[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E734-E735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PUERTO RICO DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 29, 2010

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2499) to 
     provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process 
     for the people of Puerto Rico:


[[Page E735]]


  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2499, the 
Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009, introduced by our colleague 
Congressman Pedro Pierluisi. As the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on 
Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, I fully support this bill, which 
the full Natural Resources committee reported out favorably on July 
22nd of last year.
  H.R. 2499 is an important bill for both Puerto Rico and the other 
U.S. Territories. As the delegate from Guam, I understand the desire of 
residents in the territories to decide their future and make a 
determination about their political future. Guam and Puerto Rico were 
both ceded to the United States after the Spanish American War in 1898. 
The communities in Guam and Puerto Rico have long traditions of 
patriotism and loyalty to the United States. In fact, both Guam and 
Puerto Rico boast some of the highest per-capita rates of military 
service in the United States. But while we are proud and fortunate to 
be Americans, we must be given an opportunity to decide our future 
political status. H.R. 2499 will provide the people of Puerto Rico a 
congressionally-sanctioned process to express their preferences 
regarding their political status. The bill's broad, bipartisan base of 
cosponsors as well as the unified support it enjoys among Puerto Rico's 
elected and governing leaders should not be overlooked, and in fact, 
should prompt us today to decisively pass this bill. Appropriate 
deference on questions about ballot format and process should be given 
to Governor Fortuno, the legislature leaders of Puerto Rico, and our 
colleague, Congressman Pierluisi of Puerto Rico. They are the 
democratically elected leaders of the people desiring Congress to 
sanction a process for them to exercise their fundamental right to 
self-determination.
   Mr. Chairman, Article 4, Section 3 of the Constitution makes it 
clear that Congress has the power to make needful rules and regulations 
governing the territories. Passing the Puerto Rico Democracy Act will 
fulfill the responsibility this body has to over 4 million American 
citizens.
  Each territory is on a different path toward self-determination, and 
what is appropriate for Puerto Rico may not be suitable for the other 
territories. But I firmly believe that the process established by H.R. 
2499 is the best way for the people of Puerto Rico to exercise their 
right to self-determination and express their desires to Congress to 
ultimately resolve their political status. I urge my colleagues to vote 
yes on this important and needed legislation.

                          ____________________