Congress Slow to Heed Ryan's Call to Help Puerto Rico in Crisis
- House's first hearing on electricity, not broad fiscal strain
- Puerto Rico's push for bankruptcy has yet to gain ground
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (right) arrives for his weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 7, 2016, in Washington.
Photographer: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
U.S. lawmakers are getting off to a slow start in responding to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s call to throw a lifeline to Puerto Rico.
During the first hearing on Puerto Rico since Congress returned from its New Year break, a House panel on Tuesday will discuss the U.S. territory’s expensive and outdated electricity system. It’s not the most pressing concern for the Caribbean Island of 3.5 million, whose government defaulted on $37 million of bond payments this month and has unsuccessfully lobbied Congress for months to help it escape from its building debt crisis.