Pedro Pierluisi

I want to thank you for holding the 'Puerto Rico's Post-Disaster Reconstruction & Power Grid Development' hearing last week.

A critical aspect of Fiona's recovery is the grid stabilization plan announced this week.

The storm impacted many parts of the electrical grid and generation facilities island-wide.

LUMA is represented at this hearing, so you can ask them directly.

The 15-year contract provides a payment methodology that includes either bonuses or penalties, depending on compliance with the metrics.

There has been a lot of progress in fixing structural issues in our schools.

Well, one thing FEMA is doing is actually funding a public affairs campaign, public education campaign, encouraging people to build up to code.

We still need to improve them is the answer that I can give you.

Exactly. That is why we are calling for Congress to authorize FEMA to adjust those fixed cost estimates due to the increase in the cost of construction materials and supply chain disruption.

There has been a change, a significant change, in the speed of the disbursements since the Biden administration came into office and my administration came to office.

I am confident that we could reach that goal by 2025, because there are a lot of projects in the pipeline.

I am devoting--it is my call--$500 million of CDBG-MIT funding to provide, basically, solar systems with batteries to roughly 25,000 low-income households.

I believe it increases resiliency in the sense that you are making these households more self-sufficient.

There has been a lot of progress in terms of the public finances of Puerto Rico.

Let's have that solar farm provide the power for the households and businesses in that area.

Why am I supporting the $5 billion proposal of Chairman Grijalva and others in Congress for more solar systems?

We proved that when you treat us equally, we can do as well or better than anybody in the States.

We are coming here to be treated the same as our fellow American citizens.

To think that you can put that aside just because you are facing a public debt issue or facing a recession in Puerto Rico misses the point all together.

Most, if not all, territories that have become states were under-performing the states financially and economically.

There is oversight on LUMA from so many quarters.

Having a plan of adjustment confirmed by the Federal court is absolutely essential, because it would stabilize PREPA's finances.

I am not going to allow PREPA to end up with a debt burden that is going to end up causing extraordinary increases, unacceptable increases, in the cost of electricity in Puerto Rico.

I am not going to support any restructuring that is not sustainable, that is not affordable.