Conservatives support statehood for Puerto Rico because:
- Puerto Ricans are American citizens who have served meritoriously in every war since World War I. They deserve a solution to the fiscal crises plaguing the territory.
- American taxpayers deserve a solution for Puerto Rico that doesn’t leave them on the hook for a suffering economy.
Consensus for Statehood
"There are 3.7 million American citizens living in Puerto Rico. As citizens, they should be entitled to determine for themselves their political status."President Donald Trump
Every U.S. president from Harry Truman to Donald Trump has stated that Puerto Rico should have the political status preferred by its people. And the American citizens of Puerto Rico – both living on the island and living on the mainland – overwhelmingly agree on statehood.
97%
76%
85%
Conservatives support statehood.
"We recognize the right of the Puerto Rican people to self-determination. If they choose statehood, we will work together to devise a union of promise and opportunity in our Federal union of sovereign States."President Ronald Reagan
Conservatives continue to step forward in support of statehood for Puerto Rico:
Citizens Against Government Waste
Hispanic Leadership Fund
Niger Innis - National Tea Party Leader
Congressman Rob Bishop - Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee
Why conservatives support statehood.
Puerto Rico residents are already American citizens. Providing the territory with a path to statehood will benefit both the island and the U.S. at large.
American Values
Economic Potential
National Security
Why now?
900,000
$72 Billion
$95 Billion
The Solution
"Congress should approve an enabling act with terms for Puerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state of the Union."2016 Republican Party Platform
The solution is clear: Puerto Rico needs a pathway to statehood.
Congress must pass legislation that would allow Puerto Rico to become a state on terms defined by Congress if the people of Puerto Rico approve statehood.
Puerto Rico must host a vote on statehood to remove any doubt of Puerto Rico residents’ sentiment. It should be a simple vote asking: “Do you approve Puerto Rico’s admission as a state of the union on equal footing with all other states, and with equal rights and duties of state and national citizens?”
If election results favor statehood:
- Puerto Rico residents must be allowed to elect U.S. Senate and House of Representatives members, and the President must issue a proclamation officially declaring Puerto Rico a state.
- An appropriate process for resolving any conflicts between federal and existing territorial law must be implemented.