[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 82 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2062-H2063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PUERTO RICO'S ENERGY CRISIS

  (Mr. Hernandez of Puerto Rico was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, in March, I stood on this floor and 
sounded the alarm that Puerto Rico's energy crisis was about to get a 
lot worse starting in May due to selective power outages as a result of 
a lack of generation capacity.

[[Page H2063]]

  I acknowledged then that the Government of Puerto Rico had a plan A 
to bring in barges with temporary generation capacity and to repair all 
generation plants. I offered to support those goals and put my office 
at the local government's disposition to help accomplish them.
  I also said we needed a plan B in case plan A failed. I proposed 
three immediate steps: to demand transparency from the utility 
companies about outages; to promote energy conservation through 
education and incentives; and to provide backup power for the most 
vulnerable in the island.
  Here we are. Last week, the government announced that the generation 
barges are no longer viable. One of the repaired units failed. This 
week, over 100,000 customers lost power in a selective outage announced 
by LUMA, the utility company, that very same day, leaving them 
unprepared.
  Where is plan B? It doesn't exist.
  Worse yet, the government is walking away from over $300 million in 
Federal appropriated funds for solar panels, and it is walking away 
from a $1 billion lawsuit against oil companies, a lawsuit that sought 
to compensate our people for environmental harms.
  Yesterday, DHS Secretary Noem did not assure the people of Puerto 
Rico that the tens of billions of dollars that have been assigned for 
its reconstruction will be honored.
  As I said in March, this administration, both the Puerto Rico 
administration and the Federal administration, did not create the 
energy crisis, but they are responsible if it worsens. They are 
responsible for fixing it, and right now they are failing.
  I will not stop working. This month I led 14 of my colleagues in 
urging the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water to increase 
funding for the Department of Energy to support the resiliency and the 
modernization of Puerto Rico's grid. I also requested language to 
expedite delivery of generation assets to the island.
  I sincerely hope that the Government of Puerto Rico and the 
Government of the United States corrects the course. No matter what, I 
will keep fighting for the people of Puerto Rico and for its energy 
future.
  Mr. Speaker, I will briefly speak in Spanish, for the benefit of my 
constituents:
  (English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)
  I sincerely hope that the governments of Puerto Rico and the United 
States correct the course they are on regarding the energy crisis 
facing the island. But no matter what, I will continue working for the 
well-being and the future of the people of Puerto Rico and for a 
solution to their energy crisis.
  Yo sinceramente espero que los gobiernos de Puerto Rico y Estados 
Unidos corrigan el curso que llevan en torno la crisis energetica que 
enfrenta la isla. Pero no importa que, yo seguire trabajando por el 
bienestar y el futuro del pueblo de Puerto Rico y la solucion a su 
problema energetico.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Puerto Rico will provide 
a translation to the Chair.

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