[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1338-E1339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO 
                                  RICO

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ANIBAL ACEVEDO-VILA

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2002

  Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, this Thursday, July 25, Puerto Rico 
celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution as 
a Commonwealth. This Constitution established a unique relationship 
between Puerto Rico and the United States, which has enabled Puerto 
Ricans to preserve and promote our cultural identity, while 
guaranteeing our United States citizenship and protecting the values of 
liberty and justice that we share with all Americans.
  This Constitution established a republican form of government, and 
provided for a broad Bill of Rights that followed both the U.S. 
Constitution and the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man. This 
Constitution also provided for the election of all members of the 
legislature by the free will of the people. The ratification of the 
constitution by the people of Puerto Rico is the most significant 
democratic achievement for Puerto Rico in the 20th Century.
  At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico already had 
a strong sense of nationhood and had achieved a high degree of autonomy 
under Spanish colonial rule. However, the initial U.S. rule on the 
Island, did not automatically bring democracy and progress for Puerto 
Rico. For decades Puerto Ricans continued to strive for autonomy and 
democratic rights. In 1917, the United States granted Puerto Ricans 
U.S. citizenship, but very little was provided to increase Puerto Rican 
participation in local government. In the 1940's, a new generation of 
Puerto Rican leaders sought a transformation in the relationship 
between the United States and Puerto Rico, in order to provide the 
necessary democratic tools for the economic, social and political 
development of the Island.
  Leaders like Luis Munoz-Marin, Antonio Femos, Jaime Benitez, and 
others, worked to pave the way for a new relationship between Puerto 
Rico and the United States.
  In 1950, the U.S. Congress responded to Puerto Rico's claim to 
autonomy, by approving Public Law 600, which recognized the right of 
the Puerto Rican people to write and adopt their own constitution as a 
compact between the two nations. A Puerto Rican Constitutional 
Convention drafted the new Constitution, which was signed into law by 
President Truman and subsequently ratified by the overwhelming majority 
of Puerto Rico.
  The Commonwealth is the result of a great generation of Puerto Rican 
and American leaders driven by a progressive vision and commitment to 
democratic values. President Harry Truman said: ``The Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico will be a government which is truly by consent of the 
governed. No government can be invested with higher dignity and greater 
worth than one based upon the principle of consent. The people of the 
United States and Puerto Rico are entering into a new relationship that 
will serve as an inspiration to all who love freedom and hate 
tyranny.''
  The Commonwealth is based on the free will of the Puerto Rican people 
who have supported the commonwealth status in all 3 plebiscites 
celebrated on the issue to date. The majority of Puerto Ricans prefer 
commonwealth over statehood and independence because it is the only 
status that allows them to preserve and promote their cultural 
identity, while maintaining the benefits of their political 
relationship with the United States.
  Commonwealth is the only political and legal arrangement that 
harmonizes two central aspirations of the Puerto Rican people. On the 
one hand, Puerto Rican's will to preserve their autonomy and promote 
their distinct national identity, and on the other, their desire to 
preserve their U.S. citizenship and ties with the Unites States. Both 
aspirations are realized under the commonwealth. Moreover, the pro-
commonwealth movement represents the Puerto Rican center, accommodating 
two radically conflicting political forces: independence and statehood.
  The Commonwealth is based on four pillars: (1) common U.S. 
citizenship, (2) common defense, (3) common currency and trade; and (4) 
fiscal and political autonomy.

[[Page E1339]]

  Puerto Ricans treasure the U.S. citizenship. They believe it 
represents the values of our democracy, liberty and justice that they 
share with all Americans. Thousands of Puerto Ricans have fought with 
valor and died as U.S. soldiers in all armed conflicts since World War 
I, and today they are proudly fighting the war against terrorism.
  The economic and social benefits of the Commonwealth have been 
extraordinary. Puerto Rico's economic transformation was led by 
Governor Luis Munoz-Marin and his Popular Democratic Party. The 
economic development project named ``Operation Bootstraps'' combined 
government investment, education, training and tax-exemptions. Munoz-
Marin's leadership along with the U.S. government's assistance, 
transformed Puerto Rico into a modern and competitive country.
  Puerto Rico's fiscal autonomy has been crucial to these achievements. 
Fiscal autonomy means that for tax purposes Puerto Rico is considered a 
foreign jurisdiction. This tool allows Puerto Rico to collect its own 
taxes, set its own fiscal priorities, and compete effectively with 
other foreign jurisdictions. Although U.S. residents in Puerto Rico do 
not pay federal income tax, they do pay federal payroll taxes.
  The Commonwealth's success has been very beneficial for the United 
States as well. Today, Puerto Rico is the #1 per capita consumer of 
U.S. products in the world; and the 9th largest market for U.S. goods 
in the world. In 1999, Puerto Rico purchased $16 billion worth of U.S. 
products, which translates into 320,000 jobs on the mainland.
  Today, the overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans live a better life 
thanks to the Commonwealth. Moreover, in my view, commonwealth status 
was ahead of its time. The commonwealth is a pragmatic model capable of 
dealing with real problems; it is flexible and adaptable to the new 
global context. In fact, contemporary political theorists and scholars 
have recognized the benefits of an autonomous arrangement such as the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In the new world order, traditional 
concepts of political theory such as sovereignty, state and citizenship 
have changed and become more flexible. The focus today is on 
cooperation, integration and openness.
  As anticipated by its creators, the Commonwealth may be continuously 
improved and enhanced. Under an enhanced commonwealth, Puerto Ricans 
have a prosperous future ahead.
  The view that Commonwealth is the best alternative for the island is 
shared by the majority of Puerto Ricans. Statehood has never been 
favored in any plebiscite on status. Independence today has less than 5 
percent of support. The Commonwealth was chosen by the voters in 1952, 
and it has been favored in every plebiscite since--in 1967, 1993 and 
1998.
  That being said, the issue is not settled and Puerto Ricans are still 
divided. It is important to understand that in the 1950-52 process, 
Puerto Rico exercised, but did not exhaust its right to self-
determination. In other words, Puerto Rico still preserves its 
fundamental right to self-determination.
  In fact, one of the primary obstacles to any process to deal with the 
status of Puerto Rico has been a fundamental lack of agreement as to 
which mechanism would allow the people of Puerto Rico to reach a 
decision on this matter in the fairest manner possible.
  Puerto Ricans believe that Congress will respect their expressed 
will. But Congress will respond only if we come to Washington with one 
voice, as a people. If we come divided, as in tribes, history has 
taught us, nothing will be accomplished.
  To deal with this persistent obstacle, Governor Calderon have invited 
all three political parties in Puerto Rico to join in a process to 
reach a consensus as to the procedural mechanism we should follow, and 
will soon announce the formation of a Commission of Puerto Rican Unity 
and Consensus.
  This Commission will be composed of equal numbers of representatives 
of Puerto Rico's three political parties, as well as a number of 
renowned jurists and other eminent private citizens, selected by the 
three parties in consensus. The Commission will then seek to reach non-
partisan consensus on the procedure to be followed in future status 
discussions.
  Notwithstanding this historic non-partisan process proposed by the 
Governor, I must tell you that the overwhelming majority of the people 
of Puerto Rican respect and cherish our Commonwealth constitution.
  To further explain my views on the present and future of the 
Commonwealth and the need of a new Puerto Rican consensus, I am 
submitting for the Record a speech that I gave on April 26, 2002 at 
Harvard's JFK School of Government.
  This week all Americans ought to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of 
the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, not only because 
for the extraordinary achievements of the past 50 years but also for 
the bright future of growth that we have ahead.

                          ____________________