Rubio Pushes for Puerto Rican Statehood Momentum Amid Senate Setbacks

Despite being a non-binding vote, the 2020 plebiscite in favor of statehood played a large role in similar legislation eventually passing the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022 for the first time in history. The people of Puerto Rico spoke at the ballot box, and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress listened by passing that legislation.

That bill never made it to the Senate, so a bipartisan delegation drew it up again this year. Sen. Rubio, a Cuban-American Republican and staunch statehood advocate, believes it will fail in the current Congress.

"In 2020, our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico made it clear through their internal referendum that they desire statehood," Rubio said. "Today there are not currently 60 votes for this in the Senate. However, that shouldn't stop us from working on other initiatives that help Puerto Rico thrive economically, including my bipartisan and bicameral MMEDS [Medical Manufacturing, Economic Development, and Sustainability] Act that would rebuild the island’s pharmaceutical industry and make America less reliant on foreign nations for medicine."

He referred to his and Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón's (R-PR) proposed 2020 Act enticing medical device companies to leave foreign territories and come to Puerto Rico, promising a tax credit for compliant businesses. It was reintroduced in 2021, and again in 2023, though it has yet to pass Congress.

Puerto Rico, home to 3.2 million people, has experienced a steady population decline over the years. Many attribute this outmigration to its territorial status – frustration over a lack of representation and the dimming economic prospects on the island created in large part due being a territory.

As a result of these issues, Puerto Ricans continue to move to the mainland U.S., which is home to nearly six million Puerto Ricans, primarily in Florida and New York, but also more than 700,000 living in vital swing states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Citizens living on the island cannot vote for the President despite being governed by him, and though they have a congressional member of Congress in the House, she can't vote on legislation.

Puerto Rico’s economic fortunes could be changing for the better though as good governance and corruption hawk Jenniffer Gonzalez, the current Resident Commissioner, is the favorite to win the Governor’s election this fall, over $12 billion in money has been ear marked by Congress to make permanent improvements to the energy grid, and Puerto Rico’s debt has been reduced to approximately $37 billion.

After a majority of Puerto Ricans voted for statehood in the 2020 plebiscite, Rubio made comments not only supporting statehood but pledging to work with his Republican colleagues to make it a reality saying, "Our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico have democratically expressed their support for becoming a state. I urge my Senate colleagues to keep an open mind and learn more about statehood before taking a firm position in opposition."

"I will continue to do my part to one day achieve the 60 votes needed in the Senate for admission," he added at the time.

Though the bipartisan bill is unlikely to achieve the necessary Senate votes this time around, the upcoming plebiscite is historic: it marks the first time that Puerto Ricans will fully reject being a territory, because that option has been fully nixed from the ballot. Their only options will be statehood, independence, or independence with "free association."

Support for Puerto Rican statehood has increased in recent years, as evidenced by a record 97 co-sponsors (98 total supporters) in the House and 26 co-sponsors (27 total supporters) in the Senate for the 2024 bill, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Florida Republican Rick Scott (FL-R) has also expressed approval in the past:

"Right now there is not enough support in Congress for Puerto Rico to become a state. But, I believe that as long as Puerto Rico fixes its fiscal affairs, there will be an opportunity for Puerto Rico to become a state,” Scott said in 2022, expressing concern over a lack of support for the bill.

“Puerto Rico will eventually become a state,” he emphasized.

And to that point, Puerto Rico’s fiscal house is getting in order, with a historically low unemployment rate of 5.8% to add to all of the aforementioned achievements.

Publisher Javier Manjarres contributed to this story