In a packed hearing of the Senate Energy
Committee, Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Rosselló said that the
plebiscite on Puerto Rico's future proved inconclusive in part because
Congress has yet to define the options -- from statehood to
independence.
He urged lawmakers to review the options
and set out specific definitions that Congress could accept.
"After 100 years of waiting, we would
expect Congress to act on its responsibilities," said
Rosselló, who supports statehood.
Then, he said, the choices again should be put to the Puerto Rican people.
Sen. Craig Thomas, (R-WY), complained that
"you constantly come here and shift the blame to the
Congress. I'm getting a little impatient with it always being our
responsibility."
Rosselló shot back that he too was
growing impatient with the status quo and that Thomas was just trying
to wash his hands of congressional responsibility.
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The nation's second highest court, the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, recently made
clear that the U.S. Congress makes decisions about the nationality and
citizenship of the people of Puerto Rico. Under federal law, Puerto
Rico, like a State of the Union cannot bestow a citizenship apart from
that of the United States.
The court's decision in Alberto Lozada Colon
v. Secretary of State does not say that Puerto Ricans cannot
renounce their U.S. citizenship. Like all U.S. citizens, Puerto
Ricans can renounce their U.S. citizenship, but they must understand
that, without U.S. citizenship, they have no right to travel to or
reside in Puerto Rico. Like citizens of foreign nations, Puerto
Ricans who renounce their U.S. citizenship must obtain a visa or
otherwise comply with the U.S. immigration laws before returning to
Puerto Rico, a State of the Union, or any other place subject to the
reach of U.S. immigration laws.
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