Leader Hoyer, Bipartisan Group of Members Release Statement on Puerto Rico Status Act
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
December 14, 2022
Contact Info:
Raymond Rodriguez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Small Business Committee Chair Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-AL), Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), announced consensus among key members of Congress on the Puerto Rico Status Act, which lays out a process for the people of Puerto Rico to determine the future of their political status:
"We are pleased to announce that our bipartisan group of House Members, in cooperation with Puerto Rican officials, arrived at a consensus on the Puerto Rico Status Act, and we look forward to bringing it before the House tomorrow. Over the past months, we came together to act on a belief that we all share: Puerto Rico's colonial status as a U.S. territory should not continue, and its people must determine the political destiny of their island themselves. Many of us disagree on what that future should look like, but we all accept that the decision must belong to the people of Puerto Rico and to them alone. The Puerto Rico Status Act will grant them that choice. We appreciate the important role that the House Natural Resources Committee – especially its Chairman, Rep. Raúl Grijalva – played in bringing these diverse perspectives together to advance this critical bill. Similarly, we are grateful to the grassroots advocacy groups and the countless Puerto Ricans who made their voices heard on this bill, including in the many public forums we hosted on the island throughout this process. They, along with many of Puerto Rico's major political parties, signaled their strong support for this important legislation.
"This historic legislation would dedicate federal resources to fund and organize a binding plebiscite in which Puerto Ricans on the island could vote among three options: statehood, independence, or sovereignty in free association with United States. The bill would also fund an extensive, nonpartisan public education campaign to help voters understand each option and how it will affect them and their community long before they have to cast their ballots. Additionally, the Puerto Rico Status Act includes key measures providing for the robust oversight of the entire plebiscite process, ensuring that this election is fair, honest, and transparent. Ultimately, this legislation will grant Puerto Ricans the self-determination they deserve, and we are eager to pass it this week."
Please find a Section-by-Section and Fact Sheet on the legislation, as prepared by the House Natural Resources Committee.
"We are pleased to announce that our bipartisan group of House Members, in cooperation with Puerto Rican officials, arrived at a consensus on the Puerto Rico Status Act, and we look forward to bringing it before the House tomorrow. Over the past months, we came together to act on a belief that we all share: Puerto Rico's colonial status as a U.S. territory should not continue, and its people must determine the political destiny of their island themselves. Many of us disagree on what that future should look like, but we all accept that the decision must belong to the people of Puerto Rico and to them alone. The Puerto Rico Status Act will grant them that choice. We appreciate the important role that the House Natural Resources Committee – especially its Chairman, Rep. Raúl Grijalva – played in bringing these diverse perspectives together to advance this critical bill. Similarly, we are grateful to the grassroots advocacy groups and the countless Puerto Ricans who made their voices heard on this bill, including in the many public forums we hosted on the island throughout this process. They, along with many of Puerto Rico's major political parties, signaled their strong support for this important legislation.
"This historic legislation would dedicate federal resources to fund and organize a binding plebiscite in which Puerto Ricans on the island could vote among three options: statehood, independence, or sovereignty in free association with United States. The bill would also fund an extensive, nonpartisan public education campaign to help voters understand each option and how it will affect them and their community long before they have to cast their ballots. Additionally, the Puerto Rico Status Act includes key measures providing for the robust oversight of the entire plebiscite process, ensuring that this election is fair, honest, and transparent. Ultimately, this legislation will grant Puerto Ricans the self-determination they deserve, and we are eager to pass it this week."
Please find a Section-by-Section and Fact Sheet on the legislation, as prepared by the House Natural Resources Committee.