TRENTON – Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) today issued the following statement on Governor Murphy’s executive order creating the Commission on Puerto Rico Relief. Senator Ruiz was part of the delegation that traveled to Puerto Rico with the Governor and First Lady in December:
“Since the hurricane struck, tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans have traveled to New Jersey for temporarily relief or to rebuild their lives here, and we welcome them with open arms. As families settle, we must do everything we can to ease the transition so that the people of Puerto Rico, who have lost so much, get the programs and services they need to restore normalcy to their lives. This commission is an important step in doing that.
“I am grateful for the governor’s executive order. As the state with the third largest Puerto Rican population in the country, and with deep ties to the island, New Jersey’s commitment to helping Puerto Rico and its residents is unwavering. We know that it will take years for those who have suffered this disaster to fully recover, and that New Jersey will have to continue to provide support and advocacy to make sure they get the assistance they need, including from the federal government. I look forward to doing that in collaboration with the administration, elected officials and organizations across this state.”