On the recordJune 9, 2016
This amendment requires the GAO to submit reports every 2 years to the Congress about the public debt and about the ability to pay that debt of all U.S. territories. While the debt crisis in Puerto Rico is, indeed, serious and real, there is no indication that any other territory faces a similar crisis. The base bill already includes reporting requirements. Requiring more reporting to cover the territories is unwarranted as well as being a waste of the GAO's limited time to provide more important reports to Congress. A number of States and localities on the mainland face much more precarious budget situations than do the other territories. We don't need any more focus on U.S. territories when there is no reason to believe such onerous reporting is really required or justified. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
