Nate Silver of Five Thirty Eight chatted with D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on the question of statehood — initially for Washington, D.C., but quickly bringing in Puerto Rico and other possibilities as well. Galen Druke facilitated the discussion, which you can hear fully below. Druke asked Holmes Norton… Read more »
Almost 60 Democratic Member of Congress sent a letter last week to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and U.S. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) regarding the ongoing healthcare crisis in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The letter begins with a succinct desire to “avoid further fatalities” in the U.S. territories affected by Hurricanes… Read more »
On October 24, 2017, members of Congress wrote a letter to Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, and Director of Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, with recommendations for education agencies in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. The US Department of Education will make recommendations for supplemental appropriations in the wake of hurricanes Harvey,… Read more »
With the election of Jenniffer Gonzalez as Puerto’s Rico’s first female Resident Commissioner, five of the six non-voting representatives in Congress will be women for the first time in history as the 115th Congress convenes in January. While each of the 50 states has voting congressional representatives, the territories and the District of Columbia have representatives… Read more »
A hearing was held yesterday on the possibility of statehood for the residents of Washington, D.C. Like Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia has no voting representative in Congress. Like Puerto Rico, the people of D.C. have been trying to gain full citizenship rights for more than a century. And like Puerto Rico, the majority… Read more »
Puerto Ricans often have the experience of being inaccurately described as immigrants or foreigners even though the people of Puerto Rico have been citizens since 1917. Often the problem is identified as a reflection of racism or ignorance about geography. The recent experience of a teacher from Washington, D.C., confirms that the problem is part… Read more »
Statements by National, State and Grassroots Leaders on the Need to Honor Self Determination for Puerto Rico The obligation of the United States to honor a Puerto Rican status choice has been recognized many, many times over the years, from presidents of the United States to local veterans groups, whose members historically stood together with… Read more »
Recognition by National, State and Grassroots Leaders Presidents of the United States President-elect Barack Obama, letter to Rep. Luis Fortuño, January 2, 2009. I am fully aware of the difficulties that Puerto Rico has faced in the past when dealing with this issue, but self-determination is a basic right to be addressed no matter… Read more »
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