Could Puerto Rico Become The 51st State? House Bill Passes To Set The Path

A historic bill was passed in the House on Thursday bringing Puerto Rico closer to becoming an official state.

The Puerto Rico Status Act was voted in by 16 Republicans and 217 Democrats allowing the bill to pass by 233-191, by 42 votes.

This legislation gives Puerto Rican citizens the right to voice their opinion on whether they want to become a state through its first referendum. Residents have the option to make Puerto Rico the 51st state, break away from the U.S. completely and become its own country or sovereignty with free association with the U.S. This is somewhat of a middle ground between the other two options.

This bill is the result of a compromise between two other proposed bills: the Puerto Rico Statehood Admissions Act and the Puerto Rico self-determination bill.

The Puerto Rico State Admissions Act was introduced by Democratic Rep. Darren Soto and Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez, a Republican nonvoting member of Congress who represents Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico self-determination bill was introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who are New York Democrats.

It is unlikely that the bill will pass in the Senate and make its way to President Biden’s desk. The bill needs at least 10 Republican supporters and the Republican party overall has long been against giving Puerto Rico statehood as shown by the majority of Republican who voted against the bill.

Conservative Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett tweeted the following.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told Insider she didn't think this was "the right way to go about something like that.”

President Joe Biden expressed his support for the bill in a statement urging Congress “to act swiftly to put the future of Puerto Rico’s political status in the hands of Puerto Ricans, where it belongs."