[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16922]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 16922]]

             COMMUNITY RENEWAL AND NEW MARKETS ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2000

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to say that one very important 
American community will receive little or no help from this 
legislation; the American citizens of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico cannot 
benefit from this legislation because of its unique tax relationship 
with the mainland. Along with Mr. Crane, I am a sponsor of H.R. 2138 to 
extend job creation incentives for new activities in Puerto Rico. 
Despite significant efforts at the local level, unemployment in Puerto 
Rico remains stubbornly high and incomes are not catching up. H.R. 2138 
would encourage U.S. companies to preserve or expand current operations 
in Puerto Rico, rather than taking these U.S. jobs to foreign countries 
with much lower wage bases and no U.S. labor and environmental 
protections.
  We owe our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico some continuing help toward 
economic growth and opportunity. I hope we can work together this year 
to ensure that these opportunities are inclusive, not exclusive, by 
considering section 30A incentives for the U.S. companies operating in 
Puerto Rico. We should not leave these 4 million Americans behind.

                          ____________________