PR Chamber of Commerce begins missions to Washington

Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce President Luis Pizarro Otero

By The Star Staff

The Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (PRCC) has convened an urgent mission to Washington, D.C. as part of its Federal Affairs Chamber Educational Series, or FACES, to advocate for Puerto Rico issues.

The initiative aims to advocate for Puerto Rico’s priority issues, including economic and tariff reforms, the defense of essential federal funds, and the revitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, which represents nearly 40% of the island’s gross domestic product.

“This mission reaffirms the PRCC’s commitment to acting swiftly and decisively to protect and develop Puerto Rico’s economic interests,” PRCC President Luis Pizarro Otero said. “We have held meetings with key members of Congress to ensure that federal funds allocated to essential services on our island, such as energy, healthcare, and recovery, are not affected. Likewise, the mission aims to highlight reshoring efforts, where Puerto Rico is uniquely positioned to serve as a national asset in the effort to bring critical industries back to U.S. shores. As an American jurisdiction, the island offers the regulatory stability, legal protections, strong rule of law, and infrastructure of the mainland, along with global market access from a strategically located Caribbean hub.”

Simultaneously, the PRCC is participating in the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025, the most important event for promoting foreign investment in the United States, being held through today in Maryland. The PRCC has arranged meetings with companies, investors and economic development entities to highlight Puerto Rico’s strengths as an ideal manufacturing destination. Those strengths include its established track record as a hub for global manufacturing operations, a specialized and highly skilled workforce, and prestigious higher education institutions such as the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

As part of the mission’s official program, the PRCC will host the “Puerto Rico Open for Business” reception this Wednesday. The event will bring together influential members of the U.S. Congress and its committees on Puerto Rico affairs, as well as business leaders and public officials from the island. Its goal is to broaden dialogue and strengthen ties between Puerto Rico and Washington, emphasize the priority of rebuilding Puerto Rico’s electrical system, and advocate for the continuity of federal reconstruction funds designated for priority infrastructure, housing and energy projects, among others.