{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rubio.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C2A53638-3926-4C3C-9775-6A8BDE01CDC9", "Rubio Introduces Legislation to Increase Wages, Expand Opportunity in Puerto Rico", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Marco Rubio", "R000595", "www.rubio.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico, today introduced the Economic Mobility for Productive Livelihoods and Expanding Opportunity (EMPLEO) Act, which would help grow Puerto Rico\u2019s economy by making it easier for employers to hire workers and giving every American on the island an immediate pay raise. The bill extends to Puerto Rico Rubio\u2019s nationwide proposal to enact a federal wage enhancement.\r\n\u201cWith Puerto Rico\u2019s economy suffering from high unemployment and low wages, it\u2019s hard for many Americans on the island to make ends meet,\u201d said Rubio. \u201cMy legislation would help these workers and their families by immediately boosting their pay and reducing the cost of hiring so it\u2019s easier to find a job. By expanding the workforce, increasing opportunity and making work pay more, we can help Puerto Rico get back on the path to growth and prosperity. As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico, I\u2019m proud to have brought this idea to the table and encourage my colleagues to consider it as we prepare our final report.\u201d\r\nRubio\u2019s EMPLEO Act would establish an opt-in system by which participating employers disburse pay raises to all employees earning below the median hourly wage in Puerto Rico. Any worker earning less than $10 per hour would receive a raise, up to a maximum of $2.50 per hour. Employers that choose to participate in the program may reduce their share of a worker\u2019s wage to a minimum of $5 per hour, thus reducing the cost of hiring new workers.\r\nThe Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico was established by law under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). Since being named to the task force in July, Rubio and his office have held at least 55 meetings with stakeholders. In addition to the task force, PROMESA also established a separate Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management Board, which Rubio is not a member of, and whose work to resolve the island\u2019s debt crisis is expected to continue for several years.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rubio.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C2A53638-3926-4C3C-9775-6A8BDE01CDC9"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7692510262131691, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}