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Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí. Jennifer Gonzalez Begins Duties As Precinct 4 RepresentativeBaucus States He Hasn't Decided About Section 956Calderon Seeks Federal Backup For Section 956Island Must Comply With Amendment To Receive Welfare FundsElectoral Reform Referendum ProposedCalderon Meets With BushMartin Proposes Eliminating Political Action Committees
Jennifer Gonzalez Begins Duties As Precinct 4 Representative February 28th, 2002
SAN JUAN (AP) - The representative-elect for San Juan precinct 4, Jennifer Gonzalez, started her duties as a legislator following her victory in the special election held Sunday. Gonzalez reiterated that she supports the permanence of the U.S. Navy on the island municipality of Vieques and stated that the issue is not a priority for the constituents of her precinct. The 25-year-old representative added that she wants to bring her knowledge and her desire to work to the House of Representatives. The legislator affirmed that she would like for decisions to be taken in consensus and not with differences and controversy in the House. "I don't come here to be an agent of conflict; I come to represent my precinct and work for my neighbors, my community, and the people of Puerto Rico in an honorable manner to give the example that there are people of honor and honesty that come to work for the well being of the people," Gonzalez said.
Baucus States He Hasn't Decided About Section 956 February 28th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) denied that he supports the initiative of the Puerto Rico government to amend Section 956 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. "At this moment I am not supporting that amendment to the Internal Revenue Code sought by the Puerto Rico governor," Baucus said in a prepared statement published in a local daily. Following Baucus' meeting Tuesday with Gov. Sila Calderon, Resident Commissioner Anibal Acevedo Vila, and Economic Development Secretary Ramon Cantero Frau, the governor told the press that Baucus supported the amendment. Calderon also claimed to have the support of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD). However, Baucus noted in a prepared statement that he is yet to make a decision on the amendment and assured that he still must study the bill.
Calderon Seeks Federal Backup For Section 956 February 27th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) promised Gov. Sila Calderon to find a way to include in the U.S. Congress the approval of U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 956 for Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, the joint committee of taxes in Congress hopes to conclude within the next two weeks the study about the cost of the section, that according to Calderon, would be fundamental for its approval. However, Calderon told the press that Puerto Rico has a wide variety of alternate possibilities aimed at the economic development of the island in case the amendment to Section 956 is not approved. On the other hand, the governor assured that she had "successful" meetings with Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John Breaux (D-LA) regarding the economic proposals for the island, although she didn't say much on the matter.
Island Must Comply With Amendment To Receive Welfare Funds February 27th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - The local government must establish a plan proposed by President George W. Bush that requires 70% of the people benefiting from social welfare to also have a full-time job of 40 hours a week. Gov. Sila Calderon, who is expected to return from Washington on Wednesday, acknowledged that it will be difficult but possible to comply with the new rules that may impose the federal government, as it was announced by Bush. According to the data provided by the Puerto Rico government, 24,350 families receive welfare through the Temporary Aide for Needy Families (TANF) program, according to published reports. The official data reveal that since the approval of an amendment to the social welfare law in 1996, Puerto Rico complied with the requirement of lowering by 50% the number of people benefiting from this program without rendering hours of work. TANF is a separate program from the Nutritional Assistance Program, and the people who are entitled to those benefits may receive those funds for a maximum of 60 months.
Electoral Reform Referendum Proposed February 26th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - Civil Action Party President Enrique Vazquez Quintana recommended Tuesday that voters be allowed to decide in a referendum if the people should pay for political campaigns. Vazquez Quintana based his referendum petition on the fact that such an important decision transcends incumbent politicians. "We are totally opposed to the proposal of financing political campaigns with public funds," Vazquez said in a press conference. Though the former Health secretary said he supports parts of the proposal to reform the Electoral Law, he insisted that it is necessary to eliminate radio and televised marathon fund raisers "because it is a source of money laundering." Vazquez Quintana also suggested that Political Action Committees should also be eliminated "because it is a questionable fund raising source."
Calderon Meets With Bush By PRWOW News Service February 26th, 2002 Gov. Sila Calderon participated Monday in a National Governors Association (NGA) meeting held at the White House, in which President George W. Bush spoke about the states' budget and national security. Calderon is participating in the NGA Winter Meeting in Washington D.C., which finishes Tuesday. Calderon spoke with Bush during a gala dinner held at the White House Sunday, as part of the meeting's activities, where she reiterated her desire to help the president in his Hispanic agenda. In the same dialog, according to Calderon, the president asked her about Vieques, and she answered, "the people are confident and calm."
Martin Proposes Eliminating Political Action Committees By Proviana Colon Diaz February 26th, 2002 Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) Sen. Fernando Martin said he favored the elimination of Political Action Committees (PACs) from the island's electoral campaign system, if indeed the current administration favors the complete financing of political campaigns. The elimination of PACs would be an amendment to the "Law of Clean Money for the Electoral Campaigns," which promotes the continuation of the mechanism as a way of contributing to political campaigns. Martin argued that allowing PACs to contribute is contrary to Gov. Sila Calderon's promise to reform the financing of the island's electoral campaigns, adding that they could work as a subterfuge for private campaign financing, which is precisely what the new law is trying to eliminate. To attend the argument that eliminating PACs goes against the constitutional right of the people of freedom of speech, Martin suggested that a disposition be included in the law specifying that in the event that a court of law finds the PAC's prohibition unconstitutional, then the government will match each dollar given by PACs. "That way, no one will have an incentive to give money to PACs that will help John Doe, if Jane Doe will get the same amount from public funds," Martin said.
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Surrounded by family and friends,