Puerto Rico: To Be or Not To Be a U.S. State??

Bush administration calls for statehood vote in Puerto Rico
Associated Press

Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/caribbean/sfl-1223puertoricovote,0,2257409.story?coll=sfla-news-miami&track=mostemailedlink

December 23, 2005, 8:36 AM EST

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration on Thursday gingerly stepped into the debate over Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States, asking Congress to set yet another vote for the island's citizens to voice their opinion about their future.

Puerto Rico has been a U.S. commonwealth since 1952, when Congress approved the relationship. Puerto Ricans voted to keep that status quo and reject statehood in nonbinding referendums in 1967, 1993 and 1998.

But deep divisions remain, with a sizable number supporting the call for statehood and a much smaller group backing full independence. Statehood would bring the right to vote for president and voting representation in Congress. Full independence would require some Puerto Ricans to relinquish U.S. citizenship.

The issue also raises tricky political questions in the United States -- for instance, admitting Puerto Rico as a state could affect the balance of power between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

President Bush's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status concluded that another vote by Puerto Ricans is the best next step. Releasing its final report Thursday, the task force urged Congress to set a vote, or at least hold hearings on the issue, by the end of next year.

The task force took no position on which of the three options -- continued commonwealth status, statehood or independence -- is preferable. It said the vote should ask Puerto Ricans to choose between remaining a U.S. territory or moving toward a permanent solution.

If Puerto Ricans supported a permanent status option, another vote should be set to choose between statehood and independence, the task force said.

"The hot potato ... someone has to put it in the kitchen," said Ruben Barrales, a task force co-chair and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. "The people that are going to cook it are the people of Puerto Rico."

The island's nearly 4 million people have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Islanders can serve in the U.S. military but are barred from voting for president, have no voting representation in Congress and pay no federal income taxes.

The Caribbean island has become one of the wealthiest places in Latin America, though poverty remains more severe than on the U.S. mainland.


[Public Papers of the Presidents]
[William J. Clinton -- 2000]
[Volume 3]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID:pap_text-339]

[Page 2780-2781]

[[Page 2780]]


Memorandum on Resolution of Puerto Rico's Status
December 23, 2000

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Resolution of Puerto Rico's Status

Although Puerto Rico was acquired in connection with the Spanish-
American War and United States citizenship is granted to persons born on
the islands, Puerto Rico's ultimate status has not been determined.
Until that issue is resolved, questions remain about how United States
economic and social policies should apply to the citizens of Puerto
Rico.
Further, although our citizens in Puerto Rico have been granted the
exercise of authority on local matters similar to that of citizens of a
State, they do not have voting representation in the Federal Government.
All three of Puerto Rico's major political parties are based on
different visions of what the options for a fully democratic status are,
and what the best status would be. And all advocate a substantial change
in the islands' status. The Commonwealth held a referendum on options
for its future status in December 1998, including the current governing
arrangement, and other recognized options, but a majority of the vote
was for a "None of the Above" column.
Much of the debate on the issue concerns what options are available
to Puerto Rico, in light of the Constitution and the basic laws and
policies of the United States. The elected representatives of the people
of Puerto Rico have, therefore, repeatedly petitioned the Federal
Government to clarify the islands' status options as well as the process
by which Puerto Ricans can determine the islands' future status.
The United States has a responsibility to answer such questions.
Successive Presidents, and the Congress in 1998, have supported the
people of Puerto Rico in determining their status preference from among
options that are not incompatible with the Constitution and basic laws
and policies of the United States. I have made it the policy of the
executive branch to work with the leaders of the Commonwealth and the
Congress to enable Puerto Ricans to choose their future status. We also
have the responsibility to help Puerto Ricans obtain the necessary
transitional legislation toward a new status, if chosen.
To ensure that the Federal Government continues to address the
fundamental question concerning the islands until it is resolved, by the
authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of
the United States of America, including Public Law 106-346, I have today
issued an Executive Order establishing the President's Task Force on
Puerto Rico's Status (President's Task Force) and further direct as
follows:
1. The Co-Chairs of the President's Task Force shall conduct an
ongoing dialogue with the Governor and Resident Commissioner
of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico's major political parties and
other groups that advocate a change in the islands' status,
and the Chairs and Ranking Minority Members of the House of
Representatives Committee on Resources and the Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This dialogue
shall focus on the options for Puerto Rico's future status
and the process by which Puerto Ricans can realize such an
option. It shall seek to facilitate communications among the
offices that the aforementioned officials represent on
matters relating to the status of the Commonwealth, and
ensure official attention to, and facilitate action on, such
matters. In particular, the dialogue shall seek to clarify
the options for Puerto Rico's future status and enable
Puerto Ricans to choose among those options.
2. The Co-Chairs of the President's Task Force shall monitor
the expenditure of funds for public education on and a
public choice among Puerto Rico's status options pursuant to
Public Law 106-346. This monitoring shall include ensuring
that educational materials are accurate, objective, and
nonpartisan and that they are consistent with the standards
set forth in the Executive Order entitled ``Establishment of
the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status.''

[[Page 2781]]

3. The heads of executive departments and agencies shall
cooperate with the Co-Chairs in fulfilling the assignments
provided for herein and in the accompanying Executive Order.

William J. Clinton

Note: The Executive order is listed in Appendix D at the end of this
volume.


EXECUTIVE ORDER EO 13183
Effective Date: December 23, 2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsible Office: I -- Office of Policy Coordination and International Relations
Subject: Establishment of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status


By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including Public Law 106-346, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the executive branch of the Government of the United States of America to help answer the questions that the people of Puerto Rico have asked for years regarding the options for the islands' future status and the process for realizing an option. Further, it is our policy to consider and develop positions on proposals, without preference among the options, for the Commonwealth's future status; to discuss such proposals' with representatives of the people of Puerto Rico and the Congress; to work with leaders of the Commonwealth and the Congress to clarify the options to enable Puerto Ricans to determine their preference among options for the islands' future status that are not incompatible with the Constitution and basic laws and policies of the United States; and to implement such an option if chosen by a majority, including helping Puerto Ricans obtain a governing arrangement under which they would vote for national government officials, if they choose such a status.

Sec. 2. The President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status. There is established a task force to be known as "The President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status" (Task Force). It shall be composed of designees of each member of the President's Cabinet and the Co-Chairs of the President's Interagency Group on Puerto Rico (Interagency Group). The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the Attorney General's designee and a Co-Chair of the Interagency Group.

Sec. 3. Functions. The Task Force shall seek to implement the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. It shall ensure official attention to and facilitate action on matters related to proposals for Puerto Rico's status and the process by which an option can be realized. It shall provide advice and recommendations on such matters to the President and the Congress. It shall also provide advice and recommendations to assist the Executive Office of the President in fulfilling its responsibilities under Public Law 106-346 to transfer funding to the Elections Commission of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for public education on and a public choice among options for Puerto Rico's future status that are not incompatible with the Constitution and the basic laws and policies of the United States.

Sec. 4. Report. The Task Force shall report on its actions to the President not 1ater than May 1, 2001, and thereafter as needed but not less than annually on progress made in the determination of Puerto Rico's ultimate status.


/s/William J. Clinton


THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 23, 2000.


For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 30, 2001


Executive Order
Amendment to Executive Order 13183, Establishment of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to extend by 3 months the time in which the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status is to report to the President as directed in Executive Order 13183 of December 23, 2000, it is hereby ordered that section 4 of Executive Order 13183 is amended by deleting "May 1, 2001" and inserting in lieu thereof "August 1, 2001".

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 30, 2001.


For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 5, 2003

Executive Order
Executive Order Amendment to Executive Order 13183, Establishment of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status


By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 13183 of December 23, 2000, as amended, is further amended as follows:

(1) Section 2 is amended by deleting the second and third sentences, and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "It shall be composed of designees of each member of the President's Cabinet and the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director for Intergovernmental Affairs. The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the Attorney General's designee and the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director for Intergovernmental Affairs."

(2) By deleting section 4, and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "Sec. 4. Report. The Task Force shall report on its actions to the President as needed, but no less frequently than once every 2 years, on progress made in the determination of Puerto Rico's ultimate status."

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,

December 3, 2003.


For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 5, 2003

Membership of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status


The White House today announced the membership of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status. The Task Force seeks to implement the policy set forth in Executive Order 13183, which is to consider and clarify options for the Commonwealth's future status that are not incompatible with the Constitution and basic laws and policies of the United States, toward the end of enabling Puerto Ricans to determine their preference among those options.

To advance this process, the Task Force will assess the current situation and outline a framework for moving forward. The Task Force will ultimately provide advice and recommendations to the President and the Congress.

The members of the Task Force are:

Name Title Department

Gilbert G. Gonzalez, Jr. Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Agriculture

Elizabeth Dial Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

Commerce

Victor E. Bernson, Jr. Director, Office of Legislative Counsel

Defense

Kathleen Leos Associate Deputy Under Secretary Education

Theresa Speake Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity Energy

Regina Schofield Director, Intergovernmental Affairs HHS

Joshua Filler Director, Office of State Homeland and Local Government Coordination

Security

Frank Jimenez Chief of Staff HUD

David P. Smith Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish,

Interior

Wildlife and Parks

Noel J. Francisco Deputy Assistant Attorney General Justice

Chris Spear Assistant Secretary for Policy Labor

Leo DiBenigno Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary State

Sam Reid Deputy Assistant Secretary Transportation

for Governmental Affairs

Tony Fratto Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Affairs Treasury

William McLemore Deputy Assistant Secretary Veterans

for Intergovernmental Affairs Affairs

Ruben Barrales Director, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

White House



Puerto Rico: Basic Historical Chronology

Source: http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/eres/docs/eres/BLPR243_PIMENTEL/history.html

Late Fifteenth Century (XV)

1493

Christopher Columbus discovered the island in his second voyage to the New World (Nov. 19). He found the island populated by as many as 60,000 Taino or Arawak Indians


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sixteenth Century (XVI)

1508

Spanish colonization begins. (Juan Ponce de Leon, first Spanish governor)

1513

First African Slaves were introduced into the island.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eighteenth Century (XVIII)

1765

Lieutenant General Alexander O'Reilly conducted a census. Puerto Rico's population had reached 45,000.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nineteenth Century (XIX)

1806

The printing press is brought to the island.

1812

Public lightning with olive oil lamps was established in the streets of San Juan. Cadiz Constitution was adopted, which granted Puerto Ricans conditional citizenship.

1815

The Royal Decree of Grace (commerce liberty) was expedited.

1849

The book "El Jibaro" by Manuel Alonso was published.

1867

Puerto Rico reached a population of 656,328; its population recorded as 346,437 whites and 309,891 "of color" (this category included blacks, mulattos and mestizos). The majority of Puerto Ricans lived in poverty. Agriculture, the main economic activity, was limited by lack of roads, rudimentary tools and equipment, and natural disasters, such as tropical hurricanes. While illiteracy was 83.7 percent, the intellectual minority remained relatively active within the limitations imposed by local Spanish authorities.

1868

23 September

Manuel Rojas organized the pro-independence revolt and pledged to create the independent Republic of Puerto Rico as part of an uprising known as the Grito de Lares ("The Cry of Lares"). His Hacienda in the town of Lares became the headquarters for like-minded revolutionaries who would push for a split from Spain. The Grito de Lares was encouraged from his exile by Ramón Emeterio Betances (1827-1898) also known as the "father" of the Puerto Rican nationhood.

1873

22 March

The Spanish Crown abolished slavery in Puerto Rico.

1887

Ramón Baldorioty de Castro formed the Autonomous Party that tried to create a political and legal identity for Puerto Rico while emulating Spain in all political matters.

1895

The Puerto Rican flag was first used on 22 December and adopted as a national symbol.

1897

The "Carta Autonómica" (chart for political autonomy) was approved in which Spain concedes political and administrative autonomy to the island. It allowed the island to retain its representation in the Spanish Cortes, and provided for a bicameral legislature. This legislature consisted of a Council of Administration with eight elected and seven appointed members, and a Chamber of Representatives with one member for every 25,000 inhabitants. (November 25)

1898

25 April

A formal declaration of war recognized between Spain and the United States.

8 July

U.S. acquired Hawaii.

25 July

U.S. troops under the command of Gen. Nelson Miles disembarked in Guánica on the southern coast of Puerto Rico.

29 September

Governor Macías officially announced that Puerto Rico had been ceded to the United States.

10 December

The Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American War of 1898. As a result of this treaty, Spain lost the last of its empire in the New World. The United States was ceded Puerto Rico and Guam, liquidated its possessions in the West Indies, agreed to pay 20 million dollars for the Philippines, while Cuba became independent.

Ramón Emeterio Betances (1827-1898), the intellectual leader of the Puerto Rican pro-independence movement died in Paris, where he had been living in exile for several decades.

1899

Puerto Rico reached a population of 1,000,000 inhabitants.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twentieth Century (XX)

1900

12 April

The U.S. Congress passed the Foraker Act, establishing a civilian government in Puerto Rico under U.S. control. The Act provided for an elected House of Representatives on the island, but not for a vote in Washington.

1904

Luis Muñoz Rivera and José de Diego founded the Unionist Party of Puerto Rico to fight against the colonial government established under the Foraker Act.

1912

Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Manuel Zeno Gandía, Luis Llorens Torres, Eugenio Benítez Castaño, y Pedro Franceschi found the Independence party which was the first party in the history of the island to exclusively want Puerto Rican independence. Though short-lived, it established a precedent for future organizations with similar ideologies.

1917

2 March

President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones Act. It gave Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship and a bill of rights and also established a locally elected Senate and House of Representatives. However, the Foraker Act still determined economic and fiscal aspects of government.

1922

In the case of Balzac v. Porto Rico, 258 U.S. 308, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that Puerto Rico was a territory rather than a part of the Union. The decision stated that the U.S. constitution did not apply in Puerto Rico.

1930

Don Pedro Albizu Campos is elected president of the Nationalist Party.

1932

The Congress of United States approved a law to change back the name of the island Porto Rico, to its original name, Puerto Rico.

1934

Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the island.

1935

President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched the Puerto Rican Reconstruction Administration, (PRERA) which provided for agricultural development, public works, and electrification of the island.

1937

At the beginning of "Nacionalista de Puerto Rico" party parade, in Ponce, occurred as called "Masacre de Ponce" were 20 people are killed and 100 people are killed and 100 wounded.

1938

The Democratic Popular Party (PPD) was founded, under the leadership of Luis Muñoz Marín.

1941

United States began to establishes military bases in the islands of Culebra and Vieques. Rexford Tugwell was assigned governor of Puerto Rico (1941-1946).

1945-47

Puerto Ricans began to emigrate to United States in relative large numbers.

1946

The Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP) was organized by a dissident group of former PPD leaders led by Gilberto Concepción de Gracias. This is the principal pro-independence party in Puerto Rico today.

1947

Operation Bootstraps is sponsored by the PPD in power (industrial modernization of the island)

1948

The first governor is elected by the Puerto Ricans. Luis Muñoz Marin is elected.

1950

Nationalist rebellion in Jayuya. Two nationalists tried to kill President Harry Truman in Washington D.C.

1952

The flag of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was officially adopted - based on a flag designed by a group of patriots in the year 1895. The New Constitution is approved by voters, and Puerto Rico is proclaimed as Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (July 25)

1954

Nationalists open fire in the U.S. House of Representatives, wounding five Congressmen.

1965

Don Pedro Albizu Campos leader of the Nationalist party dies.

1967

First plebiscite on the political status of Puerto Rico was held. Voters overwhelmingly (almost 60%) affirm continuation of Commonwealth status.

1968

Luis A. Ferré, leader of a prostatehood party, is elected governor.

The New Progressive Party (PNP) is founded.This is the main pro-statehood party in Puerto Rico.

1980

Luis Muñoz Marín founder of the PPD and first elected Governor of Puerto Rico dies.

1991

Puerto Rico declares Spanish the only official language of the island.

1993

The pro-statehood PNP (in power since January) approved the Law Number 1 of 1993 declares English and Spanish as the official languages of Puerto Rico.

In the Referendum, Commonwealth status
was reaffirmed by voters.


Statehood.......... 788,296 (46.3%)

Commonwealth....... 826,326 (48.6%)

Independence........ 75,620 ( 4.4%)

Nulls............... 10,748 ( 0.7%)

1997

U.S. Congress introduced Proyect Young, to provide a process leading to full self-government for Puerto Rico. (introduced Feb. 27 by Rep. Don Young, H.R.856)

1998

In a non-binding referendum, which offered Puerto Rican voters will have five choices, which included: (1) remaining a U.S. commonwealth, (2) entering into a "free association" with the United States that would be somewhere between commonwealth and independence, (3) becoming a state, (4) declaring independence, and (5) or none of the above. The option 5 "none of the above" obtained the majority of votes. (December 13)

Option Votes Percent


1 993 0.06%

2 4536 0.29%

3 728157 46.49%

4 39838 2.54%

5 787900 50.30%

Others 4846 0.31%