Hispanic elected official tells congress to admit puerto rico as state

Marcus Atkinson

HispanicOhio.com editor

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Last week Ohio state House Rep. Daniel Ramos introduced resolution H. C. R. No. 57 to the assembly floor urging Congress to begin the steps togranting statehood to what is now the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In the resolution, Ramos gave the reasons why Puerto Rico should become a state; Puerto Ricans are natural born citizens of the United States because of the Jones-Shafroth Act signed March 2 of 1917, Puerto Ricans have and currently serve in the U.S. military, and in this past Nov. elections a majority of Puerto Ricans voted to no longer be governed as a commonwealth and want to be admitted as a state.

In the resolution, Ramos continues to say the United States was founded on the principle of the government making decisions based on “the consent of the governed”, and because the island of Puerto Rico voted for statehood; it is the United States’ obligation to admit the commonwealth as a state.

Ohio has a Hispanic population of about 317,000 according to the latest Census results and Ramos is the lone Hispanic currently serving in the Ohio state assembly.

Co-sponsors of the resolution include: Representatives Foley, Hagan, R., Letson, Gerberry, Murray,Yuko, Boyd, Lundy, Reece, Milkovich, Celeste, Antonio, and Cera