Puerto Rico statehood movement

The Puerto Rico statehood movement (Spanish: movimiento estadista de Puerto Rico) aims to make Puerto Rico a state of the United States. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territorial possession of the United States acquired in 1898 following the Spanish–American War, making it "the oldest colony in the modern world".[1][lower-alpha 1] As of 2019, the population of Puerto Rico is 3.2 million, around half the average state population and higher than that of 20 U.S. states. Statehood is one of several competing options for the future political status of Puerto Rico, including: maintaining its current status, becoming fully independent, or becoming a freely associated state. Puerto Rico has held six referendums on the topic. These are non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the US Congress. The most recent referendum was in November 2020, with a majority (52.52%) of those who voted opting for statehood.[23]

Politics of Puerto Rico
Constitution and law
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Elections
Municipalities
Federal relations
Political status

Although the previous two referendums (November 2012 and June 2017) also had ostensibly pro-statehood outcomes, The New York Times described them as "marred, with ballot language phrased to favor the party in office".[24] For example, the fourth referendum, held in November 2012, asked voters (1) whether they wanted to maintain the current political status of Puerto Rico and, if not, (2) which alternative status they prefer. Of the fifty-four percent (54.0%) who voted "No" on maintaining the status quo, 61.11% chose statehood, 33.34% chose free association, and 5.55% chose independence.[25][26][27][28] Opponents of statehood argued that these results did not show that a majority of Puerto Rican voters support statehood. The June 2017 referendum was, according to The New York Times, a "flawed election" where the turnout was only 23%, in part because most statehood opponents sat out. 97% of votes cast favored statehood.[24] The November 2020 referendum was the first to ask voters a simple yes-or-no question: "Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?". There were 655,505 votes in favor of statehood (52.52%) and 592,671 votes opposed (47.48%), with a turnout of 1,248,476 voters out of the total population stated by census Population Estimates of 3,221,789 as of July 1, 2022.[29] The 55% turnout rate equaled that for the simultaneous 2020 gubernatorial race and the 2016 gubernatorial race.

Background
Further information: Political status of Puerto Rico

Following the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States in 1898, through the signing of the Treaty of Paris.[30] Puerto Rico became an unincorporated, organized territory of the US through a series of judicial decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States, collectively known as "The Insular Cases" and the enactment of several statutes by Congress.

In 1900, the U.S. Congress enacted the Foraker Act, establishing a civil government in the territory and then in 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship, by the enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act.[31] The Office of the President is responsible for policy relations between the United States and Puerto Rico, although according to the Territorial Clause of Constitution of the United States of America "The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States...".[32] In 1952, voters in Puerto Rico approved a new constitution proposed by Governor Luis Munoz Marin; this led to the territory being designated as a commonwealth.

Potential benefits of statehood

Puerto Rico is, by a considerable margin, the largest U.S. territory in terms of both population and geographical area, being similar to Connecticut with respect to population size (~3.3 million to CT's 3.6 million) and geographical area (13,791 square km to CT's 14,357). Puerto Rico residents do not participate in the Presidential elections because Puerto Rico does not have any electoral votes, but individual Puerto Ricans do have the right to vote when residing in a U.S. state or the District of Columbia. Statehood would allow the population to vote in all elections as the residents of states already can.

Other benefits to statehood include increased disability benefits and Medicaid funding as well as the higher (federal) minimum wage.[33] Benefits of statehood include an additional $10 billion per year in federal funds, the right to vote in presidential elections, higher Social Security and Medicare benefits, and a right for its government agencies and municipalities to file for bankruptcy. The latter is currently prohibited.[34]

The primary debate over Puerto Rican statehood is about representation. Some proposals seek to give it representation without statehood, giving it its apportioned representatives in the House and two Senators like a state without officially adding it to the union.[35]

Whether Puerto Rico is given statehood or simply apportioned members of Congress as a Commonwealth or territory, this will have an impact on the make-up of the House. As the Reapportionment Act of 1929 mandates the House be capped at 435 members, Puerto Rico would end up with Representatives that would otherwise have been apportioned to other states. If only Puerto Rico was admitted, the following states would be projected to lose at least one seat: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan.[36][37][38]

History

Since the transfer of sovereignty of Puerto Rico from Spain to the United States, the relationship between Puerto Rico and the US has been debated by many. On April 11, 1899, the peace treaty between Spain and the USA (the 1898 Treaty of Paris) became effective, and established a military government in Puerto Rico. This was short lived, since the following year (April 2, 1900) Congress enacted the Foraker Act, which established a civil government and free trade between Puerto Rico and the USA. Puerto Ricans, although incapable of electing members of the territory's executive branch, were now able to elect their local representatives and a resident commissioner to the US Congress, who had a voice but no vote.[39] In 1917, the enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act the territory of Puerto Rico was organized and statutory US citizenship was granted to its residents.[39]

Since 1967, there have been several referendums, which included questions on statehood. Puerto Ricans chose not to alter the status quo in referendums until 2012. The 2012 referendum produced a more equivocal result.[40]

1967 referendum
Main article: 1967 Puerto Rican status referendum

A referendum on the status of the island was held in Puerto Rico on July 23, 1967.[41] Voters were given the choice between being a Commonwealth, statehood or independence. The majority of voters voted for Commonwealth status, with a voter turnout of 65.9%.[42]

1998 referendum
Main article: 1998 Puerto Rican status referendum

A referendum in December 1998 offered voters four political status options: statehood, independence, free association, and territorial commonwealth, plus "none of the above." The latter option won 50.5% of the vote, followed by statehood, with 46.6%.[43] Turnout was 71%.[44]

2012 referendum
Main article: 2012 Puerto Rican status referendum

On November 6, 2012, voters were presented with two questions:
(1) whether they agreed to continue with Puerto Rico's territorial status and (2) to indicate the political status they preferred from three possibilities: statehood, independence, or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States.[45] Voters who chose "No" to the first question numbered 970,910 (54.0%), expressing themselves against continuing the current political status, while those who voted "Yes" numbered 828,077 (46.0%), indicating their desire to continue the current political status relationship. Of those who answered the second question, 834,191 (61.2%) chose statehood, 454,768 (33.3%) chose free association, and 74,895 (5.5%) chose independence.[25][26] The preferred status consultation did not include Puerto Rico's current status as a territory (Estado Libre Asociado as defined by the 1952 Constitution) as a choice, but instead an alternative named "E.L.A. Soberano"[46] On December 11, 2012, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico enacted a concurrent resolution requesting the President and the Congress of the United States to respond diligently and effectively on the demand of the people of Puerto Rico to end its current political status and to begin the transition of Puerto Rico to become a state of the union.[47] This was followed by a hearing at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Puerto Rico's status on August 1, 2013,[48] and (in 2014) resolutions introduced in both houses of the United States Congress (H.R. 2000; S. 2020) to hold a yes-or-no referendum among the residents of Puerto Rico on statehood.[49][50] Both resolutions died in committee.[51]

2017 referendum
Main article: 2017 Puerto Rican status referendum

Because there were almost 500,000 blank ballots in the 2012 referendum, creating confusion as to the voters' true desire, Congress ignored the results,[52] but passed a budget bill which included $2.5M in funding for a future referendum, intended to help educate the population on any future plebiscite.[52][53][54] The fifth referendum was held on June 11, 2017, and offered voters three options: "Statehood", "Free Association/Independence" and "Current Territorial Status".[52] The turnout was only 23% because statehood opponents boycotted it, arguing that the ballot language was biased towards pro-statehood.[24] Some would later try to attribute the boycott to the PPD party, citing its support for the status quo.[55] Of the voters who "participated", 97.18% chose statehood, 1.50% favored independence and 1.32% chose to maintain the commonwealth status.

Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act
Main article: Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act

A bill (H.R. 4901) for Puerto Ricans to vote "yes" or "no" on statehood was introduced on October 29, 2019, by Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, but died in Committee.[56][57] A corresponding bill in the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico that would implement the vote, known in English as the Law for the Final Definition of the Political Status of Puerto Rico (P.S. 1467), was approved by both houses on March 31, 2020, and sent to the Governor for signature.[58] The single question was "Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted into the Union as a state?", with only two options: "yes" or "no".[59]

2020 referendum
Main article: 2020 Puerto Rican status referendum

On May 16, 2020, Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced announced that a referendum on Puerto Rico's statehood would be held in November of that year.[60] For the first time in the territory's history, only one direct question was asked: "Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?"[61] Previous referendums presented multiple options such as independence or maintaining the current territorial status. The announcement came amid growing disillusionment with Puerto Rico's territorial status due to the lack of access to federal funds for recent natural disasters, such as Hurricane Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic.[62]

The referendum was held on November 3, 2020. There were 655,505 votes in favor of statehood (52.52%) and 592,671 against (47.48%).[23] After the results, the Puerto Rico Legislature, which at the time had a pro-statehood majority, passed the "Puerto Rico Congressional Act" calling a special election to elect two shadow senators and four shadow House-members to Washington D.C. to advocate for statehood. In the US House of Representatives, a bill to provide for the admission of the State of Puerto Rico into the Union was introduced.[63] These bills, H.R. 1522 and S. 780, were supported by 50 Puerto Rican pro-statehood organizations, who "[called] on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to approve that legislation."[64]

Puerto Rico Status Act

On December 15, 2022, H.R. 8393 passed the House of Representatives in a 233–191 vote with 11 absences. It would have instituted a binding referendum that would allow Puerto Ricans to vote on the future status of the island, that Congress would have to obey. Every Democrat voted in favor of the bill, as did 16 Republicans.[lower-alpha 2][65] The bill died in the Senate.[66] In April 2023, Puerto Rico's Status Act, which seeks to resolve its territorial status and relationship with the United States through a binding plebiscite at the federal level, was reintroduced in the House by Democrats.[67] In September 2023, Roger Wicker reintroduced legislation in the United States Congress on the territorial status of Puerto Rico. a two-round consultation process. The first vote is scheduled for August 4, 2024, where Puerto Ricans will have the choice between four alternatives: annexation to the United States, independence, sovereignty in free association, and a free state associated with the United States.[68]

Support outside Puerto Rico

Support for statehood has been expressed by President George H. W. Bush,[69] former Massachusetts Governor (now U.S. Senator) Mitt Romney,[70] President Joe Biden,[71][72] former President Barack Obama,[73] U.S. Representative Don Young[74] U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer,[75] U.S. Representative Stephanie Murphy,[76] former Florida Governor and U.S. Representative Charlie Crist,[77] former Florida Governor (now U.S. Senator) Rick Scott,[78] U.S. Senator Marco Rubio,[79] former Florida Governor Jeb Bush,[80] U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan,[81] and American Samoa Delegate to Congress Amata Coleman Radewagen.[82]

Statehood supporters
Congressman Ruben Gallego speaking in support of Puerto Rican statehood in 2019

The Taking of Congress (Spanish: Toma del Congreso) was an event that started on January 15, 2013, in the United States Capitol in which more than 130 private citizens from different advocacy groups in Puerto Rico started a campaign in which they visited every member of the United States Congress in order to speak about the results of the 2012 Puerto Rican status referendum—in which a majority of voters expressed themselves against the current political status of Puerto Rico.[83][84][85][86][87][88][89] They also attempted to persuade the members of Congress to initiate a process to change Puerto Rico's political status.[90] The campaign was supported by former U.S. representative José Enrique Serrano and former Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico (now Governor) Pedro Pierluisi.[91] Groups involved included Alianza Pro Libre Asociación Soberana (ALAS), Boricua Ahora Es, Igualdad Futuro Seguro, Renacer Ideológico Estadista (RIE), Proyecto Estrella, Young Democrats of America, and Young Republican Federation of Puerto Rico.

See also

Notes
  1. Puerto Rico was a colony of Spain from 1493 to 1898, when it passed to be a colonial possession of the United States,[2][3][4] classified by the United States as "an unincorporated territory".[5] In 1914, the Puerto Rican House of Delegates voted unanimously in favor of independence from the United States, but this was rejected by the U.S. Congress as "unconstitutional" and in violation of the U.S. 1900 Foraker Act.[6] In 1952, after the US Congress approved Puerto Rico's constitution, its formal name became "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico", but its new name "did not change Puerto Rico's political, social, and economic relationship to the United States."[7][8] That year, the United States advised the United Nations (UN) that the island was a self-governing territory.[9] During its 8th session, the United Nations General Assembly recognized Puerto Rico's self-government on November 27, 1953, with Resolution 748 (VIII).[10] UN Resolution "748 (VIII)" was adopted on November 27, 1953, during its 459th Plenary Meeting. This removed Puerto Rico's classification as a non-self-governing territory (under article 73(e) of the Charter of the United Nations). The resolution passed, garnering a favorable vote from some 40% of the General Assembly, with over 60% abstaining or voting against it (20 to 16, plus 18 abstentions). Today, however, the UN "still debates whether Puerto Rico is a colony" or not.[11] The United States has been "unwilling to play in public the imperial role...apparently it has no appetite for acknowledging in a public way the contradictions implicit in frankly colonial rule. Something in our own history makes the idea of our ruling other people very difficult to deal with. Puerto Rico's political status certainly has evolved in its century inside the North American 'family.' But the permanent interim political status of which Tomas Blanco wrote still has not ended."[12] The island has been called a colony by many,[13] including US Federal judges,[14] US Congresspeople,[15][16] the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court,[17] and numerous scholars.[18] For additional references to Puerto Rico's current (2021) colonial status under U.S. rule, see Nicole Narea,[19] Amy Goodman and Ana Irma Rivera Lassén,[20] David S. Cohen[21] and Sidney W. Mintz.[22]
  2. Don Bacon, Liz Cheney, Rodney Davis, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mayra Flores, Andrew Garbarino, Anthony Gonzalez, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Bill Huizenga, David Joyce, John Katko, Dan Newhouse, Bill Posey, María Elvira Salazar, Lloyd Smucker, and Fred Upton.

References
  1. José Trías Monge. Puerto Rico : the trials of the oldest colony in the world. New Haven, CT; London, England : Yale University Press, 1999. p. 4.
  2. The Recolonization of Puerto Rico, Part 1. The Voluntown Peace Trust. 22 July 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  3. Colonialism in Puerto Rico. Pedro Caban. SUNY-Albany. Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latino Studies Faculty. 2015. p. 516. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  4. C.D. Burnett, et al., Foreign in a Domestic Sense: Puerto Rico, American Expansion, and the Constitution. Duke University Press. 2001. ISBN 9780822326984
  5. Definitions of Insular Area Political Organizations. U.S. Department of the Interior. Office of Insular Affairs. 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  6. Juan Gonzalez. Harvest of Empire Penguin Press. 2001. pp.60–63.ISBN 978-0-14-311928-9
  7. "7 FAM 1120 Acquisition of U.S. Nationality in U.S. Territories and Possessions". U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7 - Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  8. "Let Puerto Rico Decide How to end its Colony Status: True Nationhood Stands on the Pillar of Independence." Rosalinda de Jesus. The Allentown Morning Call. Republished by The Puerto Rico Herald. July 21, 2002. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  9. "Puerto Rico - The debate over political status". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  10. Resolution 748 (VIII). Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  11. "Puerto Rico: Commonwealth, Statehood, or Independence? Constitutional Rights Foundation". Archived from the original on June 10, 2009.
  12. Sidney W. Mintz. Three Ancient Colonies. Harvard University Press. 2010. pp. 135-136.
  13. "Why Puerto Rico has debated U.S. statehood since its colonization". History. July 24, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  14. Juan Torruella, Groundbreaking U.S. Appeals Judge, Dies at 87. Sam Roberts. The New York Times. 28 October 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  15. Can't We Just Sell the World's Oldest Colony and Solve Puerto Rico's Political Status? Luis Martínez-Fernández. 16 July 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  16. Hopes for DC, Puerto Rico statehood rise. Marty Johnson and Rafael Bernal. The Hill. 24 September 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  17. José Trías Monge. Puerto Rico: The trials of the oldest colony in the world. Yale University Press. 1997. p.3. ISBN 9780300076189
  18. Angel Collado-Schwarz. Decolonization Models for America's Last Colony: Puerto Rico. Syracuse University Press. 2012. ISBN 0815651082
  19. Live results for Puerto Rico's statehood referendum. Nicole Narea. MSN Microsoft News. 5 November 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  20. Puerto Ricans Vote to Narrowly Approve Controversial Statehood Referendum & Elect 4 LGBTQ Candidates. Amy Goodman and Ana Irma Rivera Lassén. Democracy Now! 6 November 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  21. The Political Travesty of Puerto Rico: Like all U.S. territories, Puerto Rico has no real representation in its own national government. David S. Cohen. RollingStone. 26 September 2017. Accessed 15 December 2020.
  22. Sidney W. Mintz. Three Ancient Colonies: Caribbean Themes and Variations. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 2010. p. 134.
  23. Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections
  24. Frances Robles (June 11, 2017). "23% of Puerto Ricans Vote in Referendum, 97% of Them for Statehood". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  25. "CEE Event - CONDICIÓN POLÍTICA TERRITORIAL ACTUAL - Resumen" (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. November 8, 2012. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  26. "CEE Event - OPCIONES NO TERRITORIALES - Resumen" (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. November 8, 2012. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  27. "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  28. "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  29. "QuickFacts". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  30. "Avalon Project - Treaty of Peace Between the United States and Spain; December 10, 1898". avalon.law.yale.edu. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  31. "Jones Act - The World of 1898: The Spanish–American War (Hispanic Division, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  32. LII Staff (November 12, 2009). "Article IV". LII / Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  33. White, Gillian B. (November 9, 2017). "Why Puerto Rican Statehood Matters So Much Right Now". The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017. Six words: the ability to file for bankruptcy
  34. Coto, Danica (February 3, 2017). "Puerto Rico gov approves referendum in quest for statehood". Washington Post. DC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  35. Coleman Tió, José (May 19, 2007). "Democracy, Not Statehood: The Case for Puerto Rican Congressmen". The Yale Law Journal (Comes from a law forum discussion.). Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  36. Cea, Brianna. "Potential Shifts in Political Power after the 2020 Census". Brennan Center for Justice. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019.
  37. Tippett, Rebecca (December 21, 2017). "2020 Congressional Reapportionment: An Update". Carolina Demography. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019.
  38. "2020 Reapportionment Forecast – Total Population – 2018 Estimates". fairlines.org. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019.
  39. "Puerto Rico's Relationship with the United States? - US History Scene". US History Scene. July 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  40. "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  41. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p552 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  42. Nohlen, p555
  43. Nohlen 2005, p. 552.
  44. Nohlen 2005, p. 555.
  45. "Papeleta Modelo Plebiscito 2012" (PDF). CEEPUR. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2014.
  46. "Resultados Plebiscito". November 7, 2012. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  47. "The Senate and the House of Representative of Puerto Rico Concurrent Resolution" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  48. "Statements from U.S. Senate Hearing on Puerto Rico Political Status Plebiscite". August 5, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  49. Seilhamer, Larry (April 15, 2014). "Opinion: Puerto Rico Statehood Is A Moral, Democratic And Economic Imperative". Fox News. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  50. "Sen. Martin Heinrich Presents Bill Seeking Puerto Rico Statehood". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
  51. "Puerto Rico Status Resolution Act (2013 - H.R. 2000)". GovTrack.us. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  52. Wyss, Jim (January 26, 2017). "Will Puerto Rico become the newest star on the American flag?". Miami Herald. Miami Herald. Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  53. "U.S. approves funds for referendum on Puerto Rico's status". January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on January 20, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  54. "Make room for 51st star? Spending bill includes $2.5 million for vote on Puerto Rico statehood". January 22, 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  55. "PDP to boycott status referendum". April 20, 2017. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  56. "H.R.4901 - Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act". Congress.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  57. "Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act of 2019". October 30, 2019. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  58. "P.S.1467 - Law for the Final Solution of the Political Status of Puerto Rico". Sistema Único de Trámite Legislativo (SUTRA). Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  59. "Puerto Rico: Governor Vázquez informs that funds should be sought for the plebiscite for statehood". Nodal (in Spanish). March 4, 2020. Archived from the original on March 5, 2020.
  60. "Ley Núm. 51 de 2020 -Ley para la Definición Final del Estatus Político de Puerto Rico". www.lexjuris.com. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  61. "2020 Puerto Rico Status Referendum Ballot Released". Puerto Rico Report. June 2, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  62. Coto, Dánica (May 16, 2020). "Puerto Rico to hold statehood referendum amid disillusion". The Associated Press. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  63. H.R. 1522 at Congress.gov
  64. "51 Organizations Sign Letter Supporting Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act & Opposing Velázquez/AOC/Menendez/Sanders Puerto Rico Status Bill". Puerto Rico Statehood Council. March 18, 2021. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  65. "Roll Call 529 | Bill Number: H. R. 8393". Clerk, United States House of Representatives. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  66. Warburton, Moira (December 16, 2022). "Puerto Rico independence vote bill passes U.S. House". Reuters. Retrieved December 18, 2022. ...the measure had little chance of being taken up by the Senate.
  67. Acevedo, Nicole (April 20, 2023). "House reintroduces bill to resolve Puerto Rico's territorial status". www.nbcnews.com. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  68. "Wicker Reintroduces Puerto Rico Status Act". www.wicker-senate.gov. September 28, 2023.
  69. "Remembering George H.W. Bush, Supporter of Statehood for Puerto Rico". PUERTO RICO REPORT. December 1, 2018.
  70. "Romney would support statehood for Puerto Rico". MPR News. May 17, 2012.
  71. "Joe Biden: "If I were in Puerto Rico I would vote for statehood"". D1SoftballNews. March 2, 2022.
  72. "Biden Calls Statehood "Most Effective" Way to Ensure Equal Treatment". PUERTO RICO REPORT. September 16, 2020.
  73. "Obama Labels Filibuster a 'Jim Crow Relic,' Supports D.C. and Puerto Rico Statehood". National Review. July 30, 2020.
  74. "Alaska Rep. Don Young advocates for Puerto Rico statehood". Anchorage Daily News.
  75. "Steny Hoyer: Make Puerto Rico the 51st state". Washington Examiner. June 12, 2017.
  76. "Stephanie Murphy declares support for Puerto Rico to become state". Florida Politics. March 2, 2017.
  77. "Florida Governor Race: Crist promises to champion statehood for Puerto Rico". WMNF. August 10, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  78. "Rick Scott: Puerto Rico should get statehood". The Hill. May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  79. "Rubio Statement on Puerto Rico Statehood Bill". Marco Rubio US Senator for Florida. June 27, 2018.
  80. "Jeb Bush Still Supports Puerto Rican Statehood". BuzzFeed.News. April 28, 2015.
  81. "At U.S. Senate Hearing, Bryan Advocates Statehood For Puerto Rico". VI Consortium. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  82. "Congress Supports Statehood for Puerto Rico". PR51st. March 2, 2022.
  83. Delgado, José (January 15, 2013). "Buscan llamar la atención del Congreso en torno al status". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  84. Rivera, Ivelisse (January 10, 2013). "Boricuas tomarán el Congreso estadounidense". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  85. "Boricuas 'tomarán' el Congreso". El Vocero (in Spanish). January 11, 2013. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  86. "Unión por la descolonización" (in Spanish). Proyecto Estrella. November 29, 2012. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  87. "A promover la expresión contra la colonia". El Vocero (in Spanish). November 29, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  88. "Publican en Washington que la estadidad ganó en el plebiscito". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  89. Rosselló, Ricardo (January 14, 2013). "Time to settle Puerto Rico's status". The Hill. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  90. Delgado, José (January 13, 2013). "Antes de La Toma del Congreso". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  91. "Congresista Serrano recibirá a los boricuas de "La Toma del Congreso"". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

Further reading
  • Nohlen, D (2005). Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.