Washington – Puerto Rico Economic Recovery Initiative (PRERI) Executive Director Javier Ortiz today applauded the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Financial Services Committee for holding hearings on Puerto Rico’s debt crisis: “We are grateful to Chairman Rob Bishop and Chairman Sean Duffy for their unwavering support to the Americans living in Puerto…
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By Clayton P. Gillette & David A. Skeel Jr. Gov. Alejandro García Padilla of Puerto Rico has offered a comprehensive proposal for reversing the territory’s downward spiral. Unlike prior proposals, which focused solely on restructuring Puerto Rico’s debt or cutting its spending, the new plan recognizes the urgent need for both. It could actually work,…
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By Michelle Wilde Anderson Last week, Puerto Rico eked out a major round of payments on its enormous debt — surely the last one that the island can afford to pay in full. The territory’s debt crisis reached a boiling point last summer and is beginning to overflow. By the new year, Puerto Rico will…
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By Bill de Blasio & Bob Buckhorn Time is running out for Congress to help save Puerto Rico from a financial debacle that could very soon turn into a humanitarian crisis. The magnitude of this emergency, and its effect on all Americans, cannot be overstated. We have heard from Puerto Rican, congressional and local leaders…
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By Editorial Board The leaders of Puerto Rico could soon have to choose between cutting essential services like the police, hospitals and education, and paying bondholders. To avoid this catastrophe, Congress needs to help the island, which is home to 3.5 million American citizens, by giving it the ability to restructure its debts in an…
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By Jose Portela and Javier Ortiz Puerto Rico and its current fiscal situation were top of mind of the Obama Administration and Congress recently. On one hand, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew released a set of legislative proposals to address Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. The plan solidly lays out a very good way forward. While…
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By Richard Carrion After a decade of economic contraction, lack of fiscal discipline and increasing public debt, Puerto Rico now stands at a critical junction. As a banker and a proud Puerto Rican, I am frustrated and ashamed that the situation has deteriorated to this point. Leaders from several administrations and political parties ignored structural…
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