Puerto Rico’s most recent plebiscite, held June 11, 2017, had a very clear outcome: 97% of voters chose statehood from the territory’s three status options (nationhood in addition to territory status and statehood). The islands’ political factions supporting nationhood and an unprecedented “Commonwealth status” that Federal officials have said is impossible for constitutional reasons had… Read more »
Puerto Rico has held five plebiscites, and some leaders are calling for another one. So what is a plebiscite? What is a plebiscite? A plebiscite is a direct vote by registered voters on an important legal or political question. The word comes from French and before that from the Latin words for “people” and “decree.”… Read more »
On Friday, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón led a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in writing a letter to President Trump to request further assistance to Puerto Rico. “We commend your commitment to the U.S. territory and the around-the-clock work your agencies and personnel are carrying out,” the letter began. “Your recent decision to… Read more »
Puerto Rico has held its referendum on political status, and statehood won. But that doesn’t mean that Puerto Rico is now a state. The process of becoming a state requires a law, and laws begin in the U.S. Congress. There are currently several bills which have been introduced or in the process of being introduced…. Read more »
As results of the June 11 plebiscite vote have reached Washington this week, a number of congressional leaders have made statements or joined Gov. Rosselló in his visit to the nation’s capital. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a former chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the current highest ranking Democrat on… Read more »
Puerto Rico’s most recent plebiscite, held June 11, had a very clear outcome: 97% of voters chose statehood from the three options on the ballot. However, the opposition parties had encouraged a boycott of the referendum and are now trying to discredit the vote, which had a low turnout. In fact, the voting turnout percentage… Read more »
Puerto Rico’s plebiscite is on Congress’s radar screen based on the comments of several members in recent days, who are urging strong participation in today’s vote. “Puerto Ricans will have an opportunity this weekend to choose the future status of their island,” said House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) in a statement last week. “I… Read more »
The fate of U.S. citizenship in a new nation of Puerto Rico has been the subject of debate for many years. In Puerto Rico, intense arguments have been waged over the likely fate of U.S. citizenship if Puerto Rico were to become a sovereign nation. In Washington D.C., however, there is uniform agreement – Puerto… Read more »
The candidates and parties in the recent presidential election spoke up for self-determination for Puerto Rico. Now Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, who also chairs the Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico, seems to be brushing the question of status aside. But Congress has a responsibility to the people of Puerto Rico that… Read more »
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources held a short session late yesterday to begin the first part of its consideration of the bill on Puerto Rico fiscal matters worked out by Republican leaders with the U.S. Treasury Department and Democratic leaders last week, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (H.R. 5278),… Read more »
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