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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF PUERTO RICO: "To request of the One Hundred Fifth Congress and the President of the United States of America to respond to the democratic aspirations of the American citizens of Puerto Rico, in order to achieve a means of guaranteeing the prompt decolonization of Puerto Rico through a plebiscite sponsored by the Federal Government to be held no later than 1998." PASSAGE OF THE UNITED STATES-PUERTO RICO POLITICAL STATUS ACT WILL END NEARLY A CENTURY OF AMERICAN COLONIALISM AND EXTEND DEMOCRACY TO PUERTO RICO'S 3.7 MILLION US. CITIZENS "This landmark legislation will end 100 years of uncertainty for the people of Puerto Rico and allow them to determine their political status for themselves and future generations. The United States Congress and the President have a moral obligation to act. My bill embodies our commitment to that goal." Rep. Don Young (R-AK), Resources Committee Chairman, Bill's author. ----------------- 'I will work with the Congress and all concerned to establish a process that would enable the fundamental issues of Puerto Rico's political status to finally be resolved." President Bill Clinton ------------------------- "This bill gives us the opportunity to decide the basic question of whether we want to be under US sovereignty or be independent. The process which favors the island's decolonization it will be approved by both the US House and Senate." Gov. Pedro Rossello (NPP-PR) ----------------------------- "In 1898, Puerto Rico involuntarily joined the American family. In 1998, the 3.7 million American citizens who live in Puerto Rico should have the opportunity to decide -- freely, unambiguously, and permanently -- about their relationship to this country and have their voices respected by Congress." Rep. George Miller (D-CA) ------------------------------ "This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue, the issue here is whether the United States, as a nation, and as the example and inspiration of democracy throughout the world, will continue to deny equality and maintain 3.7 million of its own citizens disenfranchised." Rep. Carlos Romero-Barcelo (D-PR) ----------------------------------- "Congress must determine what steps the Federal government should take in resolving the question of Puerto Rico's future political status." Chairmen Ben Gilman (R-NY), Don Young (R-AK), Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Dan Burton (R-IN) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The purpose of the US-Puerto Rico Political Status Act is to establish a process for the decolonization of Puerto Rico in which the people of Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to choose a form of self-government." Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) ---------------------- "This bill will give the people of Puerto Rico a fair and balanced process for self-determination. It also establishes a procedure for Congress to approve implementing legislation based on the results of the people's decision. The bill does not impose any language requirement on the island that is not also applicable to the rest of the United States" Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * This bill is a bipartisan effort to permanently resolve the Puerto Rico status issue through a process leading to the attainment of full self-government under realistically defined status options. * Over 80 co-sponsors of the legislation, including: Speaker Newt Gingrich, (R-GA) Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX), Chairmen Ben Gilman (R-NY), Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Dan Burton (R-IN) and Reps. Bill McCollum (R-FL), Carlos Romero-Barcelo (D-PR), Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), and Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI)
HR 856: PUERTO RICO SELF-DETERMINATION IT'S RIGHT FOR AMERICA, IT'S RIGHT FOR PUERTO RICO!
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