Senator Martin Heinrich, Governor Pierluisi, and Rep. Jenniffer González-Colon led a press conference on S 3231, The Puerto Rico Status Act. This is a companion bill to HR 2757, a bill of the same name currently being considered in the House.
Senator Heinrich reminded listeners that his home state, New Mexico, faced challenges similar to those facing Puerto Rico when it struggled for statehood more than a century ago. He linked his support for statehood for Puerto Rico to this part of his state’s history. “It’s no secret that I personally strongly support Puerto Rico statehood, but all of us agree that the Puerto Rico Status Act is the best path forward for Puerto Ricans to determine their own path forward…I think that we should all agree that Americans living in Puerto Rico deserve an overdue, permanent, democratic solution to their political status.”
Governor Pierluisi said, “The senators co-sponsoring Senate Bill 3231 have all decided to be on the right side of history and answer the call to provide full democracy to the more than 3.2 million American citizens in Puerto Rico in accordance with the U.S. Constitution.”
“Puerto Rico’s current status is unworthy of America,” Pierluisi added. “Having disenfranchised American citizens goes against everything the United States stands for.”
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