Grijalva Travels to Puerto Rico

Phoenix, Ariz. – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico today to meet with Puerto Rican government elected officials and community leaders on the Commonwealth’s $72 billion debt crisis. Grijalva wants to ensure the legislation proposed by Congress later this week will help the families living on the island emerge from the current crisis and offers Puerto Rico a substantive recovery plan that will lead to future growth.

While in Puerto Rico, Grijalva will meet with residents of Puerto Rico as well as government leaders to discuss how Congress can best address the humanitarian crisis, restructure its debt, and support reform for the 3.5 million Americans who call Puerto Rico home. During the first leg of his trip he will meet individually with Governor Alejandro García Padilla, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico House Speaker Jaime Perelló, and President of the Puerto Rico Senate Eduardo Bhatia.

In the afternoon, Grijalva will join Father Enrique Camacho for a tour of Caritas de Puerto Rico, a social service agency. In 2015 alone, Caritas de Puerto Rico served more than 78,000 people, all of whom were living under the poverty line and nearly a third of whom were vulnerable children.

With the recent news of the first Zika related death in Puerto Rico, Grijalva plans to visit a local medical center and meet with public health officials and advocates. He will hear first-hand how the major spending cuts have left the island vulnerable to the virus. The House Natural Resources Committee staff released a report last week that showed how further cuts could be dangerous and cost more than they would save.

Grijalva will also meet with Fish and Wildlife officials to discuss the economic and ecological benefits of the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. Currently, the Vieques NWR is in danger of being sold off to a big corporation for development. The trip will conclude with a dinner on Tuesday with on-the-ground environmental activists.

MEDIA EVENT

Congressman Grijalva and Father Camacho will tour Caritas de Puerto Rico, a social service agency. In 2015 alone, Caritas de Puerto Rico served more than 78,000 people, all of whom were living under the poverty line and nearly a third of whom were vulnerable children.

• When: Tuesday, May 10, 2016
• Time: Media check-in at 2:30 p.m., the tour will be from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Where: Caritas de Puerto Rico (201 Calle San Jorge, San Juan, 00911, Puerto Rico)

Please contact Bertha Alisia Guerrero for on-site media support, (202) 794-0961.

Press Contact

Media Contact: Diane Padilla

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 226-3522

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