ALERT: Puerto Rico a 51st State??? Vote is TODAY!

Action Alert! You must act now to stop from adding the 51st state to the USA! Vote on the House Floor Today!!

There is a vote scheduled to take place TODAY (Thursday, April 29th) in the U.S. House of Representatives on HR 2499, which would force Puerto Rico to become the 51st U.S. State.

Three times in the past 43 years Puerto Ricans have voted against becoming the 51st state in the Union. The last time was about 11 years ago. They enjoy their commonwealth status which allows them to enjoy the protection and freedoms and even financial benefits of the United States without paying federal income taxes.

HR 2499 would actually force a yes-or-no vote by Puerto Ricans on whether Puerto Rico should maintain the “current political status” of the island. This doesn’t seem so bad until the second part of the legislation comes into play; a second vote would take place, this one giving Puerto Ricans no option but statehood or full independence if the majority expresses dissatisfaction with the current political status. Even if there is no dissatisfaction and the “current political status” is favored, every eight years henceforth from the passage of HR 2499 Puerto Rico is forced to conduct another plebiscite on the matter at their own expense.

The problem of reassigning some seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is that by handing at least six or seven seats over to Puerto Rico, it would deprive six or seven existing states of one representative each because of the congressional mandated 435 seat cap. (This type of political maneuvering seems partisan because the seats in the Senate and the House would likely become Democratic ones, and electoral votes awarded Puerto Rico might outnumber those of 22 current states.)

Before American taxpayers have to absorb and bailout another financially failing institution – this time the island of Puerto Rico – both Americans and Puerto Ricans need to know and understand that this could just be a case of politicians using this very opaque legislation as a means to whatever ends they envision for not only Puerto Rico and the United States, but also for the political dynamics this situation might bring with it in the future.

Want more information?

Here is a Must Read:
What would statehood for Puerto Rico mean – the need for facts!

Here are some quick facts:
• The Puerto Rico Democracy Act would allow a federally sanctioned referendum to be conducted in Puerto Rico. Voters would be asked whether they support the present form of commonwealth government, or if they want Puerto Rico to seek a different political status. If the majority selects that they want a different political status, then another referendum would be held giving voters three options: Independence, Sovereignty in Association with the United States, or Statehood.

• Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth. Residents of Puerto Rico lack voting representation. They do not participate in presidential elections. As U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans are subject to military service and most federal laws. In the present legislation, Commonwealth status is not an option.

• Puerto Rico has a Governor that is elected directly for a four-year term. There is a bicameral legislature. This consists of a 27-member Senate and a 51-member House of Representatives. Each of these is elected for four-year terms.

• Most Puerto Ricans do not consider English as their sole official language. No non-English speaking state has ever joined the union.

• If Puerto Rico were to become a state of the union, it would then be allowed 2 Senators and possibly 6 – 8 Congressional members.

If you do not agree with the passage of this bill, then contact your Congressman and send a message that you are unwilling to have them support such a bill until all the political, economic, and cultural details are out on the table for both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Urge them to oppose HR 2499 on the grounds that it is a very bad move in the present economic and financial climate.

Listed below are Representatives from both the Democrat and Republican parties. If you think this is bad legislation and is not what is good for our country, we ask that you contact these members and let them know that this bill is not what the American people want and that they must vote NO!

Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (TN)
Phone: 202-225-2811, 202-225-2811, 202-225-2811
Fax: 202-225-3004

Congressman Joe Wilson (SC)
Phone: (202) 225-2452, (202) 225-2452, (202) 225-2452
Fax: (202) 225-2455

Congressman Mike Pence (IN)
Phone: (202) 225-3021, (202) 225-3021, (202) 225-3021
Fax: (202) 225-3382

Congressman John Fleming (LA)
Phone: (202) 225-2777, (202) 225-2777, (202) 225-2777
Fax: (202) 225-8039

Congressman Bill Cassidy
Phone: (202) 225-3901, (202) 225-3901, (202) 225-3901
Fax: (202) 225-7313

Congressman Ron Paul (TX)
Phone: (202) 225-2831, (202) 225-2831, (202) 225-2831

Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV)
Phone: (202) 225-3252, (202) 225-3252, (202) 225-3252
Fax: (202) 225-2185

Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD)
Phone: (202) 225-4131, (202) 225-4131, (202) 225-4131
Fax: (202) 225-4300

Congressman Collin Peterson (MN)
Phone: (202) 225-2165, (202) 225-2165, (202) 225-2165
Fax: (202) 225-1593

Congressman Jason Altmire (PA)
Phone: (202) 225-2565, (202) 225-2565, (202) 225-2565
Fax: (202) 226-2274

Congressman Bobby Bright (AL)
Phone: (202) 225-2901, (202) 225-2901, (202) 225-2901
Fax: (202) 225-8913

Congressman Chris Carney (PA)
Phone: (202) 225-3731, (202) 225-3731, (202) 225-3731
Fax: (202) 225-9594

Congressman Travis Childers (MS)
Phone: (202) 225-4306, (202) 225-4306, (202) 225-4306
Fax: (202) 225-3549

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (PA)
Phone: (202) 225-5406, (202) 225-5406, (202) 225-5406
Fax: (202) 225-3103

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (AZ)
Phone: (202) 225-2542, (202) 225-2542, (202) 225-2542
Fax: (202) 225-0378

Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (SD)
Phone: (202) 225-2801, (202) 225-2801, (202) 225-2801
Fax: (202) 225-5823

Congressman Glenn Nye (VA)
Phone: (202) 225-4215, (202) 225-4215, (202) 225-4215
Fax: (202) 225-4218

Congressman Harry Mitchell (AZ)
Phone: (202) 225-2190, (202) 225-2190, (202) 225-2190
Fax: (202) 225-3263

Congressman Walt Minnick (ID)
Phone: (202) 225-6611, (202) 225-6611, (202) 225-6611
Fax: (202) 225-3029

Congressman Jim Marshall (GA)
Phone: (202) 225-6531, (202) 225-6531, (202) 225-6531
Fax: (202) 225-3013

Congressman Frank Kratovil, Jr. (MD)
Phone: (202) 225-5311, (202) 225-5311, (202) 225-5311
Fax: (202) 225-0254

Congressman Mike Ross (AR)
Phone: (202) 225-3772, (202) 225-3772
Fax: (202) 225-1314

Congressman John Barrow (GA)
Phone: (202) 225-2823, (202) 225-2823, (202) 225-2823
Fax: (202) 225-3377