WASHINGTON, DC -- The Puerto Rican diaspora coalition Power 4 Puerto Rico denounced today’s expected House vote on a Puerto Rico status bill and issued the following statement:
“Under Steny Hoyer’s pro annexation steering, the House is expected to vote today on the Puerto Rico Status Act, HR 8393. Since this bill continues to omit critical information and was not aired in official bilingual public Congressional hearings, without an opportunity for even Democrats to present urgent fixes in the Natural Resources committee, we urge Members of Congress to vote NO.
“Why should Members of Congress vote NO? HR 8393:
FAILS to offer any information on what would be the required language of Puerto Rico’s schools, courts and government under U.S. annexation (i.e. statehood); what happens to the payment of income taxes under each of the three status options; when Puerto Ricans would begin paying taxes in a statehood scenario; or whether Puerto Rico would be able to maintain its own current international sports representation
REMAINS SILENT on what would happen to Puerto Rico’s debt, whether the imposition of the Jones Act would continue, or how reparations for 124 years of colonialism will be addressed
OVERREACHES by attempting to define a constitution for an independent Puerto Rico
“Other than the PNP statehood party –controversial for its leaders’ anti-Black statements and for producing back-to-back ousted and arrested governors– no other political party in Puerto Rico endorsed this bill. The elected officials representing the 67 percent supermajority of the island’s voters reject the lack of clarity in this bill. No human rights or progressive organizations that value inclusive democracy rallied for it.
"Like the PROMESA law that so many Members of Congress mistakenly believed would benefit Puerto Ricans, this bill is a Trojan horse. HR 8393 offers only a fraction of information masquerading as decolonization and tramples over the right of Puerto Ricans to full transparency and a fair process. That is why we urge Members of Congress to vote NO on HR 8393.”
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