OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

A Focus on Economic Development and Reconstruction

Floor Speech

Date: March 3, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, some Puerto Rican officials will be in D.C. this week lobbying for statehood for Puerto Rico.

Last November, 51 percent of Puerto Ricans refused to vote for statehood. That day, the people of Puerto Rico elected me with a clear mandate to focus on economic development and reconstruction, not on political status.

The government of Puerto Rico can spend its time however it wants. I cannot and will not spend mine on the issue of status.

I would rather talk about the status of our supply chain and how Puerto Rico can help strengthen it.

I would rather talk about the status of our electric grid and all of the steps that we need to take to fix it.

I would rather talk about an agenda that unites Puerto Ricans, Democrats, and Republicans.

Mr. Speaker, unity, not division, is the path forward.

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