Thomas Rivera Schatz

Thomas Rivera Schatz is a public servant currently serving his third term as President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. Throughout his career, he has played a significant role in creating and approving legislation focused on Puerto Rico’s economic, social, and political development. He credits his commitment to public service and integrity to the principles instilled in him by his parents. He began his professional career as a public servant in 1993, working as an advisor in both the Senate and the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. In 1996, he was appointed as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice. By 2000, he became the electoral commissioner of the New Progressive Party (PNP), and in 2004, he was named the party's secretary general, holding both positions until 2007 when he filed his candidacy for the Senate of Puerto Rico. He was first elected as an At-Large Senator in 2008 and was selected by his peers to serve as the fourteenth President of the Senate, a position he held until 2012. He was re-elected to the Senate in 2013 and 2016, serving as Senate President again during his subsequent terms. In 2024, he was re-elected as an At-Large Senator, and the majority delegation selected him to serve as President of the Senate once more, making him the first senator in the history of Puerto Rico to preside over the Senate on three separate occasions in different four-year terms. His legislative work has covered areas including education, health reform, energy infrastructure, job creation, judicial system strengthening, and electoral modernization.