Mike Pence: “I rise in support of the Puerto Rico Democracy Act, which simply grants the people of Puerto Rico a say in their future.…”

“I rise in support of the Puerto Rico Democracy Act, which simply grants the people of Puerto Rico a say in their future. The American flag has flown over Puerto Rico for more than a century. It has been a U.S. territory since 1898. The people of Puerto Rico have been citizens of the United States since 1917. Citizens born in Puerto Rico are natural-born U.S. citizens bound by Federal law. They pay Federal payroll taxes, and they are even eligible to be elected President. American citizens from Puerto Rico have been drafted into military service during World War II and every war ever since--five Medal of Honor winners from Puerto Rico--65,034 Puerto Ricans served in World War II alone. It has been an enormous contribution to the life of this Nation by these American citizens. As a conservative who believes in the power of self-determination and of individual liberty, I believe the 4 million American citizens in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico should be able to voice their opinions about Puerto Rico's relationship to the United States, although the ultimate determination of that fate rests with this Congress.”