Resident Commissioner Highlights Historic Openness from the Department of the Interior to Improve Territorial Status

WASHINGTON – Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández today posed a series of questions to the Secretary of the Interior during a budget hearing focused on appropriations for four U.S. territories and the Freely Associated States.

According to the Commissioner, the Secretary’s responses represent “the first expression of willingness in a long time to enter into a democratic compact with the territories and expand their self-government within the union with the United States.”

Hernández emphasized that the Secretary of the Interior “is open to dialogue with the territories to expand their self-government within the U.S. union, based on mutual consent.” Additionally, Hernández noted, “the Secretary reaffirmed that free association is a status of independence, but indicated—speaking personally—that he does not rule out the possibility of U.S. citizenship for independent countries under free association treaties.”

The Commissioner raised these issues in the context of the Interior Department’s budget, which allocates funds to the Freely Associated States and the four territories still under its jurisdiction. He recalled that Puerto Rico was removed from that jurisdiction in July 1961 by order of President John F. Kennedy, who cited the “unique status of the Commonwealth” as the reason for transferring the island’s affairs to the Executive Office of the President.

“These questions are relevant because the hearing addressed the Interior Department’s budget, which oversees matters of free association and the territories. While I maintain that status will not be my priority in Congress, I cannot overlook the fact that this sets a positive precedent for future conversations about the Commonwealth,” Hernández concluded.

Click HERE to watch the Resident Commissioner’s remarks.

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