Congress to debate Constitutionality of Rep. Velazquez status bill.

The chairman of the House Natural Recourses Committee, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva D-Ariz. announced a June 16 hearing on legislation focused on Puerto Rico’s political status. The hearing follows the constitutional questions regarding Rep. Velazquez D-NY status bill’s H.R. 2070 that were evidently displayed at the  April 14 panel the full Committee

The hearing will more deeply examine the implications of passing two different status bills. Reps. Nydia Velázquez D-NY bill that “recognize the right of the People of Puerto Rico to call a status convention through which the people would exercise their natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision.” The other, sponsored by Rep. Darren Soto D-FL and Rep. Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon R-PR, would “provide for the admission of the State of Puerto Rico into the Union.”

Rep. Grijalva is still waiting a formal Department of Justice analysis of both bills’ constitutionality and consistency with fundamental U.S. laws.

“Congress needs to keep moving forward on this, because Puerto Rico can’t stay in limbo any longer,” Grijalva said today. “The future of millions of Puerto Ricans shouldn’t be a political football. This Committee takes its responsibility to address this issue seriously, and we’re going to hear from experts on how best to proceed before we take any final steps.”

The hearing will include witness testimony from constitutional experts on the implications of passing each bill.