Pedro Pierluisi

I support statehood for Puerto Rico, and do so in meaningful part because history shows that every territory that joins the Union experiences a substantial increase in its economic activity and standard of living.

The first thing the current administration did was to increase spending by about 9 percent, by $850 million the first year in office.

To tackle the crisis, we must act with boldness and vision. If we are faint-hearted, we will fail.

You should not be looking the other way. You should not be ignoring us. If you do so, you do it at your own peril.

There is Supreme Court case law in Puerto Rico recognizing the property and contractual rights of pension holders in Puerto Rico.

I look forward to the day when my constituents have the exact same rights and responsibilities as your constituents.

Fiscal reform is also required. The Puerto Rico government must live within its means and cut spending.

It is atrocious that we have the same payroll taxes in Puerto Rico, and there are disparities in the way the Medicare program applies.

The truth is that the Federal Government bears tremendous responsibility for the crisis in Puerto Rico.

There is no excuse for the government of Puerto Rico to have failed to publish audited financial statements for the last 2 fiscal years.

I fight for equal rights for the American citizens of Puerto Rico, equal political rights and equal treatment in Federal programs.

It is important that any provision included in corporate tax reform legislation be designed to promote job creation or other measurable contributions to the island's economic development.

I remind you that in Puerto Rico the FMAP we have, it is 55/45.

They are leaving because of lack of good quality of life. They are leaving because of lack of jobs.

the likelihood of success would be materially improved if Puerto Rico had a legal framework within which to do so.

We should stop treating Puerto Rico differently. We should treat Puerto Rico equally. That is a long-term plan that would make sense.

The crisis is rooted in Puerto Rico's undemocratic and undignified territory status.

We do have to change the budgeting system, because we need to justify every penny we are spending.

Elected officials and civil servants in both the executive and legislative branches have a legal and moral obligation to support Puerto Rico in its time of dire need.

In terms of ARRA funding, stimulus funding, it was spent in Puerto Rico in accordance with the legislation approved by Congress.

I respectfully urge the Committee, as part of comprehensive tax reform, to provide for the equal treatment of Puerto Rico under the refundable Child Tax Credit program and to extend to Puerto Rico the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit…

If Chapter 9 is good enough for your constituents, why isn't it good enough for mine?

If you lower the minimum wage in Puerto Rico, you will be giving the people of Puerto Rico an additional incentive to leave.

If you treat us like second-class citizens, do not expect us to have a first-class economy.

Simply stated, Puerto Rico's status cannot be reconciled with the principles the United States strives to uphold at home and promotes abroad.