Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 8393 - Puerto Rico Status Act

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)
(Rep. Grijalva, D-AZ, and 62 cosponsors)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act, which would provide Puerto Ricans with a fair and binding democratic process to address the political status of Puerto Rico.

For far too long, the residents of Puerto Rico—over 3 million U.S. citizens—have been deprived of the opportunity to determine their own political future and have not received the full rights and benefits of their citizenship because they reside in a U.S. territory. H.R. 8393 would take a historic step towards righting this wrong by establishing a process to ascertain the will of the voters of Puerto Rico regarding three constitutional options for non-territorial status: Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States.

The Administration looks forward to working with Congress throughout the legislative process to ensure that this bill comports with our Nation's democratic principles. The President calls on Congress to act swiftly to put the future of Puerto Rico's political status in the hands of Puerto Ricans, where it belongs.