--------Staff attached this additional message: This article is a great resource to get up to date on the Puerto Rico Statehood question, and this is why we still fight on.--------
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The status of Puerto Rico — commonwealth, U.S. state or independent — could be settled soon by the island's populace if Congress will allow it.
Earlier this week, a bill to allow Puerto Rico residents to hold an official vote on whether to become a U.S. state or continue commonwealth status, passed a congressional committee for the first time, and the head of Puerto Rico's governing party says the time has never been more ripe for the Caribbean island to become the 51st state.
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico, which is pro-statehood, has been trying to get Congress to sanction a vote for more than two years and says it thinks a bill can be passed this year. Previous referendums on the island's status have been held by its government without U.S. authorization.
"In the past, we've never had a federally sanctioned vote, which caused turnout to drop to about 70 percent, and we feel we can reach our average of 83 percent participation if we have Congress' support," said Puerto Rico Senate President Kenneth D. McClintock, a party member.
Mr. McClintock's party is at the height of its political power, controlling both Puerto Rico's House of Representatives and Senate, and 42 of the island's 78 mayoral posts. Party Chairman Luis Fortuno is the territory's nonvoting delegate to Congress.
In addition to that, their chief rival and leader of the opposing party, Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila has been indicted on 19 count of campaign-finance violations and mail fraud, negating his ability to effectively advocate against the bill.
Rep. Jose E. Serrano, New York Democrat, introduced the Puerto Rico Democracy Act in 2006, along with with Mr. Fortuno, but the bill had been languishing in committee until this week.
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http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/apr/26/puerto-rico-eyes-statehood-status/
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