Letter to CT Senators

$tutp of @ounectirut HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STATE CAPITOL HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 061 06-1 591 REPRESENTATIVE MINNIE GONZALEZ Deputy Speaker 3RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT MEMBER LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING, BOOM 5OO5 Education Committee CAPITOL: (860) 240-8585 Appropriations Committee TOLL FREE: (800) 842-8267 Housing Committee FAX: (860) 240-0206 E-MAIL: [email protected] June 17,2021 The Honorable Richard Blumenthal The Honorable Chris Murphy 706 Hart Senate Office Building 136 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Blumenthal and Senator Murphy: We write to you today as fellow Connecticut elected officials respectfully requesting that you co-sponsor 5.780 - the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. In 1898, the United States took possession of the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. In 1917 the residents became American citizens and for 104 years have proudly represented alt that entails. Puerto Rican Americans are community leaders, business owners andtrailblazers in the fields of art, science, technology, and culture, Over 235,000 of these individuals have served honorably in the U.S Armed Services and fought to defend and support this country. They have shared in our triumphs and our defeats, but despite their incredible contributions to this nation, the residents of Puerto Rico remain unable to vote in elections for the President of the United States and have no voting representation in Congress. The best self-determination process in democracy is through the ballot, and last November Puerto Rican voters were asked a simple question: "Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately as a state? Yes or No." A 52.52% majority voted "Yes." This was the third affirmative vote for statehood in less than a decade and the people's choice rings clear. As proud elected officials, we must affirm the decision of the people as expressed in a free and fair election. We have an obligation to uphold their decision and work to make their will a reality. On March 2nd, a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including Resident Commissioner Jennifer Gonzdlez-Col6n, Puerto Rico's lone non-voting representative, responded to this mandate by introducing H.R. 1522,the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. A companion bill, 5.780, was introduced in the Senate shortly after. The bill outlines a clear process to enable Proudly Serving Hartford the Island's admission to the Union based on the precedent set for admission of states and mirroring the admission process for Alaska and Hawaii. Both 5.780 and H.R. 1522 respect Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and the choices made at the ballot box. More than 300,000 residents of Connecticut have roots in Puerto Rico, the largest concentration of Islanders per capita in the U.S. It is unthinkable that they have access to the full rights and privileges of citizenship while their family, friends, and colleagues still living on the Island do not. Puerto Rico's ctnrent territory status is undemocratic and unsustainable. Puerto Ricans have unquestionably demonstrated their preference for statehood, and we are proud to support them in their fight for equal political and economic rights under the law. The people have spoken, it is our job as elected officials to listen. We urge you to support the rights and wishes of our fellow Americans by co-sponsoring 5.780. Sincerely, I I (? Gonzalez,3rd Rep .Jrr\"j as, 9th //a^lr,y li ,\ MW St Rep. Joebe Rep S I Rep. Manny S 24th Rep. Antonio Felipe, 1301h */ Sanchez, Rep. Christopher Rosario, 128tr g5th Rep. Edwin Vargas, Rep, Julio Concepcion,4th Geraldo Reyes, 75th (") q -LJ 6& R" l*6 fu-*Ti".r;s Sr-ass l{a& f?'--lr)il,=tJ t.

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