[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14504]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THE PUERTO RICO POLITICAL STATUS PLEBISCITE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Puerto Rico (Mr. Pierluisi) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PIERLUISI. On November 6, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico will 
hold a plebiscite on the island's political future. Voters will be 
asked if they want to continue the current status or to seek a new 
status. Voters will also be asked to express their preference among the 
three alternatives to the current status recognized as legally and 
politically viable by the Federal Government and international law: 
independence, nationhood in free association with the United States, 
and statehood.
  This plebiscite is different from previous plebiscites in Puerto 
Rico. It will be the first time that island residents have an 
opportunity to answer ``yes'' or ``no'' to the question of whether they 
support the status that Puerto Rico has had since 1898. This question 
has inherent value in a democracy where a government's legitimacy is 
based on the consent of the governed. And this plebiscite will only 
include those status options identified as valid by Congress and the 
White House. True self-determination is a choice among options that can 
be implemented, not an exercise in wishful thinking.
  If a majority of voters express satisfaction with the current status, 
Puerto Rico's status would not change at this time. Likewise, if there 
is majority support to change the current status but not majority 
support for one of the three alternatives, Puerto Rico's current status 
would also continue. However, if the majority votes against the status 
quo and in favor of statehood, free association, or independence, 
Congress and the President should take action that honors that choice.
  Top Democratic and Republican leaders have indicated they will take 
the results of this plebiscite seriously. That is as it should be. The 
United States is the greatest democracy in history and a champion of 
peaceful self-determination around the world. Consistent with this 
principle, I am confident that Federal officials will respect the 
choice made by their Federal citizens from Puerto Rico if they express 
a clear desire to change the island status.
  Now I want to speak directly to the men and women I represent in 
Congress. This plebiscite will have a real impact on you, your family, 
and the future of the island we love. It is important that you make 
your voice heard and your vote count.
  It is well-known that I oppose the current status and advocate for 
statehood for Puerto Rico. Whether it is called ``territory,'' 
``commonwealth,'' or ``colony,'' the current status denies us the most 
fundamental rights in a democracy: the right to choose the leaders who 
make our national laws, and the right to equal treatment under those 
laws. In my view, the current status is an affront to our dignity.
  In my office hangs a framed photo of servicemembers from the island 
who have lost their lives since 2001. They're the latest in a long line 
of Puerto Rican patriots who have fought and fallen for this Nation. 
This photo inspires me, but it also makes me sad. I cannot understand 
how we, such a proud people, can voluntarily submit to a status that 
makes us second-class citizens in the country that we have defended for 
generations.
  I realize that after nearly 115 years, the prospect of change can be 
unsettling, but I also know that there is nothing more powerful than an 
idea whose time has come. We deserve better than what we have, and the 
time has come for us to seek a new status that will empower us to 
realize our full potential.
  Among the alternatives to the current status, I believe statehood is 
the right choice. Independence and free association are worthy options, 
but both would place at risk our U.S. citizenship and Federal support 
under programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security for future 
generations of Puerto Ricans. Because I believe the overwhelming 
majority of Puerto Ricans are opposed to breaking or substantially 
weakening the strong political, social, and economic bonds that have 
formed between Puerto Rico and the United States, I think the only 
viable alternative to the status quo is statehood. At this critical 
moment in history, we should aspire to perfect our union, not to sever 
it.
  The current status is about second-class citizenship, which we should 
rise up to reject. Independence and free association are about 
separation, which would diminish the opportunities available to our 
children and grandchildren. Statehood is about equal treatment. It 
would deliver to Puerto Rico what all free people deserve: full voting 
rights, full self-government, and full equality under the law.
  This November, I hope that the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico will send 
a clear message to Congress that they're ready to make a change.

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