Elected officials and civil servants in both the executive and legislative branches have a legal and moral obligation to support Puerto Rico in its time of dire need.

I respectfully urge the Committee, as part of comprehensive tax reform, to provide for the equal treatment of Puerto Rico under the refundable Child Tax Credit program and to extend to Puerto Rico the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit…

I look forward to the day when Puerto Rico is not treated in shockingly immoral fashion under Federal health programs.

This is not a partisan critique; both Republicans and Democrats, acting over the course of many years, are to blame.

They are leaving because of lack of good quality of life. They are leaving because of lack of jobs.

It is important that any provision included in corporate tax reform legislation be designed to promote job creation or other measurable contributions to the island's economic development.

The truth is that the Federal Government bears tremendous responsibility for the crisis in Puerto Rico.

It is atrocious that we have the same payroll taxes in Puerto Rico, and there are disparities in the way the Medicare program applies.

Fiscal reform is also required. The Puerto Rico government must live within its means and cut spending.

We should stop treating Puerto Rico differently. We should treat Puerto Rico equally. That is a long-term plan that would make sense.

The crisis is rooted in Puerto Rico's undemocratic and undignified territory status.

In terms of ARRA funding, stimulus funding, it was spent in Puerto Rico in accordance with the legislation approved by Congress.

The crisis in Puerto Rico is not new. The 3.5 million U.S. citizens I represent have endured it for many years.

The first thing the current administration did was to increase spending by about 9 percent, by $850 million the first year in office.

I support statehood for Puerto Rico, and do so in meaningful part because history shows that every territory that joins the Union experiences a substantial increase in its economic activity and standard of living.

To tackle the crisis, we must act with boldness and vision. If we are faint-hearted, we will fail.

I look forward to the day when my constituents have the exact same rights and responsibilities as your constituents.

I fight for equal rights for the American citizens of Puerto Rico, equal political rights and equal treatment in Federal programs.