|
 |
|
|
|
Charleston Daily Mail "For Puerto Rico, obstacles remain House approves bill allowing statehood by one-vote margin" (03/05/98, Copyright 1998) WASHINGTON - A close House vote breathed new life into a Puerto Rican movement to turn the largely Spanish-speaking commonwealth into America's 51st state. Puerto Rican "statehooders" were jubilant following the House action late Wednesday, even though many obstacles remain before any final status change, including Senate action, votes by bitterly divided Puerto Ricans and a 10-year transition period. "This is a great day in America, not just for Hispanics, for Puerto Ricans, but for all U.S. Citizens," said Xavier Romeu, the Caribbean commonwealth governor's representative in the 50 states. A back-burner issue that caught many House members and much of the country by surprise, the Puerto Rican question culminated in 12 hours of debate and a tense showdown as members switched votes in the final seconds for a 209-208 victory. Opponents tried everything from grumbling about squeezing 51 stars onto the American flag to trying to impose official English on a territory of 3.8 million U.S. citizens where Spanish is more widely spoken and taught. The legislation would give Puerto Ricans three choices in a referendum to be held before the end of the year, the island's 100th anniversary as a U.S. territory. The three options on the ballot: continued commonwealth status, statehood and independence. Congress would be required to follow any plebiscite vote for change by its own vote on a 10-year plan for transition to either statehood or independence. Congress and Puerto Ricans would have to vote again on the final change. Puerto Ricans, U.S. citizens since 1917, are bound by federal laws, although they have their own government and do not vote in presidential elections or pay federal income tax. They are represented by one nonvoting Democratic delegate in the House. Statehood would give them two senators and six representatives. The bill had solid backing from Clinton and House GOP and Democratic leaders, but its prospects in the Senate were uncertain. Backers were expected to push for prompt approval there, but Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., has made no commitment to bring it to the floor for a vote.
|
