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Resident Commissioner Demands Full Equality and Democracy for Puerto Rico

March 2, 2017

Washington DC- Puerto Rico's sole member of the US Congress, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, demanded equality for Puerto Rico in her first address from the floor of the US House of Representatives, on the occasion of the celebration of the centennial of the grant of American citizenship to Puerto Ricans.

During the session, chaired by Speaker Paul Ryan, the Resident Commissioner was the first member to take the floor during the "Morning Hour" speeches, being joined later on by Democratic Representative Stephannie Murphy of Florida in celebrating 100 years of U.S. Citizenship of Puerto Ricans and expressing support for statehood for Puerto Rico.

González-Colón also sent to the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly a message to be read in a Special Joint Session celebrating 100 years of American Citizenship, as well as copies of her floor address to all her fellow Members of Congress.

Speech of the Congresswoman of Puerto Rico Jenniffer González-Colón on the Commemoration of the 100 Anniversary of the Jones Act of 1917:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker, I was elected to seek equality for the 3.4 million American citizens living in Puerto Rico. I am the sole elected representative for the island and I represent more constituents in my sole district than anyone in this House.

I rise today to honor the one hundred anniversary of the enactment of the Jones Act which conferred American citizenship on Puerto Ricans, on this day in 1917.

Since then more than a 211,000 veterans have served proudly in the U.S. military where they are equal in war but not in peace.

That's why I stand with the will, of the People of Puerto Rico, to be incorporated to the United States, as the 51st State of the Union, as requested in the 2012 local Plebiscite by 61% of voters

Lets this HOUSE fulfill the promise that the United States of America is a nation of "liberty and justice", FOR ALL OF US."

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