Demings to visit Puerto Rico this weekend as island recovers from Hurricane Fiona

Val Demings will lead a congressional delegation to Puerto Rico this weekend to oversee federal recovery efforts on the island, her legislative office said Friday, after Hurricane Fiona caused mass power outages and left hundreds of thousands without access to clean water.

Demings, a congresswoman from Orlando and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Florida, chairs the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. She was invited to tour the island by Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi.

“The health and safety of the American people is my number one priority,” Demings said in a statement. “It is critical that we hear directly from Puerto Rican communities and first responders on the ground so that we can evaluate Puerto Rico’s needs and FEMA’s response. We know that this storm is yet another blow on top of the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Maria — a recovery that has taken far too long.”

Demings faces GOP Sen. Marco Rubio on Nov. 8, a race in which the Republican incumbent is favored to win. The visit to Puerto Rico is an official congressional trip.