Darren Soto

Governments change. Leaders change. And political statuses change. That is the essence of our Republic.

Puerto Ricans deserve that this time be different. The U.S. Congress and the Biden Administration have a moral, legal and political responsibility to enact H.R. 2070.

I strongly urge the Members of this Committee to reject this approach.

I passionately believe that if Congress approves the Soto bill and offers Puerto Rico a real path to statehood it would be overwhelmingly approved by the voters of Puerto Rico.

The Velazquez bill does the complete opposite, and creates an unfair process that Congress has never imposed on any territory petitioning for statehood.

The Soto bill is a true response to the most recent referendum in which the voters of Puerto Rico clearly chose statehood.

As I see it, the Soto bill is response to the people of Puerto Rico choosing its preferred status in fair and legitimate election.

Would not ignoring the recent referendum vote in Puerto Rico be another form of voter suppression?

Only through statehood will we have full equality as Americans and sending Senators and Congresspersons to Washington will have a chance to make sure our people to fully benefit as American citizens.

But as Congressman Soto said after the 2017 plebiscite, choosing to boycott a vote on Puerto Rico's political status is a choice in itself.

We deserve equality as American citizens. And we will not stop this fight until we achieve it.

Inequality is un-American.

We demand that you start treating us as equals and stop treating us as property.

I commend Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Puerto Rico's sole representative in Congress, and Congressman Darren Soto, for introducing a status bill that actually represents and defends the will of the people.

We must respect this sacred mandate and abide by the will of the people.

There can never be consensus for second-class citizenship--the majority rules in our democratic system.

The Puerto Rican people have made a clear, democratic choice for statehood, and there can be no doubt about where the American citizens of Puerto Rico stand.

H.R. 2070, ironically called the Puerto Rico Self Determination Act, is the farthest thing from self-determination. It is the epitome of colonialism.

Your support for the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act will reaffirm the most sacred principles upon which our system of government was founded and strengthen our democracy.

If you claim to favor self-determination, then you must support what Puerto Rico's voters freely determined. And that means admitting Puerto Rico as a state.

H.R. 2070, ironically called the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act, is the farthest thing from self-determination. It is the epitome of colonialism.

Those who did not like the people's choice in the November plebiscite... now choose to ignore the results, change the process, and change the questions--anything to avoid accepting the will of the people.

This bill does not force or impose statehood on Puerto Rico. It only offers statehood and provides a proven mechanism and a legal means for it to happen.

Congress should commit itself to following through on the self-determination process that Puerto Rican people may embark on.

This is a historic opportunity for the people of Puerto Rico, a moment to finally chart their own course.