Velázquez & Ocasio‑Cortez rip resident commissioner’s new status bill

U.S. Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez, left, and Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez accused Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera of undermining years of congressional efforts to advance a meaningful decolonization process for the island.

By THE STAR STAFF

U.S. Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, both New York Democrats, on Thursday sharply criticized new Puerto Rico status legislation introduced by Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera, accusing him of undermining years of congressional efforts to advance a meaningful decolonization process for the island.

In a joint statement, the New York lawmakers -- who have led self‑determination initiatives for Puerto Rico across the last three congressional terms -- said Hernández Rivera’s bill “co‑opted” their work and reintroduced an option that would preserve the island’s current territorial arrangement. They argued that any proposal allowing Puerto Rico to remain under U.S. plenary powers contradicts both historical reality and the consensus emerging among Democrats in Congress. Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth whose residents are under the plenary powers of Congress, have a non-voting representative in Congress and do not pay federal taxes.

“Non‑territorial, non‑colonial options are the only options viable for true decolonization,” the lawmakers said, noting that their previous bills were shaped through meetings, hearings and consultations with Puerto Rican academics, legal experts, community leaders and members of the diaspora.

Hernández Rivera introduced legislation in the House of Representatives this week to convene a federal status plebiscite -- to be held on March 14, 2027 -- in which voters will choose among the options of: current territorial status, statehood, independence and sovereignty in free association.

Velázquez and Ocasio‑Cortez said the resident commissioner’s measure reverses that progress by including the continuation of the existing commonwealth status, which they described as a colonial condition that Congress has increasingly acknowledged must end.

“More and more members have come to acknowledge that the current colonial condition of Puerto Rico is a moral stain on our nation’s history,” they said. “Our country cannot claim to be a bastion of democracy as we continue to hold colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific.”

The lawmakers also argued that the bill ignores key legal precedents, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in United States v. Vaello‑Madero, which reaffirmed that Puerto Rico remains subject to Congress’ broad territorial authority. By denying that reality, they said, the legislation “erases historical realities” and “subverts Democratic consensus.”

Velázquez and Ocasio‑Cortez framed the resident commissioner’s proposal as driven by “individual political aspirations,” warning that it risks derailing serious efforts to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status after more than a century under U.S. control.

Hernández Rivera, a national Democrat, is the president of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party.

“We stand together in opposing this legislation and will continue to fight for a serious decolonization process for Puerto Ricans,” they said.

The introduction of Hernández Rivera’s bill marks the latest chapter in a long‑running debate in Washington over how -- and whether -- Congress should structure a binding process for Puerto Ricans to choose among non‑territorial options such as statehood, independence, or free association.

Hernández Rivera has argued that his measure allows each faction to advocate for its preferred option “without traps or tricks” and on a level playing field. He also maintained that the bill mirrors legislation passed by the U.S. House in 2022 but adds the commonwealth option and a process for proposing reforms.

The resident commissioner’s proposal was introduced alongside U.S. Reps. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Derek Tran (D-Calif.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), according to his office.

At press time, the resident commissioner had not yet responded publicly to the lawmakers’ criticism.