Senator Carlos Méndez Núñez

Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Núñez, is a native of the Municipality of Fajardo, where he attended primary school at the Santiago Apóstol School and higher education at the Doctor Santiago Veve Calzada public school, where he obtained his diploma with honors.

In 1982 he completed, with honors, the Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Labor Relations, along with a ‘Minor’ in Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. That same year, he began studies leading to a Law degree - Juris Doctor - at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, which he obtained in 1986. Through the Training and Employment Program he entered the world of work in 1986 in the municipality of San Juan.

In 1987, he went on to work in the Legal Division of the Medical Services Administration of Puerto Rico onwards (ASEM). Two years later, he was recruited by the mayor of Fajardo, Aníbal Meléndez, as Director of the Office of Federal Affairs and together they began the transformation of the municipality, into what is known today as the “Eastern Metropolis”. He held various positions in the municipal administration until, in 1997, the Board of Mayors of the Northeast Consortium appointed him Executive Director, a position he held until 2004, when he was elected member of

the House of Representatives for District Number 36, which includes the municipalities of Río Grande, Luquillo, Fajardo, Ceiba, Vieques and Culebra.

In that four-year term he was appointed President of the Labor and Labor Relations Commission of the House of Representatives. During his presidency of the Labor Relations Commission, countless measures were approved that benefited Puerto Rican workers, such as: an increase in the Christmas Bonus and the new salary scale for Puerto Rican nurses.

In 2008, he was re-elected to his seat. For the four-year period 2009-2012, he was appointed President of the Government Commission of the Legislative Body. During his Presidency in the Government Commission he had the responsibility of evaluating and approving the legislation that establishes the public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico. Also, he was Vice President of the Labor and Labor Relations Commission and the Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Commission. In addition, he was a member of the Municipal Affairs, Integrated Development of the Eastern Region, Health and Public Safety Commissions.

As of February 25, 2011, he was elected by his colleagues as Spokesperson for the Majority of the New Progressive Party in the House of Representatives, a position he held jointly with the Presidency of the Calendar Commission and Special Debate Rules, in addition to the responsibilities of President of the Government Commission. In the four-year period from 2013 to 2016, he stood out as an ex-officio member of the commissions, being Alternate Spokesperson for his delegation.

After revalidating in the 2016 general elections, he was chosen by the members of his delegation as the President of the House of Representatives, a position he was sworn in

January 9, 2017, receiving the support of the majority of the members that make up the Legislative Body. Revalidated again in the 2020 elections, becoming the Spokesperson of the delegation of the New Progressive Party, for the four-year period from 2021 to 2024.

Among the projects and resolutions that became law during his presidency are Law 61-2018, better known as the “New Adoption Law for Puerto Rico”, an initiative that facilitates the adoption of minors. This new law dramatically reduced the number of minors waiting for adoption, from 345 children to less than 70 in just three years. The transformation of the electrical system in Puerto Rico was also outlined through Law 17-2019, known as the “Puerto Rico Public Energy Policy Law”, that its obligation is for citizens to have access to these energy systems that will help them lower their electricity payments in their homes and businesses to ensure that by 2025, 40 percent of the energy produced locally is renewable.and by 2050, completely abandon the use of oil and coal.

In November 2024, he was elected to his seat as Representative of District Number 36. He is once again selected by the members of the House of Representatives to preside over said legislative body, becoming only the twelfth legislator to hold the Chamber Presidency on two different occasions in the nation.