Stacey Plaskett Instagram – Eight years ago today, Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated our beloved Virgin Islands as Category 5 storms. Despite the unimaginable destruction, Virgin Islanders showed the world what true resilience looks like.
We rallied together, rebuilt our communities, and emerged stronger. Today, we honor those we lost, celebrate how far we’ve come, and reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding our future.
As we rebuild, we must remember our obligation to do so swiftly and responsibly. The changes in law that I secured in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 enable us to rebuild with resilient design standards rather than being constrained by pre-disaster conditions. The federal cost-share increase during the Biden Administration saved the Territory more than $1 billion in local matching funds. We have an opportunity and responsibility to ensure the more than $20 billion in federal funding is used to create an exponentially better Virgin Islands that is resilient.
We cannot afford delays in the deployment of these resourcesāevery day matters as we work to strengthen our defenses against future storms and protect our people. Speed and resilience are not competing prioritiesāthey are both essential to our survival and prosperity.
We remain VI Strong. šŖš¾š“ | Posted on 20/Sep/2025 21:32:40
