Jenniffer González-Colón

I am a strong proponent of liquefied natural gas, which provides cheap, clean, and reliable energy.

It makes sense not to place all of our eggs in one basket, and alternate sources of energy play their part.

I am hopeful today's hearing will help us reach bipartisan solutions as we move forward.

I have some concerns about the one-size-fits-all approach this bill takes in places.

We are literally sinking due to volcanic activity and seismic shifting.

While having resources available to the U.S. insular areas is most welcome, I fear this bill does little to study existing programs and functions that could support some of the goals intended in this legislation.

I fear that adding Puerto Rico to the definition of insular areas under Title 48 could have unintended consequences of an overhaul of how Federal grant programs work on the island.

I would also like to commend, in part, the intent behind the draft legislation we have before us today.

The mitigation is a big issue, and how we met with those situation, I think the Army Corps of Engineers has been working in Puerto Rico.

We must prepare and have the resiliency to deal with this natural phenomena when they occur.

I have been living in Puerto Rico since I was born. So, as an island that lays in the Caribbean, we are used to hurricanes.

I can report that Puerto Rico does want to be a State of the Union, and it wants equality and democracy within the United States.

The only way for a territory to obtain broader representation in Congress, equal or otherwise, or in electing a President is to become a State or for the Constitution to be amended.

The United States is history's greatest democracy, but it has never been a perfect democracy.

The rights to vote and to be equally represented in the government that make one's laws and to have elections conducted thoroughly are the most fundamental and essential elements of democracy.

I am just asking the Committee to submit those documents to Mr. Ortiz as well as the Ranking Member.

The bill will amend Federal law to study the potential for an authorized offshore wind energy development in the exclusive economic zone adjacent to the five U.S. territories.

I just want to highlight bipartisan legislation I introduced that could help Puerto Rico's energy transformation.

Thank you, Representative Graves for yielding and actually for visiting the island after Hurricane Maria and Irma and helping us out.

The Puerto Rico government entities receiving disaster aid from Federal agencies.

My first question will be to Mr. Ortiz. Mr. Ortiz, you were talking in your statement about different amounts of funds.

Resident Commissioner Gonzalez asked PREPA to submit a list detailing all Federal funds appropriated and utilized by PREPA to date.

I have long argued that private partnership investment is crucial to transform Puerto Rico's energy system if properly executed.

We need to pursue policies to at-risk high electricity costs that hinder economic growth.

The transformation of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA as we know it, is long overdue.