October 3, 2017

Hon. Donald J. Trump

President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump:

We are writing as state and local elected officials from around the country to add our voices in
calling attention to the grave humanitarian crisis currently occurring in Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands (USVI) and in demanding that the Federal Government act immediately to deploy
additional resources to the islands, lengthen the Jones Act suspension period, and expand the local
match waiver for FEMA funds.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria have created a crisis unlike anything Puerto Rico and the USVI have ever
faced and it requires an unprecedented response. Nearly the entirety of these islands is without
power, hospitals are closed or unable to fully care for patients, the telecommunications system is
devastated, and millions of U.S. citizens are living without access to food and water. The people of
Puerto Rico and the USVI cannot wait one more day for relief.

While there is certainly a FEMA and Department of Defense (DOD) presence in Puerto Rico and the
USVI, it is increasingly clear that resources are simply not reaching the people quickly enough. This
is undoubtedly a highly complex relief operation, with severe limitations on transportation both to
and within the island. For this reason, we join the call made by Congresswoman Nydia Velzquez
and 144 other Members of Congress for an immediate deployment of additional assets to both Puerto
Rico and the USVI, which have also suffered unspeakable damage. Additional DOD assets can help
centralize logistics, deliver food and supplies to remote areas, and provide additional security.

Puerto Rico was already experiencing a serious financial crisis before Hurricanes Irma and Maria
struck. In the midst of the current emergency, it is unthinkable to ask Puerto Rico to provide the
required local match for FEMA funding after 180 days, as the Administration has proposed. Doing
so will only divert resources away from the recovery where they are most needed. We again join our
voices to the request from Congressional leaders to extend the length of this waiver to at least one
year and to include non-emergency federal assistance.
We are encouraged that the Administration has finally heeded bipartisan calls to suspend the Jones
Act. However, a 10-day period is simply not long enough. The Jones Act already had harmful
effects on Puerto Ricos economy even before Maria and Irma struck. Recovery from these
hurricanes will unquestionably take months, if not years. We support the recommendation by
Congresswoman Velzquez to extend this suspension to at least one year and believe that actions
should be taken to exempt Puerto Rico altogether from this antiquated law.

We must do everything humanly possible to reach every corner of Puerto Rico and the USVI with
food and supplies, as we also grapple with the desperately needed restoration of power to the island.
The lives of 3.5 million U.S. citizens are hanging in the balance.

Sincerely,

Melissa Mark-Viverito Steven Cymbrowitz Luis R. Seplveda

NYC Council Speaker NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member

Pamela Harris Edward C. Braunstein Michael G. Miller

NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member

Rebecca A. Seawright Jo Anne Simon David I. Weprin

NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member

Linda B. Rosenthal Matthew Titone Mark Gjonaj

NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member

Walter T. Mosley Brian Kavanagh Michael A. Blake

NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member NYS Assembly Member

Jos M. Serrano Julissa Ferreras-Copeland Brad Lander

NYS Senator NYC Council Member NYC Council Member
Ydanis Rodriguez Daniel Dromm Jimmy Van Bramer
NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Margaret S. Chin Paul Vallone Elizabeth S. Crowley

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Chaim M. Deutsch Ben Kallos I. Daneek Miller

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Daniel R. Garodnick Peter A. Koo Deborah Rose

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Jumaane D. Williams Barry Grodenchik Mark Treyger

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Rosie Mendez Carlos Menchaca Stephen T. Levin

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Ritchie J. Torres Annabel Palma Vanessa L. Gibson

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member
Donovan Richards, Jr. Mark Levine Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Antonio Reynoso Corey Johnson Bill Perkins

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Rafael L. Espinal, Jr. Fernando Cabrera James Vacca

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member

Helen Rosenthal Costa Constantinides Elizabeth Glidden

NYC Council Member NYC Council Member Minneapolis City Council
Member

Carlos Gonzlez Leslie Pool Thomas M. Roach, Jr.

Massachusetts State Austin City Council Mayor of White Plains, New
Representative Member York

Helen Gym Brian Cummins Ann Kitchen

Philadelphia City Council Cleveland City Council Austin City Council Member
Member Member
Robin Kniech Bill Henry Gregorio Casar
Denver City Council Baltimore City Council Austin City Council Member
Member Member

Lisa Herbold Delia Garza Colby Sledge

Seattle City Council Member Austin City Council Member Nashville Metropolitan
Council Member

Francena Amparo Thomas J. Clarke II Mara Quiones Snchez

Dutchess County Legislator Hartford City Council Philadelphia City Council
President Member