By: Gutierrez (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.C.R. No. 199
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 20, 2003;
May 22, 2003, read first time and referred to Committe on State
Affairs; May 24, 2003, rereferred to Committee on Veteran Affairs
and Military Installations; May 26, 2003, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 1; May 26, 2003, sent to printer.)
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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-Colón, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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; and 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; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, 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; and, be it further
RESOLVED, 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; and, be it further
RESOLVED, 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.
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