Slow arrival of hurricane aid revives statehood debate in Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Puerto Ricans have long felt like second-class U.S. citizens.
The island lacks voting representation in Congress or any power in presidential elections. Nearly everything costs more, including health care. And now, amid the devastation of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has another reminder of its status as a non-state: the slow arrival of federal assistance.
President Donald Trump's explanation for the difficulty of providing aid only reinforced its sense of isolation. "This is an island, surrounded by water," he said. "Big water. Ocean water."
With Trump scheduled to visit here Tuesday, the response to the disaster has revived a long-standing debate over the territory's relationship to the rest of the United States and
