{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases/comisionado-residente-y-25-congresistas-exhortan-la-gobernadora-que-solicite", "Comisionado Residente y 25 congresistas exhortan a la Gobernadora que solicite declaraci\u00f3n de emergencia federal por crisis de agua.", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "PR", "Pablo Jos\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez", "H001103", "hernandez.house.gov", "hernandez", "https://hernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 El Comisionado Residente de Puerto Rico, Pablo Jos\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez lider\u00f3 una carta junto a 25 congresistas urgiendo a la gobernadora Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n a solicitar sin m\u00e1s demora al presidente Donald Trump una declaraci\u00f3n de desastre mayor ante la crisis de agua que afecta a Puerto Rico. Bajo la ley federal Stafford, corresponde a la Gobernadora solicitar formalmente al Presidente una declaraci\u00f3n de desastre mayor.\n\nUna declaraci\u00f3n de desastre mayor podr\u00eda permitir el acceso a asistencia de FEMA para municipios y entidades p\u00fablicas, ayuda para individuos y familias afectadas, y pr\u00e9stamos por desastre de la Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios (SBA) para hogares y negocios elegibles. Tambi\u00e9n podr\u00eda proveer fondos para cubrir costos de respuesta a la emergencia, reparar infraestructura p\u00fablica afectada, movilizar asistencia federal directa y financiar medidas para fortalecer la infraestructura y reducir el impacto de futuras emergencias.\n\n\u201cPuerto Rico enfrenta una crisis de agua que ya no puede atenderse con medidas temporales. M\u00e1s de 180,000 hogares est\u00e1n bajo racionamientos de hasta 48 horas, y durante demasiado tiempo cientos de miles de personas han sufrido interrupciones en el servicio,\u201d escribieron el Comisionado Residente y los congresistas. \u201cLa Gobernadora es quien debe solicitar esta declaraci\u00f3n al Presidente, y debe hacerlo sin m\u00e1s demora para que podamos movilizar toda la asistencia federal disponible. El pueblo de Puerto Rico no puede seguir esperando.\u201d\n\nLa carta, liderada por el Comisionado Residente, cont\u00f3 con el respaldo de 25 miembros del Congreso, reflejando un creciente apoyo en Washington al reclamo para movilizar recursos federales adicionales ante la crisis de agua en Puerto Rico. Esta semana, la Asociaci\u00f3n de Alcaldes tambi\u00e9n apoy\u00f3 el reclamo del comisionado residente.\n\nLa carta fue firmada por el dem\u00f3crata de mayor rango del Comit\u00e9 de Recursos Naturales, Jared Huffman (CA-02), el dem\u00f3crata de mayor rango del Comit\u00e9 de Seguridad Nacional, Bennie Thompson (MS-02), y el senador Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), junto a los congresistas Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Jim Costa (CA-21), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Darren Soto (FL-09), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (NM-03), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) y Emily Randall (WA-06).\n\n\u201cSeguir\u00e9 trabajando con los congresistas y alcaldes para obtener m\u00e1s recursos para ayudar a la gente a superar esta emergencia y para que la AAA rinda cuentas por su mala administraci\u00f3n.\u201d dijo el Comisionado Residente.\n\nComo parte de esos esfuerzos, la semana pasada present\u00f3 un plan de cinco pasos para atender la emergencia, que incluye una declaraci\u00f3n federal, asistencia inmediata para las comunidades afectadas y medidas para fortalecer la infraestructura de agua de Puerto Rico. Adem\u00e1s, esta semana el Comisionado Residente y l\u00edderes congresionales con jurisdicci\u00f3n sobre Puerto Rico, solicitaron a la Oficina de Rendici\u00f3n de Cuentas del Gobierno federal (GAO) una investigaci\u00f3n sobre el estado del sistema, el uso de fondos federales y la respuesta de las agencias federales.\n\n###\n\nHern\u00e1ndez Leads 25 Members of Congress in Calling on Governor to Request Major Disaster Declaration Over Water Crisis\n\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2014 Congressman Pablo Jos\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez of Puerto Rico led 25 members of Congress in a letter urging Governor Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n to request, without further delay, that President Donald Trump issue a major disaster declaration in response to Puerto Rico\u2019s ongoing water crisis. Under the federal Stafford Act, the Governor is responsible for formally requesting a major disaster declaration from the President.\n\nA major disaster declaration could provide access to FEMA assistance for municipalities and public entities, assistance for affected individuals and families, and Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans for eligible households and businesses. It could also provide funding to cover emergency response costs, repair affected public infrastructure, mobilize direct federal assistance, and support measures to strengthen infrastructure and reduce the impact of future emergencies.\n\n\u201cPuerto Rico is facing a water crisis that can no longer be addressed through temporary measures. More than 180,000 households are under water rationing of up to 48 hours, and for far too long hundreds of thousands of people have experienced service interruptions,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe Governor is the one who must request this declaration from the President, and she must do so without further delay so that we can mobilize all available federal assistance. The people of Puerto Rico cannot afford to wait any longer.\u201d\n\nThis letter, spearheaded by Congressman Hern\u00e1ndez and signed by 25 members of Congress, underscores growing support in Washington for efforts to mobilize additional federal resources in response to Puerto Rico\u2019s water crisis. This week, the Asociaci\u00f3n de Alcaldes de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Mayor's Association) also announced its support for the Resident Commissioner\u2019s effort.\n\nThe letter was signed by the House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (MS-02), and Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), along with Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Jim Costa (CA-21), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Darren Soto (FL-09), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (NM-03), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), and Emily Randall (WA-06).\n\n\u201cI will continue working with members of Congress and mayors to secure additional resources to help people through this emergency and to hold the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) accountable for its mismanagement,\u201d said Hern\u00e1ndez.\n\nAs part of those efforts, last week he introduced a five-step plan to address the emergency, including a federal disaster declaration, immediate assistance for affected communities, and measures to strengthen Puerto Rico\u2019s water infrastructure. In addition, this week Hern\u00e1ndez and congressional leaders with jurisdiction over Puerto Rico issues requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the condition of the island\u2019s water system, the use of federal funds, and the federal government\u2019s response to the crisis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases/comisionado-residente-y-25-congresistas-exhortan-la-gobernadora-que-solicite"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.010341104120016, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}