To help people in Puerto Rico, FIND and CALL your Congressperson at  

https://www.house.gov/representatives  

    -since people in Puerto Rico are (sort of) represented by

a non-voting

"Resident Commissioner"

-in the US House of Representatives.   

Public Interest News Network

  “The most important political office is that of the private citizen.”  - Justice Louis Brandeis

Stardate 2018

Editor's Note:  Given modern news and social media, little 'news' can be found to be "in the public interest."  No one cares anymore. Too preoccupied with faces, music, what's 'trending now', or not, and self-aggrandisement.  Fine but spend SOME time learning how to insure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the 21st Century.

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US SBA says it approved tons of disaster loan funds for people Puerto Rico but has YET to confirm any of these funds have actually been distributed and made available to qualifying applicants for such disaster loan funds.

Dateline: March 27th, 2018, Washington DC - from the US SBA:

Chastang, Carol carol.chastang@sba.gov
Mar 27 (1 day ago)
 
to me

Here are the SBA disaster loan approval numbers as of close of business March 26  for Hurricanes Irma and Maria—Puerto Rico:

 

Hurricane Irma

Home disaster loans—21 approved for a total of $892,700

Business disaster loans—7 approved for a total of $484,100

Total approved after Hurricane Irma—28 disaster loans for $1.3 million ($1,376,800)

 

Hurricane Maria

Home disaster loan—33,798 loans approved for  a total of $1 billion ($1,159,775,600)

Business disaster loans—1,870 loans approved for a total of $137 million ($137,023,900)

Total approved after Hurricane Maria—35,668 disaster loans approved for $1.2 billion ($1,296,799,500)

 

Carol Chastang

Public Affairs Specialist|Press Office

U.S. Small Business Administration

(202) 205-6987 | carol.chastang@sba.gov

==============================================

-and a followup inquiry to Congresswoman DeLauro (member of the House Committee on Appropriations  and other committees):

3.28.2018

re: press inquiry re aid for Puerto Rico from US SBA
 
Dear Cong DeLauro and Mr Serio,
 
On first glance, it may appear that from the info below from US SBA, our US SBA has actually given out money to applicants to US SBA disaster loans. To confirm this, I have asked this person at US SBA's Communications Office to confirm that the funds noted below as being "approved" - have actually been given to qualifying applicants in Puerto Rico so they can begin the hard task of rebuilding homes, businesses, schools and other structures not otherwise insured, and hopefully before our next hurricane season.  
 
I understand there are always conditions on receiving any federal funds and wonder if any for these SBA disaster loans may have delayed any such distributions to applicants and if so, how, and to what effect overall?
 
Since I have had no reply to a latter inquiry I made - only a restatement that loans had been 'approved'-, I ask if you would please determine this by contacting the SBA and getting back to me please with answers to my questions above?  And I also wonder the extent to which former residents of Puerto Rico now relocated to and residing in Connecticut and other states might be eligible for such disaster loans as well as those people still struggling to live in Puerto Rico?
 
Thank-you,
Alan DiCara, Editor, Public Interest News Network

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Find YOUR Congressman at:  https://www.house.gov/representatives  (Enter your zip code in the upper right corner to find who your Congressperson is with contact info)

Find YOUR Senator at:   https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact

and check out->

Samantha Bee Filmed A Special In Puerto Rico - YouTube

 
 
 
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3eKUYT3LbA
- Uploaded by Wochit Entertainment

-appearing on Stephen Colbert's show...