President Joe Biden assured the people of Puerto Rico Monday that “all of America is with you” as the island grapples with the damage from Hurricane Fiona.
‘We came here in person to show we’re with you. All of America is with you as you conceive, recover and rebuild,” he said during a visit to Ponce, Puerto Rico, with First Lady Jill Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Biden vowed to bring quick relief to the island, where tens of thousands of people still lack electricity, after Fiona struck the island on September 18.
“We’re working together to help rebuild Puerto Rico, and I mean rebuild everything. And rebuild it in a resilient way so that when the storms come back you know what they’re going to do, they don’t have the damage they did before,” he said.
He said he was “confident” he could honor Gov. Pedro Pierluisi’s request to extend the declaration of a major disaster by 180 days.
Power has been restored to approximately 90% of the US territory, home to 3.2 million people, 44% of whom live below the poverty line. But that leaves about 137,000 without power.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Bide receive a briefing from Puerto Rico’s Gov. Pedro Pierluisi about Hurricane Fiona during their visit to Ponce
President Biden pledged $60 million in funding to help the island territory during his visit to First Lady Jill Biden
‘We came here in person to show we’re with you. All of America is with you,” President Biden said in his remarks — First Lady Jill Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell listen
Jill Biden helped volunteers pack supplies for those in need after Hurricane Fiona hit the island on September 18
Jill Biden helps pack groceries during a stop at a volunteer center
Meanwhile, Jill Biden joined volunteers in packing bags of supplies when the Bidens visited a volunteer center at a local school.
At the center, groceries and household goods — 10-pound bags of yellow onions, confectionery, garlic, juices, rice, nuts, ground corn, chickpeas and cases of bottled water — were collected in white plastic bags and lined up on long tables covered with red and blue tablecloths .
En route to this stop, the Bidens’ motorcade saw some protesters as it drove through Ponce. “Biden Go Home,” read one sign.
But the president told the crowd in his remarks he feels an infinity with the territory, noting that his home state of Delaware has a large minority population, including Puerto Ricans. Wilmington, Del. has a large Puerto Rican population, as does the nearby city of Philadelphia.
“I’m from a small state — a small state of Delaware,” Biden said. “But we have – relatively speaking – a large Puerto Rican population in Delaware – relative to our population.”
“I kind of grew up in the Puerto Rican community as I’m at home politically. And so we came here for a long time, both for business and pleasure,” he said of his family.
Jill Biden helps fill and stack supplies
Grocery and household items — 10-pound bags of yellow onions, candy, garlic, canned juice, rice, nuts, ground corn, chickpeas and cases of bottled water — were collected for Jill Biden and other volunteers to pack
Jill Biden helps pack groceries during the Bidens’ visit to Puerto Rico
President Joe Biden wipes face before remarks; It was 85 degrees on the island with dark clouds overhead when another storm threatened to roll in
And more bad weather may be on the way, a fact Biden was aware as he spoke.
“I don’t want the headline to be ‘Biden Brings Storm to Puerto Rico,'” he joked. “So I might have to cut that down a bit.”
Dark clouds gathered over him as he spoke. Thunder could be heard in the distance and lightning cracked in the sky.
During his visit, Biden announced $60 million in funding to help the island territory.
The money provided by last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill will help Puerto Rico shore up levees, strengthen flood walls and create a new flood warning system so the island is better prepared for future storms.
“We need to make sure Puerto Rico is ready when the next hurricane hits,” he said.
Fiona caused catastrophic flooding, destroyed roads and bridges, and triggered more than 100 landslides when it struck Puerto Rico on September 18. At least two people died after being swept away by floods and several others were killed in accidents related to the use of candles or generator during the island-wide blackout.
Government officials have estimated the damage at around US$3 billion but warn that costs could increase significantly as evaluations progress.
Biden blamed climate change for the storm’s strength and warned that more extreme weather conditions could be on the horizon.
“We know that the climate crisis and more extreme weather conditions will continue to affect this island and the United States at large. And as we rebuild, we have to make sure we’re building it to last,” he said.
Scientists at Stony University in New York found that climate change is adding up to 10% more rain to today’s hurricanes.
Biden praised the populace for their strength and steadfastness.
“Somehow the people of Puerto Rico are rising up with resilience and determination,” he said.
He had promised that the US government would not leave Puerto Rico once it begins rebuilding, five years after the stronger Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.
In his remarks, President Joe Biden praised the strength and steadfastness of Puerto Rico
President Joe Biden said he feels an infinity with the territory, noting that his home state of Delaware has a large minority population, including Puerto Ricans
President Biden is briefed on the damage from Hurricane Fiona – more than 100,000 people are left without power
A house lies in the mud after being washed away by Hurricane Fiona at Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico
Playa Salinas was flooded after Hurricane Fiona last month
Former President Donald Trump famously threw paper towel rolls into a crowd in San Juan during his 2017 visit after Hurricane Maria devastated the island’s infrastructure
Former President Donald Trump has had a long feud with the island over its funding requests and financial management. Trump suggested in 2018 that the death toll from Hurricanes Irma and Maria had been increased “to make me look as bad as possible.”
Trump visited San Juan in 2017 after Hurricane Maria hit the island. During his visit, he famously threw paper towel rolls into the crowd.
The Bidens visit was much more low-key. The first couple received a storm damage briefing and met with families affected by the hurricane.
President Biden, leaving the White House Monday morning, said he was visiting in part because Puerto Rico hadn’t been “very well taken care of” and the people there were “trying damn to catch up with the last hurricane.”
“Puerto Ricans are strong people, but despite this, you have endured so much and more than is necessary and you did not get help in time,” he said during his speech in Puerto Rico.
On Wednesday, the President and First Lady travel to Florida, where officials are still measuring the massive impact of Hurricane Ian, with the death toll already rising to 87.