Written by Jubilee USA Network   

The Congressional "Omnibus" budget package faces opposition as some lawmakers call for Puerto Rico bankruptcy protection to be included in the spending bill. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called adding the bankruptcy provision "the moral thing to do." Representative Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois said he will vote against the omnibus specifically because Puerto Rico bankruptcy was left out. When asked if she was confident there are enough votes to pass the deal, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "no."

"Puerto Rico bankruptcy should be in the omnibus," said Eric LeCompte, executive director of the religious anti-poverty coalition Jubilee USA. LeCompte works with Puerto Rico's religious leaders on solving the crisis. "From the conversations we're having, we expect a number of Representatives to vote against the budget package because of the crisis in Puerto Rico."

In a speech on the House floor, Representative Gutiérrez said he will vote against the omnibus because "it does not give the people of Puerto Rico some hope for a better future." Lawmakers from both parties introduced legislation granting Puerto Rico access to bankruptcy protection but opposition from key Senators reportedly kept those provisions out of the omnibus. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced he wants the House of Representatives to address Puerto Rico's debt crisis by March. Puerto Rico owes $72 billion in debt and could default on January 1.

"We appreciate that Speaker Ryan wants to address the crisis," noted LeCompte. "This is a humanitarian crisis affecting American citizens so Congress has no choice to act and must act immediately."

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations and 400 faith communities working with 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee's mission is to build an economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief to benefit the world's poorest people. www.jubileeusa.org