From the Publisher’s desk.

Our newly elected Congress, the 116th class, made history last month in more ways than one. Not only were records broken with the number of women who were sworn in, but there were several other ‘firsts.’ The first Native American women. The first Muslim women. The first woman under 30-years-old. And, the first class with a make-up this diverse.

With more women, more racial diversity, more mothers, and more members who came from disadvantaged communities, this composition of Representatives better reflects the composition of America. Furthermore, this make-up of Congress could be beneficial to Puerto Rico because of their diversity, activism, and desire for social change.

Just weeks after being sworn in, and in the middle of a government shutdown, more than 30 members of the new class visited the island to show their support for Puerto Rico and its nearly 3.2 million American citizens. Their backing is crucial for Puerto Rico’s economic development and a step in the right direction for political equality, as well as greater attention to both the island’s contributions to the mainland and its unique needs.

Among those who showed their support last month was Rep. Tony Cárdenas who stressed the importance of hearing from the millions of American citizens on the island and working together to rebuild Puerto Rico. ‘With a new Congress and House Democratic majority, it’s important that we represent and rebuild Puerto Rico,’ Cárdenas stated.

Rep. Ruben Gallego also made it clear that Puerto Rico should be a top priority. ‘No matter what, the situation with Puerto Rico is not acceptable, and it is incumbent upon us in the committee to bring something to the committee,’ Gallego said.

It would be a big loss of opportunity to leave up in the air this goodwill towards the island. It is incumbent upon the political, economic, and social leaders in Puerto Rico, without leaving aside media, to set up the priorities that will benefit most from the help that this new Congress can bring. Some top of the list items around which consensus should be built and action plans executed are recovery funds that help both community and economic development, Medicaid and Medicare parity, increased access to programs that impact small businesses, and incentives that translate into more opportunity for local and outside investment.

This new class of congressmen and congresswomen have shown their support for Puerto Rico over the past month, but the truth is the island has been historically neglected and treated unfairly by Democrats and Republicans alike, and if there is a time to advocate for the rights of Puerto Rico, the time is now.

*Mark E. Curry is a leading entrepreneur, philanthropist and impact investor. Curry founded SOL Partners in Puerto Rico in 2012, and in January 2017 completed acquisition of NotiCel. As Chair of the Mark E. Curry Family Foundation, he invests in critical community charitable organizations.