Vol. 2 No. 7

– EXCLUSIVE –
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE WORKSHOP #1: S. 472 "PUERTO RICO SELF-DETERMINATION ACT" APRIL 2, 1998

"We have the opportunity, together with the Congress and our people, to bring an end to half a millennium of ignominious political inferiority. It is time for action." - Governor Pedro Rossello

"The existing unincorporated territorial status, including the commonwealth structure of local self-government, is not a constitutionally guaranteed form of self-government." - Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)

"Puerto Ricans have earned the right to decide their island’s political destiny. Congress has a moral obligation to encourage them to exercise that right to self-determination." Senator Bob Graham (D-FL)

TOP STORY

"S. 472 and its counterpart in the House, H.R. 856, both reflect a bipartisan commitment to the most basic principles of human rights and civic justice, a commitment that likewise enjoys the emphatic support of the President of the United States and his administration. We trust in God that the Senate will recognize its historic responsibility and will act decisively to keep the momentum going, to ensure that a conclusive self-determination process for the 3.8 million United States citizens of Puerto Rico will commence in this centennial year of 1998." -Governor Pedro Rossello, April 2, 1998.

Richard Thornburgh, Former Attorney-General of the United States

   "If the people of Puerto Rico want full constitutional citizenship guaranteed forever, statehood is the only path to that result. For the first time under any bill approved by either House of Congress, H.R. 856 accurately defines the three status options which currently exist for Puerto Rico under the U.S. Constitution and international law recognized by the United States. Thus, H.R. 856 is now the state-of-the-art model for decolonization of Puerto Rico."
- Richard Thornburgh, Former Attorney-General of the United States, Yale Law School, March 28, 1998

Puerto Rico, U.S.A.

   "As a Puerto Rican and an American, I believe our future as a community is inseparable from our culture and language, but I'm also passionately committed to the modern world. That's why I'm going to support statehood in the next plebiscite." - Rosario Ferre

RALPH REED URGES G.O.P. TO PASS H.R. 856

   "For the first time in 100 years, the people of Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to decide their political future in free and fair elections... It's only fitting that a Republican congress should give the people of Puerto Rico what so many Republican presidents sought to achieve - a way to determine for themselves the government they should have. Give them your support for H.R. 856."

PUERTO RICO’S SEARCH FOR IDENTITY, SELF-RESPECT AND EQUALITY AFTER 100 YEARS OF AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION

 

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS)

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
TRENT LOTT (R-MS)
Click Here toTELL SENATOR LOTT NOW YOU WANT HIM TO SCHEDULE A SENATE VOTE ON PUERTO RICO SELF-DETERMINATION!

H.R. 856 PASSAGE RESPONDS TO PUERTO RICAN'S VOTE FOR CHANGE
H.R. 856 addresses 1993 plebiscite in which a majority of Puerto Rico's 3.8 million U.S. citizens voted for a change in status.

STATUS CHANGE BENEFITS U.S. TAXPAYERS ALSO

   Self-Determination will reduce $13 billion annual Federal subsidy of Puerto Rico territorial commonwealth.
65% OF AMERICAN VOTERS SUPPORT PUERTO RICO SELF-DETERMINATION

 

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