[inaudible]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] good morning. my name is frank and then the presidency a of the federation. you all for coming today. i want to thank their friends and champions the members of

congress who are here today. thank you so much. i also want to acknowledge the people who could not be here today with us. puerto ricans who will that you will not get to meet. sadly they were prevented from coming because once again hurricane fiona is struck the island almost 75 years to the day hurricane marina cause dire devastation. the reason we were gathering here today was to talk about five years ago when maria hit the island. the people of puerto rico have said they were still for mobile with damaged infrastructure for libel power in their nightmare to place. hurricane fiona. still too soon to know the full extent of the damage or loss of life caused by hurricane fiona. we will only learn that in the

days to come. but we do know hurricane maria the loss of life continues after the hurricane large because people did not have access to electricity which powered their dialysis machines are kept their insulin cold or they could not travel to get medical care or because hospitals did not have electricity to treat patients. we also know what we have been saying for years is true that five years after hurricane maria puerto rico's infrastructure was not going to be able to withstand the next hurricane. sadly we were right. once again the entire island lost power after complete out on sunday. we know only approximately 164,000 households have a look or a city and that's in a

population of 3 million, 89% of households are without power in more than 66% are without access to drinkable water. right after hurricane maria staff stefan office were happy to report their team and their families are safe. they have been tirelessly working in preparation for hurricane fiona. they have 11,000 solar -- in the days leading to the hurricane and as soon as it's safe to be back on the roads they will be at our warehouse in the delivery of another 20,000 solar lamps and other emergency supplies to our more than 100 partners community-based organizations around the island. we also delivered power generators to some of the islands more vulnerable patients on dialysis. we they plan to distribute more in the days to come.

we have also immediately launched $100,000 emergency response for the most vulnerable on the island for a community-based organization that was created five years ago when local government collapsed and the trump administration failed the people of puerto rico. organization stepped in to care for them to feed the hungry and provide support in the midst of so much despair. we hope that people across the country will support these efforts so that we can do more because we know. i'm happy to say the puerto puerto rico central government's response is working much better this time and some lessons have been learned however depending on which community we are looking at we have needs to being safe to die or specially the most vulnerable and for

residents who were still living under -- are waiting for their homes to be repaired from hurricane maria. no matter how effective government response is we will always need community-based organizations to reach the most vulnerable. one of our main tasks is to facilitate the delivery of aid and money on the ground who in many cases can provide and supply the needs of the human aid factor and more efficiently than government is able to. our top take action policy priority continues to be to push congress and the administration to use federal dollars wisely to build a resilient puerto rico. the island has received the largest grant in fema history, over $12 billion to rebuild its energy grid.

congress should use its oversight to ensure the money is being invested that will help puerto rico reach their own set goals of 100% renewable energy by 2080. plans are being put forward by a private company and an energy company loma continuing to invest in and keeping puerto rico independent of fossil fuel. congress and the biden administration must put a stop to it. the home study found energy can meet 85% of puerto rican households energy needs yet it's keeping them from becoming a reality. one small example of solar systems can make partners and

qualified health clinics across puerto rico. yesterday we were able to reach centers and confirmed the systems are functioning and emergency and critical services are fully operational despite no power from the electric grid. this is why we say soler saves lives. we are able to continue to bring together people for where innocent levers and take action five years after hurricane maria devastated that impetus includes a just and sustainable recovery and an end to the discrimination by federal government and return to democratic self governance for puerto rico by putting an end to the financial oversight and management for puerto rico. now i want to introduce a great friend of the federation had champion of puerto rico minority

leader. >> thank you franqui and it's good to be here. i once again want to thank you frankly -- franqui for the federation and all your efforts and the great job you are doing bringing the supplies and generators to those who desperately needed the most most. this is so important. you for what you are doing. this had been planned before fiona. they were supposed to be here today tomorrow, the fifth anniversary of hurricane maria a devastating weather event. the deadliest national -- natural disaster and a u.s. territory. not second, not third, the deadliest. as many of you remember maria exposed the weaknesses of the infrastructure on the island and the callousness of the federal

response by the trump administration. despite the disdain and ineptitude of previous administrations i am glad to say that along with my colleagues here senators blumenthal and menendez in the senate and my colleagues in congress members from the house we were able to deliver $21 billion, $21 billion to our fellow citizens in puerto rico to deal with housing health care water and half of it went to power. as frankie mentioned, $12 billion. let me say this. according to gao about $21 billion, only 2% of the money 2% of the island was ordered devastated by maria and laid it opened even more devastation by fiona.

is that outrageous? in large part that was due to the trump administration's callousness in an action in intransigence and it's also because of the ongoing conflict on the island for what resources ship our puerto rico and the $12 billion for giving -- getting a nuke power grid. to rebuild the grid devastated by murray and while the department of energy the department of energy the are working to support that effort the ongoing conflict between kaluma and the energy bureau have hamstrung those efforts. instead of getting power to the people instead of making it a resilient grid a locally-based grid they are fighting with each other. it's outrageous. specifically the puerto rico energy bureau has approved a plan for 40% renewable energy by

2025 and they have fought back pushing for greater use of natural gas in an island that is so susceptible to natural disasters it's ridiculous. the energy generated on the south side of dive and in using old-time cables over mountains with the hurricane hit it makes no sense. we need the power right words generated by solar energy and by rooftops. i think by non-pollution. that's what we need. a grid that reflects the call of the people that is resilient to storms because it's made up of microgrids, local grids and not hundreds of miles of power lines exposed to weather and hurricanes in -- it needs to be

resilient in the community. we need to make sure that these microgrids are just debating resources used for -- are $12 billion is used for. while climate change only make storms force we need to ensure puerto rico is increasing its resilience to extreme weather because we know it's going to be coming. that's why we pushed hard to the inflation reduction act which everyone here supports. a landmark climate bill that will help puerto rico and other communities by reducing the emissions taking storms more extreme and infrastructure investment in the jobs act and the infrastructure act which made landmark investments in resilience. unfortunately we are confronted with again with the devastating natural disaster of hurricane fiona that have left their

citizens in puerto rico without power running water and some without a roof over their heads. as of this morning for than 1 million customers on the island are without power out of a total of 1.5 million customers so it's a lot more than a million people. all of them lost power before the storm even made landfall. this situation is a disaster. enough is enough. the puerto rican energy bureau must push luma not only to restore power but to once and for all created distributed for resilient grid and we will prop them up. the two agencies cannot stand in the way once again to be seen by there will in action and the harm to the people that gone to the people of puerto rico. that's my first focus on energy but that we have to do more of course. yesterday i was on the phone to

some of my colleagues congresswoman velázquez and caught congressman espaillat. we got on the phone and we told the chief administrator and asked her that her government be ready to approve 100% car share grall emergency protective services for puerto rico for this government doesn't have the money to laid out and people are suffering and they are our fellow citizens. that means the cost for distributing food water and administer emergency medical care. i'm proud to support my colleagues in federal disaster experience and sometimes bureaucracy gets in the way the real needs of the people while ensuring that puerto rico rebuild stronger than before. as of late last week the fema disaster fund and the push for the senator menendez bhumibol and i pushed to have it flush

with money and with money and it is it has $15 billion so both on the power side leg is to the side and on the emergency relief there's enough money. it's not a money issue. it's getting the money words where it's needed in the short-term and the long-term. we also sent a letter from the new york delegation calling and fema to be ready to support a puerto rico on any requests for aid including major disaster declaration that will give long term funds needed for recovery as well as response. this morning i'm joining a bicameral legislation for application for that. we have a lot more work to do and we need to get the dollars out and get them out quickly to help puerto rico at 25% in the long-term to make sure these dollars are used to build the

modern grid system so we are no longer coming back here after hurricane saying half the people of puerto rico don't have power. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you senator schumer very much for your leadership and for expressing what so many of us believe. we are going to move to her next speaker senator kirsten gillibrand another leader in the fight to help the island and help the people recover from maria and in the efforts now. >> thank you. i want to thank the federation and the leadership for putting the spotlight to make sure it takes action at. advocating is not advocating that ever elected leader standing with me today feels as strongly as i do and we won't

stop until relief is granted but it could have sent it better than senate majority leader schumer. he's exactly right now is the time to act. the federal government has to do its job. the federal government has to help the people of puerto rico survive, recover and rebuild and rebuild stronger and rebuild better and rebuild in a more resilient way. i'm very grateful for the senators that are here senator blumenthal senator menendez for their continued leadership for puerto rico want to thank the members of congress that are here that i've also worked tirelessly to make a difference and i want to thank the media for always being at the forefront of the needs of the people of puerto rico, for always being the ones to call me and asked me for help. today we were initially supposed to be here to mark the tiger anniversary of maria. that was the purpose of us getting together.

now we are here asking for more aid, more support, more help because of the devastating outcome of what's just happened over the last several days. before hurricane fiona touchdown this weekend thousands of homes in puerto rico still have nothing but a tattered lieu tarp is a roof. can you imagine what it would be like to live without a roof over your head to exit some acceptable. the government had only completed 21% of more than 5500 official viaducts and only five of the island 78 municipalities said at least half of the project had been completed. following the devastation of maria has forced many families to leave puerto rico. it left thousands of those there were still there in jeopardy for the next hurricane, the next earthquake, the next drought, the next flood.

now the hurricane has hit as only time will tell how devastating the outcome will be. we have 3.1 million fellow americans living in part a refill. we have two stand by them in their time of need. we have to come to their support. senator schumer and i are calling on fema to stand ready and requesting to work with the effect did areas of puerto rico to determine the damage meet statutory levels. i agree we need one of% federal support in not requiring matching funds from puerto rico places been so devastated and the underresourced for so many years. because i sit on the ag committee have introduced the bill to enable puerto rico to participate in a s.n.a.p. program. the puerto rico nutritious act active 2022 would redraft the destruction when it was excluded

from the snap her-gram in 1981. these are simple changes we have to make now to meet the needs of our porter rican brothers and sisters. i stand ready to fight for them. [applause] >> thank you so much for that. that is the passion and the leadership that we need to see today for puerto rico. there was no one more passionate in congress than the first puerto rican woman elected to congress who left an important committee hearing to be with us today so without further ado i'd like to introduce congresswoman velázquez. >> good morning everyone. thank you. it's a difficult time for all of us. for prager pretends in puerto rico and the rican diaspra here on the mainland.

a year ago we stayed here discussing murrieta. a year ago i said the porter rican power grid was not where it needed to be. i warned that not even a category 1 would lead to a collapse of the power grid and here we are today. we have sent a lot of letters and that had a meeting with schumer and i also met with the speaker. we have been asking what needed to be asked in terms of financial aid. we have two issues here. one is we must recognize the responsibility of the federal government because puerto rico's

economy and the federal government has a responsibility not only to say you deal with it but the lack of oversight to agencies regarding the use in puerto rico and because of that today 89.5% of the porter 10 people have no elect the city. they have no water. i don't know how many people it died, we don't know how many lives will be lost as a result of fiona. i am asking the u.s. congress to pass a supplemental to provide assistance that puerto rico needs. we do not yet have much. it has to be provided.

we are just waiting for the governor puerto rico to sign a damage assessment but in the meantime fema is responding in the difference between this time and last time is a president that immediately instruct fema to put better assets on the ground. and because of that we have saved lives in puerto rico. but we need to do much more and let me just say this. to the government of puerto rico and senator schumer is correct, we need to put on all the pressure to make sure puerto rico moves from fossil fuel to a more resilient energy source.

.. the electrical grid is failing. one year ago, as i said i stood here and i warned the federal government and the people of puerto rico, time and again. even before the storm, puerto rico has been left in the dark. we must hold them accountable.

we need a sustainable climate resilient electrical future for puerto rico. today i'm introducing a house resolution along with senator bob menendez to honor the 3000 plus lives lost to maria and reaffirm the commitment to the people of puerto rico. the more the commitment is the recognition of the responsibility that we have with the people of puerto rico. we must act. we each do proper oversight the people of puerto rico's provided will provide the kind of future terms of policy it's about

equity. equal resources that we do in the united states the puerto rican people are american citizens living in puerto rico deserve nothing less. thank you. [applause] checks and give congresswoman the standing here care about puerto rico's next two speakers center blumenthal from the great state of connecticut and senator menendez thank you. >> thank you. thank you two congresswoman for her eloquence. thank you senators schumer have been great champions. into my colleague senator

menendez who has been the forefront of this fight. into the hispanic federation, thank you. thank you miranda and everyone. but most of all i want to recognize the courage and strength of the people of puerto rico. i visited puerto rico very soon after maria. and i expected to find people in despair, without hope. the people of puerto rico have courage, and resilience, and strength that is beyond words. into them i i want to say you are not alone. we are going to have your back. the time of throwing paper towels and counting it as action is over. we are going to demand real action from the federal government. not just rhetoric but rebuilding and recovery. and to the people of america, it let me just say we have an

obligation to our fellow americans. the time for second-class citizenship for the people of puerto rico is also over. they are our neighbors, our friends in connecticut, new york, new jersey and around the country. the puerto rican community friends, neighbors, family in puerto rico are going through indescribable suffering. i have seen it after maria, after the tornado, the earthquakes that occurred. i visited puerto rico many, many times. and i just admire the strength and resilience of the people of puerto rico. we need to meet a major declaration now. we need that 15 billion provided to puerto rico, now. we need rebuilding of schools and hospitals, now. we need rebuilding of the grid. not just rebuilding in the sense

of restoring the transmission line on poles, but a different approach to powering the island. puerto rico can be at the forefront of renewable energy if we simply make the investment. that is the key word, investment in puerto rico. it has to be done now. i think having observed what happened in the wake of maria, that a lot of the fault is on fema. we have a new fema now. we have new leadership in fema. we're going to hold it accountable. we are going to do the oversight. we are going to be on fema like a hawk to make sure there is delivery. actual performance. not just rhetoric, but robust action. let me just close by saying, the

federal government provides has to be one 100%. but more than the dollars, out of the fema funds we need a real commitment to provide better tax treatments, the full snap program. medicare come all the government programs have to treat puerto rico equally. because in the long run investing in puerto rico is investing in america. and that must be a recognition that the people of the united states except proudly. the people of puerto rico have energy gifts they bring to america. this investment is the in the american tradition and interest. thank you all very much. >> thank you. [applause] ask a while, let me take off or senator blumenthal ended. you heard from three new yorkers to start the program.

this is not about new york. and it is not about connecticut, it's not about new jersey, it's not about florida. it is about you the united states of america. it is 3.12 million united states citizens who get treated differently and if they were on the mainland of the united states. and that is unacceptable. it is unacceptable. and it is on america. puerto ricans put on the uniform of the united states and have served in every conflict in its history. the most decorated military units, actually got a congressional gold medal. a gold medal means nothing if you do not treat your fellow citizens in a way that is dignity and respect. so i am glad we have many colleagues at the senate right now. one time i felt rather lonely

advocating for puerto rico. i was considered the puerto rico senator. i remember five years ago i had bipartisan should go see. and imports of the trump administration canceled my military plane to go. thinking somehow i would not go. i got myself on a flight and showed up in puerto rico. and i still have the images today. i keep them on my phone, hundreds of images of communities devastated, bridges washed out, homes that were destroyed. it reminds me every day. so while this was supposed to be a commemoration, it actually is another call to action. but this time, in addition to supporting and i am organizing an effort to support and send a clear message to the

administration for a major disaster declaration money governors puerto rico submits it. i believe the biden administration will do that. it's already shown its willingness to support puerto ricans, fellow u.s. citizens and tangible, not with paper topic but always. but it needs to support and it needs it now. but here's what it also needs. it needs congress to exercise its oversight and its effort to ensure it does not matter you appropriate disaster money if it does not end up going to the people puerto rico. if it does not trade in energy grid that is resilient so that whenever the next hurricane or natural disaster come the light stay on. the light stay on. i'm the biggest champion i was against the oversight board. i led them many filibuster on the floor that i did not think

it was right. but i've got to be honest with you. the federal government's got to get its act together bread the government of puerto rico has to exercise efforts over those energy entities to ensure really for the puerto rican people. this is all hands on deck with no finger-pointing. get the job done. i will close by saying. be honest. [speaking in native language].

[speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language].

[applause] x oh wow. it's hard to keep from crying listening to this. what is different? it is to hear such strong support in championship in the senate, in the house. it is a world away from five years ago and we appreciate it so much. were going to turn out to our champions in the house. they support a strong in both chambers. that is exactly what we need, to do what others have called for. conduct the oversight that is needed to ensure that puerto rico is able to rebuild and is not face another fiona with the result like this. i went to introduce now congressman from florida. he is on the energy and commerce committee and the natural resource committee which oversees puerto rico and the territory. thank you congressman soto.

click on this for remembrance of hurricane maria, the deadliest disaster in modern history, we pray for our brothers and sisters on the island too. we also pray for her brothers and sister in the virgin islands, the dominican republic and so many other caribbean islands that are in the path of hurricane fiona. as importantly we are committed to action. we applaud president biden for already preemptively doing an emergency declaration. and now we have multi member and multi- bicameral letters working on a major disaster relief, individual assistance. we are putting together welcome centers in central florida for for those who may need to seek refuge in central florida and

other areas. we are coming together. what a difference five years makes. when we had to fight for weeks to get any real action from the trump administration. president biden acted swiftly, preemptively, proactively to make sure that fema is putting the resources in place to save lives and to help with the recovery. we know hadn't gotten reassurances the president will also prove the request we are asking for for all the various types of relief. we also know that puerto rico could not to pay and the federal government should be paying for a one 100% including i applied all of our colleagues in the senate as well as the house to make sure we have a fema

budget/to handle these types of emergencies. the last thing i will say is this is all the more important why we continue to combat climate change. with the inflation reduction act, with the infrastructure law, where we treated puerto rico equally because these storms are going to continue to get worse. like the wildfires at westbury like the flooding in the southeast. our own state of florida knows a thing or two about hurricanes and resiliency. we got hit by hurricane irma right before hurricane maria. we stand with our brothers and sisters back on the island. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language].

[speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language].

[speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language]. [applause] >> thank you so much congressman. we have two more members of congress as well as governor representative here in washington d.c. who will be able to give us some of the latest updates. so we appreciate you being here. standing in the sun this long. although many think about what it's like in puerto rico, this is still just a beautiful day to be here. i would like to introduce congressman filed by congressman torres. [applause] >> thank you. five years later we stand here

reeling back from fiona and the damages puerto rico the dominican republic governments inability to allow the funding to get to puerto rico. it has been said here over and over again it is not a money problem. in fact the lack of will from government to make sure the dollars got there and for those dollars to be given to the needy. in fact, the population puerto rico has a decreased since hurricane maria by 4%. and that is due to a governments inability to get the dollars to puerto rico and make it work for

people. so, what we are seeing today the flooding, the massive flooding that we are seeing today in puerto rico. the collapse of the power grid, that was expected. we are seeing today in puerto rico it is directly connected to the negligence of the previous administration to allow the flow of the dollars to get to puerto rico. and so we must change that. why do that by making sure it's a full-fledged disaster, declared that way. that one had a% of the cost is picked up by the federal government. puerto rico and the puerto rican government cannot afford, five years later to pick up the massive costs that fiona has put on our budget. so it is our duty now, our responsibility to right the wrongs. there'll be no towel throwing.

there will be no cynical remarks about the puerto rican people in the future of this great island. and so i stand ready to assist you. i was there very early on during maria. i will go back to puerto rico and the dominican republic to ensure resources get there. that they have what they need. i was on a call today and was told as high as 90% of the people in puerto rico today, right now, as we speak do not have access to electricity. and 60% do not have access to water. and this is after maria. this should have been resolved and finalize long time ago. but of course we saw how bureaucracy grind its way into a halt and disallow puerto rico permitted the resources they needed to rebuild their power grid. to make sure the impact that we

see today in fiona it would not be a reality. let's work together to make sure this does not happen again. that history does not repeat itself again. [speaking in native language] [speaking in native language]. [speaking in native language].

china. >> nowhere is the legacy of maria moore painfully felt then the chronic failure of the electric grid. which has been a never ending nightmare for the people of puerto rico. every natural disaster that hurricane fiona a man disaster of widespread power outages. in the wealthiest country in the world, the united states of america the people of puerto rico and the american citizens have no electricity in the worst of times. they have affordable electricity in the best of times.

despite paying the highest electricity bills in the country. the people of puerto rico have received not one, not two, not three, seven increases in the span of a single year. the denial of an affordable and reliable electric grid to puerto rico is colonialism at its cruelest. in the federal government must leverage every tool at its disposal to cap the red tape. and to expedite the rebuilding of the power grid. which i consider the most dire infrastructure needs in the united states. there is nothing remotely comparable per the people of puerto rico deserve the same reliable electricity the rest of america takes for granted. but the issue is not only the electric grid. what a ricoh second-class grid is symptomatic of a deeper problem which is the treatment

of puerto rico as second-class citizens paid the second-class status of puerto rico. the colonization of puerto rico. and nowhere is colonialism more evident than the tyranny of the financial oversight, management board, commonly known which has stripped puerto rico of its self-governance and self-determination. i am proud to be the sponsor of the trust act which would expedite the elimination and bring us closer to restoring democracy on the island and put power back where it belongs. which is in the hands of the people and their elected representatives. thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much congressman. our next speaker the executive director of the puerto rico agency here in washington d.c.

and representative of governor. she will be followed it was with the university puerto rico resiliency law center to talk about what it is like actually living on the island during times like this. but the federal government needs to do to help people puerto rico now. >> thank you and good morning. first i like to thank all of our speakers. and all of you who are here wanting to help puerto rico for your support to make sure can get help and get support as fast as possible. another national disaster is similar to another. similar to maria. maria was a wind event with the winds as high as 200 miles per hour. but fiona has wind gusts of 100 miles per hour in the south part of the island.

but it was a rain event. we have seen flooding in puerto rico in areas that we have never seen before. i keep looking at the images we are seeing puerto rico and people surprise they lost everything. there have been not much loss of life but every life we lose because of a national disaster is not just terrible. our prayers are with all the families that are suffering in puerto rico because of the loss of life. we speak and support all of her friends and family on the island that are without power and without water. two administrations are not equal. we are seeing the difference in the administration the biden-harris and president biden. they are there puerto rico. they have the opportunity governor is able to breathe over 60 member staffers secretaries

and federal agencies are right there want to know what's going on in puerto rico and how they can help. fema learned many lessons on puerto rico. third at many lessons hurricane maria appeared this time around puerto rico has four warehouses full of water. it's going to begin distribution today. yesterday puerto rico's only process. it was still raining. i am happy to say today the sun has come out. the resiliency of my people in puerto rico that will work together to survive this and come out stronger and resilient with a sustainable and resilient power grid. they've always been here for puerto rico. we have left many nonprofit organizations that already ready to help the island. a few weeks ago as we were approaching the fifth anniversary of the devastation

that lessons learned and the challenges still lie ahead. none of us would have imagined doing another disaster of today. our response and recovery. its president and the millions affected by the longest blackout in the united states history. the aftermath of the power grid. i am glad to say i am happy to say the obstacles we face under the previous administration now, the last 15 months puerto rico has been able to work to improve the power grid and is working hand in hand with the department of energy to make sure puerto rico has a power grid that it deserves. and it is resilient. and stronger for it natural disaster like we just experienced. today we still reflect on how our life has changed forever

after the worst national disaster in history puerto rico, we continue for resiliency. yesterday way back from london from the funeral called governor and assured him the federal government fans behind puerto rico. however much better position to deal with national disasters the sting improvements to be made regarding the island. you have heard many of the congressmen have spoke to them. sadly emergencies like this: become very palpable. the difference in healthcare, the lack of funding for medicaid, medicare, not receive ssi. do not participate in snap. this time he chose the most

vulnerable population gets treated as second-class citizens in this needs to end. >> inner-city the same support in the same quality-of-life as our brothers and sisters and we will continue in puerto rico will not rest until they receive healthcare social security and for the 3.2 million americans live in the island and thank you so much for your support. [speaking in native tongue] [applause] [applause] >> thank you everybody, thank you frankie and for bringing me here today my name is allie

martinez i am the director of the organization puerto rico and they try to empower the organizations and small businesses in the recovery process and the community leaders in the process in the communities in the rehabilitation and recovery. it is been five years of continue disasters, two hurricanes and the earthquakes and through all of that, communities in puerto rico, the one that is actually done the recovery that is happened in puerto rico. the speakers have said today, the federal response to the

recovery hasn't really been the source of the construction in any way. we've been trying to been heard since day one for the framework of the recovery has to change. because federal funds has to go directly into the hands of civil society in order for the work to be done and for effective solutions to be found. the hurricane that happened, category one hurricane, left all of the people puerto rico in the dark. it's not only about not having buildings and electric system, it's about not having - and civil society puerto rico that has been time again, demanding the centralized, solar space, the rooftop microgrid in that

community. this is not new in studies have been made and we have already had pleaded to congress and fema and all of the agencies. there has to be direct action and the other disasters is from. [inaudible]. sunday night about in their homes and water getting up to the second level. the flooding has been so catastrophic in the community, even worse than hurricane maria and in many of our communities and we been calling out since day one after hurricane maria to be used effectively and water waste in puerto rico has to be mitigated so that our communities will not continually be displaced from their homes.

because of any that happens in puerto rico, the flooding is a catastrophic thing because mitigation is not streamlined with reconstruction. and again, local groups and entities now the solutions of what needs to be done in order for federal funds to be spent in an efficient way and they are ready to work to raise was necessary for the transparency and the correct use of these funds the framework of the disaster recovery has to change and federal government has realized that i has to work, and for languages, participation of civil society leaders. in the planning processes and it is not on you all will be wasting money down the drain.

i am here will be the delegation it was unable to come this week, we will bring it next week, ready to be heard, we are trying to get meetings in the offices of fema and hud in order to be heard and so i call for all of you to promote this message and for everybody to open the door of the puerto weekend leaders and community leaders that are absolutely the most doing the job of the ground so thank you so much everybody. [applause] [applause] >> thank you so much and she said in the beginning, were heartbroken the people from the islands were going to be here to tell you firsthand of watching people who depend on dialysis daily, coming to the center after they've missed treatment because the power continues to go off and and reliably and because our bodies cannot

recover for the attorney who represents in the picture here who is been disabling bedbound since birth his parents are disabled in fact that the justice they do not qualify to receive the same federal benefits that citizens in the u.s. if they lived in florida they would get it because they live in puerto rico they do not or from elizabeth - who work with the housing community and counseling, tell you about the fact that federal money is being used to entice people to move from the homes instead of the given to them to repair the homes were sorry you can't hear the stories but encourage you, their statements are in a press relief under release and i encourage you to read the words and continue to cover what is happening on the island, not just today it just because

there's another disaster, by going forward to make sure that we do not have this again next year and still talking about the fact that people puerto rico do not have the energy the need to stay alive. one of the needed to drink and bathe. it is unacceptable to take action for puerto rico and hispanic federation continues to do everything we can every single day to make sure that doesn't happen. >> we have any questions, if you do we are happy to take them. >> thank you so much. >> thank you for being here. [background sounds]. >> before yielded to the ranking member, and with the permission, were going to listen to an audio

clip. the last phone call that she shared with her son while he was jailed, pre- trial detaining never convicted of any crime. i wanted more those portended across the country, that this is a disturbing clip how well this audio plays, asked that we imagine how we might feel to be in either end of this call, please play the audio. >> listen, i found it everything that i can and having lawyers in the sheriff and all of this other kind of - so i think come in there and i'm trying also to get you out of there. >> giving to hospital. >> i know you are in doing everything that i can teach you

out as we can see you. hello. we are doing everything we can. >> you have 15 seconds remaining. >> my feet are swollen and i hurt. >> i know matthew, i know what is wrong with you and i love you. >> i love you too. >> i'm going to die in here. >> from the senate homeland security hearing on uncounted deaths in the u.s. prisons, with emotional testimony from a mother whose son died while in custody, was hearing, tonight in its entirety at 930 eastern time, on "c-span2", you would

also watching her mobile video outcome sees window >> j.p. morgan chase, citigroup wells fargo and others testified to a house committee on banking regulations and matters from racial inequality to the war in ukraine watch live on wednesday morning at ten eastern on c-span three, cspan now are free mobile video out for online@cspan.org. to high school students, it is your time to shine, you're invited to made in this year c-span camp committed during competition, the upcoming midterm election, feature yourself as a newly elected member of congress, we ask that your competitors, what is your top priority and why, make it five - six minute video that show the importance of your issues from a supporting and opposing perspective not be afraid to take risks with your documentary, be bold, most of

$100,000 in cash prices is $5000 grand prize videos must be committed by january 20, 2023 and visitor website, a student camp . org accommodation rules, tips and resources, and step-by-step guide. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government, funded by television companies and more, including comcast. >> do you think this is just a community centers now, it is way more than estimate comcast comcast is partnering with other communities theaters from students can get the tools they need to be ready for anything of a comcast support c-span is a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. tina back with us 7000 virginians in virginia's attorney general and at the departme o