House Speaker [crscore]Paul Ryan[/crscore] told reporters Thursday the House Committee on Natural Resources is making progress on its bill dealing with Puerto Rico’s $70 billion debt crisis.
The lower chamber pushed back its legislation deadline form March 31 to May 1, which the Wisconsin Republican says they have already met.
“We made the deadline, which was to get the bill introduced by the end of the first quarter,” he said at his weekly press conference. “The deadline we held was to get a solution out on the table, a comment period – meaning we got a bill introduced, we had a discussion draft, lots of discussions are occurring.”
The committee opted to postpone a markup on the legislation following concerns expressed on both sides of the aisle.
Ryan said members of the panel are working on the technical aspects of restructuring the Department of Treasury.
“I think they’re doing very well, and we just want to make sure we get it right,” he said, adding it’s a priority to make sure the burden doesn’t fall on the American taxpayer.
House Minority Leader [crscore]Nancy Pelosi[/crscore] said the process has been “a little slower than we had hoped,” but she is hopeful Congress will be closer to a solution sometime next week during her weekly press briefing, also held Thursday.
“I don’t think we can drag this out until July 1, although that is a significant deadline as far as Puerto Rico is concerned,” she said, adding she thinks GOP members are doing what they can do get the bill moving.”I don’t think they’re dragging it out. I think this is a legitimate process on the part of the Republicans.”
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