New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will embark to Puerto Rico to support the island as the commonwealth faces an excruciating debt crisis.

Cuomo will reportedly visit Puerto Rico as early as September, and he will be accompanied with New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. While more people names are expected to join Cuomo's delegation, the trip is said to be a "solidarity" trip with financial experts and elected leaders.

"New York is home to more Puerto Ricans than any other state in the country, and the governor believes we have a responsibility to support our friends in times of need," a source told the New York Daily News. "The idea is to go down, get an in-person briefing on their ongoing struggle, and find out how New York can help, practically and politically."

As Latin Post reported, Puerto Rico's debt has hit $70 billion debt crisis.

Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla revealed the island's current debt is "unpayable" and its size impedes the commonwealth from improving. According to Garcia Padilla, the island "inherited" nearly $70 billion of debt -- a figure he claimed "is essentially the same" as two years ago, but he denied allegations that the debt is solely the result of loans.

Cuomo visited Puerto Rico and Garcia Padilla in 2014, during the New York governor's re-election bid. Garcia Padilla would later return the favor and visit New York.

Back in the U.S., Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut announced the "The Puerto Rico Chapter 9 Uniformity Act" (S. 1774), which would grant the commonwealth the authority to allow its municipalities and public utilities to adjust their debts through bankruptcy court supervision.

"This measure is vital to prevent a humanitarian and financial catastrophe -- a clearly avoidable disaster," said Blumenthal in a statement released in July. "Creditors, investors, ordinary citizens, all will be harmed if the Congress fails to act. This measure is not a bailout -- involving not a dime of federal funds. It enables an orderly, rational restructuring of debt, instead of a financial free for all and potential free fall."

The senate bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

The Senate bill complements the House's H.R. 970, introduced by congressman, Pedro Pierluisi, a non-voting member with the official title of Resident Commissioner. Pierluisi's bill, introduced last February, calls for the same aid for Puerto Rico. His bill has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

"These are not easy times that we have had to live," said Garcia Padilla in June. "But if we battle together, against any enemy, against any crisis, united, Puerto Rico will prevail."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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