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 »
Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) added an initiative to the Bipartisan Budget Act signed into law last Friday which will support Florida schools as they serve the needs of newcomers from Puerto Rico. The Bipartisan Budget Act is the temporary funding bill which avoids another government shutdown. This bill gives Congress another six weeks to agree… Read more »
President Trump’s first State of the Union address included a mention of Puerto Rico. “We have endured floods and fires and storms,” Trump said. “But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America’s soul and the steel in America’s spine. Each test forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and… Read more »
The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has prepared a fact sheet for Florida’s new residents from Puerto Rico in response to reports of displaced individuals experiencing difficulty in obtaining health care services despite the fact that they were enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare back in Puerto Rico. The fact sheet was issued in… Read more »
The landmark federal tax reform proposal released on Friday includes a provision to encourage economic growth in Puerto Rico and other economically distressed areas that was requested by Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón and several other members of Congress in a letter to congressional tax leaders. The tax bill omits several of the group’s other… 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 »
In the run-up to the recent status plebiscite in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican diaspora — people who have moved to the States from Puerto Rico and their descendants — came up in more than one context. First, there are those who believe that the diaspora should have a say in votes on the political… Read more »
Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), representing a community with a large percentage of individuals of Puerto Rican heritage, confirmed her support for the 2017 plebiscite at a Panel Discussion on Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican Community in Central Florida, held in Orlando, Florida. Puerto Ricans “overwhelmingly voted for statehood,” Murphy said. “It’s not a question of whether… Read more »
Tom Perez, the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, has endorsed statehood for Puerto Rico. As first reported in Politico, Perez has issued a statement that he believes Puerto Ricans should have the same rights as those on the mainland and that his personal view is that statehood is the best method to provide full… 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 »
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