US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association

Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp is publicly applauding United States President Donald J. Trump for signing into law the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017.

On Oct. 26, The White House announced that the president signed Act (H.R. 2266), which provides additional fiscal year 2018 emergency supplemental funding for hurricane and wildfire relief and recovery efforts.

On Oct. 25, the United States Senate completed action on the $36.5 billion supplemental disaster recovery spending bill, which includes $4.9 billion for emergency operating loans for the governments of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mapp said the formal approval of this funding will go a long way to help the U.S. Virgin Islands bounce back. “We can continue rebuilding damaged infrastructure and restoring the territory’s power system.”

The governor thanked the “federal family” for all of their hard work assisting Virgin Islanders in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria: “They have been out in the communities, working with citizens, our territorial government, the private sector and volunteer organizations.”

Mapp also thanked Virgin Islanders for their continued patience. “It hasn’t been easy these past few weeks, but I’m proud of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. You have shown the world how resilient we are. We are on a path towards rebuilding a better, stronger Virgin Islands, one day at time.”