Villainizing Westerners, and those who disagree with management decisions, does nothing to build the bridges of trust and cooperation that is vital to proper stewardship of the land.

Their safety should be, and is, of the utmost importance.

Your testimony, you argue that it is important for Federal land management agencies not to create unnecessary tension.

Absolutely no one in this room, on either side of the aisle, condones violence or threats against Federal employees--unfortunately, I feel the need to make that perfectly clear.

I think all of you have spoken today about the importance of building relationships to solve problems without creating more divisiveness.

The Majority has decided to propose an effort that would catastrophically dismantle every bit of the balanced law that Congress and the Obama administration worked so hard to put in place.

What we really should be talking about are ways in which we can actually make the system that you have possible for the three goals that I still have for the island.

It is very good to have disparative views, especially from those who are on the ground floor in what they are doing.

If you say of your elders, I am going to go on for another 3 minutes.

The PROMESA legislation was unique in the annals of Congress.

It was made possible by the sincere and genuine commitments made by both Democrats and Republicans to put aside politics, realize we were dealing with an unprecedented situation, and work for the betterment of the territory.

I want to thank the Governor, Wanda Vazquez Garced, for declining to appear at this fabricated circus.

Nevertheless, Ms. Jaresko's testimony today will provide valuable insight into the actual progress the Board and the new governor are carrying out.

I thank the Resident Commissioner for her stalwart leadership and the work she conducts to find real solutions for her 3 million constituents.

Three years ago this Committee crafted a bi-partisan compromise between the then Republican-controlled Congress and the Obama administration Treasury Department to help bring stability to Puerto Rico's quickly unraveling debt crisis.

Today, unfortunately, we sit here to consider the exact opposite of what a bi-partisan compromise looks like.

The answer, much to my dismay but to the surprise of no one is simple: Democrats would rather listen to their radical special interests groups than to consider the detrimental impacts this reckless proposal will have on the current fragile…

This entire process was always intended to be temporary.