The witness list for the Wednesday, June 24th, hearing before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Native Alaskan Affairs has been released. The long list of witnesses, spread across two panels, includes representatives from the Statehood (PNP), Commonwealth (PPD) and Independence (PIP) political parties in Puerto Rico. Current and former elected officials will testify before the Subcommittee. The hearing will begin at 2 pm.
The Committee has also released a background memorandum for the hearing, which is available here.
Panel I
The Honorable Pedro R. Pierluisi
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
President of New Progressive Party (PNP)
Washington, D.C.
The Honorable César A. Miranda Rodríguez
Attorney General of Puerto Rico
Popular Democratic Party (PPD)
San Juan, PR
The Honorable Rubén Berríos
Former Senator in the Puerto Rican Senate
President of the Puerto Rico Independence Party (PIP)
San Juan, PR
Panel II
The Honorable Luis G. Fortuño
Former Governor of Puerto Rico, 2009-2011 (PNP)
Washington, D.C.
The Honorable Carlos Romero Barceló
Former Governor of Puerto Rico, 1977-1985 (PNP)
San Juan, PR
The Honorable Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Former Governor of Puerto Rico, 2005-2009 (PPD)
San Juan, PR
The Honorable Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto
Mayor of San Juan, 2013-Present (PPD)
San Juan, PR
Ms. Miriam J. Ramirez MD
Former Puerto Rico State Senator, 2001-2005 (PNP)
Founder, Puerto Ricans in Civic Action
Orlando, FL
So… seems like the Governor finally gave up on making a fool out of himself by not going to this historical hearing.
He wasn’t invited. Yet El Vocero reports he’s in NYC today (How much ya’wanna bet he’s meeting with US congresswoman and independence advocate :fNydia Velazquez? )
As well as in DC tomorrow the 24th. (Probably to see Guttierrez ).
The PPD advantage is that all US congresmen/woman of Puerto Rico heritage WITH VOTING POWERS are anti US commie leftists opposed to statehood snd favor independence. SERRANO (D-NY) has recently paid lip service to statehood,but is generally pro “commonwealth”.
No, instead we will have Carmen Yulin and AAV spout their nonsensical fairy tales about “sovereignty” complete with US citizenship and a federal bailout – two ideas which have been rejected time and again by federal officials and legislators.
It seems both fractions of the PPD are equally stuck in fantasy land.
Their true goal is maintaining the unincorporated status for the benefit of their corporate clients.
The PDP cannot ever admit that so we have this decades Long performance of a supposed “indecision” on commonwealth status with “the best of both worlds”.
Luis, I agree entirely. This whole ‘internal debate’ within the PDP is just a clever smokescreen. This “committee” of Rafael Hernandez Colon, AAV, Miguel Hernandez Agosto, and Hector Luis Acevedo is the ultimate delaying tactic … they will never agree on a definition of “commonwealth” – and if they did it would be so unconstitutional it would be rejected out of hand.
Soberanista or conservador …. two sides of the same colonialist coin.
At any rate they will do their darnedest to avoid discussion of status tomorrow. Look for them to try and make the economy the hearing.