everything – if you can’t put politics aside for that, then you just won’t be able to,” the governor said.
Hurricane Ian swamped communities across the state, knocking out power and forcing people into emergency shelters, with the death toll standing at 77 as of Saturday night.
Biden will meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, pictured Friday, in the first meeting between the two since the clash over transgender rights, abortion and immigration — all likely big issues for next month’s midterms
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis posted a photo on October 1, 2022 with the caption: Today I met with Marta whose home was destroyed and who was rescued by one of our flood vehicles. Damage from #HurricaneIan flooding spans across the state, but our people are resilient.’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted: I was back in Lee County today working with local officials and volunteers to get Florida residents back on their feet. Stay strong – we will get through this
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis surveys the damage in Lee County
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted, “WaffleHouse is one of the first restaurants in Charlotte County to reopen and offer hot meals as we work together to serve Floridas post #HurricaneIan. Thank you for providing meals for the line workers working to restore power.’
DeSantis was pictured in Lee County, home of Fort Myers and the epicenter of the hurricane’s devastation on Florida’s Gulf Coast. There were 35 deaths after county officials waited a day longer than other nearby areas to issue evacuation orders
Lee County, home of Fort Myers and the epicenter of the hurricane’s devastation on Florida’s Gulf Coast, has seen 35 deaths after county officials waited a day longer than other nearby areas to issue evacuation orders.
Additional deaths were reported in Charlotte, Volusia, Sarasota, Lake, Collier and Manatee counties.
The deaths reported in Florida were mostly due to drowning, with others suffering different fates from the tragic aftermath of the storm.
An elderly couple died after their oxygen equipment turned off due to a power outage, authorities said.
Biden said the storm could end up as the “deadliest hurricane in Florida history.”
Biden said he will meet with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when he visits Florida.
This aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris from Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers
Biden and DeSantis spoke prior to the hurricane’s impact and again Thursday morning as the focus came on the destruction.
Ian made landfall in the United States as one of the strongest hurricanes of all time.
The storm swamped homes on Florida’s shores, cut the only bridge to a offshore island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out power to 2.67 million homes and businesses.
Biden said DeSantis, with whom he has fallen out politically, is “extremely pleased” with the federal response. The President said: “This is not about something to do with our political differences. This is about saving lives, homes and businesses.”
Jake Moses, 19, left, and Heather Jones, 18, of Fort Myers, explore a portion of destroyed Fort Myers Beach businesses after Hurricane Ian
Biden said he’s also spoken to several Florida mayors and delivered the same message about the federal government’s commitment to helping with the cleanup and rebuilding: “We’re here.”
“We will do everything we can to provide them with everything they need,” Biden said, adding his instruction to them is to call him directly at the White House with their needs. “You know how to do it.”
Biden also spoke to the people of Puerto Rico who are cleaning up and trying to rebuild after Hurricane Fiona devastated the U.S. island territory before Ian struck Florida on Wednesday.
“I am committed to you and to the island’s restoration,” he said. ‘We didn’t go away.’
Preliminary assessments show that Hurricane Fiona has damaged 50% of transmission lines and distribution feeders across Puerto Rico as hundreds of thousands are left without power or water nearly two weeks after the storm hit.
Damaged boats and debris pile up along the shore in Fort Myers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in this aerial photo
GoV .
The situation has angered and angered many already affected by power outages attributed to Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that destroyed the island’s power grid in September 2017.
Hurricane Fiona struck the southwestern region of Puerto Rico on September 18 as a Category 1 storm.
“We live in a state of eternal fragility,” said Puerto Rico Assemblyman Mariana Nogales.
Luma, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of electricity in Puerto Rico, had promised that power would be restored to 90% of its customers in areas not badly affected by the storm by Friday. In hard-hit areas, officials have said they could restore power to 90% of customers by next Thursday.
“I want more,” said Pierluisi.
View of a damaged bridge after Hurricane Fiona struck Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico last month
Officials have not said when the entire island could have electricity.
The ongoing blackout has forced businesses like grocery stores and gas stations to close temporarily and prevented hundreds of schools from opening.
In addition, 16 state medical clinics and seven dialysis centers still work with generators.
Last week, the Puerto Rico-based think tank Center for a New Economy said Puerto Rico was already extremely vulnerable before Fiona, with only 30% of permanent recovery work started in connection with 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
“Basically, nothing has been done to strengthen the power grid and other critical infrastructure or increase their resilience,” the center said.
“The damage caused by Hurricane Fiona will certainly add another layer of complexity to what was already a difficult and complicated endeavor.”
View of a home washed away by Hurricane Fiona at Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Wednesday September 21