[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22819]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   ELECTION COMMISSION OF PUERTO RICO

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, both the House and Senate 
have approved an appropriation of $2.5 million to the Office of the 
President as requested by the President for a grant to the Elections 
Commission of Puerto Rico to be used for voter education on and a 
choice among the options available for the island's future political 
status. This marks an historic step forward in two key respects in the 
process of self-determination for the almost four million American 
citizens of Puerto Rico.
  First, it represents the first authorization from Congress for the 
United States citizens of Puerto Rico to choose the ultimate political 
status for their island. Presidents since Truman have been seeking such 
an authorization and each House has passed similar language in the 
past, but the same language has never passed both Houses and been 
enacted into law. Our approval of this appropriation should be read as 
Congress' determination to resolve the century-long question of the 
island's ultimate status and let Puerto Rican Americans choose a fully 
democratic governing arrangement if they wish to replace the current 
territorial status.
  Second, by adopting this provision as part of the unanticipated needs 
account of the Office of the President, it is Congress' intention that 
its support for a future vote in Puerto Rico be coordinated with the 
Administration's efforts to provide realistic options to be included on 
the ballot in the island's next referendum. In recent months the 
President has brought Puerto Rico's major political parties together in 
an unprecedented effort to define the available political status 
options. Our approval of the $2.5 Million request evidences our 
expectation that the White House will provide realistic options upon 
which to base a future status referendum. It can only responsibly 
allocate the funds for the consideration of options that are realistic.
  Puerto Rican Americans have contributed to this Nation for over 102 
years, both in peace and in wartime, and deserve the opportunity to 
resolve the uncertainty regarding their political status based on 
clearly defined status options consistent with the Constitution and 
U.S. law and with the support of Congress. This legislation along with 
realistic status options to be provided by the Administration will help 
us honor their contributions by moving the process of self-
determination forward towards the establishment of a permanent and 
final political status for Puerto Rico.

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