PROMESA IS A DEMOCRATIC TRAGEDY

On 2026-06-30, Representative Pablo José Hernández (D-PR) delivered a floor speech titled "PROMESA IS A DEMOCRATIC TRAGEDY" in the House.

PROMESA IS A DEMOCRATIC TRAGEDY

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4321-H4322] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PROMESA IS A DEMOCRATIC TRAGEDY (Mr. Hernandez of Puerto Rico was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, PROMESA became law. It established a financial oversight board capable of overriding Puerto Rico's elected officials on fiscal matters. PROMESA is a democratic tragedy. We surrendered our self-government in exchange for fiscal relief. Ten years later, we have restructured most of our debts and balanced our most recent budgets, but we still dream about restoring our democratic self-government. The 10th anniversary of PROMESA begs the question: Where do the people of Puerto Rico stand today? As their voice in Congress, I say: We oppose the bad government practices that created the impression that PROMESA was a necessity. We oppose the vulture funds that want to profit from our misery and energy crisis. We oppose unelected oversight boards that can override our democratic will. We support good government. We support responsible bankruptcy relief. We support restoring democracy and electing the people who govern us. Puerto Rico was once an example of good government in Latin America, but it became an example of how politics and corruption erased the path to prosperity. On the 250th anniversary of the United States, let us not forget the parts of this country of States, territories, and commonwealths that had and lost their government by consent of the governed. Let us not forget that we the people must continue to work toward a more perfect Union, a more perfect Union of States, territories, and commonwealths. Now, for the benefit of my constituents, I will repeat my remarks in Spanish. (Spanish translation of the statement made in English is as follows:) Hace diez anos, PROMESA se convirtio en ley. Le impuso a Puerto Rico una junta de supervision no electa, con la capacidad de pasar por encima de los funcionarios electos en asuntos fiscales. PROMESA es una tragedia democratica. Entregamos nuestro autogobierno a cambio de alivio fiscal. Diez anos despues, hemos reestructurado la mayoria de nuestras deudas. Hemos balanceado nuestros presupuestos mas recientes. Pero todavia sonamos con restaurar la democracia en nuestra isla. El decimo aniversario de PROMESA obliga a plantearse la pregunta: qdonde se encuentra hoy el pueblo de Puerto Rico? Como su voz en el Congreso, digo: Nos oponemos a las malas practicas de gobierno que hicieron que PROMESA pareciera necesaria. Nos oponemos a los fondos buitre que quieren lucrarse de nuestra miseria y de nuestra crisis energetica. Nos oponemos a las juntas de supervision no electas que pueden pasar por encima de nuestra voluntad democratica. Apoyamos el buen gobierno. Apoyamos un alivio responsable ante la quiebra. Apoyamos restaurar la democracia y elegir a quienes nos gobiernan. Puerto Rico fue una vez un ejemplo de buen gobierno en America Latina y [[Page H4322]] en los paises emergentes. Se convirtio en un ejemplo de como la politica y la corrupcion destruyen el progreso y borran el camino hacia la prosperidad. En el aniversario 250 de los Estados Unidos, no olvidemos aquellas partes de este pais de estados, territorios y estados libre asociados que tuvieron--y perdieron--su gobierno por consentimiento de los gobernados. No olvidemos que ``nosotros, el pueblo'' debemos continuar la labor hacia una union mas perfecta: una union mas perfecta de estados, territorios y estados libre asociados. ____________________