Statehood

For 106 years, the people of Puerto Rico have been proud American citizens. Since the Island became a U.S. territory in 1898, over 235,000 Puerto Ricans have honorably served our Nation in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Yet, due to the current territory status, the 3.2 million Americans in Puerto Rico lack full voting representation in Congress and cannot vote for their Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States. Moreover, as a territory, the federal government can—and often does—treat Puerto Rico unequally under federal laws and programs that are crucial to combat poverty and promote economic development. Simply put, the territory status has constrained Puerto Rico's ability to prosper and denies citizens on the Island the same rights and responsibilities as their fellow citizens in the 50 States. However, there is a clear solution to this problem: full equality, which can only be achieved through statehood. And voters in Puerto Rico agree.

"Like Congress acted 106 years ago to grant us our cherished American citizenship, Congress has an obligation to act again and make us a permanent part of the Union as the 51st State." Watch: Congresswoman González-Colón commemorates 106th Anniversary of U.S. Citizenship to the poeple of Puerto Rico.

Press Release: Members of Congress commemorate the 106th Anniversary of U.S. Citizenship to the People of Puerto Rico

Press Release: Members of Congress commemorate the 105th Anniversary of U.S. Citizenship to the People of Puerto Rico

A Fight for Equality

Under the slogan "Fighting for Equality and Democracy for our Fellow Americans," on March 2nd, 2021 a group of 46 members in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Puerto Rico's sole representative in Congress, Jenniffer González Colón (R-PR) and Florida Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL), introduced legislation to lay the groundwork for Puerto Rico's admission as a state of the Union. H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Admission Act, currently have 80 cosponsors. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) is leading similar efforts in the U.S. Senate and introduced a companion bill, S.780.

Rep. Jenniffer González Colón Puerto Rico Statehood

Press Release [Spanish]: Congreso responde a reclamo de Estadidad del pueblo de Puerto Rico (Presentan el H.R. 1522- Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act)

Press Release [Spanish]: Radican en el Senado federal proyecto para la admisión de Puerto Rico como estado

Compromise Bill - H.R. 8393

At a press conference on May 20, 2022, 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), and Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro R. Pierluisi 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.

On July 15, 2022, after months of negotiations, Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Small Business Committee Chair Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) announced the introduction of H.R. 8393 -the Puerto Rico Status Act.

Key provisions of the Puerto Rico Status Act include:

Authorizes a federally sponsored plebiscite to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status.
Specifies and defines Puerto Rico’s non-territory status options: Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States.
Provides for an objective, nonpartisan, federally funded voter education campaign leading up to the vote.
Establishes a process and timeline for the U.S. Department of Justice to review the plebiscite voter education materials and plebiscite ballot design.
Authorizes necessary funds to carry out an initial plebiscite and, if necessary, a runoff plebiscite.
Describes the transition to and implementation of each status option in sufficient detail for eligible voters in Puerto Rico to make an informed choice.
Ensures implementation of the option that is chosen by a majority of eligible voters in Puerto Rico.

Full text of the Puerto Rico Status Act is available here: https://bit.ly/3o8pQ6C A fact sheet on the bill is available in English here and in Spanish here.

“The people of Puerto Rico have voted for Statehood on multiple occasions and Congress has never expressed itself to resolve the status. This is the first time that we have a binding plebiscite with only non-territorial options: Statehood, Independence and Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States and in this way honors the mandate of the people in favor of statehood, providing a mechanism to achieve it,” said Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-AL).

Press Release: Leader Hoyer, Bipartisan Group of Members of Congress Announce Consensus Bill on Puerto Rico Political Status, Launch Public Input Phase of Historic Collaborative Effort

Natural Resources Committee passes H.R. 8393- Puerto Rico Status Act

On July 20th, 2022, the House Natural Resources Committee passed H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act.

In her opening statement, Rep. Jenniffer González Colón stated: "Today’s markup represents a step forward in Congress to assume its responsibility towards Puerto Rico. This bill empowers the people of Puerto Rico to vote, in a democratic and transparent process, on their future. It will allow them to know exactly the consequences of the choices that are before them, through a non-partisan, well defined, voter education campaign. We have been debating our political relationship with the United States for 124 years, and this bill gives us a final resolution. Having a bill that is binding, in which Congress clearly lays out what it is willing to offer, is so important."

March 2, 2021: Congress responds to Puerto Rico's call for Statehood

Press Conference: Introduction of the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act

Bipartisan Support: Republicans and Democrats Support H.R. 1522

Currently, 81 members of Congress from both parties cosponsor H.R. 1522.

Sponsor: Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] • Cosponsors: Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]* • Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]* • Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]* • Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]* • Rep. Diaz-Balart, Mario [R-FL-25]* • Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]* • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]* • Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-7]* • Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]* • Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]* • Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]* • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]* • Rep. Carson, Andre [D-IN-7]* • Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]* • Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]* • Rep. Crist, Charlie [D-FL-13]* • Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]* • Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-22]* • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]* • Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]* • Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-21]* • Rep. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ-7]* • Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]* • Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-26]* • Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]* • Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]* • Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]* • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]* • Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9]* • Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]* • Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]* • Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]* • Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large]* • Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]* • Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-GU-At Large]* • Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]* • Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8]* • Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]* • Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]* • Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6]* • Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-51]* • Rep. Waltz, Michael [R-FL-6]* • Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]* • Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7]* • Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]* • Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34]* • Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4]* • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4]* • Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]* • Rep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]* • Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]* • Rep. Barragan, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]* • Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5] • Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4] • Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47] • Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4] • Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9] • Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] • Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] • Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11] • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] • Rep. Cardenas, Tony [D-CA-29] • Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10] • Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] • Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] • Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2] • Rep. Doyle, Michael F. [D-PA-18] • Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33], Rep. Reed, Tom [R-NY-23], Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-15], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-22], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5].

Watch some of our cosponsors stress their support to #PRStatehood here.

Former U.S. Presidents has also stated their support for Statehood for Puerto Rico

2020 Plebiscite: The People of Puerto Rico Voted for Statehood

On November 3, 2020, along with the general elections, Puerto Rico held a referendum on statehood. Following precedent from Alaska and Hawaii, the ballot measure approved by the Island's duly elected government asked voters the following question: "Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted into the Union as a State?". Voters had the option to answer "Yes" or "No." An absolute majority—52.52 percent—voted in the affirmative. While the Island has conducted status plebiscites in the past, in which support for becoming a State was evident, the November 2020 referendum was the first time a simple, up-or down vote on statehood was held.

Now that a clear majority of voters in Puerto Rico have spoken and affirmed their support for admission into the Union, Congress must act.

"The only way to achieve constitutional citizenship for the people of Puerto Rico is by admitting the territory as a State of Union. Although Puerto Rico is fully integrated into the nation's economic system, it is foreign for tax purposes, not incorporated for tariff purposes, and receives unequal treatment under critical programs like Medicaid and Medicare. There is only one way to change this, and it is through Puerto Rico's admission as a State. This bill precisely seeks that, the transition to statehood as the people of Puerto Rico requested three consecutive times at the ballot box," expressed Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón.

Statement from Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez on Puerto Rico's Statehood Vote

Congressional Action

On April 14, 2021, the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs of the House Natural Resources Committee held a virtual public hearing to discuss legislation to address Puerto Rico's political status, including; H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act championed by Rep. González-Colón (R-PR) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL).

Full Committee Hearing: Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing on Puerto Rico Political Status

Jenniffer González defends Puerto Ricans' vote for Statehood

On June 16, 2021 the House Natural Resources Committee held a second hearing on legislation to address Puerto Rico's political status, including; H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act championed by Rep. González-Colón (R-PR) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL).

Remote Full Committee/Office of Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing – June 16, 202

Local and national organizations make a call to address Puerto Rico's statehood claim

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Federation of Mayors of Puerto Rico, and the Federation of Municipal Legislators of Puerto Ricourged Congress to respect the will of the people of Puerto Rico that has been expressed three consecutive times at the polls in favor of Statehood.