US lawmakers propose plebiscite to decide on Puerto Rico’s statehood

The fate of Puerto Rico on whether it should become a state or gain its independence will be up to its people.

This is what a group of Democratic congress members proposed on Thursday in an online news conference and the move has also gained the backing of the House majority leader.

In a report by the Associated Press, lawmakers are looking into a binding plebiscite, which “would commit Congress to accepting Puerto Rico into the United States if voters on the island approve it.”

Voters will choose whether they want outright independence or independence with free association. Terms over foreign affairs, United States citizenship and use of the U.S. dollar will be negotiated, according to Rep. Darren Soto of Florida.

While there is a good chance that it will pass Democratic-led House, the proposal seems to be unlikely to get passed in the Republican-majority Senate.

“If no majority emerges, a second round of voting would be held between the top two alternatives,” Associated Press reported.

Republicans have long opposed statehood, fearing that Puerto Rico “would give Democrats four assured seats in the Senate” and may tip the balance in Congress. This claim has been contested by pro-statehood champions in Puerto Rico, saying that the island has a history of voting for conservative leaders.

As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is neither a state nor an independent country. Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million residents are U.S. citizens, but they don’t have the privilege to vote in U.S. presidential elections and they also lack voting representation in Congress. 

Puerto Rico has undergone seven unilateral, nonbinding referendums on the issue. This is the first time that remaining as a U.S. commonwealth would not be an option.

“Nobody can deny that the current status of Puerto Rico is undemocratic,” said Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, whose New Progressive Party has long pushed for the island to become the 51st U.S. state.