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1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, In 1898, Puerto Rico became a United States | ||||||
3 | territory; persons born in Puerto Rico have been granted U.S. | ||||||
4 | citizenship since 1917; the territory of Puerto Rico has a | ||||||
5 | population of more than 3.4 million people; and
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6 | WHEREAS, The territory has an insular government that, | ||||||
7 | subject to federal law, exercises authority similar to that | ||||||
8 | possessed by the governments of the several states; and
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9 | WHEREAS, U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico are not treated | ||||||
10 | equally under federal law with citizens in the states and do | ||||||
11 | not have representation in their national government, other | ||||||
12 | than that provided by a sole Resident Commissioner who can only | ||||||
13 | vote in committees of the House of Representatives to which she | ||||||
14 | or he is assigned; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Puerto Rico is treated as a state for purposes of | ||||||
16 | most laws but is not treated equally with the states under | ||||||
17 | dozens of statutes, including some providing for major health | ||||||
18 | care and other programs for individuals with critical needs and | ||||||
19 | in a number of revenue measures; and
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20 | WHEREAS, The limitations of, and treatment under territory | ||||||
21 | status, has left Puerto Rico under-developed and has |
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1 | substantially contributed to its economy being weak for four | ||||||
2 | decades and in depression for the last decade; and
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3 | WHEREAS, It has been the longstanding policy of the United | ||||||
4 | States that U.S. citizens of the territory can determine | ||||||
5 | whether it should eventually become a state or independent | ||||||
6 | nation; and | ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, An overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens | ||||||
8 | residing in Puerto Rico want to replace territory status with a | ||||||
9 | permanent form of government that provides for equality and for | ||||||
10 | democratic representation in the making of their national laws; | ||||||
11 | and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, Puerto Rico held a public election on the question | ||||||
13 | of statehood in 2012; 54% of voters rejected territory status, | ||||||
14 | and 61% of those voters chose U.S. statehood over the other | ||||||
15 | options of independence, and nationhood in free association | ||||||
16 | with the United States; and | ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, The Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Process Act | ||||||
18 | (H.R.727) was introduced into the 114th Congress; however no | ||||||
19 | actions were taken before the expiration of that Congress at | ||||||
20 | the end of 2016; therefore, be it
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21 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE |
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1 | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE | ||||||
2 | CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage the 115th Congress, to | ||||||
3 | introduce and pass new legislation on the admission of Puerto | ||||||
4 | Rico as the 51st state; and be it further
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5 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
6 | presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul | ||||||
7 | Ryan, the Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, the Governor | ||||||
8 | of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, and the current | ||||||
9 | Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer Gonzalez.
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