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PRESS RELEASE
COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
Don Young, Chairman
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7749 - 725-7761 Fax (202) 226-4631
Contact: Steve Hansen (202) 225-7749
To: National Desk
Date: December 15, 1998
Chairman Don Young's Statement Regarding Sunday's
Puerto Rico Plebiscite Results
Washington, D.C. The following is a statement from U.S.
Rep. Don Young's (R-Alaska) regarding the results of Sunday's
political status plebiscite in Puerto Rico.
Young is the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Resources,
which has jurisdiction over U.S. territories. Young was also the
author of the "United States-Puerto Rico Political Status
Act" (HR. 856) which was approved by the U.S. House earlier
this year.
The Puerto Rico plebiscite had the following results:
| Political Status Option |
Vote Percent |
| Statehood |
46.5% |
| Independence |
2.5% |
| Commonwealth |
0.3% |
| Free Association |
0.1% |
| Also, None of the Above |
50.2% |
"Sunday's plebiscite in Puerto Rico highlights the need for
Congress to take steps to resolve the 100-year-old political status
controversy on the island. Although Statehood received the highest
vote among the four political status options, the fact that 50.2%
of the voters also checked 'None of the Above', reflects the diverse
opinions of the 3.8 million U.S. citizens on the island, a significant
level of confusion, and their inability to resolve an issue which
costs the American taxpayer over $10 billion each year.
"The results of Sunday's plebiscite seem to indicate
that majority of the territory's voters believed that as U.S.
citizens in Puerto Rico they can continue to enjoy the benefits
of U.S. tax dollars while contributing nothing in return. This
perpetual one-way reliance on federal funds has created a codependency
which is not healthy in the long-term to either Puerto Rico or
the U.SD. taxpayer.
"The Commonwealth Party leaders told the voters to support
the 'None of the Above' option and inaccurately told the Puerto
Rican people that they could have a permanent union with the United
States, full guaranteed U.S. citizenship, federal benefits like
a state, but not have to pay federal taxes.
"I intend to proceed with congressional action to resolve
the United States' relationship with Puerto Rico through hearings
and legislation. However, the 'Young Bill' of the 105th Congress
will not be reintroduced as passed buy the U.S. House 1st March.
"Statehood and separate sovereignty are acceptable alternatives
to Congress. In the December 13 referendum, the people indicated
two things: a desire for 'Statehood' among the status options
and for 'None of the Above' However, because 'None of the Above'
received a majority vote, I intend to conduct oversight hearings
to see what led people to cast votes against the only Constitutional
options available to Puerto Rico which were on the ballot.
"While the opinions of the Americans in Puerto Rico are
vital in resolving this issue and will continue to be sought as
in the past, only options that are Constitutional and fair to
the U.S. taxpayer can be included in bringing this issue to a
conclusion. The Constitution clearly dictates that the Congress
has the ultimate responsibility for territories like Puerto Rico.
"As I stated, Statehood and separate sovereignty
either independent or a separate sovereign in free association
are acceptable options to Congress because they protect
the U.S. taxpayer from the current inequitable system. Although
a long-term transition will be required in any permanent change
to Puerto Rico's status, the days of the virtual one-way flow
of U.S. federal dollars flowing into Puerto Rico as a Commonwealth
are ending".
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