[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 59 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           THE HISPANIC VOTE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-Barcelo) 
is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Speaker, a long time ago, American troops 
landed in New York and claimed it from Spain. In a proclamation to the 
island residents, the commander of the U.S. forces, General Nelson A. 
Miles, declared, ``We have not come to make war upon the people of a 
country that for centuries has been oppressed but, on the contrary, to 
bring you protection, not only to yourselves but to your property, to 
promote your prosperity, and to bestow upon you the immunities and 
blessings of the liberal institutions of our government.''
  Taking General Miles at his word, the people of Puerto Rico sought 
immediately to make the promise of those immunities and blessings a 
reality. We were disappointed when the Foraker Act of 1900 defined the 
territorial relationship with the United States, and our frustration 
continues unabated. We have now been a territory or, as many claim, a 
colony for 100 years; and to our country's shame, we are still 
disenfranchised. We are denied that most fundamental right in a 
democracy, the right to vote.
  Throughout the century, applying the trickle-down theory of 
democracy, Congress has only grudgingly extended democratic rights to 
the people of Puerto Rico. First we were granted citizenship in 1917 
without the right to elect our own governor. Then, 31 years later, in 
1948, we were allowed to elect our own governor, but we were not 
allowed to exercise our right to self-determination.
  I firmly believe that self-determination is one of those unalienable 
human rights that the Founding Fathers of this democracy held dear. It 
is not something that 3.8 million American citizens of Puerto Rico 
should have to earn or demonstrate that we deserve, though if that is 
the value system of this democracy, we certainly have done both by 
fighting and dying in this country's service and by enthusiastically 
and responsibly exercising our right to vote and shape our local 
government.
  What will influence Congress? What will prompt it to act, if it is 
not, as I would hope, the very rightfulness of Puerto Rican self-
determination? The only thing I can figure out is the voters. Voters 
get every politician's attention. Sadly, it is not the voters of Puerto 
Rico that I am speaking of, because we are denied the right to vote in 
presidential elections and we are denied voting representation in 
Congress.

  However, the Hispanic or Latino vote will count. Hispanics are on 
their way to becoming the largest minority in this country. They 
represent 34 percent of the population in New Mexico, 25 percent of the 
population in California, 30 percent of the population in Texas, and 19 
percent of the population in Arizona.
  Like the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, Hispanics are conscientious 
voters. A bipartisan poll of registered Hispanic voters commissioned by 
Univision Communications, Inc., revealed that 94 percent of the 
respondents plan to vote in this year's elections.
  Mark Penn, a Democrat and coauthor of the survey, with Mike Deaver, a 
Republican, thinks that the findings demonstrate the growing importance 
of Latinos in the American political process. Hispanics, he notes, 
provide a crucial swing vote in some of the Nation's biggest States.
  I am heartened by this survey's findings that 56 percent of Latinos 
support statehood for Puerto Rico, whereas only 27 percent do not. I am 
confident that a much larger percentage of Hispanics endorse Puerto 
Rican self-determination. Puerto Rican self-determination is becoming a 
telltale issue for Hispanics, revealing a politician's attitude towards 
the consensus and the political empowerment of the Hispanic electorate. 
It is a matter of solidarity.
  Members of Congress may feel they can continue to dismiss the 
political aspirations of the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico with 
impunity, but the Hispanic vote is a growing power to be reckoned with, 
and the right of the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico to self-determination 
is an issue that will come home to roost at the poll booth. Those that 
oppose the right of Puerto Ricans to self-determination will be 
perceived as biased or prejudiced against Hispanics.
  I am asking that Members support the bill for self-determination in 
Puerto Rico. It is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do 
for Republicans, it is the right thing to do for Democrats, it is the 
right thing to do for Congress, and above all, it is the right thing to 
do for the Nation.

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