Florida Senate - 2015                            (NP)    SR 1660
       
       
        
       By Senator Soto
       
       
       
       
       
       14-04326-15                                           20151660__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing the Puerto Rico Federal
    3         Affairs Administration and its Southern Regional
    4         Office in Kissimmee.
    5  
    6         WHEREAS, the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration
    7  (PRFAA) represents the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico before
    8  federal, state, and local governments on the mainland, promoting
    9  economic and public policy initiatives to achieve a better
   10  quality of life for the nearly 4 million United States citizens
   11  who live in Puerto Rico and advising local governmental agencies
   12  and municipalities on the island on issues of interest to Puerto
   13  Rico which are pending before the federal government, and
   14         WHEREAS, the PRFAA's main office in Washington, D.C.,
   15  serves as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s primary liaison in
   16  the nation’s capital, and the PRFAA also has a Southern Regional
   17  Office, located in Kissimmee, which serves nearly 900,000
   18  Florida residents, and
   19         WHEREAS, the PRFAA's regional offices have evolved from
   20  providing guidance to Puerto Rican migrants to promoting
   21  cultural awareness and helping the Puerto Rican community get
   22  involved in the political process, and
   23         WHEREAS, the PRFAA's regional offices focus on economic
   24  development through the promotion of business ventures between
   25  Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican communities in the United
   26  States, and on educational development, empowerment, and
   27  leadership through partnerships with community organizations,
   28  and
   29         WHEREAS, the PRFAA Southern Regional Office serves as a
   30  facilitator between Puerto Ricans and Florida’s state and local
   31  governments, and
   32         WHEREAS, the PRFAA Southern Regional Office assists the
   33  Puerto Rican diaspora with gaining access to Puerto Rican
   34  government services, processing documents, and obtaining birth
   35  and death certificates from Puerto Rico, and
   36         WHEREAS, the PRFAA Southern Regional Office provides
   37  educational seminars and guidance to Puerto Ricans who want to
   38  do business in Florida and coordinates meetings between
   39  governmental agencies and Florida business owners who wish to
   40  expand their operations to Puerto Rico, and
   41         WHEREAS, the PRFAA Southern Regional Office helps Puerto
   42  Ricans apply for federal assistance programs and for health
   43  insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance
   44  Marketplace, and
   45         WHEREAS, the PRFAA Southern Regional Office has been a
   46  champion of Puerto Rican culture in this state and has
   47  participated in the coordination of Puerto Rico Day at the
   48  Capitol since 2008, NOW, THEREFORE,
   49  
   50  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   51  
   52         That the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration and its
   53  Southern Regional Office in Kissimmee are recognized.