85S12373 KSM-D
By: Isaac H.R. No. 221
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, In the plebiscite conducted in June 2017, Puerto
Ricans voted overwhelmingly in favor of statehood for the U.S.
territory; and
WHEREAS, The United States acquired Puerto Rico in 1898,
following the Spanish-American War, and the Jones Act of 1917
conferred U.S. citizenship on all Puerto Ricans; in 1952, Puerto
Rico ratified a constitution, subsequently approved by the U.S.
Congress, which states, "We consider as determining factors in our
life our citizenship of the United States of America and our
aspiration continually to enrich our democratic heritage in the
individual and collective enjoyment of its rights and privileges;
our loyalty to the principles of the Federal Constitution . . .";
and
WHEREAS, Over the past century, Puerto Ricans have fought for
America in every war, and the territory is extremely well
represented in our armed forces today; and
WHEREAS, In the June plebiscite, over 97 percent of the
voters endorsed statehood; while some of the 2.2 million registered
voters joined an organized boycott, turnout still reached
approximately 25 percent, an impressive rate for a single-issue,
nonbinding referendum; and
WHEREAS, Puerto Rican voters have expressed tremendous
support for statehood, and the U.S. Congress should respect the
clear results of the democratic process; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby urge the United States
Congress to support statehood for Puerto Rico; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the chief clerk forward official copies of
this resolution to the president of the United States, to the
president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.