Puerto Rico celebrates 1st female U.S. Congress representative

A woman is for the first time serving as Puerto Rico’s representative in U.S. Congress.

Jenniffer Gonzalez was being sworn in on Tuesday and says she plans to submit a statehood bill shortly afterward. She says she also plans to submit measures to give Puerto Rico obtain the same Medicaid and Medicare benefits as U.S. states.

The measures are aimed in part at alleviating the U.S. territory’s decade-long economic crisis that has prompted more than 200,000 people to leave for the U.S. mainland.

Gonzalez is allowed to serve on committees but has limited voting powers as Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner. She is a Republican and once served as speaker of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives.

For the first time serving as Puerto Rico's representative in U.S. Congress is a woman. Jenniffer Gonzales was being sworn in on Tuesday.  (JENNIFFER GONZÁLEZ/TWITTER) 
Jenniffer Gonzalez was being sworn in on Tuesday and says she plans to submit a statehood bill shortly afterward.
Puerto Rico celebrates 1st female U.S. Congress representative