The New York Democrat launched her fundraiser Thursday after extreme cold weather, ice and snow caused the power network run by the Texas Electric Reliability Council (ERCOT) to fail, leading to power outages and a boiling water advice for nearly half of Texas. . The fundraiser reached $ 1 million by Thursday evening. The next day, Ocasio-Cortez said the donation rate had risen to $ 2 million, and she announced that she would visit the state.
The congresswoman said Friday that she will fly to Houston to join Democratic Texas Sylvia Garcia to distribute supplies. While in Texas, the progressive legislature and other Democrats visited food distribution centers, water delivery centers and toured the damage left behind by an unprecedented storm.
Ocasio-Cortez, along with Garcia and Texas Al Green, said Saturday she wants to work to help Texans after volunteering at the Houston Food Bank and visiting the home of a family affected by the winter storm. has.
“It’s one thing to read what’s going on, but it’s another thing to see the damage to ourselves,” she said. “The message in Washington is that we do not allow people to get caught up in a bunch of red tape. Let’s try to get this help out the door as much as people need it and as fast as we can.”
Asked by CNN if Ocasio-Cortez had ever raised money or visited a disaster area, the New York congresswoman said it was her first event outside of trying to quell the Covid-19 pandemic and some relief work. fight before she is elected.
“Our first major emergency relief effort was last year when Covid struck, so we were able to set up a disaster relief and fundraising campaign, and we cut our teeth with Covid, but it was in our home district. So we mobilized for Hurricane Maria relief, but that was before I was elected as a member of Congress, “she said.” I think it’s just something we should be able to do when there is an area in our country that is in need. “