House GOP pushing $81B disaster relief for hurricanes, fires

(Worthy News) – House Republicans plan to unveil an $81 billion disaster aid package to help hurricane-ravaged communities and states hit by wildfires, almost double the amount requested by President Donald Trump last month. The emergency aid would provide $26 billion for community development block grants, which would help Florida, Texas and the Caribbean rebuild…

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U.S. Third-Quarter Growth Revised to Three-Year High of 3.3%

(Worthy News) – The U.S. economy’s growth rate last quarter was revised upward to the fastest in three years on stronger investment from businesses and government agencies than previously estimated, Commerce Department data showed Wednesday. The latest results for GDP, the value of all goods and services produced, show the economy withstood major hurricanes to…

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Puerto Rico seeks $94B for Maria disaster relief

(Worthy News) – Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello unveiled a $94 billion disaster relief request to Congress on Monday to help the U.S. territory recover from Hurricane Maria. Island officials said the $94.4 billion request came after independent damage assessments to determine the funds necessary to restore and rebuild housing on the island as well…

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In Florida, all eyes on Puerto Rican voters after Maria

(Worthy News) – Javier Gonzalez has joined a human tide of more than 130,000 U.S. citizens arriving in Florida since Hurricane Maria wrecked Puerto Rico, grateful for a place to start over but resenting how their island has been treated since the disaster. More than a million Puerto Ricans — about 5 percent of Florida’s…

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Trump Agrees to Pick Up 90 Percent of Puerto Rico Rebuilding Costs: Aide

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump on Thursday agreed to expand the use of disaster aid to rebuild Puerto Rico’s power grid and other infrastructure wrecked by Hurricane Maria, a senior White House official told Reuters. Under the plan, the federal government will pick up 90 percent of the costs – up from the typical…

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Big rebound in October jobs expected after hurricanes hit September hiring

(Worthy News) – Economists expect job growth of 310,000 in October, a rebound after the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma resulted in a 33,000 decline in September. The weak September employment report was the biggest shocker in U.S. economic data, after hurricanes ripped through Texas, Florida and other parts of the South in late…

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Fed keeps rates unchanged, remains on road to December hike

(Worthy News) – The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and pointed to solid U.S. economic growth and a strengthening labor market while playing down the impact of recent hurricanes, a sign it is on track to lift borrowing costs again in December. Investors had all but ruled out a rate hike at…

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Five weeks after Maria most of Puerto Rico remains an island in the dark

(Worthy News) – More than a month after Hurricane Maria ravaged this island with 155-mph winds, three-quarters of the residents are still without power, lining up at banks for cash and gathering at shopping malls, hotels or government buildings just to charge their cellphones. Police are directing traffic at major intersections without working traffic lights.…

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Fewest Jobless Claims Since 1973 Show Firm U.S. Job Market

(Worthy News) – Filings for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level since 1973 as workers affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma continued to return to their jobs, Labor Department figures showed Thursday. The larger-than-projected decrease in claims probably reflected difficulty adjusting for the Columbus Day holiday. At the same time, the report…

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