Puerto Rico Still in Peril as FEMA Scales Back Recovery Efforts
Four months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, problems still persist across the island. In his State of the Union address, President Trump said the U.S. stands with the island territory, but do his actions match his words?
Kelly Macias, writer at Daily Kos, joins Cheddar live from Puerto Rico to discuss the state of the island. Macias says police officers are on strike because of back pay issues and more than a third of the island is still without power.
Despite the problems that continue in Puerto Rico, President Trump is asking for $1.5 trillion to fund infrastructure projects across the country. However, that funding doesn't include Puerto Rico revitalization. Macias says there is anger and disappointment throughout the island over the president's focus on mainland infrastructure and lack of attention to the island.
Water infrastructure across the country is vulnerable as climate change makes storms more unpredictable and destructive, flooding low-lying drinking water treatment plants and overwhelming coastal sewage systems.
Iran has transferred five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest in exchange for billions of dollars frozen in South Korea, U.S. and Iranian officials said Thursday, in a deal that comes after months of heightened tensions between the two countries.
