I want to thank SBA Administrator Linda McMahon for her commitment and her leadership regarding and facing these issues.

the situation of the economic crisis in Puerto Rico, it is very important to fix, and having small business empowered to do that I think is the key to solve part of that situation.

We need to have a procurement center on the island. I think that will solve a lot of the issues regarding the federal contracting situations that the island is facing.

Thank you, Secretary, for being here, for your time.

I look forward to addressing those issues in the next panel.

I am inviting you to come to Puerto Rico and help us there.

I have never expected to be presiding on this hearing, and be interviewing and making questions to my governor. It is quite an honor to be here to do that.

One thing. The Governor just said here that he was willing to sit and negotiate with good faith terms with all the stakeholders here.

I would like to address the question to Mr. Bergonzi and Mr. Bryngelson.

As Puerto Rico's sole representative in this Congress, I want to thank you, Chairman Bishop and Chairman LaMalfa, Ranking Member Torres, and fellow members of this Committee for holding this hearing.

The deal says there will be an increase to pay the debt and to pay the service.

Are you willing to sit with the new administration--remember, there is a new administration in place.

the most basic right in a democracy--the right to vote and to equal representation, and treats hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican veterans as equal in war but not in peace.

Congress has unintentionally enabled a minority in Puerto Rico to confuse and frustrate a local decision among Puerto Rico's status options.

It is fundamental: whether Puerto Ricans will continue to be Americans and obtain equality within the country or become the people of a separate nation.

It is a basic issue of democracy, which requires representative government--a right we lack at the national government level.

The territory's status is the central issue of the islands, which have a population of nearly 3.7 million.

The plebiscite and some presidential and congressional actions since have made important strides towards resolution of the issue.

Do we need consensus to grant civil rights? Do we need consensus to grant a vote? Do we need consensus to enable democracy? Of course not.

I also reject the claim of lack of consensus because some use it to further delay a right to vote.

Opponents allege that the bill is not fair and that it leans the vote against the current relationship. Of course, that is not true.

We think the time has come for this to change.

The will of the people, of course, is very clear.

That is the real issue here, civil rights, and we demand to vote.

I am here to support H.R. 2499 because we, your fellow citizens, also have the right to choose our destiny.