Puerto Rico
I was born in Chicago to parents who migrated from Puerto Rico in the 1950’s and I later returned with them to live on the Island in the 1960’s. As a Puerto Rican member of Congress and someone who represents Puerto Ricans in Illinois' 4th Congressional District, I closely follow issues affecting the Island and my constituents with strong ties there.
More on Puerto Rico
September 28, 2016
Press Release
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) spoke on the House floor about the new Financial Control Board – or Junta de Control – that will oversee all aspects of Puerto Rico’s government and which meets on Friday for its first official meeting. The meeting is not in Puerto Rico, but in lower Manhattan close to Wall Street, which Rep. Gutiérrez said “is symbolic of the way la Junta de Control over Puerto Rico came about – and is a very bad omen for the future.”
He said:
September 21, 2016
Press Release
On the Floor of the House today, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) spoke about the case for the release of Oscar Lopez Rivera, the last Puerto Rican political prisoner held in a U.S. prison. A veteran in his seventies, Lopez Rivera has served more than 35 years in prison having not been convicted of a crime of violence.
September 14, 2016
Press Release
On House Floor In English And Spanish, Rep. Gutiérrez Calls For Release Of Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera -- “There Is Still A Piece Missing From Our National Identity, A Piece Missing From Our Soul Because Oscar López May Be Forgotten And May Die In Jail.”
September 13, 2016
Press Release
Puerto Ricans Are Coming Together To Address Zika Crisis, But Congress Must Do Its Part, Rep. Gutiérrez Says – “Congress is still in denial that Zika is a real threat and that a generation of children could be exposed to the disease with dangerous and debilitating birth defects.”
September 7, 2016
Press Release
Today on the first full day back after recess, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) spoke during Morning Business on the Floor of the House about the new Control Board overseeing Puerto Rico. Before Congress left for recess, they passed the PROMESA bill (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act) to appoint an unelected Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, known in Puerto Rico as the Control Board or la Junta de Control. Rep. Gutiérrez, a vocal critic of PROMESA and the Control Board, vowed to keep reminding Members of Congress about the situation in Puerto Rico, even though some Members would probably like to go back to not thinking about Puerto Rico very much. “I am not going to let this Congress forget about Puerto Rico or the board we have appointed to rule over the Puerto Rican people,” Rep. Gutiérrez said. “We cannot just set it and forget it like one of those super-duper wonder machines they sell on the infomercials.”
September 2, 2016
Press Release
On Thursday, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez wrote to each of the seven newly-appointed members of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, the Control Board or Junta de Control, that will oversee Puerto Rico under the PROMESA (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act) legislation. The day after their names were announced, Rep. Gutiérrez wrote each member “to make a public commitment to the Puerto Rican people that you will conduct your work on the control board transparently and in the mother tongue of the people who will be deeply impacted for years to come by your decisions.”
August 31, 2016
Press Release
On Wednesday, President Obama announced the seven members of the federal control board that will oversee Puerto Rico under the PROMESA (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act) legislation, which became law this year. The board, three Democratic appointees and four Republicans, has sweeping powers to rule over Puerto Rico ostensibly to help the Island recover from a crippling debt crisis and bond-holder demands for repayment. Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL), a staunch opponent of the control board and the PROMESA legislation, issued the following statement...
August 25, 2016
Press Release
Rep. Gutiérrez released a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy expressing his concerns about inaction by the EPA with regard to toxic landfills in Puerto Rico.
July 13, 2016
Press Release
Washington, DC – Today on the floor of the House during Morning Business, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) spoke about the last Puerto Rican political prisoner held in a federal prison, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Rep.
July 11, 2016
Press Release
“Especially in this time of economic crisis in Puerto Rico, Republican leaders need to be reminded that during their long summer vacation, a lot of people will get sick.”