Political Quotes

“Several weeks ago the President announced resumption of diplomatic relations with Cuba. While we celebrate the implications of a renewed relationship both for Cuban and American citizens, the citizens of my own home district do so with guarded welcome. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. territories of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and our geographic proximity to Cuba makes us a direct economic competitor. All indicators point to massive growth in Cuba's tourism industry. While the U.S. Virgin Islands continues to be a premier tourist destination particularly for Americans, with more than 2.7 million tourists in 2014 alone, Cuba is shaping to be a formidable competitor. Prior to resumption of relations, a report from the Caribbean Tourism Organization showed just over 3 million visitors to Cuba in 2014 compared to 2.7 for the Virgin Islands and 3 million in Puerto Rico. However, in the first quarter of 2015, the Cuban Government has already reported more than 1.4 million tourist visits, a number that more than doubles the amount reported for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico during this same time. Mr. Speaker, the United States must consider its own island territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico in the advancement of diplomatic relations with Cuba. Investments must come to the U.S. Virgin Islands. I wish all of our French citizens a happy Bastille Day. ____________________”