Political Quotes

“I rise in very strong opposition to the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act, the so- called PROMESA Act. This is a terrible piece of legislation, setting horrific precedent, and it must not be passed. The United States of America should not treat Puerto Rico as a colony. We cannot and must not take away the democratic rights of the 3.5 million Americans of Puerto Rico and give virtually all power on that island to a 7-member board that will be dominated, as it happens, by 4 Republicans. This legislation strips away the most important powers of the democratically elected officials of Puerto Rico, the Governor, the Legislature, and the municipal governments as well. We must not allow that to happen. This is not what the United States of America is supposed to be about, and this is not how we should treat a territory in the year 2016. The bottom line is that the United States must not become a colonial master, which is precisely what this legislation allows. Any decisions that are made regarding the future of Puerto Rico must be made by the people of that island and their elected officials. This legislation, I should add, is not just about taking away the democratic rights of the people of Puerto Rico. It is about punishing them economically. Since 2006, Puerto Rico has been in the midst of a major economic depression. In the last 10 years, Puerto Rico has lost 20 percent of its jobs.…”