Washington, D.C. — Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement today in response to the announcement that Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló will resign following weeks of public protests:
The people of Puerto Rico, including the diaspora in the mainland United States, took to the streets to denounce rampant corruption, misogyny, and bigotry in their government. They should be commended for their steadfast commitment to democracy and change. Governor Rosselló’s resignation is an important step forward toward honest and effective leadership in the commonwealth. But this political crisis in no way lessens the urgent need for distribution of the funds that Congress has appropriated to Puerto Rico. The island has seen only a fraction of the $42 billion in disaster aid. Congress must demand accountability from the Trump administration as to why these funds are not flowing. They are critical for Puerto Rico’s recovery from hurricane damage. This crisis also should not lessen the long-standing need for Congress to address other critical programs affecting Puerto Ricans, especially the impending Medicaid cliff.
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