Rep. Plaskett discusses disaster recovery with small business owners in St. Croix

Recently I sat down with small business owners and other stakeholders in the St. Croix and St. Thomas business communities to discuss their storm-related challenges, their respective plans moving forward and ideas for federal legislation and partnerships which may be helpful.

Rep. Stacey Plaskett meets with  Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont)

I was pleased to work with Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) toward developing the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017. This bill from Senator Sanders is crucial because it will emphasize the importance of local input in the recovery process by impacted communities along with ensuring public participation in an open and transparent oversight process. This legislation will also promote long-term economic development and environmental safeguards, while also charting the path to recovery for the Virgin Islands and emphasizing the rights of the local communities. Ensuring the input of local communities as well as local and municipal powers in the recovery effort of the Virgin Islands is critical to a balanced response that fully meets the needs of impacted communities of the Territories. I am also working on introducing the companion bill in the House. Click here for more.

Rep. Plaskett converses with  members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in St. Croix

Earlier this month, I had the honor of leading my colleagues from the House Energy and Commerce Committee for a bipartisan congressional delegation visit to St. Croix. While on Island the members viewed infrastructure damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria and examined our energy grid. They also toured the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and joined local stakeholders for a listening session in the adjoining Virgin Islands Cardiac Center. 

Clean-up crews clear debris from the Frederiksted Post Office

I am pleased to announce the cleanup of the Frederiksted Post Office, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Maria. My staff and I have been working aggressively to ensure the operations of mail service including rerouting of mail through Miami.   After weeks of requests for  the cleanup of the Frederiksted Post Office in the days and weeks following the storm, I contacted Deputy Postmaster General Ronald Stroman and notified him that if clean up efforts had not begun I would bring the issue on to the Floor of Congress. Not only is it a safety hazard, but it represented a lack of regard to the community in the Frederiksted area. We are grateful work has begun and a temporary site is being prepared.