In 1976, then-President Gerald Ford responded to recommendations made to him by an ad hoc advisory group on Puerto Rico with a statement favoring statehood. The advisory group had been put together jointly by the Federal government and Puerto Rico’s local government and had come up with a new idea for Puerto Rico’s status. Then… Read more »
The Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act of 2021 was filed this spring. But that was not by any means the first Puerto Rico Statehood Act. Consider the Puerto Rico Statehood Act of 1977, introduced by President Gerald Ford after he rejected a proposal for “perfected commonwealth.” The Statehood Act was designed to provide economic opportunity… Read more »
The West Wing, a TV drama about a fictional president of the United States and his staff, took on Puerto Rico’s status in a 2012 episode called “Galileo.” In this episode, the Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee has recommended to the Postmaster General that a stamp honoring Marcus Aquino be created. Marcus Aquino is a fictional character… Read more »
Jenniffer González, the new Resident Commissioner for Puerto Rico, is confident that the time is ripe for statehood for Puerto Rico, according to an interview with Caribbean Business. Gonzalez, along with incoming governor Ricardo Rosselló, intends to work aggressively for statehood for Puerto Rico. She believes that she will be able to work with Donald… Read more »
Presidential candidate Donald Trump has released his first offical statement on Puerto Rico status. “There are 3.7 million American citizens living in Puerto Rico,” begins the statement. “As citizens, they should be entitled to determine for themselves their political status.” The Trump statement continues to advocate a “process where Puerto Ricans might resolve their status” and pledges… Read more »
Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson visited Puerto Rico on Sunday and gave unambiguous support to statehood for Puerto Rico. At a rally of roughly 3,500 people, Carson cited the patriotism of Puerto Rico’s 3.5 million U.S. citizens and said, “You have paid your dues.” Carson left no possible uncertainty about his position on statehood for Puerto Rico…. Read more »
On October 21, 1966, Congressman John P. Saylor (R-PA) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives about bipartisan legislation he co-sponsored that sought to provide “for the admission in the Union on an equal footing with the original states, of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.” Congressman Saylor asserted that the door for Puerto Rican statehood would be open… Read more »
One United States President after another has supported statehood for Puerto Rico. In this video, you can hear Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush exhorting the people of Puerto Rico to vote in previous plebiscites. “The voices of three and a half million American citizens in Puerto Rico constitute a formidible force,” said Gerald… Read more »
The Republican Party of Puerto Rico is stepping up its outreach to the leadership of the House of Representative to urge action on the November Puerto Rican plebiscite. Members of the Party will join a coalition of forces meeting in Washington today to advocate congressional action on the recent Puerto Rican vote for statehood. Local… Read more »
We recently published a post documenting Republican support for Puerto Rican statehood, beginning with presidential candidate Mitt Romney and extending back decades to include Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford.
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