To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate

Avoid a humanitarian crisis. Allow Puerto Rico to restructure its debt

Give Puerto Rico the ability to restructure its debt and avoid a humanitarian crisis.

Why is this important?

Puerto Rico's $72 billion public debt crisis has forced congressional leaders to pay attention to a U.S. territory that's usually on the sidelines of American politics.

The island has been mired in economic stagnation for nearly a decade. The governor now says Puerto Rico's debt is unpayable and needs restructuring.
The White House and Democrats in Congress say the United States needs to change the law to allow the territory to declare bankruptcy. Republicans say they want to fix the symptoms of the problem first.

Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla says that if Congress doesn't act soon, Puerto Rico is headed toward a "humanitarian crisis under the United States flag.
Like all U.S. states and territories, Puerto Rico cannot declare bankruptcy under federal law. Mainland municipalities and their utilities can; municipalities and utilities in Puerto Rico cannot. The island's public utilities are heavily indebted, and Garcia's administration is pushing Congress to allow them to declare bankruptcy.

If the island isn't able to restructure its debt, officials have said they will have to start laying off police officers, firefighters, medical professionals and other public employees. Garcia has said that could lead to a humanitarian crisis.

[From the Associated Press]