Puerto Rican statehood supporters make push for HR 8393

Citizens in favor of Puerto Rico Statehood held a press conference in front of the World War II Memorial after marching through the streets of Washington, DC, to call upon Congress to pass HR 8393, a bipartisan bill aimed at granting the US citizens in Puerto Rico the opportunity to decide their political future and relationship with the United States.

The group included Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (NPP, R), the sole representative for Puerto Rico in the US Congress; Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi (NPP, D); Puerto Rico state senator Keren Riquelme (NPP); former Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives of José Aponte (NPP); members of the Shadow Delegation; citizens advocates, including veterans; and elected officials from Puerto Rico. 

“I’m very proud to stand with this group of leaders, veterans, and advocates, most of them my constituents from Puerto Rico, to support and call for passage of HR 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act. I was proud to work alongside colleagues to draft a compromise bill that puts us on a clear and definitive path towards solving the Island’s political status dilemma. As Puerto Rico’s sole representative in Congress, I will continue fighting for the Island’s 3.2 million Americans and our quest to end over one hundred years said González-Colón. 

HR 8393 is currently stalled in the US House, with Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who ushered the bill, acknowledging that there are things to address before the bill comes to a vote on the floor of the House. The bill recently acquired its first voting Republican cosponsor.

Governor Pierluisi also took the event as an opportunity to announce a forum, likely to happen the week of September 19, 2022, in Puerto Rico to discuss the bill, hoping to encourage its passage before Congress goes into recess before the midterm elections.