Congress wants to act now on Puerto Rico’s status

When Puerto Rico is referred to as a “commonwealth” the term obscures the correct meaning of its present political position.

We use “commonwealth” as a legal designation for states like Massachusetts, Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania. In a point out, you can vote for president. In Puerto Rico, you can’t. This facade has served to disguise the island’s undemocratic and unequal relationship with the U.S.

“For much too prolonged, many have thought the fiction that Puerto Rico can in some way have the very best of each worlds less than the commonwealth status (neighborhood autonomy with the full added benefits of American citizenship),” explained retiring U.S. Congressman Jose Serrano, D-N.Y. “This fiction papered about what we have recognized all together, Puerto Rico has been a colony of the United States, treated unfairly and unequally.”

A nonbinding referendum held final thirty day period sought to finish this by asking the 3.2 million American citizens on the Island: “Should Puerto Rico be straight away admitted into the Union as a state?” — 52.24 % of voters answered indeed and 47.66% said no, according to formal results documented by the Puerto Rico State Elections Fee.

“Puerto Rico voted for statehood honest and sq.,” tweeted Puerto Rico Democratic Party Chair Charlie Rodriguez on Nov. 6. “Congress will have to aid the will of the men and women of Puerto Rico. The united states cannot need democracy abroad if it ignores the plebiscite outcomes and denies its citizens (in Puerto Rico) the equivalent legal rights that only statehood can deliver.”

Congress need to affirm or reject Puerto Rico’s statehood petition with a public assertion in creating. A certainly however requires a presidential signature to come to be regulation. And a no may possibly established off a nonviolent protest campaign demanding that Congress affirm Puerto Rico’s preference of Statehood or approve a changeover plan to Independence.

But a status plebiscite does not immediately excursion a swap that converts a territory into a state. Congress will have to reply for the reason that the Framers vested responsibility for reviewing territorial petitions in the legislative branch.

“New states may well be admitted by the Congress into this union … The Congress shall have the ability to dispose of and make all needful guidelines and restrictions respecting the territory or other house belonging to the United States,” in accordance to Article 4, Segment 3, Clauses 1 & 2 of the Structure.

Commonwealth position enables Congress to unilaterally impose guidelines on the Island with no consultation. In the past, they have canceled tax breaks for drug providers to develop jobs, banned Puerto Rico from looking for federal Chapter 9 bankruptcy safety and permitted the federal govt to address Puerto Rico differently than a state in the allocation of funds for nutritional assist, Social Safety incapacity and Medicaid.

Nearly fifty percent of Puerto Rico’s people (1.4 million people) acquire health protection by means of Medicaid, according to the Center for Finances and Plan Priorities.

“Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program differs drastically from point out Medicaid applications,” reported Judith Solomon, a Senior Fellow at the Centre. “It is significantly harder for Puerto Rico to be certain its citizens can get the wellbeing treatment they need for the reason that states obtain open up ended federal cash. Puerto Rico gets only a preset block grant that does not occur near to masking the health and fitness care costs of its Medicaid enrolees.”

The issue of Puerto Rico’s long-lasting status does not will need one more research, presidential activity power, congressional hearing or constitutional assembly.

Congress desires to take or reject Puerto Rico’s statehood petition and adhere to by means of with a prepare.

Gene Roman served as Massachusetts Regional Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration from 1994-98 in Boston.