(CNN) - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said he's going to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico next week and can't make his scheduled speech at the Women's Convention in Detroit.
In Hurricane Maria's wake, roughly 1 million Americans remain without running water in Puerto Rico, and 3 million without power.
Sanders apologized for canceling his speech, saying he will be traveling to Puerto Rico to visit with San Juan Mayor Carmen Cruz to determine the best way to move forward.
His announcement comes a week after the Women's Convention received backlash for picking him as a speaker for opening night.
Event organizers stood by their choice, saying Sanders had been a "fierce champion of women's rights."
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