Democratic members of the House Natural Resources Committee rejected the proposals of their Republican colleagues, which included making English the official language in government and schools.
The majority of Democrats of the House Natural Resources Committee passed the Puerto Rico Status Act, amid Republican opposition.
The legislation, introduced by Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) would allow the people of Puerto Rico to choose their future non-territory political status. The options would be statehood, independence, or sovereignty in free association with the US.
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Congress members voted 25-20 to pass the bill. The committee discussed widely the amendments proposed by Republican members.
Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) proposed commonwealth as the fourth status option.
Other Republican proposals included making English the language of government, courts, and the public education system of Puerto Rico under statehood.
Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said that it had to be taken into account that Puerto Rico is still paying its debt under the PROMESA Act. For that reason, he said the plebiscite should happen after the debt is paid. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) proposed the same concept.
“The legislation also fails to take into account the fact that Puerto Rico is still in the process of restructuring its multi-billion dollar debt, and bypassing all regular order to rush the island toward a different political status creates a dangerous procedural precedent,” Westerman wrote in a statement.
Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) proposed deleting language that would guarantee access to US citizenship to those born in a covenant of free association whose two parents are US citizens.
Westerman and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) proposed eliminating federal funding for the island.
Being the majority (26-21), the Democrats rejected all these proposals.
The measures proposed by Republicans did not have the support of a member of their party, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González, who is allied with the Democrats on this project.
“We have been debating our relationship with the United States for more than 124 years. This bill gives us a final resolution. Remaining in a subordinate and inferior condition for political or financial convenience is not a valid option… This bill is a matter of making good the promise of our Founding Fathers in the preamble of our Constitution in forming a more perfect union, and the equal rights the people of Puerto Rico deserve, who for the past 105 years have been proud American citizens, with thousands paying the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our liberties and freedom, all while being denied equal participation in federal decision-making processes,” González said.
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The measure is now expected to be heard at the end of next week in the House of Representatives, although the bill is not yet on the Senate agenda.
“Today’s the day. After 120 years. Our fellow Puerto Ricans back on the island who pledge allegiance to our flag, pay certain fed taxes already, and have served in our military all that time, dying for our country, for our freedom, for a country where they can’t even vote for the president of the United States, their commander in chief,” wrote Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), after the bill passed.
