What Pablo José Hernández said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Charles L. Decker as he retires from the United States Army after a distinguished military career. Colonel Decker served as the inaugural Commander of the U.S.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel John D. Samples, Garrison Commander of United States Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, as he concludes his distinguished military career and transitions to a well-deserved retirement.”

“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.”

“Mr. Speaker, Puerto Rico faces a water crisis, and, ironically, the Governor's office is drowning. Last week, decades of mismanagement and poor maintenance left hundreds of thousands, including me and my family, without water.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the SBO-- Storm Baseball Organization on winning the 2026 Legion Baseball Championship of Puerto Rico. This victory represents the dedication, discipline, and teamwork of outstanding young athletes, their coaching staff, families, volunteers, and sponsors.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Jorge Andres Torres Gonzalez on winning the 2026 Oratorical Contest of The American Legion, Department of Puerto Rico. Jorge's achievement reflects the excellence, discipline, and civic commitment that define his character and promise as a young leader.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ramon Padilla, who has concluded his service as Department Commander of The American Legion, Department of Puerto Rico, for the administrative term 2024-2026.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Elizabeth Martinez Gonzalez of Dorado, who will be sworn in as Department Commander of The American Legion, Department of Puerto Rico. Her service to our Nation and leadership within our community exemplify the finest traditions of patriotism and civic engagement.”

“Mr. Speaker, yesterday students from the University of Puerto Rico gave me this graduation cap. It says: I want to graduate without hunger. Eating is a basic need.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Sofia V. Melendez-Santiago, an extraordinary young leader from Puerto Rico and a psychology student at the University of Puerto Rico--Rio Piedras Campus, upon her selection as a 2026 Harry S.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truth that Puerto Rico has lived for more than a century: freedom is not inherited. It is forged. Forged in sacrifice, in courage, and in the lives of men and women who answered every call this Nation made, with unmatched devotion and without hesitation.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Piculin Ortiz. Born in Aibonito and raised in Cayey, Piculin became a symbol of Puerto Rican pride, perseverance, and excellence, our ``Atletico and Cangrejero and compatriota''; ``athletic crabber and compatriot,'' our guy in the NBA and in the Olympics where we beat the U.S. dream team in 2004.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep respect and reverence to honor the life and extraordinary service of Captain Jose A. Fernandez-Paoli, United States Army (Ret.), a distinguished son of Puerto Rico, a Bronze Star recipient, and a Vietnam War veteran whose name will be forever enshrined at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two extraordinary sons of Puerto Rico whose achievements on May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs resonated far beyond the finish line of the 152nd Kentucky Derby.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Jose Rafael ``Piculin'' Ortiz Rijos, affectionately known throughout Puerto Rico as ``Piculin'' and ``El Concord,'' one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in our history.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievement of the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition in Puerto Rico, a nationwide initiative that encourages high school students to explore art, innovation, and cultural expression.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Fondo de Ayuda Social del Leonismo, District 5l-E, Inc. (FASL), an independent nonprofit organization that has provided sustained and meaningful assistance throughout Puerto Rico for 46 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the dedicated judges and leaders who supported the 2026 Congressional Art Competition in Puerto Rico, an annual national artistic competition and experience designed to inspire high school students to explore art, innovation, and history.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the safe return of the 204th Transportation Company of the 1st Mission Support Command, as they return home to Puerto Rico following their deployment to the Middle East.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, service, and enduring legacy of Major Ariana G. Linse Savino, a United States Air Force officer whose courage, leadership, and sacrifice embody the very best of our Nation.”

“There is a common thread that connects families across Puerto Rico and the United States. It is the feeling of looking at a grocery receipt and wondering if the math is wrong.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Nurse Practitioner Week, which was observed from November 9 through November 15, 2025, and to honor the nurses and Nurse Practitioners who serve as essential workers within Puerto Rico's healthcare system.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Natalia Giraldo-Santiago, an extraordinary Puerto Rican scholar and clinician whose journey exemplifies the transformative power of the federal TRIO programs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the outstanding achievements of three students from Puerto Rico who have been selected as 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars. This prestigious honor, announced on September 26, 2025, by U.S.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Major General (Ret.) Felix A. Santoni, whose passing marks the loss of a distinguished military leader and devoted public servant.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Catalino ``Tite'' Curet Alonso, one of Puerto Rico's most influential cultural figures and one of the most prolific composers in the history of Latin music.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with profound appreciation to recognize a group of individuals who make up the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and to commemorate Police Week in Puerto Rico.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill because investing in energy infrastructure, education, and public safety is not optional. It is essential. Mr. Speaker, I will focus on what this bill does for the people of Puerto Rico.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the dedicated judges and STEM leaders who supported the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Puerto Rico, a national coding and computer science competition designed to inspire middle school and high school students to explore technology, innovation, and problem-solving.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lorena Pachiardi, an extraordinary 11th-grade student from Cupeyville School in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Puerto Rico's At-Large Congressional District.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3872, a bill to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, clarifying that all lands acquired by the Federal Government are eligible for potential hardrock mineral leasing.”

“While modest in size, this land holds important local value. It currently houses a building previously used by the U.S. Forest Service which Perry County hopes to repurpose for local administrative use, public services, or other community-focused purposes.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the University of Utah's Research Park Act. The University of Utah's Research Park is comprised of 593 acres that were originally issued as a land patent in 1968 through the Bureau of Land Management.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with profound appreciation to recognize the exemplary work of the 2025-2026 Service Academy Nomination Board, whose service has been indispensable to the success of this year's nomination cycle.”

“Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. This bill will help make life easier for all Americans by pushing DHS to advance its efforts to prevent vehicular terrorism.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and legacy of a remarkable public servant, Carlos Alberto Lopez Rivera, better known to his beloved community simply as ``Carlitos.'' Born on September 14, 1958, in Dorado, Carlitos grew up with the values of hard work, service, and loyalty instilled in him by his parents, Pedro Lopez Maldonado and Ana Rivera.”

“For the benefit of my constituents and the communities affected, I will offer my remarks in Spanish. Hoy me paro aqui con la voz prestada de un pueblo que no olvida.”

“Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, I visited the Ponce Health Sciences University and the Pontifical Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico. We launched Foro Campus, an initiative to visit universities and to listen about the impact that the big, ugly bill is having on students' futures.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Jose Ronaldo Jarabo, known to many of us as Rony, whom we said goodbye to on June 29, 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ramon Luis Rivera on his remarkable 96th birthday. Ramon Luis was the transformative mayor of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, from 1976 to 2000.”

“Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of Congresswoman Kiggans' amendment No. 79, which ensures sufficient VA medical care for veterans in the U.S. territories, Commonwealths, and Freely Associated States.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of women everywhere, but particularly women in Puerto Rico. Every 4.5 days, a woman is murdered in Puerto Rico. That is not a statistic.”

“Mr. Speaker, in Puerto Rico, over 134,000 students rely on Pell grants to access higher education. That is $783 million in Federal aid. More than just a number, it is the key to success for students and their families to help pay for tuition, textbooks, and other basic expenses in order to be successful in obtaining their degrees.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the betrayal by the government of Puerto Rico to our immigrant communities. This photo shows a Dominican dish known as ``three blows''--it includes fried egg, fried salami, and fried cheese.”

“Mr. Speaker, Puerto Rico faces an energy crisis. In anticipation of a generation shortfall this summer, which was announced months ago, the government said that it would pursue the option of deploying barges to provide temporary energy generation.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep respect and reverence to honor the memory of all Puerto Rican soldiers who have fallen in combat while serving under the flag of the United States of America.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ashley Barlow, an extraordinary young woman from Dorado, Puerto Rico, who has earned the prestigious Gold Medal from the Congressional Award Program.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend Carolina Cruz Martorell, an exceptional young woman from San Juan, Puerto Rico, whose accomplishments stand as a testament to the values of service, initiative, and perseverance.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Dominican writers during the official observance of the Casa Dominicana Week of the Dominican Author, to be held from May 12 to May 17, 2025.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Cirilo Tirado Delgado, who passed away this month at the age of 86. Mr Tirado was a respected public servant, educator, and attorney in the great Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.”

“Madam Speaker, last Friday, I opened my district office in Caguas, Puerto Rico. I had about 10 other colleagues join me, and when I finished my speech and turned to greet my constituents, the power went out.”

“Madam Speaker, I also rise to honor the life of Cirilo Tirado Delgado, who passed away last week, a few days shy of his 90th birthday. Mr. Tirado was a respected public servant, educator, and attorney in the great Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.”

“Mr. Speaker, some Puerto Rican officials will be in D.C. this week lobbying for statehood for Puerto Rico. Last November, 51 percent of Puerto Ricans refused to vote for statehood.”

“Mr. Speaker, during the past weeks, the Federal Government has been cruel to its workforce. It has offered deferred resignations. It has laid off employees. It has sent employees confusing information.”

“Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with priests and leaders of the Haitian immigrant community in Puerto Rico. I heard their accounts of what has been happening since ICE began its raids.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the courageous and dedicated men and women of the Puerto Rico Police Department as we commemorate Police Week from February 17 to February 23, 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, yesterday I introduced an amendment during the House Natural Resources Committee markup to strengthen Congress' oversight of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, specifically addressing net metering policies and the PREPA bankruptcy.”

“Mr. Speaker, the administration recently announced sharp cuts to Federal grant funding for universities, medical centers, and other research institutions. These cuts will devastate our students, our professors, and our seniors.”

“Mr. Speaker, imagine it is New Year's Eve, and you are full of hope and optimism. This will be your year. You might finally get that promotion or you will graduate.”