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Thursday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, AL-07, voted for HR8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act, to allow the residents of Puerto Rico to make an informed choice on their political future. The Puerto Rico Status Act is a compromise between the sponsors of two bills seeking to resolve Puerto Rico’s territorial status: the Puerto Rico Statehood Admissions Act and the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act. It would provide residents an opportunity to select from three non-territorial, fully self-governing political status options: Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States. The bill passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 233-191.
“I’m proud to stand in support of self-determination for people of Puerto Rico in voting for the Puerto Rico Status Act,” said Rep. Sewell. “For too long, the residents of Puerto Rico have been denied the opportunity to freely determine their own political status. This bill is about righting that wrong and placing the future of Puerto Rico back into the hands of Puerto Ricans where it belongs.”
The Puerto Rico Status Act would:
- Authorize a federally sponsored plebiscite to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status.
- Specify and define Puerto Rico’s non-territorial status options: Independence, Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States, and Statehood.
- Provide for an objective, nonpartisan, federally funded voter education campaign leading up to the vote.
- Establish a process and timeline for the U.S. Department of Justice to review the plebiscite voter education materials and plebiscite ballot design.
- Authorize necessary funds to carry out an initial plebiscite and, if necessary, a runoff plebiscite.
- Describe the transition to and implementation of each status option in sufficient detail for eligible voters in Puerto Rico to make an informed choice about Puerto Rico’s future political status.
- Ensure the result of the plebiscite is binding and implement the option that is chosen by a majority of eligible voters in Puerto Rico.
