Puerto Rico governor: Congress 'morally obligated' to act on statehood vote
By Justine Coleman - 02/14/21 08:21 PM EST
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said in an interview that aired Sunday that Congress is “morally obligated†to act after a slight majority of the U.S. territory voted in favor of statehood.
Pierluisi, who was sworn in last month, told “Axios on HBO†that he expects the House to propose legislation for Puerto Rican statehood by mid-March, after Democrats gained control of the Senate and the White House.
The governor cited discussions with lawmakers, including Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) and Del. Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), for his prediction, adding that statehood would provide new access to programs, such as Medicaid and the earned income tax credit.
“What I anticipate is that there will be considerable support for a statehood bill in this Congress,†Pierluisi said in the interview.
"The U.S. could be expanding by admitting Puerto Rico into the union,†he added. “It would be telling the world that it is embracing diversity because this would be a truly, completely Hispanic state."
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https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/538847-puerto-rico-governor-congress-morally-obligated-to-act-on-statehood-vote