Velázquez Remarks on the Puerto Rico Status Act

"Madame Speaker I rise today in support of H.R. 8393 ‘The Puerto Rico Status Act.'

"For 124 years Puerto Rico, the nation where I was born and raised, has been a colony of the United States.

"Invaded by the United States during the 1898 Spanish American War, Puerto Rico has remained in a state of colonial limbo that flies in the face of the anticolonial values upon which the American Republic was founded.

"Congress's unlimited plenary powers over Puerto Rico are reminiscent of the monarchical powers enjoyed by King George III against which the founders of the American Republic so bravely fought.

"If Hamilton and Madison were alive today, they would be shocked to see how the anticolonial Constitution they drafted in 1787 is currently used to legitimize colonialism in Puerto Rico over three hundred year later. Advocating now for the continuation of the status quo on the island is the height of hypocrisy. Colonialism has destroyed the Puerto Rican economy. Colonialism has divided the Puerto Rican people. Colonialism has eaten away our people's sense of dignity and self-worth.

"Colonialism has made the people of Puerto Rico both psychologically and economically dependent on the United States. Colonialism is not only humiliating for Puerto Rico, but it is an embarrassment to the United States. The United States that holds itself out as a leader of the free world that stands up to imperialist tyrants abroad while keeping colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

"Puerto Rico's colonial crisis is not a simple domestic issue, as some erroneously believe. Make no mistake- this is an international issue that directly affects America's standing and image around the world, which is why this double talk must come to end.

"The time has come to fully decolonize Puerto Rico.100 years after the US Supreme Court's decision in Balzac –the last "Insular Case" – and 70 years after the ratification of the territorial constitution of 1952. History calls upon us to put politics aside and do right by the people of Puerto Rico.

"For the last two years I have been tirelessly fighting to craft a bill for Puerto Rico that is anticolonial, fair, and transparent. And that will first and foremost, put the people of Puerto Rico---who since the days of the 1898 invasion have remained on the sideline--- front and center.

"From Puerto Rico to Florida and yes to the barrios of New York---the ones I am proud to represent, the voices of boricuas are now finally being heard. Let's not forget that it is thanks to the vibrant Puerto Rican diaspora from Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx that my colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and myself are able to walk these halls of Congress today.

"Today I stand on the shoulders of millions of Puerto Ricans who had to flee Puerto Rico because its colonial condition has not allowed them to live on the island where they were born. But Puerto Ricans are strong. They have been kicked out of their home and yet have managed to succeed and flourish in cold and foreign places and have graced us with the likes of Lola Rodríguez de Tió, María Libertad Gómez, Nilita Vientós Gastón, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Rita Moreno, Julia de Burgos, and Mari Carmen Aponte, among many others. I feel so honored to be here standing today on the shoulders of all these women and many others who have paved the way.

"But more importantly, we are here today for the people on the island. Those who suffer everyday because the prices they pay for necessities like electricity and food is sky high thanks to the Jones Act.

"For those who have lost all their appliances time and time again because we have failed in helping the island to keep the lights on. And for those who have lost loved ones after Maria, the earthquakes, COVID-19 and, most recently, Fiona.

"We are here today because we must move towards decolonization. The current status is unsustainable and fundamentally unfair and un-American.

"The process that has led us up to here has been contentious, complex, and full of debate. It is no secret that the members advocating for this bill, including myself, hold differing opinions on what non-colonial option is best for the people of Puerto Rico.
The consensus bill before us today, clearly defines Puerto Rico's non-territorial status options, namely Free-Association, Independence, and Statehood. It is the first time Congress recognizes free association as a separate decolonizing formula.

"More importantly, this bill includes dual citizenship rights under both the independence and free association options. I fought hard for the incorporation of these provisions because Congress has the moral obligation to offer Puerto Rico the necessary tools to transition to a new postcolonial order. And yes… that includes financial resources to make Puerto Rico whole after 124 years of exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation.

"The Puerto Rico Status Act provides for an objective, nonpartisan, federally funded voter education campaign leading up to the vote, while authorizing the necessary funds to carry out a nonpartisan voter education campaign, an initial plebiscite and, if necessary, a runoff plebiscite. H.R. 8393 ensures the implementation of the option that is chosen by a majority of eligible voters in Puerto Rico.

"In closing, I would like to thank Leader Hoyer for being an honest broker in this process and to Chairman Grijalva, Representatives Ocasio Cortez, Soto, and the delegate from Puerto Rico Gonzalez Colón. We are making history together. Thank you for everything.

"And finally, a thank you to all the staff who worked night and day for months on end to get us to this point. No matter their committee or office, they should be applauded for their dedication to this effort.

"I ask the members of this House to support this bill. The people of Puerto Rico deserve it. I yield back."