Puerto Rico has no voting members in the U.S. House of Representatives and no representation at all in the United States Senate. The Island’s one non-voting representative, its resident commissioner, can make statements on the House Floor in Congress and vote in his committees, but U.S. citizens who live in Puerto Rico essentially have no vote on the laws that they must follow. They similarly have no say in the allocation of federal funding for Puerto Rico.
Puerto Ricans in Congress
The U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico are therefore often forced to rely on U.S. Senators and Representatives who don’t technically represent them to consider their needs. Often Members of Congress who take seriously the needs of Puerto Ricans are of Puerto Rican heritage themselves, either in whole or in part.
In 2027, there will be six Puerto Ricans in Congress. One is Pablo José Hernández Rivera (D-PR), the resident commissioner selected by the people of Puerto Rico. There are five other Members of the House of Puerto Rican heritage:
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
- Ritchie Torres (D-NY)
- Nellie Pou (D-NJ)
- Maxwell Frost (D-FL)
- Darren Soto (D-FL)
Where Do They Stand on Statehood?
Reps. Torres, Soto, and Pou are all on the record as unequivocal supporters of statehood.
In 2021, responding to Puerto Rico’s 2020 plebiscite in which the people of Puerto Rico voted in support of statehood, Rep. Soto introduced legislation to lay the groundwork for Puerto Rico’s admission as a state of the Union, explaining: “As members of Congress, we have a responsibility to listen to the demands of the American people- and they have spoken. Last November, Americans in Puerto Rico reached a clear consensus: their destiny lies with statehood. Now, the moment to finally admit Puerto Rico as a state of our Union is upon us. Our historic legislation will finally end over 120 years of colonialism and provide full rights and representation to more than 3.2 million Americans. Back-to-back hurricanes, earthquakes and now sthe COVID-19 pandemic have proven that the Island’s colonial status is simply not working. Our quest for statehood is about respecting democracy and equality in Puerto Rico. We look forward to working with President Biden and congressional leaders from both parties and chambers to advance and pass the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. Together we will forge a new chapter in our nation’s history when Puerto Rico becomes a full and equal member of the United States.”
In 2024, Rep. Torres made his position particularly clear on social media, writing “The people of Puerto Rico have consistently voted for statehood, only to have their express will ignored by Congress, which cannot be bothered to care about the disenfranchisement of more than 3 million American citizens on the island. The disenfranchisement comes not only from the Republican Party (no surprise there) but also from a paternalistic far left, which believes it alone knows what is best for the people of Puerto Rico. With friends like the far left, who needs enemies?”
Rep. Pou has similarly been clear of her support for equality for Puerto Rico through statehood, emphasizing in Puerto Rico press: “When I say I support statehood, I mean it completely.”
Frost and Ocasio-Cortez were cosponsors, along with Soto and Torres, of the Puerto Rico Status Act. (Pou was not yet in Congress at the time of the bill’s consideration.) This bill established a local plebiscite vote that would have allowed Puerto Rico voters to choose a permanent status: statehood or independence (with or without free association with the U.S.) The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in December of 2022, but Congress adjourned soon thereafter and the bill died.
Hernandez has introduced his own version of the Puerto Rico Status Act. His bill calls for a new vote with an added “commonwealth” ballot option, an aspirational version of the current territorial status but with Puerto Rico having, for example, autonomy over its fiscal and economic policy, which is simply not the situation today. Although the “commonwealth” concept was initially embraced by the U.S. and Puerto Rican governments when it was first introduced decades ago, Congress, the courts, the White House under Presidents of both political parties, and local Puerto Rico officials have long called “commonwealth” an unrealistic, deceptive, unacceptable, and an unattainable myth with unconstitutional aspects. Today this concept is no longer viewed as viable and has been discredited.
Stateside Puerto Rican Representation in Congress Supports Statehood
The fact that stateside Puerto Rican representation in Congress supports statehood for Puerto Rico makes sense. After all, these members of Congress have chosen to live in a state themselves. It could be viewed as hypocritical to support anything else. They seem to be saying that statehood is their preference, and they won’t deny it to others.
