The Globalist Authoritarians Are Playing With Fire
The Only Thing Democrats Won’t Stand Up for Is America
The Press Says Not All Billionaires Are Spending Equal, and Larry O'Donnell Negotiates...
Who's Defying Court Orders Again?
New Bill From Chip Roy to Protect Exotic Hunting Ranches Could Bolster Conservation
Injustice in Nashville
Fighting Against the Tide Of History
The Party of Hate
Time to Lower the Boom on Harvard
In Germany, the Government Wants to Decide What Is True
After Many Warnings, Trump Admin. Freezes Funding for Maine Over Refusal to Comply...
More Bad News Could Be Coming for Planned Parenthood
USCIS Stops Biden Gender Policy ‘Effective Immediately’
Details on Biden's Endorsement of Harris Shows How Much Dems Were in Disarray...
Does This New Poll Show Hopeful News for Israel?
OPINION

Statehood Would Be an Economic Boon for Puerto Rico

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

This week, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez (R-PR), introduced a bill to make the territory a state no later than January 1, 2021. The Puerto Rico Admission Act of 2018 already has 37 co-sponsors, including Republicans and Democrats from various states. The bill comes after major events like Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused more than $90 billion worth in damages, making it the third costliest storm in U.S. history.

Advertisement

The move towards statehood would bring an unprecedented amount of positive change to an island that is in desperate need of transformation. Under its current status as a territory with limited autonomy, high levels of economic risk continue to limit investment and its overall progression. As a state, the island’s ability to contribute to its own development would significantly improve. The 2017 hurricane season highlighted how bad a position Puerto Rico is in, where the president was forced to approve waivers on unnecessarily restrictive shipping regulations so the 3.4 million American citizens living on the island could receive the immediate help needed in the aftermath of the hurricanes. 

The reality is, there’s only one path forward to address Puerto Rico’s current status: Statehood. Statehood would allow the island’s struggling economy to grow past a decade-long recession by allowing the territory the ability to pay down its debts and liabilities. Additionally, statehood would give investors new confidence in the future of Puerto Rico, which in turn would help advance the island’s economy. Even under Puerto Rico’s recent conditions of high debt combined with a shrinking economy, the Government Accountability Office estimated that Puerto Rican corporate and individual taxpayers would contribute an additional $6 to $10 billion in taxes to the United States government.

Advertisement

America was built on the idea of self-determination, a principle expressed in our founding documents that our men and women in uniform – many of them Puerto Ricans – defend every day. Puerto Ricans have made their views clearer and clearer as new referendums are held. The latest and fifth referendum recently held in 2017, showed an astounding 97% of those who voted favored Puerto Rico becoming a state. We should move past partisan politics and simply do what is right to help our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico have the tools they desperately need to grow their economy, repair infrastructure, and end their status as a colony.

Born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Gustavo J. Portela is a Senior Advisor to the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement