For years Congress has been saying that Puerto Rico can have a permanent political status once the people make up their minds what they want. Now, with four status votes in a row showing a majority supporting statehood, what’s required to move from a demand for statehood to admission of Puerto Rico as the 51st state?
Congress must take action
The Puerto Rico Status Act is currently pending in both the House and the Senate. This bill calls for one more referendum, this time a binding, federally sponsored one, followed by action on the part of Congress to implement the new status. This is the most direct path to statehood for Puerto Rico.
If voters choose independence under this law, Puerto Rico can become independent. However, after four clear votes favoring statehood, it is most likely that the final referendum would once again result in a majority vote for statehood.
If Congress does not want to chance losing Puerto Rico, they can instead admit Puerto Rico as a state with a simple majority vote, as Congress has done for 32 territories already. All those territories are now states.
Do we need clarification on statehood?
We have seen some calls to clarify the meaning of statehood. We already have 50 states. The Puerto Rico Constitution has already been approved by Congress. The 10th amendment makes it clear that anything not spelled out under the U.S. Constitution is under the control of the states. This would be true for Puerto Rico just as it is for the current 50 states.
Calls for clarification of statehood are nothing but delaying tactics.
Do we need more status options?
The federal government has already made it clear that the only options for Puerto Rico under the U.S. Constitution re remaining a territory, becoming a state, or gaining independence without or without a Compact of Free Association. No further options exist in the real world. There is no need to try to make up any further options.
Do we need ratification by other states?
There is a persistent false belief that all the current states must agree to the admission of a new state. This has never been required for any state in the history of the United States. There is no reason for such a rule to be put in place now.
There have also been suggestions that the American people across the country should have a referendum. Again, this has never been. requirement for any state. As it happens, the American people in general have for decades favored statehood for Puerto Rico, but a call for a national referendum is one again just a delaying tactic.
Do we need a partner state?
There is another widespread false belief: that states must be admitted in pairs. In the 19th century, it was customary for states to admitted in pairs of one slave state and one free state. Slavery is now illegal throughout the United States, so this is not relevant.
As for the more recent custom of pairing a Republican state with a Democratic one, that is not relevant for Puerto Rico. In the most recent election, Puerto Rico replaced a Democratic governor with a Republican one. Puerto Rico is neither Democratic nor Republican and does not need a balancing partner state. Statehood is a bipartisan issue.
We need Congressional action
We are closer to statehood than ever before. The American people are becoming more aware of the inequality of Puerto Rico and less patient with Congress’s inaction. We must insist that Congress take action to end the colonial relationship of Puerto Rico with the United States and admit Puerto Rico to the Union.
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