III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 651 

Marking 1 year since the landfall of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and 

the United States Virgin Islands. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 

Mr. NELSON (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. CASEY, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. WARREN, 

Ms. HARRIS, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. BOOKER, 

and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) submitted the following resolution; which was 

considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Marking 1 year since the landfall of Hurricane Maria in 

Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. 

Whereas, on September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria passed 

through the United States Virgin Islands as a category 

5 hurricane and made landfall in Puerto Rico as a category 4 hurricane, causing significant devastation across 

those islands; 

Whereas the people of Puerto Rico and the United States 

Virgin Islands have shown an incredible and resilient 

spirit in rebuilding after their record losses; 

Whereas Hurricane Maria contributed to an estimated 2,975 

deaths in Puerto Rico; 


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•SRES 651 ATS 

Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that Hurricane Maria caused an estimated 

$90,000,000,000 in damage to Puerto Rico and the 

United States Virgin Islands, making Hurricane Maria 

the third-costliest hurricane in United States history; 

Whereas, as a result of Hurricane Maria— 

(1) 3,300,000 residents of Puerto Rico were left 

without electrical power; 

(2) 95 percent of cellular sites were knocked out; 

(3) 80 percent of water service was inoperable; and 

(4) thousands of Puerto Ricans were displaced from 

their homes and relocated to the mainland United States; 

Whereas significant challenges remain in recovery and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico 1 year after Hurricane 

Maria hit; 

Whereas Congress appropriated billions of dollars with the 

specific purpose of directly helping the citizens of Puerto 

Rico to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the hurricane; 

Whereas the electrical grid on the island of Puerto Rico remains unreliable and susceptible to intermittent brownouts and blackouts; and 

Whereas many Puerto Ricans continue to be displaced without access to permanent housing both on the island of 

Puerto Rico and on the mainland: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes that September 20, 2018, marks 

3 1 year since the landfall of Hurricane Maria in 

4 Puerto Rico; 


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•SRES 651 ATS 

1 (2) honors the victims who lost their lives due 

2 to Hurricane Maria; 

3 (3) commends the resiliency of those still re4 building their lives after Hurricane Maria; 

5 (4) recognizes the continued challenges facing 

6 Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands in 

7 the wake of Hurricane Maria; 

8 (5) commits to ensuring that survivors of Hur9 ricane Maria have adequate resources to continue 

10 the recovery process; 

11 (6) extols the work of first responders and citi12 zens who contributed to saving countless lives in the 

13 aftermath of Hurricane Maria; and 

14 (7) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to 

15 support the people of Puerto Rico and the United 

16 States Virgin Islands as they continue to rebuild and 

17 recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria. 

Æ 


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