Although the omnibus bill did not address Puerto Rico's financial crisis, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., has reportedly made the commonwealth's debt struggle a top issue for next year.
Despite pleas from Puerto Rican officials including its governor, Congress will likely not include any relief for the U.S. territory in the omnibus spending bill.
With Congress not acting quickly enough to ease Puerto Rico's debt crisis, a Latino nonprofit organization filed a petition for the White House to get involved.
U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., called for the House Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on the role of hedge funds in Puerto Rico's financial crisis.
Puerto Rico's economic recovery working group released its comprehensive plan to save the commonwealth. The Working Group for the Fiscal and Economic Recovery of Puerto Rico published the Fiscal and Economic Growth Plan (FEGP), which include proposals for economic growth with reform measures.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., does not support Puerto Rico's efforts to gain U.S. bankruptcy law rights. According to the Republican presidential candidate, Puerto Rico's leaders must lead through the difficult and necessary spending cuts and "out-of-control" big government.
A New York delegation wrapped up its one-day solidarity trip to Puerto Rico, where elected officials spoke with health and economic experts about the island's struggles.
New York officials will make a one-day trip to Puerto Rico to discuss the island's economic and health crisis. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo leads the delegation comprising of the state's elected officials and Medicaid experts.
While there are no Electoral College votes from Puerto Rico, the 2016 presidential candidates have been making the outreach toward the commonwealth island. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley became the first 2016 presidential candidate, regardless of political party, to travel to Puerto Rico to address the economic and health crisis affecting 3.6 million inhabitants.
Martin O'Malley will be the first presidential candidate, regardless of political party affiliation, to visit the commonwealth of Puerto Rico on Aug. 1. Former Maryland Gov. O'Malley's visit to Puerto Rico comes as the island faces health care and an economic crisis with $70 billion debt.
Senate Democrats finally introduced legislation aimed to help Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt crisis.
Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut announced the "The Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act" (S. 1774), which would grant the island commonwealth the authority to allow its municipalities and public utilities to adjust their debts through bankruptcy court supervision.
