House Passes Bill To 'Decolonize' Puerto Rico, Allow Vote On Statehood

The House of Representatives passed a bill that could pave the way for Puerto Rico to become the 51st state. The Puerto Rico Status Act was passed by a vote of 233 to 191, with 16 Republicans joining Democrats to vote in favor of the legislation.

The bill would allow Puerto Rico to hold the first-ever binding referendum on whether or not to become a full state. The people of Puerto Rico could also vote to be granted complete independence or become a sovereign nation aligned with the U.S. government.

"For far too long, the people of Puerto Rico have been excluded from the full promise of American democracy and self-determination that our nation has always championed," Democratic Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer said.

While the bill has the support of the White House, it is unlikely to garner the 60 votes necessary to overcome the filibuster in the Senate.

Currently, Puerto Rico is considered a "freely associated state," and its residents are considered to be U.S. citizens. However, they are not allowed to vote in presidential elections. Instead, they can vote for a resident commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives, who is only allowed to vote in committees.

Puerto Rico has held six nationwide votes on whether it should become a state. The most recent vote was in 2020, when 52% of voters said they supported becoming a U.S. state.