On the day set aside to celebrate Puerto Rico’s constitution, a group of U.S. senators introduced a bill to forgive Puerto Rico’s debt. Puerto Rico owes more than $70 billion to creditors. Then Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla declared the debt “unpayable” in 2015. The PROMESA fiscal oversight board was put in place to help, among… Read more »
A group of four Democratic members of Congress led by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) has introduced legislation to create a national commission to investigate the federal response to the 2017 natural disasters in Puerto Rico. Rep. Velázquez along with Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), the Ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, and Senators… Read more »
Healthcare has been a serious concern in Puerto Rico for years. Inequality in federal funding, the continuing loss of medical professionals as doctors and nurses leave the Island for the States, Zika virus and Dengue fever outbreaks, and the additional healthcare issues following Hurricane Maria — these issues have all created healthcare problems much more… Read more »
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) wrote to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney, outlining the efforts required to get Puerto Rico and other areas hit by recent natural disasters up and running again. The letter lists the natural disasters which have… Read more »
On October 19, 2017, United States Senators sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine C. Duke expressing concern about the accuracy of the death toll in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) explained in their letter that “[a]n accurate death toll is important for… Read more »
New Jersey Senators Bob Menendez (D) and Cory Booker (D), led a group of eight of their colleagues in writing to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan (R-WI) requesting that Congress be allowed to swiftly take up legislation that provides the necessary help to the U.S…. Read more »
The Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management Board wrapped up the business of its first formal meeting on Friday in 25 minutes. The meeting had been scheduled to last an hour and a half. In a session in which almost all words were read and there was little spontaneous conversation, the Board unanimously — Elected… Read more »
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Annual Legislative Conference and Awards Gala honored Senator Elizabeth Warren, who took the opportunity to speak on the debt crisis in Puerto Rico. Senator Warren was quoted by participants via Twitter as saying, “We have a moral obligation to help the millions of citizens caught in debt… Read more »
Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) were joined by 44 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell demanding action on Puerto Rico’s fiscal problems. “We write to you with concern for the 3.5 million… Read more »
Before Congress adjourned for the year last Friday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the Puerto Rico Emergency Financial Stability Act (PREFSA) to impose a short-term moratorium on creditor lawsuits against Puerto Rico until March 31. The Senate legislation mirrors a proposal that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced on the same day. Joining Warren on the… Read more »
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