exposed to chemical weapons and toxic chemicals. Since the military activity in Vieques, island residents have suffered from the health impacts from long-term exposure to environmental contamination as a result of 62 years of military operations, and have experienced higher rates of certain diseases among residents, including cancer, cirrhosis, hypertension, diabetes, heavy metal diseases, along with many unnamed and uncategorized illnesses. These toxic residues have caused the American residents of Vieques to develop illnesses due to ongoing exposure. (7) In 2017, Vieques was hit by Hurricane Maria, an unusually destructive storm that devastated Puerto Rico and intensified the existing humanitarian crisis on the island by destroying existing medical facilities. (8) The medical systems in place prior to Hurricane Maria were unable to properly handle the health crisis that existed due to the toxic residue left on the island by the military's activities. (9) After Maria, the medical facility was closed due to damage and continues to be unable to perform even the few basic services that it did provide. Vieques needs a medical facility that can treat and address the critical and urgent need to get life-saving medical services to its residents. Due to legal restrictions, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (in this Act referred to as FEMA ) is unable to provide a hospital where its capabilities exceed the abilities of the facility that existed prior to Maria