New Delhi, June 13 -- A group of U.S. Democratic lawmakers promised Puerto Ricans on Friday that they would try to speed up the island's sluggish recovery from destructive hurricanes and earthquakes, a process that relies heavily on federal funds.

Mississippi Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, ranking member of the House Committee of Homeland Security, said he and other legislators met with Puerto Rico mayors as part of a two-day trip to the U.S. territory and heard their concerns including delays in reimbursements and project approvals.

"We'll move some of those concerns into corrective actions," he said at a news conference. "The system should work better."

Pablo Jose Hernandez, Puerto Rico's representative in Congress, said the island's mayor...