Wasserman Schultz Statement on Puerto Rico Legislation

Washington, DC, June 10, 2016
While I applaud the efforts of those who tirelessly worked to create a path for Puerto Rico out of its dire humanitarian and financial crisis, I could not support the bill as written. It is extraordinarily disappointing that Speaker Ryan allowed Puerto Rico to wither for months before finally following through on his promise to deliver a bill. We have for too long treated Puerto Rico and her residents as second class citizens with laws and policies that disadvantage Puerto Ricans. While this bill takes some meaningful steps, ultimately I found certain parts of the bill weighed it down with provisions that were harmful to working people.

Wasserman Schultz Statement on Puerto Rico Legislation

 U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5278, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act:

“While I applaud the efforts of those who tirelessly worked to create a path for Puerto Rico out of its dire humanitarian and financial crisis, I could not support the bill as written. It is extraordinarily disappointing that Speaker Ryan allowed Puerto Rico to wither for months before finally following through on his promise to deliver a bill.

“We have for too long treated Puerto Rico and her residents as second class citizens with laws and policies that disadvantage Puerto Ricans. While this bill takes some meaningful steps, ultimately I found certain parts of the bill weighed it down with provisions that were harmful to working people. 

“Puerto Ricans have suffered under austerity measures that have included mass layoffs, service cuts, and higher taxes. Portions of this legislation could jeopardize important protections for workers’ overtime hours and minimum wage, further hampering their ability to earn a living wage to support their families. By watering down these protections, I fear that this bill would ultimately take more money out of the hands of the hardworking women and men of Puerto Rico and the local economy. 

“This bill does not make significant enough changes to ensure that Puerto Ricans are afforded equal access to Federal programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Medicare. This equal access would ultimately offer support to individual Puerto Ricans and their families, who are suffering the most under this crisis.

“While this bill does guarantee some protections for workers and retirees’ accrued pensions, it does not go far enough to protect the hard-earned retirement benefits that so many Puerto Ricans have worked for their entire lives. Puerto Ricans, like all Americans, rely on their pensions for their economic security, and must be afforded the same unalienable rights as every other American citizen.”

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Contact:

Geoff Burgan, Geoff.Burgan@mail.house.gov, 202.225.7931

 


DWS