Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate two of the Virgin Islands' students on their accomplishments in the Florida- Caribbean Cruise Association Essay Contest, which gives youths throughout the Caribbean the opportunity to advance their scholastic endeavors. I am immensely proud of these students for their unique perspective on how to promote sustainable cruise-line tourism. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Ms. Rachel Guzman Ramirez on her first place in the senior division, and Mr. Tyler Ian Antonio Chung for his second place in the junior division. One of the Virgin Islands' economic mainstays is tourism, which is heavily impacted by the cruise ship industry. In the 2023-2024 season, cruise tourism contributed more than $258 million to the Virgin Islands' economy. It is imperative that we in Congress continue to support sustainable tourism that accounts for climate change, community investment, and environmentally friendly practices so that the Virgin Islands can continue to be America's paradise, and we can compete with other Caribbean islands. ____________________”