[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 140 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE COMMONWEALTH OPTION 
                PRESENTED IN THE PUERTO RICAN PLEBISCITE

                                 ______


                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 30, 1994

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto 
Rico enacted a concurrent resolution asking the United States Congress 
to respond regarding the viability of the commonwealth option of the 
November 14, 1993 political status plebiscite, which received a slim 
plurality of the votes cast. I am pleased to join Senator Paul Simon in 
a bipartisan and bicameral response to the legislature's request, which 
is appropriate given the Congress' constitutional responsibilities for 
matters affecting the territories.
  We are introducing a concurrent resolution of the United States 
Congress regarding the commonwealth option presented in the plebiscite 
with utmost respect of the people of Puerto Rico, their elected 
leaders, and the self-determination process. The resolution is made in 
good faith and with the best of intentions for the people of Puerto 
Rico, who have been staunch loyal United States citizens for over 
three-fourths of this century. Any proposed change to the existing 
fundamental relationship with our fellow United States citizens in 
Puerto Rico is very important and is not to be treated lightly.
  Of the total votes cast in the plebiscite, 48.6 percent voted for the 
commonwealth option, 46.3 percent voted for statehood, and 4.4 percent 
voted for independence. While a plurality of the voters supported 
commonwealth as defined on the ballot, the majority voted for other 
status options. Consistent with the plebiscite law, the Legislative 
Assembly of Puerto Rico petitioned the Congress to express itself 
concerning the principles of the commonwealth formula.
  In analyzing the substance of the commonwealth option it is necessary 
to also consider the process which lead to the November 14, 1993 
plebiscite. In the interest of political comity, the Legislative 
Assembly of Puerto Rico permitted each of the three political parties 
advocating one of the three status options of statehood, commonwealth, 
and independent to provide the status definitions to appear on the 
plebiscite ballot. The plebiscite law also provided each option equal 
public education funding, a mutually agreed limitation on total media 
expenditures by each party, a freeze on government-agency media 
expenditures 60 days prior to the plebiscite, and independent oversight 
of the voting process. However, the law's genuine intent to be fair 
unintentionally fostered a weakness by permitting historically 
unprecedented hypothetical status definitions on the ballot.
  The people were presented a mythical commonwealth option which 
proposed significant changes to the current relationship between Puerto 
Rico and the United States, including the execution of a bilateral pact 
between Puerto Rico and the United States that would be unalterable 
except by mutual consent, permanent union, the extension of 
Supplemental Security Income, and equality of food stamps equal to the 
States without equal fiscal responsibilities. Furthermore, the 
commonwealth status would guarantee irrevocable United States 
citizenship, Puerto Rican fiscal autonomy, and a common market, 
currency, and defense with the United States.
  It should not be surprising, given human nature, that a plurality of 
the people voted for a guarantee of virtually all of the benefits and 
assistance of U.S. citizenship without the corresponding duties and 
obligations. Notwithstanding the option of all-the-goodies-without-the-
price, and to the grand credit of the people of Puerto Rico, a combined 
majority chose status options offering additional rights and 
responsibilities. A near plurality of voters chose statehood with the 
same rights, benefits, and responsibilities of the 50 States; a small 
fraction voted for independence with the inherent rights, powers, and 
obligations of separate sovereignty.
  It is essential to a meaningful self-determination process for the 
United States House and Senate to provide the people of Puerto Rico a 
sense of the Congress concerning the viability of the elements of the 
commonwealth formula proposed in the November 14, 1993 plebiscite. 
Therefore, after extensive examinations and scrutiny and based on 
bipartisan and bicameral deliberations considering the U.S. 
Constitution and Federal laws as they relate to the commonwealth 
formula, a concurrent resolution of the United States' House and Senate 
is being introduced. The commonwealth formula is clearly not an 
economically or politically viable alternative to the current self-
governing, unincorporated territorial status of the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico; and the unalterable bilateral pact that such commonwealth 
formula proposes as the vehicle for permanent union of Puerto Rico with 
the United States is not a constitutionally viable alternative to the 
current self-governing, unincorporated territorial status of the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico .
  It is unfortunate that the voters have faced unrealistic and inflated 
expectations of a supposed commonwealth relationship with the United 
States. However, this has become an opportunity to set the record 
straight; to quell the commonwealth fantasy status which continues to 
be promoted to the detriment of the society it is purported to help. 
While it is true that the United States-Puerto Rico relationship shares 
many things in common, no permanent union secured by an unalterable 
bilateral pact with irrevocable American citizenship is possible under 
any variation of the proposed commonwealth formula. Our U.S. 
Constitution provides the only avenue for irrevocable U.S. citizenship, 
total equality, and permanent union.
  I want to commend the people of Puerto Rico for their steadfast faith 
in our constitutional democracy and for adhering to local and Federal 
laws during the plebiscite process. Last year's act of self-
determination is a model for other communities, as it was peaceful 
while appropriately exuberant. In contrast to the political and civil 
turmoil in other areas. Puerto Rico truly merits the motto of ``The 
Shining Star of the Caribbean.''
  Although the plebiscite has not resolved Puerto Rico's status, 
hopefully the achievement is real progress in self-determination toward 
realistic and substantiated status options. I will continue to monitor 
the self-determination aspirations of our fellow citizens in Puerto 
Rico, as well as the other United States territories, as a solemn 
obligation of the Congress.
  Following is the full text of the concurrent resolution responding to 
the Puerto Rico political status plebiscite of November 14, 1993:

                            H. Con Res. 300

       Whereas the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
     enacted legislation to allow the people of Puerto Rico to 
     express, through a plebiscite, their preference regarding the 
     nature of the future relationship between Puerto Rico and the 
     United States;
       Whereas the plebiscite ballot contained the status options 
     of statehood, commonwealth, and independence, as defined by 
     the three principal political parties of Puerto Rico;
       Whereas, in the plebiscite of November 14, 1993, 48.6 
     percent of the people of Puerto Rico voted for commonwealth 
     status, 46.3 percent voted for statehood status, and 4.4 
     percent voted for independence;
       Whereas the commonwealth status option presented to the 
     Puerto Rican electorate on November 14, 1993, proposed 
     significant changes to the current relationship between 
     Puerto Rico and the United States, including--
       (1) the execution of a bilateral pact between Puerto Rico 
     and the United States that would be unalterable, except by 
     mutual consent;
       (2) permanent union between Puerto Rico and the United 
     States;
       (3) the extension of supplemental security income (SSI) 
     under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et 
     seq.)) to citizens of Puerto Rico; and
       (4) equality between Puerto Rico and the States regarding 
     food stamp allocations under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 
     U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
       Whereas the commonwealth status option presented to the 
     Puerto Rican electorate on November 14, 1993, stated that 
     commonwealth status would guarantee--
       (1) irrevocable United States citizenship;
       (2) Puerto Rican fiscal autonomy; and
       (3) a common market, common currency, and common defense 
     with the United States;
       Whereas the legislature of Puerto Rico passed a concurrent 
     resolution asking that the Congress make a statement 
     concerning the viability of the commonwealth ballot formula 
     presented to the people of Puerto Rico in the plebiscite of 
     November 14, 1993;
       Whereas the Congress holds great respect to Puerto Ricans 
     as citizens of the United States; and
       Whereas it is incumbent upon the Congress to express the 
     sense of the Congress concerning the viability of the 
     elements of the commonwealth formula proposed in the November 
     14, 1993, plebiscite: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the changes to the political relationship between 
     Puerto Rico and the United States that are described in the 
     option of the Puerto Rico plebiscite of November 14, 1993, 
     known as the commonwealth option would provide to United 
     States citizens who are residents of Puerto Rico the Federal 
     benefits of United States citizens living in the States 
     without the concomitant responsibilities;
       (2) the commonwealth formula presented in the Puerto Rican 
     plebiscite of November 14, 1993, is not an economically or 
     politically viable alternative to the current self-governing, 
     unincorporated territorial status of the Commonwealth of 
     Puerto Rico; and
       (3) the unalterable bilateral pact that such commonwealth 
     formula proposes as the vehicle for the permanent union of 
     Puerto Rico with the United States is not a constitutionally 
     viable alternative to the current self-governing, 
     unincorporated territorial status of the Commonwealth of 
     Puerto Rico.

                          ____________________