SRC-JLB, JEC H.C.R. 199 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.C.R. 199
By: Gutierrez (Van de Putte)
Vet. Aff. & Mil. Install.
5/23/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST

Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States as a result of the
treaty concluding the Spanish-American War in 1898.  In 1917, the United
States government extended U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans but did not
provide them with full citizenship rights, including voting representation
in the United States Congress and the right to vote for the President of
the United States.  Since 1917, more than 200,000 United States citizens
from Puerto Rico have served valiantly in every war and armed conflict in
which our nation has fought--including our current war against
terrorism--in defense of democratic principles and self-determination;
four heroic Puerto Ricans--Hector Santiago-Colon, Euripides Rubio, Carlos
James Lozada, and Luis Fernando Garcia--have been awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor for their valor in defending American
democracy and freedoms.   

The economic limitations resulting from the unresolved political status of
the island have resulted in 3.4 million Puerto Ricans maintaining
residence on the United States mainland; it is estimated that by 2010,
more Puerto Ricans will reside on the mainland than on the island of
Puerto Rico.  We recognize the many social, economic, and political
contributions that the 3.8 million United States citizens residing in
Puerto Rico, as well as the 3.4 million citizens residing in the United
States, make to preserve and enhance this nation's democratic values.  The
State of Texas counts on a growing Puerto Rican community and an
ever-increasing Latino population from which to draw many of our state's
business, cultural, and political leaders.  In 1997 the legislature of
Puerto Rico formally petitioned the United States Congress to respond to
the democratic aspirations of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico by
means of a federally sanctioned plebiscite to be held no later than 1998,
but Congress has yet to respond to said petition.  The Texas Legislature
recognizes that the time has come to enable Puerto Rico to exercise its
right to self-determination and urges all citizens of Texas and the United
States to support the enactment of a federal law leading to full
self-government for Puerto Rico within the context of a congressionally
sanctioned plebiscite. 

PURPOSE

Sets forth the following resolutions:
 
That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas request that the Congress
and President of the United States enact legislation that would define the
political status options available to the United States citizens of Puerto
Rico and authorize a plebiscite to provide an opportunity for Puerto
Ricans to make an informed decision regarding the island's future
political status. 

That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully
request the Texas delegation to the Congress of the United States to
actively promote and support timely action on this important issue. 

That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this
resolution to the president and vice president of the United States, to
the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the
senate of the United States Congress, to the chairman of the U.S. Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to the chairman of the U.S.
House of Representatives Committee on Resources, and to all the members of
the Texas delegation to the Congress with the request that this resolution
be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the
Congress of the United States of America.