Title
Calling upon the United States Congress, including members of its Pennsylvania delegation, to support the passage of HR 8113, which recognizes the inherent authority of the people of Puerto Rico to call for a Constitutional Assembly on Status.
Body
WHEREAS, The Treaty of Paris between the U.S. and Spain, signed December 10, 1898 and ratified by Congress in April 11th of the same year, ended the Spanish American War and officially ceded Puerto Rico to the United States; and
WHEREAS, On April 12, 1900, the U.S. Congress enacted The Foraker Act (Public Law 56-191), which replaced the temporary military government and established a civilian governing structure led with limited local participation in the island's affairs; and
WHEREAS, On March 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Jones Act, which, among other things, granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans; separated the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of Puerto Rican government; provided limited civil rights to certain individuals; and created a locally elected bicameral legislature; and
WHEREAS, The Jones Act also set into effect most United States laws in Puerto Rico, including the National Defense Act of 1916, which established the composition of the military. More than 20,000 Puerto Ricans consequently served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I, and tens of thousands more have served in every U.S. war and/or conflict since that time; and
WHERES, A series of Supreme Court decisions in the early 20th century, known as The Insular Cases, established that Puerto Rico is "owned by and not a part of the United States"; and
WHEREAS, The 1947 approval of the federal Elective Governor Act by President Harry S. Truman established a democratic process for electing the governor of Puerto Rico, which has taken place four years since 1948; and
WHEREAS, On July 3, 1952, the people of Puerto Rico overwhelmingly approved a constitution that was drafted by the people, which o...
Click here for full text