[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 3]
[EXTEN]
[Page 3439]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         JONES ACT ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 2, 2017

  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Mr. Speaker, I was elected to 
seek equality for the 3.4 million American citizens living in Puerto 
Rico. I am the sole elected representative for the island and I 
represent more constituents in my sole district than anyone in this 
House.
  I rise today to honor the one hundredth anniversary of the enactment 
of the Jones Act which conferred American citizenship on Puerto Ricans, 
on this day in 1917.
  Since then, more than 211,000 veterans have served proudly in the 
U.S. military where they are equal in war but not in peace.
  In battle, the sacrifice, blood, and life of Puerto Ricans is equal 
to that of other Americans, but in peace, at home, Puerto Ricans are 
second class citizen, unless they move to the States, which more and 
more are choosing to do because of the disadvantages they face at home.
  In addition to the defense of the United States, Puerto Ricans have 
contributed to our country in many other ways: Puerto Ricans have 
served as U.S. astronauts, entertainers, athletes, Supreme Court 
Justices, and even members of Congress.
  From the Borinqueneers of the 65th Infantry Regiment to actors and 
entertainers of all types, the people of Puerto Rico have been making 
important contributions to the United States in every field you can 
imagine for over one hundred years.
  Mr. Speaker, as we recognize this important milestone, I urge my 
colleagues to take time to reflect on how decisions made in this 
chamber effect our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico.
  For too long, the U.S. has treated Puerto Ricans as second-class 
citizens. The unequal treatment Puerto Rico receives under most federal 
programs is a primary cause of the economic and fiscal crisis the 
island currently faces.
  Only by treating the residents of Puerto Rico as it does residents of 
the 50 states will the promises made by the U.S. government to Puerto 
Ricans one hundred years ago this day be fulfilled.
  That's why I stand with the will of the People of Puerto Rico, to be 
incorporated to the United States, as the 51st State of the Union, as 
requested in the 2012 local Plebiscite by 61 percent of voters.
  Let this House fulfill the promise that the United States of America 
is a nation of liberty and justice, for all of us.

                          ____________________