OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Rejecting Independence for Puerto Rico

Floor Speech

Date: June 23, 2023
Location: Washington, DC

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Mrs. GONZALEZ-COLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to reject attempts by the United Nations Special Committee for Decolonization calling for the independence of Puerto Rico.

It is no surprise that Cuba, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela, who are among the worst human rights violators and antidemocratic regimes in the world are the ones calling for Puerto Rico's independence in an attempt to advance their anti-American agenda and grow their influence in the region.

For 106 years, Puerto Ricans have been proud American citizens, participating in the U.S. Armed Forces in record numbers. As a U.S. territory and under the U.S. Constitution, it is Congress, not the United Nations, and certainly not a committee made up of authoritarian regimes that has the ultimate responsibility to address Puerto Rico's political status.

Puerto Ricans have made it very clear through votes and democratic elections--something these nations will never learn--we want to join our fellow Americans on equal footing as a full State of the Union.

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