FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2022 Contact: Comms@prstatehoodcouncil.org Citizen Groups Urge Congress to Quickly Vote on and Pass the Puerto Rico Status Act House Passage is essential to Let Puerto Rico Decide its Future & Strengthen American Democracy Washington, D.C. – As the current session of Congress approaches its final days and congressional leaders continue mired in negotiations on whether or not to bring H.R. 8393, Puerto Rico Status Act to a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Puerto Rico Statehood Action Network (PRSAN), which consists of over two dozen nonprofit and citizen advocacy organizations in Puerto Rico and throughout the U.S., issued the following statement: “We call on congressional leadership to stop stalling, end the excuses and bring H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act, to a vote on the House floor before the current session of Congress comes to an end a few days from now. After more than 124 years of America’s colonial rule over Puerto Rico, Congress finally has a chance to pass this legislation to vindicate the founding principle of government by consent of the governed, by giving the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico a definitive choice among the three non-territory status options of ‘Statehood,’ ‘Independence,’ and ‘Sovereignty in Free Association.’ This historic legislation is a direct response to the three locally sponsored votes in Puerto Rico held in 2012, 2017 and 2020, where each time the majority of voters rejected the continuation of the current territory status and favored statehood among the non-territory options. The Puerto Rico Status Act is the product of over two years of intense debate and negotiations between Puerto Rico’s only elected member to Congress, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and various other members and leaders in Congress. We are deeply concerned by recent news reports that House leaders have delayed a vote on this bill because of demands by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for last minute amendments that would significantly alter the carefully crafted consensus language of H.R. 8393. We find it unacceptable that these demands risk derailing more than two years of legislative efforts and negotiations. We are also deeply concerned by the multiple personal attacks that have emerged as a result of this news by some in Congress and others in the public who follow this issue. We urge Congresswoman Ocasio Cortez to reject the manipulation of those who benefit from the inequality and injustice of Puerto Rico’s current territory status at the expense of the majority of the Puerto Rican people by conceding on her ill-timed demands and clearing the path for a vote on this bill. We also urge Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Rep. Velázquez, and all others involved in this debate, to put aside all personal attacks and distractions. Instead, we call on everyone to focus on the incredibly powerful and positive message that House passage of this bill can send to not only the people of Puerto Rico but to all of America and the world. House passage of H.R. 8393 has the potential to set a historic precedent regarding the ability of leaders of opposing ideologies in Puerto Rico and Congress to come together in agreement on a process to finally decolonize the island. It will also set a historic precedent for Congress to recognize its inherent responsibility to resolve the unequal, unjust and fundamentally undemocratic territory status that not only impacts Puerto Rico, but four other territories. House passage of this bill will also be another major step for Congress to address the unfinished business of American democracy, which includes the need to ensure that all U.S. citizens have full and equal voting rights and representation in the federal government that makes the laws that they live under. Indeed, this bill can help raise awareness among the American public and the world that the U.S. is willing and capable of correcting a historic wrong rooted in 19th century racism that has no place in America’s 21st century. House passage of this bill will set the stage for the strengthening of American Democracy, and in doing so will become a preview of the resurgence of our nation’s highest values of justice, freedom, equality and government by consent of the governed. While PRSAN readily acknowledges that this bill is not perfect, and while we have expressed in detail our reservations regarding certain provisions of this bill, we understand that the nature of a compromise is that no-one gets everything that they want, and in exchange our society gets the opportunity to advance a legislative process that is the best possible reflection of collective interest. That is definitely the case with H.R. 8393 which was birthed out of two opposing legislative proposals (H.R. 1522 & H.R. 2070), two congressional hearings, a report from the Department of Justice, a proposal by constitutional scholars, extensive bi-partisan negotiations, a three-month public comment period, a public forum in Puerto Rico and a Committee markup, where the introduced legislation was discussed, debated and amendments were proposed and rejected. The time for last minute changes and frivolous squabbling is over. All nine million Puerto Ricans on the island and on the U.S. mainland demand a final resolution to Puerto Rico’s current political status. Whether the island’s voters choose full equality through statehood, or whether they wish to become a separate country through independence or free association, Congress must fulfill its moral and historic responsibility to let the voters residing in Puerto Rico, who actually experience the everyday hardships and disparities of the island’s colonial status, make their decision. “The PRSAN strongly urges Congress to use the final moments of this session to take a stand for correcting the wrongs of America’s past, to take a stand for the wellbeing and outstanding potential of 3.1 million U.S. citizens that have been treated unequally for 124 years, and to take a stand for the health, integrity and future of American democracy. By voting on and passing H.R. 8393, Puerto Rico Status Act, the House of Representatives will shine a beacon of hope to inspire and motivate all those that come after this moment to carry this issue forward toward its inevitable resolution. Congress has the power and we call on all of its members to act with courage now.” ### About the Puerto Rico Statehood Action Network: We are an assembly of 27 citizen led organizations that share the common goal of achieving full equality and democracy for the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico through statehood. Our organizations represent people from across the country and across the political spectrum. We work to unite and empower supporters of the Puerto Rico statehood cause to take collective action, engage in citizen activism and impact Congress. Visit our website at: www.puertoricostatehoodaction.net | 