Puerto Rico Pleads for U.S. Aid as Senate Dashes Bankruptcy Push
- Governor Garcia Padilla says spending bill may be best chance
- Moments after comments, Senate rejected bankruptcy bill effort
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Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla pleaded with Congress to help his government emerge from a deepening fiscal crisis, saying the federal spending bill may be the best chance for the island to secure aid before bond payments come due next month.
Just moments after the governor began speaking with reporters in Washington Wednesday, Democrats in the Senate failed in an effort to unanimously push through a bill that would allow some of Puerto Rico’s agencies to file for municipal bankruptcy, one of the island’s top priorities. The bill has stalled for lack of support among Republicans who control Congress.