House moves to let Puerto Ricans vote to end territorial status

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. House has approved a bill that would allow Puerto Ricans a binding vote to decide the territory's political status. But it stands little chance of Senate passage.

The bipartisan vote on the Puerto Rico Status Act passed 233-191. Sixteen Republicans joined Democrats in voting yes.

It's the first time the House has backed a binding mechanism for Puerto Ricans to decide whether they want to pave the way to become the 51st U.S. state or to become independent.

The bill was introduced in May. It would give Puerto Ricans the ballot choice of voting for statehood, independence or sovereignty in free association with the United States.

The bill said in part, "In recognition of the inherent limitations of Puerto Rico's territorial status, and the responsibility of the Federal Government to enable the people of the territory to freely express their wishes regarding political status and achieve full self-government, Congress seeks to enable the eligible voters of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, non-territorial, fully self-governing political status for Puerto Rico and to provide for a transition to and the implementation of said permanent, non-territorial, fully self-governing status."

With just days remaining for the current Congress to act, the Senate would need to pass the measure with at least 60 votes to get this passed into law. That is unlikely.

"The people of Puerto Rico have been excluded from the full promise of American democracy and self-determination that our nation has always championed," bill co-sponsor Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said during House action on the measure. "We owe it to Puerto Ricans to bring an end to their island's 124-year-old status as a U.S. territory and to grant them control over their island's political future."

In a non-binding referendum in 2017, 97% of Puerto Ricans voted to seek U.S. statehood over independence or continuation of territorial status.