Rep. Raul Grijalva has held two hearings on HR 1522, The Puerto Rico Statehood Admissions Act. He has said that he intends to hold a mark up session now that he has gotten a ruling from the Department of Justice on whether HR 1522 and a competing bill, HR 2070, present any conflicts with the U.S. Constitution.
The DOJ said that HR 2070 offers a number of conflicts with the Constitution:
- It requires consideration of “enhanced commonwealth” options which have already been declared unconstitutional by every branch of the federal government.
- It sets a spending cap on political campaigns.
- It calls for a congressional committee to make recommendations on language and culture to Puerto Rico.
- It lays out special rules for Congress and declares that Congress will vote to ratify voters’ choices, something that Congress obviously cannot be forced to do.
- It would require changes to a number of laws without input from the appropriate congressional committees.
However, HR 1522 offers none of these conflicts. It uses the same process Hawaii and Alaska used to become states in 1959. It has been vetted by multiple constitutional scholars. There are no constitutional issues with HR 1522.
The purpose of HR 2070 is to delay the admission of Puerto Rico as a state. It presents a multi-year process which ignores the 2020 vote for statehood, as well as the 2012 and 2017 votes. It does not have the support of Puerto Rico’s elected representatives. It also has so many complex and quirky requirements that it could not be passed as-is.
The two bills may both have mark up sessions back to back, or there may be a compromise bill.
What’s a mark up?
When a bill is proposed in Congress, it is often sent to a committee. Congress has a lot of committees, with members who know about the specific subject matter of the committee. That allows the congresspeople who are best qualified to look at laws and advise the rest of Congress.
For example, the congressional committee in charge of Puerto Rico is the Committee on Natural Resources. Within this committee is the Office of Insular Affairs. “Insular” means having to do with islands, and this group is in charge of island territories like Puerto Rico.
When legislation like HR 1522 comes up, it will generally go to the Committee on Natural Resources. The experts on this committee will consider the legislation and decide whether Congress should vote on it.
One of the first steps is to hold one or more public hearings. Natural Resources has already held two days of hearings.
After hearings comes the most important step for the committee: mark up.
Mark up means that the committee gets together and debates the details of the law, makes changes where needed, and in some cases rewrites the bill or parts of the bill. They get the legislation ready to go to Congress for a vote on the floor.
In 1996, a status bill for Puerto Rico went to Congress with this recommendation:
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 3024) to provide a process leading to full self-
government for Puerto Rico, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill
as amended do pass.
You can see the mark up of that bill, with the amendments the committee made, at Govinfo.
Why are we waiting?
Congress has a lot going on. However, mark up of HR 1522 doesn’t need to wait. The Blog for Arizona says “Rep. Grijalva Should Mark Up The Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act,” and we agree.
They quoted an article by Matt Helder and Jose Cabrera saying, “Denial of the popular will is exactly what some members of Congress seem intent on doing when it comes to listening to Puerto Rican voters. Unlike the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act, sponsored by a wide bipartisan coalition of lawmakers – including the lone representative from Puerto Rico – the Puerto Rico Self Determination Act has been introduced by members of Congress that, between all of them combined, received zero votes from residents of Puerto Rico.”
The Blog for Arizona went on to say, “The Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act is the traditional means to statehood. If it was good enough for Alaska and Hawaii, it should be good enough for Puerto Rico. ‘Self-determination’ means that the people of Puerto Rico decide (and they already have).”
The Committee on Natural Resources should go ahead and mark up HR 1522. Tell Rep. Grijalva what you think about this.
5 Responses
“ We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to Overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution”. Abraham Lincoln.
In order to understand it, one need only to look at the contributors of Congress representatives and special interests who support HR 2070. The bill largest problem is it’s coarse attempt to bypass the results of a legitimate democratic election.
Although, not mandated by Congress, the November 2020 PR referendum, showed an unquestionable, clear majority of the local electorate, favors Statehood. The voting % would have been greater, if one takes into account the many P Ricans who relocated from PR to the mainland, over the past few years. Most of the latter voters, support Statehood.
As stated in previous articles, HR 1522, is simply a Ratification vote. It’s Strength derives from clear viable Constitutional options for PR. The end result will be what the local voters choose themselves, democratically.
Allowing HR 2070 to go forward is an assault on our Constitution and our democracy. It is incomprehensible, that Congressmen/ Congresswoman, -who in their oath of office, swear to support and defend our Constitution- support such an antidemocratic, unconstitutional bill.
HR 2070 must be rejected, not only for Puerto Rico’s sake, but our Nation’s. If the democratic electorate wishes of the citizens of PR is overthrown by anti-democratic forces… What is next?, Who is next?.
PR Statehood is in our Nation’s National security interest. PR needs to be incorporated this year and HR 1522 must be approve.
Since All the people that so call them selves American Patriots that believe in Democrocy All those Hypocrytes that said that they would support and respect this time around the people of Puerto Rico yes the same American Citizens From Birth that are Fighting for their Democracy I say to all you Hypocrytes From Now on the Puerto Ricans in All 50 States Wheather your Democrat or Republican Only Support Thos Candidates that Favor Statehood For Puerto Rico and that actually have a plan…. Because it’s going to take a real American Patriot to Make Puerto Rico The 51st State.
As americanos citizens, we the prople of Puerto Rico and the United States have a military history since World War One, until now. Our man fought for the United States of América, as AMERICAN CITIZENS fighting for our NATION. and know we the people of Puerto Rico deserve to be STATEHOOD, because STATEHOOD was already paíd with OUR MEN AND WOMAN BLOOD. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS OUR NATION AND WE THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO WANT TO BE STATE 51, WITH ALL OUR RIGHTS, WITH ALL THE LAWS AND WITH ALL OF THE RESPONSABILITIES. SO HELP US GOD. THANK YOU.
Secretariat is one of my favorite “feel good” movies. A remarkable true story about greatness, strength, resolve and faith.
From Secretariat-
To her ailing father:
“This is the Bold Ruler colt, Daddy.
We call him Big Red”
(Father stands up, gently and unyielding, looks at colt)
“Let him run his race, darling”
To Mr. Grijalva:
Mark up HR 1522- Let it run it’s course!
PUERTO RICO VOTED FOR STATEHOO BY A MAJORITY.Time to respect and allow the process to flow..!!!!