| White House Issues its Puerto
Rico Task Force Report
On December
22, the White House issued its long awaited “Task Force Report.” The report was
announced in a press briefing by Ruben Barrales, Deputy Assistant to the
President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, who serves as Chairman of
the Puerto Rico Interagency Task Force, and by Kevin Marshall, Deputy Assistant
Attorney General. While the report has generated considerable controversy, in
general it has been well received by those interested in status change in Puerto
Rico, especially statehood and independence supporters, while being dismissed by
supporters of the current status quo.
The report recommends that
Congress pass legislation to authorize a two step plebiscite process in Puerto
Rico. The first plebiscite would ask if Puerto Rican’s want to continue their
current temporary status or, alternatively, want to change to a permanent status
(statehood or form of independence). If the majority vote for change, a second
plebiscite would be held between the alternatives. If “no change” is supported
by the voters, then the issue would be revisited from time to time to reassess
voter preference. For the full text of the report,
click here |
