Hillary Clinton Statement on Passage of Puerto Rico Debt Bill

On Wednesday, Congress passed a debt relief plan for Puerto Rico which has begun defaulting on its debts. The bill has been sent to President Barack Obama for his signature. The bill includes a number of provisions including the creation of an oversight committee. Hillary Clinton released a statement in which she expressed her concern over the creation and appointments to the committee. She vowed to continue working with Puerto Rico if elected president, and promised to work to bring more benefits to the territory. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“Puerto Rico’s continuing economic crisis has caused real suffering for the people of the island.  The bill the Senate passed today is the best chance we have of averting a fiscal crisis on July 1. The bill is by no means perfect, and I continue to have serious concerns about some of the provisions it contains. That’s why, as this bill is implemented, I will continue to stand with the people of Puerto Rico to ensure that the oversight board created by this legislation is made up of members who will act in the best interest of Puerto Ricans, and protect their health care, pensions, wages, and well-being. And it is past time that we put the interests of American citizens ahead of hedge fund profits—which is why I will fight with the people of Puerto Rico to put the island’s economy back on a stable and prosperous path, including by ensuring Puerto Rico is treated equitably under federal law.”

En español:

“La continua crisis económica de Puerto Rico ha causado gran sufrimiento en los puertorriqueños. El proyecto de ley aprobado hoy por el Senado es la mejor opción que tenemos en este momento para evitar una crisis fiscal el 1ro de julio. El proyecto no es para nada perfecto y continúo teniendo serias preocupaciones sobre algunas de las provisiones. Es por eso que a medida que la ley se implemente yo continuaré estando del lado del pueblo de Puerto Rico. Quiero asegurarme que la junta de supervisión creada por esta legislación esté compuesta por miembros que actúen trabajando por el mejor interés de los puertorriqueños, protegiendo su sistema de salud, sus pensiones, sus salarios y su bienestar. Desde hace tiempo deberíamos haber puesto los intereses de ciudadanos estadounidenses por encima de las ganancias de los gestores de fondos. Es por eso que lucharé junto con el pueblo de Puerto Rico para poner la economía de la Isla de vuelta en un camino de estabilidad y prosperidad, incluyendo asegurarnos de que Puerto Rico sea tratado con igualdad bajo la ley federal.”

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News Source: The Wall Street Journal

Hillary Attends Events in Three States

On Thursday, Hillary Clinton campaigned in three different states. She began in Tampa, Florida where she spoke to a group of supporters at the Ritz Ybor. During the event, Clinton spoke about her plans as president, and she also criticized Florida Governor Rick Scott for turning down federal funds to develop a high speed rail system between Orlando and Tampa. She said, “It makes absolutely no sense, especially when we know that we’re going to have to do high-speed rail if we’re going to have a competitive economy.” A video from the event is below.

Clinton then traveled to Durham, North Carolina where she spoke to a crowd at Hillside High School. During her speech, she covered a wide variety of platform topics including voting rights, women’s rights, heath care, and jobs. She specifically spoke about investment opportunities in North Carolina saying, “That’s why I’m proposing more jobs with infrastructure, manufacturing, and let’s combat climate change with more clean, renewable energy jobs. And yes, let’s invest in more research right here in the Research Triangle. You know what that could mean!”

The final event of the day was held in Vernon Hills, Illinois. During the event, Clinton spoke about a number of her key platform points including clean energy, equal pay, LGBT rights, and gun control. During the event she took shots at her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders and the Republican presidential field, particularly Donald Trump. Directly referencing Trump’s campaign slogan, she said, “I listen to some of the other candidates, they are so pessimistic, so negative about us. I’ll tell you that’s not how I see us and our country. I don’t think you make America great by tearing down everything that made America great in the first place.” A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Chicago Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, WCNC

Clinton Begins Outlining Infrastructure Plans

UPDATE (11/30): A full outline of Clinton’s infrastructure plan is now available on The Briefing.

At a rally held today in Boston’s Faneuil Hall, Hillary Clinton returned to campaign trail by beginning to outline her plan to improve the country’s infrastructure. Her proposal calls for a $275 million boost in in federal spending over a period of five years. She is also calling for the creation of a national infrastructure bank. Clinton also called for $225 billion in direct loans and other forms of credit. The funding would come from a mixture of public and private money, including the expansion of the Build American Bonds program. She said, “Investing in infrastructure makes our economy more productive and competitive across the board. To build a strong economy for our future, we must start by building strong infrastructure today.”

Clinton was joined at the event by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who endorsed her campaign. Clinton and Walsh were joined by members of a number of labor unions who have pledged to support campaign. In addition to outlining her infrastructure plan, she outlined the other aspects of her platform. Over the next several weeks, Clinton will continue to unveil her broad economic and jobs plans. The infrastructure proposals are just the beginning. A video of today’s speech will be posted when/if available.

Later today, Clinton will speak at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s Annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner. For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: CBS Boston, Bloomberg