Republicans Voting Yea on Puerto Rico Democracy Act: What does Puerto Rico Democracy Act Mean?

The following is a list of Republicans voting "Yea" for the Puerto Rico Democracy Act (H.R. 2499). See an update in red text below:

SEE AN UPDATE ON THIS STORY HERE.

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This bill, to put Puerto Rico on the road to deciding to become our 51st state, seemed to come out of nowhere, and it is not easily understood. The bill to give Puerto Rico the right to "self-determination," was passed today as a non-binding resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico already has the right to "self-determination." Any time Puerto Rico wants to become a state, they can vote and then appeal to Congress for statehood. Today's non-binding vote is preparing for something bigger, but since no one is talking about it, we don't know the agenda. Now that the House has passed the bill, it moves to the Senate for approval. If Puerto Rico votes to be a U.S. state, it has to go back to Congress for a final vote.

Since 1952 when their Commonwealth status was established, Puerto Ricans have voted four times on the issue of statehood and each time have voted to retain their Commonwealth, and not become a state, in 1967, 199, 1998 and 1991. I believe it is accurate to say the question of statehood is required to be voted on at specific times.

There is a lot of talk that the questions presented to the voters will be different this time, that one option will not be available, which will make the outcome different than in the past, and which will probably result in a vote to become a state. I can't verify that - as I said, it's complicated.

So, while the gut reaction yesterday, by conservatives, was this quiet vote in our House was to bring millions of Democrat voters into Liberal voting booths, and the cost of millions of low income residents would be an tremendous burden on our already suffering economy.

Puerto Rican citizens are Americans. They pay payroll taxes, social security taxes, and Medicare taxes. Poor citizens do not have Medicaid, they actually pay taxes, "and Medicare beneficiaries on the island pay the same taxes as stateside residents."But Governor Luis Fortuno seized on Obama's promise to provide health care to territories, and said health care funding is a "civil rights issue."

So, if that is the case, why would some of our most Conservative House members vote for the bill? Are the people died-in-the-wool, committed Democrats that will vote by thousands and give Liberals a permanent or majority, or are there a fair share of Conservatives on the Island? I don't know the answer, and suspect we have much more to learn.

Glenn Beck mentioned Puerto Rico's "Progressive Party," yesterday, and that has scary connotations for a Conservative, but are their "progressives," the same as our "progressives?" From what I can cobble together, the Republican Statehood Party split after the 1967 vote, when statehood was voted down. The split brought the New Progressive Party, which I believe also wants statehood, along with the current Republican Party which leads the current government. Stay tuned and if you have an opinion, let me know.

Update 5-1-10:

This comment was left on this article by reader Political Jules:

The PR situation is even worse than we know.  Just last month the RINO governor of PR declared all their birth certificates as invalid.  The citizens now have to reapply for new birth certificates.  The fraudulent excuse he gave was that identity theft was rampant.  How convienient that he did this right before a vote of the people for statehood would occur.  Could it possibly be because they voted it down three times before?  Could he possibly be stacking the deck so they can defeat the will of the people by not allowing them to vote?  Could it possibly be that he is also opening the door for millions of illegals to now apply for free birth certificates?  I think it is possible.

He is one of the worst RINO's than we have ever seen here in the states.  He supports everything obamacorn is about and is vocal about it.  He wants to help obama get a second term, and this is all part of his plan.

I cannot believe that I am the only one talking about this...

In March 2010 Puerto Rico declared all their birth certificates invalid!!!!!

Voter fraud & illegals get free birth certificates. You betcha. 

Source: House Clerk: Republicans (39) Voting "Yea" for Non-Binding Puerto Rico Democracy Act

Bartlett, Roscoe (MD)
Biggert, Judy (IL)
Blackburn, Marsha (TN)
Brown-Waite, Ginny (FL)
Buchanan, Vern (FL)
Burton, Dan (IN)
Buyer, Steve (IN)
Campbell, (CA)
Cantor, Eric (VA)
Cao, Joseph (LA)
Castle, Mike (DE)
Coffman (CO)
Cole, Tom (OK)
Crenshaw, Ander (FL)
Dent, Charlie (PA)
Diaz-Balart, Lincoln (FL)
Diaz-Balart, Mario (FL)
Ehlers, Vernon (MI)
Flake, Jeff (AZ)
Frelinghuysen, Rodney (NJ)
Hensarling< Jeb (TX)
Issa, Darrell (CA)
King, Pete (NY)
Kirk, Mark (IL)
Kline (MN)
Lungren, Daniel E. (CA)
Mack, Connie IV (FL)
McCarthy, Kevin (CA)
Mica, John (FL)
Murphy, Tim (PA)
Pence, Mike (IN)
Posey, Bill (FL)
Putnam, Adam (FL)
Reichert, Dave (WA)
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana (FL)
Schock, Aaron (FL)
Thompson, Glenn (PA)
Walden, Greg (OR)
Young, Don (AK)

Related and Background:
Puerto Rico Birth Certificates Invalid: Reissued Summer 2010