Grijalva can help Puerto Rico gain statehood

In November 2020, Puerto Ricans headed to the polls just like every other American.

Rather than Donald Trump versus Joe Biden, headlining the ballot was a simple question: Should Puerto Rico be admitted as a state? Yes or no. Because unlike every other American, Puerto Ricans are denied the right to vote for president, for U.S. senators and for voting members of the House of Representatives.

While previous referendums in 2012 and 2017 demonstrated that Puerto Rico preferred statehood to varying degrees, the 2020 result conclusively showed that a majority of voters want statehood. In addition to the 53% of Puerto Rican voters who said “yes” to statehood, they also elected a second consecutive pro-statehood governor and reelected their pro-statehood congresswoman, Representative Jenniffer González-Colón, to carry their message to Washington, D.C.

The winds of change for statehood that had been blowing for over a decade are now undeniable.

And yet, denial of the popular will is exactly what some members of Congress seem intent on doing when it comes to listening to Puerto Rican voters.

Unlike the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act, sponsored by a wide bipartisan coalition of lawmakers — including the lone representative from Puerto Rico – the Puerto Rico Self Determination Act has been introduced by members of Congress that, between all of them combined, received zero votes from residents of Puerto Rico.

And this is where Arizona congressman Raúl Grijalva can play a key role at correcting this injustice, as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which has congressional jurisdiction over Puerto Rico’s status, by throwing his support behind the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act.

Unlike the Statehood bill, the SelfDetermination Act disregards the results of the November 2020 referendum.

The bill imposes a new, unprecedented process that no territory ever had to face when requesting admission. In the case of Alaska and Hawaii, both territories requested statehood as Puerto Rico just did, Congress legislated admission acts and voters approved the terms of admission.

At its core, the “self-determination” act is flawed in its paternalism. One thing on which pro-statehood and proindependence advocates agree is the fact that Puerto Rico is governed as a colony and without sovereignty in its own internal affairs.

It is disappointing then, that the sponsors of the bill completely discard the internal processes and votes of Puerto Rico in favor of a new congressionally imposed process in which the top Puerto Rican elected officials had no say. The bill’s message of “you are not capable of deciding” is nothing less than colonial.

For years, members of Congress have embraced the refrain of “let Puerto Ricans decide in a referendum.” If they truly believe it, then it is time to give them the chance to vote in a binding referendum on statehood, a chance the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act would afford them.

Rather than become mired in a stalemate at Puerto Rico’s expense, Chairman Grijalva should work with his colleagues on the House Natural Resources Committee, which will be considering these opposing bills, without delay to lead on resolving Puerto Rico’s undemocratic colonial status.

As the committee does so, it should err heavily on the side of the expressed will of Puerto Rican voters and their elected representatives.