On the recordJuly 25, 2019
Madam President, finally, one more point on Puerto Rico. Last night, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello, announced he will resign on August 2. I am glad that the Governor has listened to the voices of the people of Puerto Rico. It is clear he lost their trust, their respect, and certainly the mandate to govern. The most important thing now is a quick and orderly transition of power so that our fellow citizens on the island can turn the page on this difficult chapter and move forward. No matter what, we have to stand with the people of Puerto Rico. The island is still a far way off from recovery after the devastation of recent hurricanes. It is essential that the local Puerto Rican economy continue to recover and that basic services performed by the government continue undisturbed as that process continues. As a new Governor enters office, we pledge to do whatever we can to ensure the people of Puerto Rico receive the aid and the support they need. We fought incredibly hard on the disaster bill to make sure the people of Puerto Rico are not treated worse than any other U.S. citizens. The events of the past 2 weeks should in no way inhibit that aid from reaching the island quickly and efficiently. It is so badly needed. I will be watching and doing everything in my power to guarantee that is the case. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.





