The Puerto Rico Statehood Commission went to Washington to put the Tennessee Plan into operation. The seven members of the Commission: Former Governor Carlos Romero Barcelo Former Governor Pedro Rosselló González Former Governor Luis Fortuño Former Senate President Charlie Rodríguez Colón Baseball Hall of Fame member Iván Rodríguez Torres GOP Committee representative Zoraida Fonalledas Brigadier… Read more »
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello is committed to making Puerto Rico statehood a reality, now that 97% of Puerto Rico voters have chosen statehood in the most recent referendum in June. The next step toward statehood is for Congress to vote to admit Puerto Rico. Thirty-two U.S. territories have already become U.S. states. After they… Read more »
Back in 1796, the Territory of Tennessee decided that Congress was moving too slowly on granting them statehood. In a plebiscite, 73% of the voters had favored statehood, and they were ready to take on the rights and responsibilities of a state. The people of Tennessee declared the territory to be a state, elected senators… Read more »
Puerto Rico Republican leaders have written to Attorney General Jeff Sessions offering guidance, a historic perspective and a forceful recommendation to exclude a “Commonwealth” option from the ballot for Puerto Rico’s upcoming plebiscite vote on June 11th. What “Commonwealth” Means The proposed ballot, as submitted by the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission, contains two choices… Read more »
Presidential Candidate Marco Rubio was endorsed by Puerto Rico political leaders in advance of the March 6th Republican primary in the U.S. territory. Residents of Puerto Rico, although they are U.S. citizens, cannot vote in presidential elections. However, they can vote in the primaries. Puerto Rico sends 23 delegates to the Republican National Convention, and… Read more »
July 27th was the birthday of José Celso Barbosa, and some Puerto Ricans celebrated it this year with a march from Dos Hermanos Bridge to the Capitol. The title of the march, “Puerto Rico Chose Statehood,” refers to the 2012 referendum, in which 61% of those who voted for a status for Puerto Rico chose… Read more »
Congressional Recognition of Puerto Rican Requests for Action Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), House Floor Statement before House Session, June 21, 2017, Congressional Record, page H5004. In our democracy, only those who cast ballots are counted, and those who voted in Puerto Rico overwhelmingly chose statehood. It is now up to Puerto Rico’s elected officials, especially… Read more »
Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Its residents are United States citizens, but they have no voting rights or representation in the government that makes and implements their national laws, and they are not treated equally in federal programs. This unequal treatment violates the most basic principles of equal citizenship in the… Read more »
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