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Graham asks Congressional delegation to support Puerto Rico recovery funding

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham has written to each of Florida's two senators and twenty-seven congressional representatives asking them to support relief and recovery funding for our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands to help the islands rebuild after being hit by massive hurricanes Irma and Maria.

"Through Hurricane Irma and the recovery, we have seen the very best of Floridians: neighbors helping each other prepare for the storm, families sharing food in shelters, National Guardsmen working to help us rebuild," Graham wrote. "Just as we helped our neighbors in Florida, we must now stand with our neighbors in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, who just days after enduring Hurricane Irma, have been hit by Hurricane Maria, another devastating storm."

Graham said with more than one million Puerto Ricans living in Florida, today, our state shares a special bond with the island. The letters detailed the number of Puerto Ricans living in each congressional district, from an estimated 11,238 in the First Congressional District represented by Congressman Matt Gaetz to 186,492 living in the Ninth Congressional District represented by Congressman Darren Soto.

"We have a responsibility to those Floridians to ensure their families and loved ones receive the help they desperately need," Graham wrote.

CLICK HERE FOR GRAHAM'S LETTERS TO THE DELEGATION MEMBERS

In addition to recovery funding, Graham asked the delegation to consider the plight of young DACA recipients from Carribean nations as they debate the program's extension. Florida ranks much higher than the national average in Carribean DACA applicants.

"I also hope as Congress debates the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, you will keep in mind many of Florida’s DACA applicants are from Caribbean countries which now face greater humanitarian challenges after the storms," she wrote.

With the power out across Puerto Rico, the full extent of damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria on the island is unknown, but the road to full recovery could take years.

"We have yet to see the full effects of Hurricane Maria on the islands, but know that Puerto Rico’s entire power system was knocked out, countless homes were destroyed and American lives were lost," Graham wrote. "I implore you to fight for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands' recovery funding as you would for Florida or any other state facing such calamity."

Gwen Graham, Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico

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