US House Speaker Paul Ryan In Puerto Rico As Hurricane Maria Costs Mount

House Speaker Paul Ryan is getting a firsthand look at the devastation left by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico as the Unites States island territory seeks billions in assistance to recover from the storm.

Ryan leads a bipartisan Congressional delegation that includes House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey and Republican Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón, Puerto Rico’s non-voting representative.

Ryan and other members of a congressional delegation met at the airport briefly with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday.

He and other members of the delegation then boarded helicopters with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló to see some of the areas the storm hit hardest Sept. 20.

Hurricane Maria killed at least 45 people in Puerto Rico. About 90 percent of residents remain without power.

Ryan’s visit came a day after Congress passed a $36.5 billion multi-state disaster package that includes assistance for Puerto Rico. But officials warn more will be needed.