department and leaders of the military to execute. the absence of this timely, efficient process hurts our national security. there is little stability and predictability in resource allocation across the department. the department operated more years than not on a continuing resolution that has an impact on procurement, on spending. it creates more inefficiency when they don't pass these bills timely and efficiently. i believe uamf is important but the responsibility doesn't stop there. with respect to an audit there is clearly more we can do to run the defense department like a business in a way that's appropriate and legible and audible for the taxpayer and to make sure every dollar we spend is going to the national security interest and we don't have waste, fraud and abuse. there is a role for auditability. >> dr. west.

>> i just want to salute you and your public work in uniform, military uniform as well as civilian clothes. i heard you say you were committed to protecting whistleblowers. i was wondering what your definition was. i'm thinking of edward snowden. my dear brothers and sisters, chelsea manning, my dear brother jeffrey sterling. two in jail, one outside of the country. would you define them as whistleblowers or in a different way? >> dr. west -- >> i put you on the spot too much. >> very penetrating question. >> i appreciate your reflections. >> i would define whistleblowers as those individuals who come forward consistent with the statutes for the appropriate authorities with the appropriate clearances to adjudicate. it's my understanding that our government has designated mr. snowden and before him, private

manning to be not whistleblowers. to be in one case someone accused of violating the military justice and someone accused of violating federal law. i believe there is a pathway through the chain of command or the bureaucracies to report wrongdoing. if they saw wrongdoing they should have taken it. if they reported it to the appropriate authorities they should have been protected as we protect whistleblowers who report wrongdoing through channels. >> thank you very much. we appreciate your testimony. >> thank you, sir. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, our last witness is vikram singh. thank you very much, mr. singh, vice president for the national

security and international policy at american progress previously he served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for southeast asia at the pentagon where he advised senior leadership on all policy matters pertaining to development and defense strategies and plans for the region until november 2011. mr. singh was a deputy special representative for afghanistan and pakistan at the u.s. department of state. welcome. >> thank you, mr. chair. thank you to the cochairs and all of you for inviting me to testify here at the end of a long day. i have been asked to talk about the nature of leadership coming first in the day or last in the day is appropriate. as you said i'm the vice president at the center of

american progress. i want to start by noting the democratic party platforms have long featured strong progressive forward-looking visions for america's role in the world. that kind of vision will be critical for our nation's security in the years ahead. we face an unparalleled diversity of threats and challenges touched on by witnesses throughout the day today. almost none of them can be handled by any one nation acting alone. this is why i think principled american leadership is key to the future security and prosperity. when america leads well the world becomes safer and more secure. when we turn inward it is the opposite. principled leadership starts with honest appraisal of the threats we face rooted in fact not fear. principled leadership requires building coalitions, deterring conflict and encouraging a path to engagement when crisis

strikes. this kind of leadership finds its political home in the modern democratic party for several reasons. first democratic leadership use war as a last resort, never a first choice. democrats will always use force if needed to protect americans but see that unilateralism and preventive war are failures of leadership. second democrats recognize the importance of partners. we are better off with partners than going it alone. we stand with our friends and allies. finally democrats understand diplomacy, development and economic state craft are critical to stopping crises. we fight for greater investment in the nonmilitary tools of the national power in order to make us more safe. principled leadership like this is what the next president will need to deal with the challenges we face. i want to give a couple of examples. to defeat radical jihadist terrorism including isis and al qaeda we need to steadily help

countries like iraq, syria and other nations take back territory from extremists. territory from which they can launch attacks not only in the local area but far afield in europe or the united states. disrupting the flow of foreign fighters is important. we have to go after the communications, finance, ability to travel and we have to toughen up our defenses at home. this is not just a military problem. we need to recognize the ideology of hate that's created jihadi terrorism was nurtured over years by investments in education made by those who had these kinds of beliefs. we need to start thinking about how to invest in a different type and help others do so. we need global help to forge a path for stability, fend off threats for militants and find viable political solutions to heal divisions in the society by

reducing sectarian politics. we cannot do it for them. we can help them work at it. to counter nuclear proriff litigation, another example. we need to bring nations together as the obama administration managed to do to impose sanctions and negotiate a deal that brought an end to iran's current nuclear ambitions. if enforced will delay them for years or perhaps permanently. that tough approach backed by military power and deterrents can apply to other threats like north korea. or to handle china's rise. we need a combination of resolve and engagement. we need to welcome china's larger role on the world stage. should they be subjected to coercion or bullying or the seizure of territory that's been disputed between parties. a similar truth applies to our engagement with russia. we need to stand by ukraine which has been the victim of aggression and the loss of its

territory through the use of force in contravention of international law. we may need to continue to support long-term economic sanctions. perhaps for an indefinite period. we need to encourage others to have resolve in this area. it doesn't mean we cannot do anything with russia. we should be clear about what's acceptable and what is not and what we stand for. last example to protect our government from cyber attacks. we have to work with other nations and the private sector to share threat information and cooperate on investigation and prosecution. we cannot protect ourselves alone. i think i'm well over my time. >> yes. >> i wanted to touch on the contrast with republicans. perhaps we can do that in the questions. >> thank you very much.

>> how would you contrast what you said with what the republican position might be. [laughter] >> i think i can contrast it very starkly. the contrast with republicans right now couldn't be more stark. republicans nominated a candidate who thinks nuclear proliferation might be ok. republicans have nominated a candidate who thinks maybe we should pull out of alliances like nato or maybe it's ok to target the families of terrorists. to say the bulk of the republican party doesn't support those views and it is because they have an outlier as a candidate is a great disservice. that's not what we are talking about here. >> what do you advise us on the u.s. paying dues to the u.n. pulling out of institutions like unesco.

a few years ago when palestinians joined unesco, we by operation of law had to pull out. i felt that wasn't us at our best. there are a few institutions, examples like us stepping away from multilateral institutions. should the democratic platform reflect some commitment to multilateralism and the u.s. playing a leadership role. >> representative ellison, we need to focus on multilateralism at the table. you cannot lead if you are not at the table. simply withdrawing in protest is often a satisfying in the near term. perhaps politically expedient. at the end of the day we leave -- we only lead when we show up. >> you mentioned the situation in ukraine.

the problem is actually broader than that, isn't it? there is georgia, muldova and poland. there is real insecurity. i want you to broaden out the discussion about europe and the challenges we face in europe vis-a-vis russia and as mentioned juan earlier witness the problem of refugees now changing the political landscape in europe in a very threatening way. could you discuss -- i know that's a lot. i feel that our platform needs to reflect how we ebb gauge europe vis-a-vis russia and the challenges we face there whether it is expansion of nato further or -- and how we deal with the issue of this radicalization process that's taking place on many fronts. partly as a result of the backlash to refugees coming into europe. >> this refugee crisis is the

kind of crisis that tests us at a very profound level. when it is reacted to in fear it sparks division and the kind of rise of right wing populism we are seeing in many countries. it is really only going to be something that enables greater unity if we rise to it with basically an openness and an embracing of people that are in desperate desperate straits. i think the party can articulate the long standing commitment to that basic humanitarianism, not just because it's good for the people. but it is ultimately good for our interests. i think this is going to be the biggest challenge the european project has faced in the last 70 years. i don't know where it will come out but the united states should be on the side of a unified europe that seeks to stop the

root causes of the violence that's driving them from their homes. on russia, it's simple. there is a pattern. it is not a new pattern. it goes back to georgia, muldova, ukraine. in ukraine it was the most extreme example we have seen to date. the question now is can russian behavior be channelled and shaped through steady resolve from the rest of the world. the rest of the world may not include everybody. it will include us and our european allies. i hope the bite of sanctions, the opportunity to reengage and reshape the kind of relationship we are going to have with russia will lead to a different kind of decision down the road. in the meantime, it is very important to know that we are going to be there with our friends and that we are going to not decide that it is ok to retroactively accept this kind

of violation of sovereignty which is, after all, fundamental principles and local stability. >> our final question. did you have a question? >> yes. i'm sorry. i wanted to ask a very simple question. i think these issues get very confusing about unilateralism. unilateral actions. what is the standard around military engagement? what do you think is the right way for the military to ever use force ever? and then of the candidates, i am not familiar with a presidential candidate at the moment on the democratic side who has called for unilateral action without allies, who is calling for boots on the ground anywhere. i would love to get your thoughts on those two issues. >> i think i'm glad we don't have a democratic candidate calling for unilateral action and boots on the ground everywhere.

i think that's the hallmark of the pru denlt use of our power, the responsible use of our power. i do think there is a distinction between a large scale invasion and invasion in helping a country manage our regional security challenge. i think putting for example special forces on the ground to help iraq retake territory from isis is an appropriate use of american military power. i do not believe that you can ever have just a simple litmus test. most of the situations that threaten americans are complex and rapidly evolving and we hope we have chosen leader who will decide wisely. it requires that we always comply with the law of conflict, the law of war.

that we stick 2 our principles. that we have identified what a threat is and what the military tool can do with that threat. and that our leaders, civilian leaders are taking the advice of our military leaders. but if americans are really threatened it is appropriate to use all of the tools at our disposal to protect americans. if our allies and friends are threatened or are suffering a domestic catastrophe, it is appropriate for us to figure out means of security assistance to help them secure their own countries. >> did you have a question? i'm sorry. i didn't see you. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman. thank you for that testimony which was the right way to end the day. nuanced, interesting, stimulating in all kinds of ways. you did a good job. i was quite interested. you were talking about some of the almost overdetermined causes of the crisis in syria. it struck me that one you didn't get to was this spate of academic studies in the last few

years demonstrating the greatest drought to hit the fertile crescent in thousands of years may be a deep underlying factor. i guess in the larger sense what it made me wonder, climate change is arguably -- maybe not arguably the greatest global program we have ever faced. it is not a problem that's easily fit into our kind of national security thinking in any of the national security establishments. it's been set in some place betwixt and between. do you think that's changing post paris? do you think it really is -- are there ways to help make it a lens through which we understand foreign policy going forward?

>> thank you for that question. in the five-minute version of the testimony that was definitely in there. the fact is the united states military has long recognized that climate change is going to be one of the largest drivers of instability and conflict and one of the largest threats to american national security. the national intelligence council has long recognized the same thing. so in congruence with the scientific community of the world, our national security professionals see that this is a fundamental challenge. i believe the tide is turning to the point at which we'll start talking about the security implications of climate change, the same way we talk about the security implications of vladimir putin. i think that will be a very important change. it is something this party can highlight in this platform in ways that will advance the debate significantly. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. i want to thank you for your testimony.

we really appreciate it. [applause] >> want to thank all the witnesses who appeared today. want to thank chairman debbie wasserman-schultz for doing a great job and the entire staff. thank you. in the meantime, you know, we are going to be meeting on february 17 and 18 in phoenix. if you have any concerns, things that may have come up. documents you may need. andy grossman is the person you want to be in touch with. he's very excited to hear from you. again, i want to thank the -- all of our members of the committee for your time and for your efforts. as i said, when we first met, this is a very important time in our country's history. a very important time for our country.

we are so blessed to have this opportunity to be able to be part of a road map not only for the next election but for the next generation and for generations yet unborn. i will see you in phoenix. bye-bye now. [applause] >> c-span's washington journal is live every day. the first hour of the program to the life and legacy of mohammed ali. the, with the release of bipartisan policy commission on retirement security earlier this week, the cochairs of that commission, former senator kent conrad of north dakota and former deputy commissioner for the social security administration james lockhart talked about the commission's findings and the obstacles to workers financial security and waste to enhance and secure retirement and personal savings.

the show to watch c-span's washington journal beginning live at 7:00 a.m. eastern friday morning, join the discussion. friday, a memorial service for boxer and civil rights ali, who diedmad at age 74. eulogies include bill clinton and bryant gumbel. you can see that on our website, c-span.org. >> madam secretary, we proudly give 72 of our delegate votes to the next president of the united states. ♪ [cheers and applause]

>> the u.s. house is debating a bill dealing with puerto rico $72 billion debt. now, covering the debate. give us the current state of puerto rico's financial stability. what is congress's oversight role in that? >> it is not good. there is not enough to pay the debt the island has incurred. todayuts us where we are with congress. congress has a constitutional obligation to monitor the territories, including puerto rico. in the situation the house is trying to advance legislation

that would allow puerto rico to restructure some of that debt and establish an outside board to oversee the island's finances similar to what we saw in washington, d.c. back in the mid-1990's. >> that headline on your piece said the households for strong showings on her bills. what are some of those details in that legislation that are drawing bipartisan support? bill islot of ways the kind of an essential compromise. there are two main planks, the control board is to the finance is brought back on track by an outside body, and the debt restructuring which was the central piece who insisted that the early go has to be able to go to court and restructure its debts in order to pay off any of it in some portion. then we have several side provisions attached to it to intel's republicans including one that would allow the island not paid minimum wage for some

workers and reduce of the shortest distance regulations on the island. meanwhile, democrats have fought back against some of those regulation. we're hoping disease and that would expand the income tax credit to the island. democrats still say they will more or less supported. >> one of the pieces dealt with minimum wage in puerto rico. one of the amendments not allowed was from california which would strip that provision from the bill. why wasn't it allowed? what would it have done? >> it would've stripped out of these of the bill that effectively would've given puerto rico the option of not paying the federal minimum wage to some of their workers first of the argument was that it is the sort of business incentivizing language you need in the bill to get the island economy back on track. democrats of what had minimum wage don't want to be supporting any kind of bill that makes it easier for any part of the country to not pay the minimum wage. that is really been a central piece of the debate. really, it boils down to talking about side provisions while the

core of the bill is expected to remain intact. >> republicans voted against it, however some of those -- close of the opposition from republican center surround that restructuring provision. there is a concern that i'd allow in puerto rico to rework its contracts it has already part money from that is an objective will -- objectionable provision for them. others that are troubling with a look to this current situation as some sort of a precedent. supporters say that is not going to happen, this is a very narrow tailored to puerto rico specific circumstances given that it is a territory and doesn't have access to the bankruptcy code currently. will bipartisan support, here's the word from the white house. urges congress to build on the bipartisan effort behind the bill and passed 50 to 78.

did the administration have a role in crafting the legislation? role.entral treasury department was in intense negotiations with republicans try to get this finalized. it is what the white house has supported, they describe it as maybe not the perfect piece of legislation but it is workable and we need something to pass this congress to help puerto rico interest the situation. right now, they are throwing all of their weight behind this bill. amongt is the content is puerto rican born legislators and the delegates from puerto rico, what is the feeling among those numbers. >> persimmon a key -- this has been key. many have a significant puerto rican population, the democrats which they belong to it is been a key bloc to watch. thee is good news for bill's supporters this morning. they announced they would be voting in favor of the bill.

it were at the white house yesterday to meet with president obama. getting their support on board is a good sign they feel comfortable with the legislation with where it stands right now and want to see it move forward. luis gutierrez not looking like he will support the bill but the fact that they can get most of the artery can born lawmakers on board as a positive sign. >> will it get support in the senate> lawmakers agree the needs to be something done. the general tenor is that they're not crazy about the house rule but at the same time the recognized something needs to be done. it doesn't seem to be a lot of appetite to really start from scratch. if the bill passes, with a pretty solid bipartisan majority, there's probably a good chance the senate will be ready to take that up and not mess around with it too much. >> viewers can find out more at thehill.com, thanks for the update. >> thursday the u.s. house

passed a bill to provide aid to puerto rico and its debt crisis. the bill passed 297-127 with the leaders of both parties supporting the measure. next, the hour and 20 minute debate on the house floor. the chair recognizes the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. chairman. for introducing and allowing us one of the most significant bills that's going to come in here in a long time. it's going to be an excellent solution to a very, very difficult problem. i would like to introduce this by recognizing the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. duffy, for five minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. duffy: thank you, mr. speaker. i first want to thank congressman bishop and the whole resources committee for all of the hard work they've put in to this bill. this has been a months long process of working with democrats and republicans, the administration, treasury, puerto

rican elected officials, all coming together to negotiate, discuss, to philosophize, and then eventually come up with what i think is an excellent resolution to the burning crisis in puerto rico. i want to take a moment to talk about what's actually happening on the island. puerto rico is 73 -- is $73 billion in debt. that's over 100% of g.n.p. they have almost $2 billion of unpaid bills to their vendors. so what does that mean? it means that schools are closing down because we don't have fuel for energy in the schools or for school buses. hospital wings are closing, emergency vehicles aren't being run because the island doesn't have money to pay its bills. this is a true economic crisis tarks true humanitarian crisis that's taking place in puerto rico. so the question becomes does

this institution act to help puerto rico or do we continue to negotiate and refine and tweak a bill that will never come to the floor that will never make it to the senate that will never gain the president's signature. do we let the perfect be the enemy of the good? i think this is a great bill that's going to get puerto rico on a path to prosperity and opportunity, economic growth, that's going to help the people in puerto rico who have a dream of living in puerto rico stay in puerto rico. with their families and their communities. on the island that they love. but right now, there's despair. we have thousands of people leaving puerto rico every month to come to the mainland because there's no opportunity. . this is what debt does to economies. it absolutely crushes them. and it crushes people. so what do we do? we were we have a two-pronged approach.

number one, the elected officials in puerto rico have known this issue has been coming for years. and haven't been able to get their hands around it. haven't had the political will to fix the problem. and so we are going to put in to effect an oversight board, to actually work with the island government, to get its finances and its budgets under control. and that oversight board is going to have an opportunity to work on the debt restructuring, which is the second prong of this bill. $73 billion in debt. they can't pay it. people might want to wish that all the bond holders could be paid, they might dream about all the bond holders being paid, but the bottom line is, puerto rico doesn't have enough income to pay its bond holders. they can't pay their vendors, let alone their bond holders, so we set up a system where the island and the bond holders have a form in which to

negotiate a settlement, a resolution, to this massive debt. if they can't come up with a resolution or a solution to the debt, they can access the court system and the courts can help them resolve the disputes in regard to this massive debt. but if that system that's going to allow for debt restructuring and an oversight board that's going to bring puerto rico to a place of economic health. and when you can get to a place of economic health, you can start to have a conversation about economic growth. and when you have economic growth, you actually help people, you help families, you help communities. now, there are some who have said that this bill is a bailout. let me tell you what. i have a definition of a bailout and a bailout happens when this institution sends taxpayer money to somewhere else. or to somebody else. the bottom line is, this bill doesn't spend any taxpayer money bailing anybody out.

there's no taxpayer money that's involved. we do here is say, hey, listen, if you invest in puerto rican bonds and you might have got a great return on your bonds, but you maybe bought it 50, 60 cents on the dollar, you took that risk. and if there's a loss, you, the bond holder, are going to bear on that bond. but the taxpayers aren't going to bear that loss for you. i think this is a great exro age -- se, a great pack compromise, a great package that's going to bring economic health and growth back to puerto rico. i want to thank mr. pierluisi for all the insight he's given on what needs to be done to make this work and the elected politician, the speaker of the puerto rican house who has been so gracious with his insight into how we structure a package that that's going to grow puerto rico. i want to thank mr. bishop as well in resources and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona.

mr. grijalva: thank you, mr. chairman. i yield myself five minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. grijalva: thank you very much, mr. chairman. the united states flag has flown over puerto rico for more than a century. those born on the island are american citizens and more than 200,000 have served in the united states military, including roughly 10,000 serving today. millions more live on the u.s. mainland, but consider puerto rico their home. mr. chairman, we're here today because our fellow americans are suffering and it is our constitutional responsibility to help them. they are suffering from the effects of a debt crisis more than a decade in the making. a devastating combination of mismanagement, unfair federal policies, and desperate budget cuts has destroyed the economy on the island. the monstrous burden of puerto rico's $70 billion debt is swallowing the funds needed to provide health care, education,

transportation and public safety for the commonwealth's families. almost 100,000 people have left the commonwealth last year to look for better economic opportunities, which only makes the situation on the island worse. about 80% of children in puerto rico live in high poverty areas, compared to about 11% of children on the mainland. the island's poverty rate is about 44% and unemployment is 13%. if congress fails to act, the island and its people face another decade of further economic and social collapse. that our fellow citizens of puerto rico should not be -- should not have to endure this coming humanitarian crisis. our colleague has described the status quo as a recipe to lose an entire generation to forced migration to the mainland. after six months of difficult bipartisan negotiations, four hearings and a series of draft bills, we are here today to

consider h.r. 5278. h.r. 5278 will provide th tools necessary to get the economy of puerto rico on a more stable footing and allow the commonwealth to regain access to credit markets. the bill would allow restructuring of all outstanding debt without favoring any particular creditor. require transparent audits, combined with annual fiscal plans and budgets. and temporarily pause the ongoing flurry of litigation to allow the oversight board to begin its work and create a space for voluntary negotiations. as i have said throughout this process, this is not a bill that i or democrats would have written. the oversight board is too powerful and is yet another infringement on the sovereignty of the people of puerto rico and they have a right to find it offensive. the provisions undermining minimum wage and overtime rules don't belong in the bill. what's worse, they threaten the effectiveness of the overall legislation. provisions that should be

included, like full pension protections and earned income tax credit, equal funding for medicaid and zika response, are missing. but the reality is that this is the only bill that would attract enough support for my colleagues across the aisle to pass. in a congress which they control. there is no other avenue available to address the crisis. this compromise is a bill we can and should pass. when measured against the perfect bill, this legislation is inadequate. when measured against the ing crisis in puerto rico, this legislation is vitally necessary. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 5278 and i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. chairman. i am happy now to yield two minutes to one of the senior members of our committee, a senior member of his delegation, and someone who happens to be celebrating today not home his anniversary but also his birthday.

what better way of giving a birthday present to the representative from alaska than to allow him to speak on the floor on the subject of puerto rico. i yield two minutes to the gentleman from alaska. the chair: the gentleman from alaska is recognized for two minutes. mr. young: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 5278 and may i commend mr. bishop, chairman bishop, for his kindness and recognizing my birthday and my anniversary. i'm quite proud of that. i'm 83 years old. i still can kick tails and take names. keep that in mind. but this is a bill that i do support. it's been worked together with the puerto ricans, it's been rked together with mr. pierluisi. i would say most all of the people involved in this recognizes not everything -- it's not everything we would want. but the bill that can help puerto rico today and now. it is not a bailout. that's for some people who keep

saying it's a bailout. it does not allow taxpayer dollars to be used for paying down the puerto rican debt. i held a hearing for this in february, the problem in puerto ico, and the oversight board concept was clear, that was needed, that was testified in favor of. i understand some reluctance in puerto rico. let's get this ship righted. once we get it righted, restacked, the sails full of wind, then puerto rico will have a chance. i do support the process. the billcombats the immediate yy sis. it will help -- immediate yy sis. it will help out -- immediate crisis. it will help out puerto rico. we need more long-term solutions, though, about the economic zones of puerto rico and how we improve the economy there so they can continue to grow. i want to compliment mr. duffy's amendment. i'll be with that, on mr. duffy and his work on this legislation. i do believe a hub zone is very necessary in the contracting program. and the people of puerto rico, as i mentioned, i've been

involved on this floor of the house -- 15 years ago we had a vote about statehood. passed by one vote. i'm a big supporter of statehood. always have been. didn't occur. we didn't allow. but right now this problem has to be addressed. i do compliment mr. bishop again and mr. duffy. members on that side of the aisle. let's take our american people and puerto rico and give them the recognition necessary. let's help them now so we can go forward. with that i yield back. the chair: the gentleman from arizona. mr. grijalva: thank you, mr. chairman. at this point i'd like to yield to the gentlelady from new york , representative velez kess, for five minutes -- velazquez, for five minutes. the chair: the gentlelady from new york is recognized for five minutes. ms. velazquez: thank you, grijalva.mber i just want to take this opportunity to really thank you for the important role that you have played throughout this

process. mr. chairman, i rise in support of the bill. when i was elected to congress, i understood there will be tough votes. for me, this is one of those votes. for those of us with ties to puerto rico, this is a profoundly personal issue. there is plenty of blame to go around for this situation. san juan has played a role. but washington and wall street have equally contributed to this crisis. it is a crisis that is already harming working families who call the island home. and if left unaddressed, it ill grow immeasurably worse. so, today we stand at a fork in he road. the bill before us empowers puerto rico to restructure 100%

of its debt. the only other route sends puerto rico to the courthouse. where it will be at the mercy of creditors who will inflict further suffering on the island. now some will suggest that if we oppose this bill, somehow a third option will magically appear before us. that is nonsense. the stark reality we now face promesa, her than there are no other options left. that does not mean that this is a perfect bill. it's not even close. it makes no sense. this bill includes an attempt to pay puerto rican workers less than those on the mainland. it is offensive that puerto rico must put a $375 million price tag for an oversight

board its residents do not want. and the bill does not address economic growth incentives and health care parity, issues at the core of puerto rico's crisis. t despite this, i see no alternative. if we do not act, puerto rico will unravel further. basic services are being cut and these cuts will deepen. more schools will close, more police and firefighters will be terminated. and those who will pay the price are puerto rico's most vulnerable, its children, its seniors, its working families. we have a profound responsibility to prevent this catastrophe from worsening. those suffering on the island are my brothers and sisters, my

fellow puerto ricans. but my friends, they are also your fellow citizens. 200,000 puerto ricans have fought and shed blood in every military conflict since world war i. now these citizens need our help. this is a responsibility we cannot ignore. you see, when the united states took puerto rico and, remember, we did not just obtain a pretty island, we also took on a responsibility to care for the people who live there. now, will the me say this -- let me say this, living up to that responsibility does not end with this vote on this bill today. decisions made by

washington over decaded has corroded puerto rico's economy. it will require more work by congress. until we end the colonial conditions that have subjugated and exploited the island, there will be no long-term recovery. so this bill alone is not enough. we must pass additional legislation in the next six months. addressing puerto rico's deep-seeded economic challenges and ongoing health care crisis. if we do not, then, washington, we have failed the people of puerto rico once more. mr. chairman, this is not the legislation i would have written, but it is the only way we can extend a lifeline to puerto rico right now. in many ways, the easy path for

me to vote no. secondly i heard the case made by some in the puerto rican community. the chair: the gentlelady's time has expired. mr. grijalva: i yield an additional minute. ms. velazquez: at the end of the day, i know that this if this bill does not pass, people that i care about and live on the island that i grew up will suffer debately. at least with this legislation puerto rico can restructure its debt and work towards a brighter future. vote yes for the bill and please join in working me to address the long-term challenges. let me thank all those who worked on this legislation, especially leader pelosi, speaker ryan and whip hoyer and

thank ranking member and the chairman for their efforts as well as my puerto rican members of congress. and of course, our thanks to the staff who dedicated timeless hours crafting this compromise. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from florida, the southern tip of minutes, or two curbelo. tive mr. curbelo: i thank chairman bishop and representative duffy, who have shown steadfast leadership in finding practical solutions to address the fiscal crisis in puerto rico. the situation in puerto rico is urgent and so is the need for a responsible reform agenda.

hundreds of thousands of citizens have left the island and many have come to florida to find better opportunities as a result of the deteriorating conditions. our friends in puerto rico, our fellow american citizens, deserve a better future, one that gives them the chance to achieve prosperity on the island. this is an important step forward in mitigateing the existing humanitarian emergency in a responsible way. the bill allows the congressional task force to look at impedements to economic growth and poverty reduction including access to federal health care programs for the island's residents. serious challenges remain in the health care sector, like the impending medicaid cliff that could have a detrimental impact on the future of the island. i also urge my colleagues to vote in favor of my amendment

with mr. jolly that will address the nearly 60% of children living in poverty on the island is a top priority. as we work to achieve economic stability on the island, we must also ensure that the mechanisms in this bill benefit the extremely vulnerable child population. congress has an important interest in ensuring that puerto rico not only survives the current crisis, mr. chairman, but it is able to build a better and more sustainable future. again, i'm very supportive of the bipartisan solutions in h.r. 5278 and i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill and my amendment which addresses child poverty on the island. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from arizona. mr. grijalva: i yield to the gentleman from maryland, our whip, mr. hoyer. the chair: how much time?

mr. grijalva: three minutes. mr. hoyer: i thank the gentleman for yielding, at the outset, rarely do we see the political courage and intellectual integrity that we have seen in the gentlelady from new york, ms. velazquez, and i have worked with her for months trying to get a solution fair to puerto rico and fair to the 3.5 million american citizens who live in puerto rico. i also wants to thank my friend, jose serrano, also from new york, also puerto rican, also having thought about this extraordinarily thoughtfully and it's been difficult. i want to congratulate both of them for coming to the decision that is a terribly difficult one for them that this is at this

juncture the only alternative, to the pain and the suffering of which ms. velazquez spoke. i'm sure the citizens of puerto rico are watching this debate and they understand this is not a perfect bill. it's not the bill i or mr. pierluisi, who lost an election in my view, because of his fidelity to what he believes is the island's best interest. it forces puerto rico to take ome bitter medicine, accept an oversight board that is unacceptable to many living on the island and does not provide additional assistance to the island that is critically needed and ought to be done. hopefully we can address that. it is a compromise and will enable the commonwealth of puerto rico to restructure its debt and prevent economic

catastrophe. i can assure both sides of the aisle in this chamber and in the senate that it is a compromise forged out of serious consideration of all possible alternatives that could result in bipartisan agreement. we must not risk the cost of further inaction by this congress, which should have acted months ago, but it is not too late to do the right thing. congress must act before puerto rico's next interest payment is due on july 1. according to the "new york times" editorial board, quote, this bill has flaws. i think both sides would agree to that. but at this late date, the "new york times" went on, it offers the island its best chance of survival. it is therefore, mr. speaker, my

advice and urging to our members that we vote for this bill. we need to come together and pass this bill without any coversial riders. again, i want to thank representatives velazquez, serrano and resident commissioner pierluisi for their courage and integrity. mr. chairman, we need to pass this bill for the american citizens living in puerto rico and to meet the responsibility of which ms. velazquez spoke so eloquently and i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. chairman, your southern idaho accent got more southern. i would like to recognize the .entleman from arkansas

mr. westerman: i rise in support of h.r. 5278. i thank the the gentleman from wisconsin and the chairman in crafting this legislation. h.r. 5278 is a compromised bill designed to save puerto rico from economic calamity and i suggest that the admission from both sides of the aisle that this bill isn't perfect is a testament that this is the best solution. the territory has missed payments on its debt and more and larger mispayments are on the horizon. the fiscal and economic conditions of puerto rico are unsustainable. based on the constaugs neal delegated power of congress to dispose of and make rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the united states, we have a responsibility to take

action on this matter. this unsustainable debt burden brought on by poor decisions, unfulfilled promises and bad developments has crippled their economy. and since puerto ricans are american citizens, thousands of young people come to the mainland each year to find work. puerto rico is spiraling out of control and it's our constitutional responsibility to put our territory on a different path and change the economic trajectory. h.r. 5278 establishes a seven-member oversight board that will will have the authority to establish budgets for the territory, require the scoring of legislation for the people of puerto rico know the true cost of government programs and the power to veto contracts and executive orders. once again, i would like to thank congressman duffy and chairman bishop in crafting a bill to get puerto rico on the right track without a taxpayer bailout. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 5278 and to lay a

foundation for a brighter future in puerto rico without spending taxpayer dollars. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: i yield three minutes to the gentleman from new york, mr. serrano. the chair: the gentleman from new york is recognized for three minutes. mr. serrano: i thank the gentleman. when we started these negotiations with both sides wanting to do something with both leaderships in the house, wanting to do something, i knew at the end of the day, i would be voting for a bill. i knew i had to do that for very simple reasons. inactivity, inaction was not an option. the only option was to do a bill.

what that bill would look like was my question. what that bill would look like was my challenge and my dilemma. the bill changed. the original bill had some provisions that no one could defend on either side, but we have made a bill now that does have some hard pills to swallow, but over $70 billion in debt with no signs of being able to pay is even more of a bitter pill to swallow. the territory is hurting. the people are hurting. in fact, if anything comes out of this that is positive is the fact that the u.s. congress is paying attention to puerto rico in a way that it hasn't in a long, long time, if at all. we are paying attention and we want to do something about the situation at hand. we are not supposed to direct our comments to the gallery or to the tv cameras, so i won't do

that. but there are people watching this and they need to have faith in the fact that both parties have come together to come together with a plan that will help us, a plan that will bring puerto rico back out of this debt situation and most importantly, i believe there is a commitment on both sides to work on economic development projects for the future to help puerto rico and its economy. but i couldn't get off this podium today without addressing my most important issue, and that is that the problem with the o rico continues to be status. as long as it is a territory of the united states, these issues will come back and other issues will come back. i want someone to go sarcastically or profoundly say,

all we were doing is putting a band-aid on a bigger problem. well, there is a bigger problem. and i think it's time congress came together with the people of puerto rico and decided to end the colonial status. but ending the colonial status does not mean tweaking the colony to make it be better or washing the face of the colony to make it more presentable, it means become a state or independent nation. there is no other solution. and for us, as the people who promote democracy throughout the world, for us to have a colony for 118 years is wrong. and remember, puerto rico didn't do this by itself. the indifference and inequality created this problem as much as everything else. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from utah.

mr. bishop: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from idaho. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. labrador: thank you for the work you have done on this critical piece of legislation and i want to thank my staffer, erin, for his work in my office to make this a better bill. we have worked countless hours to improve this bill and i'm proud of the work we have done. . . i rise and support h.r. 5278. the debt crisis in puerto rico is the result of years of liberal policies where the government carelessly borrowed and overspent while simultaneously encouraging mismanagement and inefficiency. we cannot view puerto rico's situation -- put puerto rico's situation in a vacuum. this will impact the rest of

our nation. the bill imposes fiscal reforms without spending a single dollar of u.s. taxpayer money to relieve puerto rico's debt. the bill protects packs pears from bailing out a -- taxpayers from bailing out a government that spent recklessly and avoids setting a horrible precedent that could attempt free-standing states to walk away from their obligations. specifically, h.r. 5278 establishes a strong oversight board to require puerto rico to balance its budget and achieve fiscal responsibility. the bill includes language that ensures that the fiscal plans and any potential restructuring must honor lawful priorities as guaranteed by puerto rico's constitution and laws. every state and municipality in this country relies on bond markets to provide funding for government operations. h.r. 5278 creates the balance that will effectively address the needs of puerto rico while

ensuring access to these markets for states and municipalities nationwide. in conclusion, as a person who was born and raised in puerto rico and somebody who's very proud of his puerto rican heritage, i love the people. i love the island, and i hope that this bill sets them on the path to fiscal responsibility and a brighter future. the house must pass this bill to establish the necessary framework to help puerto rico put its fiscal house in order while also protecting the interest of every american. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: thank you very much. at this point i'd like to yield five minutes to the resident commissioner of puerto rico, mr. pierluisi, who at great risk politically continues to push for this compromised bill we have before us and for that we're grateful. the chair: the gentleman from puerto rico is recognized for

five minutes. mr. pierluisi: thank you, ranking member grijalva. i represent puerto rico in congress and i rise in support of promesa. puerto rico is at a crossroads. since 1898 puerto rico has been a territory of the united states subject to the broad powers of congress under the territory clause. in 1917, congress conferred u.s. citizenship on individuals born in puerto rico. in the 1950's, congress authorized and approved a constitution for puerto rico which provides the island with a republican form of government, consisting of three branches. because puerto rico is a territory, my constituents have never been treated equally relative to their fellow u.s. citizens in the states. in terms of either democratic rights or economic opportunities. in large part, to compensate for the lack of fair treatment

at the federal level, the puerto rico government has spent beyond its means at the local leaving, leading to excessive deficits and debt. this lack of discipline is regrettable, but understandable . since the puerto rico government is seeking to provide a quality of life to island residents comparable to the quality of life in the states, bear in mind that my constituents can hop on a plane anytime, any day and move to florida or texas -- any time, any day and move to florida or texas. the bill we're considering today, promesa, is a bipartisan grow mize intended to deal with the -- compromise intended to deal with this that will restructure its public debt in a fair and orderly manner while establishing a temporary oversight board to ensure that puerto rico has a viable long-term fiscal plan and balanced budgets and it sticks

to both. in an emergency, the first step is to stabilize the situation, and i believe promesa can accomplish this objective. without this legislation, the puerto rico government is likely to collapse. participants in public pension plans will be terribly harmed and many bond holders could lose their investments. promesa is in the interest of all stakeholders and the most likely alternative is chaos, litigation, rapidly deteriorating quality of life in puerto rico and even greater migration to the states. however, let me be plain. this bill is an essential first step, but it is not an enduring solution. the federal government and indeed the puerto rico government must come to terms .ith a fundamental fact so long as my constituents are treated as second-class citizens, puerto rico will never have a first-class

economy. puerto rico must become a full and equal member as a state which is a logical next step or they must join the community of nations as a sovereign country. puerto rico deserves true democracy and true dignity, nothing less. yet, first things come first. we have to deal with this immediate crisis. we have to save the house in puerto rico. vote yes on h.r. 5278. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. chairman. i, too, would like to express my appreciation and sincere gratitude to the resident commissioner from puerto rico for all his hard work. i may be known as the historian of this body but i would like to yield to the gentleman from oklahoma a second to give a historical perspective, if i could, two minutes to mr. lucas

from oklahoma. the chair: the gentleman from oklahoma is recognized for two minutes. mr. lucas: thank you, mr. chairman. i rise today to note there is only a handful of my colleagues on the floor in the body who were here when the precedent for this process was set in 1995. some of my colleagues on this side of the room argue we are setting a new precedent. we are not. some of you remember 1994 when i came as a new member in a special election. some of you may remember the economic chaos, the near collapse of the district of columbia and the city of washington. some of you may remember how we were told in those days, you can't go into certain parts of town because it's not safe. the stories about how a high percentage, if not almost half the police cars would not run at any one time. i remember waking up one july night and looking out the fifth window of my apartment building i was in as the firemen were hosing down a spot not many paces from the corner of first

and d street where someone had been killed, literally within hundreds of feet of the federal campus. washington, d.c., the district of columbia was about to collapse into chaos, 1994. so what did we do in 1995? we passed a bill very similar to this, set up a superadvisory board, took control of the finances to help right the ship. for two years there were tremendously painful decisions made here in washington, d.c., at the municipal level. but after those two years we had four years of balanced budgets, and the control act, as it was called, was suspended. it was successful and the renaissance this town, this community has gone through all started with that bill in 1995. now, i'm voting for this piece of legislation because i believe my fellow american

citizens who live in puerto rico deserve the right to have a renaissance, deserve the right to move forward. but we're all members of elected bodies and we know how tough these decisions and situations are. pass this bill, create the superadvisory board, give the good citizens of puerto rico, the commonwealth the chance to benefit just as washington, d.c., did. they deserve the chance. i yield back, mr. chairman. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: thank you very much, mr. chairman. i yield to the gentleman from illinois, mr. gutierrez, three minutes. the chair: the gentleman from illinois is recognized for three minutes. mr. gutierrez: mr. speaker, i rise in opposition to this legislation. the people of the enchanted island deserve better. it is my duty to my heritage and to the land where i intend to return someday and where someday i intend to be buried. as president obama said so profoundly when he visited the

land of his father's birth, kenya, a nation with a struggle for freedom against the colonial people, i, too, louis gutierrez, am deeply connected to my father's birth -- ls gutierrez, am deeply connected to my first's birthplace. i can't go to puerto rico or to the puerto rican people in my district with my head held high. i cannot and will not, not when i know the majority of votes that will pass this legislation if it passes today will come from the democratic party, a party that for all its flaws is a party i expect a lot more from in times like this. at a moment in american history where latinos are quite literally being dragged through the mud against the other party and distrusted and disrespected because where their parents and grandparents were born, i intend them to stand up for the entire island of puerto rico

are held in the hands of the u.s. congress. by law they do not have a vote here. by law they need others to vote on their behalf. by law puerto rico belongs to, is property of but not part of the united states. by law this congress owns puerto rico and must treat that ownership as stewardship as a caring and respectful seat of power over the powerless. and because it is the democratic party that will supply so many votes to enact this bill, i expect my colleagues to demand more. i expect us not to support a subminimum wage. i expect us not to waive overtime rules that pay people for the work they do. i expect my fellow democrats to stand up for equity and equality, for puerto ricans and our tax code and medicare and health care so they don't have to flee puerto rico to go to orlando or newark or chicago. i expect my democrats to join me in opposing the same type of unelected control board that has no accountability to the people that it is controlling. the kind of control board focused on austerity without

examining the consequences of their action for the people. the kind of control board that made decisions in flint, michigan. flint, michigan, that poisoned the people that they were not ever elected. the -- to remedy the situation until other governments of other elected leaders accountable to the people they govern had to step up and begin addressing. let me say i'll offer a ranslation in spanish. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: i'm pleased to yield two minutes to one of the

co-sponsors of this bill, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. sensenbrenner. the chair: the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized for two minutes. mr. sensenbrenner: thank you, mr. chairman. i went to puerto rico in march. i've been involved in negotiating this at the request of the speaker literally since the first of this year. this is difficult. this is something that nobody's happy with. this is something where everybody's going to take a haircut because the depth of the problem is so bad. nd what we heard right after this congress began its session this year is, why not give them a super chapter 9 bankruptcy? that would have been bad for the future of puerto rico because super chapter 9 would have dumped the $72 billion of debt and had it wiped out, and

there is no way that puerto rico having stiffed $72 billion worth of bondholders would ever have been able to access the bond market again. and the bond market access is essential to any type of state or municipal financing. so what do we have? a choice of doing nothing? and we heard about the severe consequences if we do nothing. or going with something that worked in the district of columbia? which is the oversight board. now, sure, they're unelected. one of them has to be from puerto rico, but the puerto rican government, which has been elected, is the one that caused this problem to begin with. . they have increased just about every spending on the island except debt service and borrowed more and more and more and

wouldn't appropriate the money to service the debt. that's why we're here today and that's what has got to be fixed. it should be fixed with an oversight board working in conjunction with the puerto rican government, not by a court or simply by not doing anything. and it can be fixed and puerto rico can have a renaissance, because this is about the only practical way out of the mess. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: thank you. at this point i would like to yield to the gentlelady from new york, mrs. maloney. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. maloney: i rise in strong support of h.r. 5278. this bill is not a perfect bill, but it is a true bipartisan compromise and it is the only

option on the table to address the crisis in puerto rico, which is the home to 3.5 million american citizens. the solution to this bill adopts is simple. it would allow puerto rico to restructure its debt in a supervised process and in exchange, a temporary, a temporary federal oversight board will help puerto rico make the structural reforms necessary to get its finances in order and set it on the path of economic growth. and i would like to truly thank all parties for their hard work on this bill, especially mr. pierluisi and my good friends from new york, my colleagues velazquez and serrano, ranking member, the chairman and nancy pelosi and new york city which i

represent has some experience with control boards. when we faced a fiscal crisis, the state established two control boards and while that was a tough pill to swallow in the long run, it made our city better and stronger. i would like to emphasize that the solution to new york city's fiscal crisis involved a control board, a debt restructuring and a $2.3 billion loan from the federal government. puerto rico isn't getting any federal money at all. so a debt restructuring law is really the least we can do to help them. finally, while some opponents of this bill blame on this floor that debt restructuring is unnecessary because congress solved d.c. fiscal crisis in the

1990's with just a control board, that is untrue. the way the control board was able to balance is because treasury assumed the district's impending obligations the year after the control board was created. so a control board by itself is not enough. we need to do more, but i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i yield back and request permission to revise and stepped my remarks. the chair: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: i yield three minutes to the gentleman from. >> we know about the crisis in puerto rico involving 3.5 million citizens and we know the cause, fiscal mismanagement resulting in $120 billion of nds and unfunded pension

liabilities. unemployment is two times what it is here on the mainland and people are fleeing puerto rico in droves, especially young people. it's not sustainable. mr. chairman, we decided as a society hundreds of years ago that we weren't going to throw debtors into prison but allow for the orderly organization of debts but puerto rico doesn't have the basic laws that allow it to take place in this situation. this bill fixes that. this bill puts equal pressure on nd holders, on the island of puerto rico. the bill will require them to work together or there will be consequences and the bill brings an oversight board to help that happen to even require that to happen. we have to do this. but, mr. chairman, fixing the debt crisis alone is not going to fix puerto rico's future.

we need growth initiatives. this island will not enjoy enduring prosperity until this congress also thinks about how to help puerto rico grow. that's why i introduced a title to this bill, it's just a sense of congress but puts a flag in the ground saying we have more work to do on growth. and i'm pleased to see a growth commission included in the bill. mr. chairman, i spent a lifetime in business and had the privilege of creating thousands of jobs. that doesn't happen when you have uncertain conditions. mr. macarthur: in 1996, we changed the tax code in puerto rico that treats the return of earnings from that island to the mainland like it's coming from a foreign country and you can watch the growth rate of puerto rico plummet ever since. ever since 2006, you can see the growth rate plummet over 20 years.

manufacturing is still half of the island's economy and yet it's reduced by half over the last 20 years. we have to do things that make puerto rico an attractive business environment. we are worried about offshoring. this is the opportunity for nearshoring in a u.s. territory. it's an opportunity to demonstrate pro-growth principles in action. to allow puerto rico, an island paradise to become an economic miracle, this is the opportunity that i see. i'm proud of the bill like any bill, it's not perfect, but let's not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. it's a good bill that deserves our support and i urge my colleagues to vote yes. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: let me yield one to her leader pelosi

time and commitment to the pell of puerto rico and working on a compromise have been the primary drivers to this point and to the bill we have before us, and i yield one minute. the chair: the gentlelady from california is recognized. ms. pelosi: i rise and commend the leadership of chairman bishop. thank you, mr. bishop, for bringing us here today as well as our ranking member, mr. grijalva in bringing this compromise to the floor. join in deep pride that i representatives velazquez and serrano in support of this legislation although we had some concerns about some elements of it, we support it on balance. i can't help but mention to my colleagues here that in april, many of you were there when congress bestowed the congressional gold medal on the

infantry regular meant, a largely puerto rican regular meant that served with valor. honor and fidelity, so rings the motto of this courageous regular meant, with honor and fidelity, they overcame prejudice and bigotry and wrote a new chapter of heroism. in the panama canal zone in world war i, on the doorsteps of nazi germany and the korean war d beyond, they protected freedom abroad and advanced dignity at home. their daring on the battlefield helped break down the discrimation. they enriched our nation with the strength of their service, the excellence of their example and the power of their bravery. their valor under fire is nothing short of legendary.

the historyic set is one of the true great american stories. i bring this to mind because on that day in emancipation hall which was crowded with people d the presentations led by bipartisan, bicameral, house and senate, republican and democratic leadership, representatives of our military, to salute the bravery of these people from puerto rico in defense of our country. now we have nearly 100,000 veterans in puerto rico who will be affected, harmed, unless we act today. today, more than three million of our fellow american citizens in puerto rico are facing a fiscal and public debt emergency that threatens their economy and their communities and their families. only congress can provide puerto rico with the tools it needs to

emerge from this crisis. after long bipartisan negotiations, we have a restructuring process that meets the test of work. does it work? will it happen? this is not a bailout. some people are trying to describe it as such for for other purposes. i know my colleague from puerto rico, he has explained to us the urgency of this. i know we would have had a bill that perhaps that didn't have the provisions that are in it and would have preferred to add some better things to the bill. but that's not the choice before us. and as legislators, we have to make the choice. is what worked in the bill to alleviate the challenge that the people of puerto rico are facing. ur resident commissioner

pierluisi does think this bill achieves that and i thank him for his courageous leadership on all of this. again, this can be a very passionate discussion. it's an emotional one because it involves the lives of people that some of us know and are part of the families of our members. but we have to be dispassionate in how we make a judgment about how we can solve the problem. and we have that opportunity today. the oversight board that president obama will appoint is one that will have the opportunity to implement the restructuring as described in this legislation. on a bipartisan basis, we will be submitting names to the president promptly so that he

can appoint the oversight board. it would be my commitment to make sure that the commitment from the house democrats is one who from puerto rico representing people of puerto rico on that board. in addition to the oversight board, this legislation also contains a task force, a members task force. whose task it is is to look at impedements in federal law to promote puerto rico's economic growth. and i hope it would afford us the opportunity to see other ways that we can help the economic growth of puerto rico, to the citizens, our fellow citizens in puerto rico. talk about parity in relationship to medicaid, medicare and the rest and earned income tax credit, which we enjoy in the united states and having that be more available in puerto rico, talk about ways to

more e tax code to give opportunity there. and so, i urge my colleagues to support the legislation, even though it is not -- either side would have written. it's a compromise. but it will provide the people of puerto rico the tools to overcome the crisis and move forward. hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe a billion dollars a year, it will alleviate puerto rico from having to commit because of the restructuring, will enable it to meet the needs of the people of puerto rico as it gets back on its feet. puerto rico's economic success is important to the united states. our economic and job creation plans -- our economic growth and job creation plans must include our fellow citizens in puerto rico. i would hope with the task

force, i would hope with future legislation as we go forward, we will recognize how close our connection is, how important it is for puerto rico to survive and express our gratitude to the people of puerto rico for the vitality they bring to the united states of america and for the security that so many puerto ricans risk their lives to protect our country. with that, i urge our colleagues to pray over it and conclude as ur colleagues, congresswoman velazquez and congressman serrano that on balance we must move forward for the citizens of puerto rico. i urge an aye vote and urge -- and i yield back. the chair: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from arizona reserves. the gentleman from utah is now recognized.

mr. bishop: mr. bishop: mr. speaker, let's see if i can do it in four minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. bishop: thank you. appreciate the comments that have been made so far on a bill that i think actually has a lot of good in it. article 4, section 3 of the constitution gives congress not only the power but also the responsibility to do what is needful dealing with the territories. as a matter of fact, mr. chairman, just this morning the supreme court ruled on a case concerning the territory on a question of double jeopardy and by the 6-2 decision, they held it's not a separate sovereignty because the ultimate source of its power is the united states congress. so indeed, this reminds us all here today of our duty to assist in the territory issues. now, there are seven titles to this particular piece of legislation. the first two deal with the oversight board that will bring fiscal plans and a budget to the island. titles 3 and 6 deal with

restructuring of the debt if certain criteria are met in the oversight board's discretion that include full debt negotiations with the creditors. title 5 gives fast track authority for vital infrastructure projects to be moved by the government of puerto rico, especially in the area of energy generation and distribution systems. one of the problem of puerto rico is the high energy that's cost them to lose jobs. what we're attempting to do is try and find a way of changing that problem and giving and reducing puerto rico's reliance upon diesel fuel to generate their electricity. that's one of the parts of the bill that's extremely important, i think it's overlooked sometimes. look, this particular bill, the final title i'm happy about because it has pro-growth portions and reforms in it. but let it be very clear, this is a conservative bill that's rooted in the constitution, that does not cost the american taxpayers a dime. it's not a bailout.

it does not expand the size or scope of the federal government and it does not encroach on state authority. in fact, i think we've done a pretty good job in trying to solve some problems in a way that will move everyone forward. at this point i want to thank the chairman of the education and work force, small business and judiciary committees for their help on this particular bill. chairman kline, chairman goodlatte, chairman chabot, i thank you for your work on this particular bill. i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from utah reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. grijalva: thank you. at this point in closing, let first of all thank leader pelosi and my colleague, chairman bishop and his staff and certainly staff on our side of the aisle for their hard work. it is a bill that is indeed a compromise. we shouldn't be ashamed of

that. i want to -- it's a compromise that i wish was more tilted on our side and the things that we wanted, but, mr. speaker, those are not the dynamics or the numbers in this house. the reality is that the urgency in puerto rico, the humanitarian demands, needs of he island make us look at this bill, not with an eye toward perfection but an eye toward what is doable and what can provide some immediate relief and begin the process of stability for the island and for its people and begin the process of an economic renewal for the island itself. i want to also acknowledge and thank my colleagues mr. pierluisi, ms. velazquez and mr. serrano. i know how difficult this vote as, how difficult it is to

vote on a compromise that does not fully empower and fully acknowledge the self-governance of the puerto rican people. i know that. but your endorsement of this bill is very meaningful in that it ties us to a heritage of representation by the puerto rican people in this body and to the needs and insisting and demanding that needs of the people in puerto rico be recognized fully by this congress. we recognize them today, as mr. serrano said, but there's much, much more to do. and this vote, by the way, as i lose, is not about heritage. importantly, it's not about selling out one's heritage. it's about future generations and the opportunities they will have on the island. it's about stability for children, families and the derly with a fiscally stable

economy and an accountable fiscal system on the island. while i can understand -- while i can understand the political expediency of voting no, i think the demands and the urgency to deal with this question compels me and i hope all my colleagues in this body to vote yes. and with that i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. does the gentleman yield back? the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: i'm pleased to member of our committee, the gentleman from louisiana, mr. graves, a minute and a half. the chair: the gentleman from louisiana is recognized for a minute and a half. mr. graves: thank you, mr. chairman. first, i want to thank chairman bishop, ranking member grijalva, congressman labrador, duffy, pierluisi who worked on this piece of legislation.

puerto rico, an island with a population under four million people, has a debt of $400 billion. that's a population less than the state of louisiana but a debt of nearly $100 billion. we have three options. we can do nothing and continue to allow this island territory to continue spiraling downward in a financial and humanitarian crisis. we can provide financial oversight. we can relieve regulation and help to reignite the economy and allow for a negotiation between the creditors and the debtor. or we can pay off their debt and add to the already $19 trillion irresponsible debt of the american government today. those are the options that are out there. i tell you, i also struggled with what the right conservative solution was in this case. ultimately, there's just one right answer. doing nothing will simply worsen the financial conditions, will probably put more burden on us to actually bail out the nation on the congress and the white house to do that. i oppose a bailout and i oppose putting taxpayer dollars on the

hook to pay off nearly a dozen years of irresponsible spending of the puerto rican government. so establishing a financial oversight board, similar what was done to washington, d.c., in providing conditions to negotiate a solution is the right answer. it's a conservative solution. during committee consideration of the bill, i included an amendment to ensure that federal taxpayers are not put on the hook for this liability. section 210 says no federal funds shall be authorized by this act for the payment of any liability to the territory or territory instrumentality. it makes it clear. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. mr. graves: it makes it clear, the supreme court, mentioned by the committee chairman, puerto rico is different than a state. and the supreme court affirmed that today. it's not a state. it's a territory of the u.s., and we have a constitutional obligation to prevent a worsening disaster. this bill does not set a precedent for states and municipalities. it respects the priority of debt by general obligation bondholders and others. it prevents higher cost of

borrowing by states and municipalities by controlling this situation. and most importantly, mr. chairman, it doesn't bail out puerto rico. it creates a path for financial stability. i urge support of h.r. 5278. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: i recognize mr. garrett from new jersey now for a minute. the chair: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. mr. garrett: i thank the speaker. i come before the house today to support an important piece of legislation that will allow the people of puerto rico a path toward economic prosperity, beholden to out-of-control tax and spend policies, the puerto rican people are facing the harsh reality of unaccountable government and that's why i strongly support this bill. we have a moral and constitutional responsibility to address this fiscal crisis which will only get worse if we don't act and that is why i support this bill and what we must learn from this experience. congress and people of both

parties watched them go to a debt of $19 trillion and that's because the u.s. government has something that puerto rico doesn't have. the ability to print money and borrow endlessly. and so that's why i support this fiscal reform in this bill which does not spend a single dollar in u.s. taxpayer money to relieve puerto rico of its debt. see, i have a long opposed taxpayer bailouts and fortunately this bill prevents the taxpayers from bailing out the government that spent recklessly and provides a conservative solution to force puerto rico to spend now responsibly. the bill also avoids setting a horrible precedent that could walk away fromhe obligation. mr. bishop: 30 seconds. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. mr. garrett: i thank the gentleman. but most importantly the bill creates a seven-member oversight board to oversee their debt restructuring and to conduct financial audits. what will they do? they require commonsense actions like sustainable government programs, establish fiscal plans to achieve needed reform and so on. this bipartisan bill is the first step to return puerto

rico to solvency and stability and while americans balance their own checkbooks and live within their own means, bureaucrats should behave no differently. i support the underlying legislation. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i recognize the gentlelady from wyoming, the vice chair of the committee, mrs. lummis, for a minute and a half. or more. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized for a minute and a half. mrs. lummis: thank you, mr. speaker. so we such a bunch of ads on tv about this bill and about what it would do to the bondholders and so i did some research and i rise in support of this bill as one of the more conservative members of the republican wing of this house. and the reason i support it is, the research i did showed me that it wasn't this widow that bought these bonds. it was large institutional investors. it was investors who knew what they were buying because they

read the disclosure documents. it was investors who buy billions of dollars worth of bonds and they're trying to diversify those portfolios so they have some high-risk, high-return investments and some low-risk, low-return investments. they have different maturity dates. they come from different jurisdictions. they're trying to have a balanced portfolio, and those portfolios were purchased recognizing that some of these bonds might have a higher risk and a higher return. and that higher return comes at a discounted price so they paid a discount in hopes that they'd get the higher return and that these bonds would hold up. quite frankly, those bondholders knew what they were getting because it was even disclosed in the bond documents that congress might be here today debating this very problem of the island's inability to repay everything. not all general obligation bonds are created equal.

the bond purchasers knew what they were getting. this bill is going to allow for the relative to each other agreement among the bondholders about how to treat the bonds. mr. chairman, i yield back with full support of the bill. the chair: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from utah is recognized. mr. bishop: i'm pleased now to introduce or to yield a minute to the gentleman from wisconsin who i think also has title of speaker of the house, mr. ryan. the chair: the speaker is recognized. the speaker: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. the speaker: mr. speaker, it is vital we pass this bill. let me tell you why. puerto rico's in trouble and we need to act now before that trouble threatens taxpayers. let me explain why. puerto rico's government owes $118 billion in bonds and in unfunded pension liabilities. it has already defaulted on much of it.

things are only going to get worse. now the island is shutting down. you can see it in the news. closed schools, hospitals are beginning to close. that's today. tomorrow, it could be policemen without cars. it could be blackouts at hospitals. this is a humanitarian disaster in the making, and what's worse, if we do nothing it could be a manmade humanitarian disaster. i know this goes without saying but it's worth repeating. the puerto rican people are our fellow americans. they pay our taxes. they fight in our wars. we cannot allow this to happen. i should also say that if we do nothing, the constageon will simply spread. about 15% of puerto rico's debt is already held by middle-class americans, and if the government can't meet its obligations, these families will pay the price or even worse, taxpayers could be asked

to bail it out. that is simply unacceptable. that's why we are taking action now to prevent a bailout and to help the puerto rican people. what this bill will do is allow puerto rico to restructure its debts. it sets up an oversight board that will oversee this process. congress and the president will appoint the members of this board. it will audit puerto rico's books. it will make sure the restructuring is fair. it will make sure restructuring honors agreements. it will make sure that the government changes its ways so we don't have to do this again. let me set a few things straight. some people say this will set a bad precedent. some people say it encourages reckless spending by other states. no, absolutely not. . this bill applyings only to territories and not to states. the puerto rican government is not getting off scot-free here,

not at all. because it has not served the puerto rican people well. it has spent money recklessly for decades this legislation will make sure that the government balances its budget. it will make sure that they pass reforms to grow the puerto rican economy. nd it gives flexibility to minimum wage -- youth minimum wage so people will hire younger people. i hear people say this is a bailout. absolutely, undeniably, categorically false this bill won't add a single dollar to the deficit. all you have to do is look at the congressional budget office. not a single taxpayer dollar added to the deficit. this bill prevents a bailout. that's the entire point. let me tell you this. if we do not pass this bill, then there is much more likely going to be a bailout. because there will be no other choice. but if we pass this bill, puerto

rico will get a handle on its debt. its economy can begin to grow. the people in puerto rico will see that help is on the way. last reason to say because they're finally getting their act together. taxpayers will be safe. i'm telling you right now. all members, the best chance to get this right, is to pass this bill. the best chance for creditors to get what they're owed is this bill. this is our responsibility. the constitution is really clear. the constitution gives congress the duty to oversee legislation for all u.s. territories. and now it is time that we do our constitutional duty. a lot of people have spent so much time on this legislation. here is what we are doing. we see a problem among our fellow citizens. it is in a territory where we have a constitutional responsibility. we have to address this problem. we have to address this problem in a smart way so that we

prevent the tax payer from getting involved. we have to address this problem in a smart way so we prevent any contagion from occurring in the bond markets. and we have to address this problem in a smart way so that puerto rico can get back on its feet again. so that the future for the people in puerto rico is a brighter future. there are so many people who poured their hearts into this. i want to thank rob bishop, the chairman of the committee. i want to thank sean duffy from wisconsin. i want to thank raul labrador from idaho. i want to thank jim sensenbrenner from wisconsin. i want to thank ped pd row peer louie cease. -- pierluisi. i want to thank the member on the other side of the aisle for working on this this bill has my full support and i urge all my colleagues in the house, all the colleagues in the house to give it their full support as well. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back.

the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. chairman. six months ago, our committee began the effort to try and solve this problem. we have we had four hearings, countless stake holders meetings, got input from expert testimony, interested parties from all over the place were able to get their input in various drafts of the bill. it was an exhaustive effort. what happened is at the end of the time, we had a good bill. that's the way this process is supposed to work. this bill is rooted in the constitution. doesn't cost the taxpayers. provides puerto rico with the tools to impose discipline over its finances. and then toward an element of prosperity. the phrase i'm told [speaking spanish] means promise. this bill is a promise to puerto rico for a better life. it's the way we go forward. with that, i

0 coming up on c-span, we hear about president obama's endorsement of hillary clinton. then senator sanders speaks to supporters and washington, d.c. later, house speaker ryan joins republicans to entail the gop national security agenda. president obama: for more than a year come across thousands of miles and all 50 states, tens of millions of americans have made their voices heard. today, i just want to add mine. i want to congratulate hillary clinton on making history as the presumptive democratic nominee for president of the united states. look, i know how hard this job

can be. that is why i know that hillary will be so good at it. in fact, i don't think there has ever been somewhat so qualified to hold this office. she has the courage, the compassion, and the heart to get the job done. i say that as somebody who has had to debate her more than 20 times. even after our own heart that campaigns, and a testament to her character, she agreed to serve our country as secretary of state. from the decision we made the situation to get bin laden, diplomacy and capitals around the world, i have seen her judgment. i have seen her toughness. i have seen her commitment to our values of close. i've seen her determination to give every american a fair shot at opportunity to matter how tough the fight. always has given her and always does. i look you do who's been with me from beginning the journey to be the first note that i am with her. i'm tired of and i cannot wait to get out there and campaign for hillary. cannot wait to get out there and campaign for hillary. i want to thank everyone who is turned up to the vote -- turned up to vote and have worked hard

for the candidates. this is been a hard-fought race. i know some say these primaries have left the democratic party more divided, they said that eight years ago as well. just like a years ago, there are millions of americans, not just democrats who've cast their ballots the very first time. a lot of that is thanks to senator bernie sanders. who has run an incredible campaign. i had a great meeting with them this week and i thank him for shining a spotlight on issues like economic inequality in the outside influence of money in politics and bringing young people into the process. embracing that message is going to help us win in november. more importantly, it will make the democratic party starter and -- stronger and america stronger. secretaries clinton, senator sanders may have been rivals, but there but patriots who love the country and they share a vision for the america we all believe. in america that is helpful, and america that is hearted, an

america that is strong and fair and gives every child the same chance that we had. those are the values that unite us as democrats. those of the values that make america great. those are the values that are going to be tested in the election. if we come together and -- in common effort, i'm convinced we will not just win in november, we will build on the progress we have made and we will win a brighter future for this country that we love. >> senator bernie sanders returned to washington on thursday for meetings with president obama and congressional leaders. next, remarks by senator sanders, followed by senate minority leader reid. sen. sanders: let me begin by

thanking president obama and thanking vice president biden for the degree of impartiality they have established during the course of this entire process. what they said in the beginning is that they would not put their thumb on the scale and they kept their word. i appreciate that very much. our campaign has been about building a movement which brings working people and young people into the political process. to create a government which represents all of us and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors. we will continue doing everything that we can to oppose the drift which currently exists toward and oligarchic form of society were a handful of billionaires exercise enormous power over our political, economicand media like.

-- alike. -- life. this is the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. we should not be having millions of senior citizens and disabled veterans struggling to put food on the table because of inadequate social security benefits. we should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country honored. -- on earth. we should not be having americans in inner cities, cruel communities, -- rural communities, native american reservations, with life expectancy lower than many people in third world countries. we should not be having many of our young people leaving college

deeply in debt. we should not be having, in this great country, and infrastructure which is crumbling when we have millions of workers prepare to rebuild that infrastructure and in the midst of all of that, we should not be having a situation where wall street, corporate america and billionaires are failing to pay their fair share of taxes. these are some of the issues that many millions of americans have supported during my campaign. these are the issues that we will take to the democratic national convention in philadelphia at the end of july. donald trump would clearly, from my mind and i think the majority of americans, be a disaster as president of the united states. it is unbelievable to me, and i

say this with all sincerity, that the republican party would have a candidate for president who in the year 2016 makes bigotry and determination the cornerstone -- discrimination the cornerstone of his campaign. the american people will not vote for or tolerate a candidate who insults mexicans and latinos, who insults muslims, who insults african-americans and women. needless to say, i'm going to do everything in my power, and i will work as hard as i can to make sure donald trump does not become president of the united states. i will, of course, the competing him in the d.c. primary which will be held next tuesday. this is the last primary of the democratic nominating process.

the major point that i will be making to the citizens of the district of columbia is that i am strongly in favor of d.c. statehood. the state of vermont, which i represent, has about the same number of residents that washington, d.c. has, except we have two united states senators and one congressman with full rights while d.c. does not. that does not make any sense. also, i look forward to the full will accounting of the votes in california which i suspect will show a much closer vote in the current -- than the current vote tally. i spoke briefly with secretary clinton on tuesday night. i congratulated her on her very strong campaign. i look forward to meeting with her in the near future to see how we can work together to defeat donald trump and to

create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1%. thank you very much. >> i had a very nice meeting with bernie sanders. i had the good fortune of being able to spend some time with jane also. gotten to know her quite well during the campaign and have great admiration and respect for the family.

bernie was terrific. able to recount some of the battles we had in the senate and he was instrumental in finishing the job. nobody example than the last thing we talked about. the affordable care act. that would not have been a compost without bernie sanders. -- accomplished without bernie sanders. yet an eye on what you wanted but he still got something good. $11 billion. we talked about how important that was for the country. i also told him, bernie, i know we are not supposed to be envious of anything, but here i am envious of you. thoughtn somebody who -- fought inside and outside the ring. i ran marathons. i thought i was strong.

i said, i'm so envious of you, the vitality and energy you show. during the whole campaign, i've never seen him tired but once. had surgery for hernia and he was tired. i said, bernie, you are pushing too hard. he has such vitality and i'm so amazed with that. we had a good visit. i feel i feel i'm in a good place with bernie. i feel bernie is in a good place with my caucus and i feel he's in a good laced with the country. i'm not pushing him to do anything. i think he needs time to decide what he wants to do. i invited him to my caucus on tuesday. i think he's going to come and talk to us out of it. >> you said you are in a good place with him.