Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla, and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., are presenting a bill to clear the path for Puerto Rico to turn into a state.
Axios media company said that the proposed bill highlights the procedures for Puerto Rico’s entrée into the United States Voters in Puerto Rico would have to approve statehood in a yes or no referendum.
Axios further described that the bill is supported by Puerto Rico’s nonvoting ally in the United States House, Jenniffer Gonzales-Colon (Rep of Puerto Rico).
Moreover, Republican leaders have opposed previous efforts to permit Puerto Rico and Washington DC, to turn into states.
Source: Web
Axios explained statehood supporters describe the federal government treats unevenly and does not properly fund programs to fight poverty and also ramp up economic development.
Heinrich said that his home state of New Mexico had a similar fight to get statehood. He continued that it took fifty New Mexico statehood legislation and sixty-four years before they were finally admitted to the U.S.
Last month, Pedro Pierluisi, the governor of Puerto Rico, described to Axios on HBO, “Of course we have to perform better but there is no question that having 2 senators and 4 representatives in Congress battling for us when required would make a difference.”
