United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act Field Hearing
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UNITED STATES-PUERTO RICO POLITICAL STATUS ACT FIELD HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H.R. 856ÐUnited States-Puerto Rico's Political Status Act MAYAGUEZ, PUERTO RICO, APRIL 21, 1997 Serial No. 105±27 Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 43±229 u WASHINGTON : 1997 COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES DON YOUNG, Alaska, Chairman W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana GEORGE MILLER, California JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts JIM SAXTON, New Jersey NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia ELTON GALLEGLY, California BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland Samoa KEN CALVERT, California NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii RICHARD W. POMBO, California SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming OWEN B. PICKETT, Virginia HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho FRANK PALLONE, JR., New Jersey LINDA SMITH, Washington CALVIN M. DOOLEY, California GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELOÂ , Puerto WALTER B. JONES, JR., North Carolina Rico WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY, Texas MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York JOHN SHADEGG, Arizona ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam JOHN E. ENSIGN, Nevada SAM FARR, California ROBERT F. SMITH, Oregon PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island CHRIS CANNON, Utah ADAM SMITH, Washington KEVIN BRADY, Texas WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts JOHN PETERSON, Pennsylvania CHRIS JOHN, Louisiana RICK HILL, Montana DONNA CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Virgin Islands BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado RON KIND, Wisconsin JIM GIBBONS, Nevada LLOYD DOGGETT, Texas MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho LLOYD A. JONES, Chief of Staff ELIZABETH MEGGINSON, Chief Counsel CHRISTINE KENNEDY, Chief Clerk/Administrator JOHN LAWRENCE, Democratic Staff Director T.E. MANASE MANSUR, Republican Professional Staff MARIE FABRIZIO-HOWARD, Democratic Professional Staff (II) C O N T E N T S Page Hearing held April 21, 1997 ................................................................................... 1 Statement of Members: Miller, Hon. George, a Representative in Congress from the State of California ....................................................................................................... 6 Romero-BarceloÂ, Hon. Carlos, a Resident Commissioner in Congress from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico .............................................................. 6 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 10 Underwood, Hon. Robert A., a Delegate in Congress from the Territory of Guam ......................................................................................................... 6 Young, Hon. Don, a Representative in Congress from the State of Alaska; and Chairman, Committee on Resources .................................................... 1 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 3 Closing remarks of .................................................................................... 284 Statement of Witnesses: Alzamora, Hon. Antonio J. Fas, Minority Leader of the Senate-Popular Democratic Party, Senate of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico ............ 93 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 96 Aponte, Hon. Nestor S., Representative, Puerto Rico House of Represent- atives, San Juan, Puerto Rico ...................................................................... 34 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 36 Borges, Hector Quijano, Association of Statehood Attorneys, San Juan, Puerto Rico .................................................................................................... 223 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 226 Calderon, Hon. Sila M., Mayor, San Juan, Puerto Rico ................................ 271 Colberg-Toro, Hon. Severo E., Representative, Puerto Rico House of Rep- resentatives, San Juan, Puerto Rico ........................................................... 109 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 115 Fernos-Lopez, Gonzalo, San Juan, Puerto Rico ............................................. 238 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 241 Ferrer, Dr. Miriam J. Ramirez de, MD, President, Puerto Ricans in Civic Action, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico ........................................................... 14 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 17 Font, Hon. Jorge de Castro, Representative, Puerto Rico House of Rep- resentatives, San Juan, Puerto Rico ........................................................... 101 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 103 Gallisa, Carlos, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico ........................................................... 153 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 156 Gerena, Hon. Julio Cesar Lopez, Mayor of Huacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico ................................................................................................................. 233 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 235 Gonzalez, Hon. Ferdinand Lugo, Representative, Puerto Rico House of Representatives, San Juan, Puerto Rico ..................................................... 183 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 185 Guzman, Mr. Arturo J., Chairman, I.D.E.A. of Puerto Rico, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico .......................................................................................... 54 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 255 Hernandez-Arana, Efrain, Lehigh Acres, Florida, prepared statement of .. 280 Inocencio, Hon. Victor Garcia San, House Minority Leader, Puerto Rican Independence Party, Puerto Rico House of Representatives, San Juan, Puerto Rico .................................................................................................... 167 Jarabo, Hon. Rony, Former Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Rep- resentatives, Popular Democratic Party, San Juan, Puerto Rico ............. 111 LebroÂn, Lolita, President, National Party of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puer- to Rico ............................................................................................................ 143 (III) IV Page Statement of WitnessesÐContinued LebroÂn, Lolita, President, National Party of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puer- to RicoÐContinued Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 147 Lopez-Rivera, Hon. Carlos A., President, Mayors Association of Puerto Rico, Dorado, Puerto Rico ............................................................................. 190 MaÂrquez, JoaquõÂn A., Esq., Springfield, Commonwealth of Virginia ........... 210 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 213 McConnie, Julian O., Jr., Attorney at Law, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico ......... 198 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 201 Morales, Edgardo, Professor of Organizational Psychology, University of Puerto Rico, Caguas, Puerto Rico ................................................................ 159 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 162 Negron-Rivera, Erick G., Tax Policy Advisor, Puerto Rico Independence Party, Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Rico ............................................................... 177 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 179 Ortiz-Guzman, Angel J., Guaynabo, Puerto Rico ........................................... 253 Perez, Julio A. Muriente, President, Puerto Rico New Movement Inde- pendent Party, San Juan, Puerto Rico ........................................................ 123 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 126 Ramos, Luis Vega, President, PROELA, San Juan, Puerto Rico ................. 220 Ramos, Oreste, .................................................................................................. 39 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 42 Rivera, RamoÂn Luis, Mayor, Bayamon, prepared statement of .................... 278 Robles, Ms. Belen B., National President, League of United Latin Amer- ican Citizens, El Paso, Texas ....................................................................... 64 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 67 Rodriguez, Hon. Jose Guillermo, Mayor of Mayaguez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico ................................................................................................................. 77 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 79 RosselloÂ, Governor Pedro,