[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6290]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               DISPELLING THE MYTHS SURROUNDING H.R. 2499

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 2499, the 
Puerto Rico Democracy Act, I would like to take some time this evening 
to dispel some of the myths that surround this legislation.
  The Puerto Rico Democracy Act provides for a formal consultation with 
the people of Puerto Rico regarding the island's political status. H.R. 
2499 authorizes the Government of Puerto Rico to conduct an initial 
plebiscite. Eligible voters would be asked whether they wish to 
maintain the current political status or to have a different status. If 
the majority favors the current status, then the Government of Puerto 
Rico would be authorized to ask voters this question again at 8-year 
intervals. On the other hand, if a majority of the voters favor a 
different status, the Government of Puerto Rico would be authorized to 
conduct a second plebiscite among the three nonterritorial status 
options recognized under U.S. and international law.
  What are those three options? They are, number one, independence; 
two, statehood; and, three, sovereignty in association with the U.S., 
which is commonly known as free association.
  Opponents of this bill, of H.R. 2499, contend that the two-step 
process stacks the deck against the current status and in favor of 
statehood. This is simply not the case, Madam Speaker. H.R. 2499 does 
not exclude nor favor any status option. Under this legislation, the 
purpose of the first plebiscite is clear: to inform Congress whether 
the majority of Puerto Ricans consent to the current political status.

                              {time}  1945

  Only if a majority of voters expresses its desire to change the 
current status is a second vote mandated on the three alternatives: 
independence, statehood, and free association.
  This two-step process was recommended by the President's task force 
on Puerto Rico's status. This task force was initiated under the 
Clinton administration, and it was finalized by the Bush 
administration. The task force called upon the expertise of 16 Federal 
agencies in recommending a fair process for consulting with the U.S. 
citizens of Puerto Rico.
  Opponents of H.R. 2499 propose that the option of an enhanced 
commonwealth should be included as a status option during the second 
plebiscite. Well, this enhanced commonwealth, as envisioned by the 
bill's detractors, perpetuates the false hope that Puerto Ricans can 
have the best of both worlds:
  They can have U.S. citizenship and national sovereignty;
  They will receive all Federal funds and will have the power to veto 
those laws with which it disagrees.
  If included as a viable option, an enhanced commonwealth proposal 
would permanently empower Puerto Rico to nullify Federal laws and court 
jurisdiction and to enter into an international organization and trade 
agreements, all while being under the military and financial protection 
of the United States.
  It is no surprise that this proposal has been soundly rejected as a 
viable option by the U.S. Department of Justice, by the State 
Department, by the Clinton administration, and by the Bush 
administration.
  Another misguided concern surrounding H.R. 2499 is that the bill 
fails to include an ``English only'' provision. It is premature to 
discuss this matter until the conclusion of the first and second 
plebiscites. H.R. 2499 does not require Congress to admit Puerto Rico 
as a State nor even to set the statehood process in motion if a 
majority of voters ultimately chooses statehood. If the people of 
Puerto Rico express a preference for statehood and if Congress is 
inclined to act upon that preference, further Federal legislation would 
be required. That legislation and not H.R. 2499 would be the 
appropriate vehicle in which to address any potential language-related 
condition on Puerto Rico's accession to statehood.
  I would like now to change focus and to highlight the overwhelming 
bipartisan support behind H.R. 2499. Introduced by the Resident 
Commissioner, this bill enjoys the backing of more than 180 cosponsors 
from both political parties, and it is strongly supported by Puerto 
Rico Governor Luis Fortuno, a former House colleague, who introduced 
similar versions of this bill in the past. This bill is also endorsed 
by numerous leaders in the Puerto Rican legislature and local 
government, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 
President of the Senate, and many other local officials.
  Given the strong support, Madam Speaker, I hope that my colleagues 
will join me in supporting this bill when it comes to a floor vote 
later this week.

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