On the recordDecember 15, 2022
As a Puertorriqueno, I am proud to have voted for the Puerto Rico Status Act, which, if enacted, would begin to break the cycle of colonialism that, for more than a century, has relegated Puerto Rico to second-class status. The landmark legislation would empower Puerto Rico to be in command of its own political destiny. What matters above all is not the particular status that the people will ultimately choose. What matters is the right of the people to choose the status that best expresses their will and the right of the people to have their will given the binding power it has long deserved. If enacted, the Puerto Rico Status Act would not only restore democracy on the island, but it would also reinforce democracy here on the mainland United States because it would mean no longer depriving 3 million of our fellow citizens of their fundamental right to self- determination. I call on the Senate to join the people's House in decolonizing the people of Puerto Rico. ____________________
