Political Quotes

“I represent Puerto Rico in Congress, and I rise in support of PROMESA. Puerto Rico is at a crossroads. Since 1898, it has been a territory of the United States, subject to the broad powers of Congress under the Territory Clause. In 1917, Congress conferred U.S. citizenship on individuals born in Puerto Rico. In the 1950s, Congress authorized and approved a constitution for Puerto Rico, which provides the island with a republican form of government consisting of three branches. Because Puerto Rico is a territory, my constituents have never been treated equally relative to their fellow U.S. citizens in the States in terms of either democratic rights or economic opportunities. In large part, to compensate for the lack of fair treatment at the Federal level, the Puerto Rican Government has spent beyond its means at the local level, leading to excessive deficits and debt. This lack of discipline is regrettable but understandable, since the Puerto Rican Government is seeking to provide a quality of life to island residents comparable to the quality of life in the States. Bear in mind that my constituents can hop on a plane any time, any day, and move to Florida or Texas. The bill we consider today, PROMESA, is a bipartisan compromise intended to deal with the territory's unprecedented fiscal crisis, which is severe and immediate.…”