US Congress hearing on status of Puerto Rico

American Troops entering Puerto Rico, 1898

[UPDATE 1:Click Here for VIDEO excerpt of Congresswoman Velazquez at the hearing ]

[UPDATE 2: Click Here for VIDEO excerpt of Congressman Serrano at the hearing]

[UPDATE 3: Click Here for Audio in vid excerpt of Ruben Berrios and Fernando Martin at the hearing]

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, led by Del. Donna M. Christensen (D-VI), holds second legislative hearing to review legislation to address the future political status of Puerto Rico. The hearing focuses on two legislative proposals introduced in the 110th Congress:

· H.R. 900 (Serrano), the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2007: To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process for the people of Puerto Rico

· H.R. 1230 (Velázquez), the Puerto Rico Self Determination Act of 2007: To recognize the right of the People of Puerto Rico to call a Constitutional Convention through which the people would exercise their natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision.

NOTE: This hearing will serve as a continuation of the March 22, 2007 legislative hearing, and will provide further insight into H.R. 900 and H.R. 1230.

Subject:
House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs
Legislative Hearing on H.R. 900 (Serrano) and H.R. 1230 (Velázquez)

When:
Wednesday, April 25, 2007, at 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building

Witnesses:
Panel 1

1. Honorable C. Kevin Marshall, Co-Chair of the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Political Status;
   
2. Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice

Panel 2

1. Honorable Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Governor, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Former Member of U.S. Congress; President, Popular Democratic Party
2. Rubén Berríos Martinez, President, Puerto Rican Independence Party
3. Honorable Pedro Rosselló, Former Governor and current Senator, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; President, New Progressive Party
   

Panel 3

1. Honorable Kenneth D. McClintock, President of the Puerto Rican Senate
2. Honorable José Aponte-Hernández, Speaker of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
3. Honorable José L. Dalmau-Santiago, Senate Minority Leader, Popular Democratic Party
4. Honorable Héctor Ferrer-Ríos, House Minority Leader, Popular Democratic Party
   

Panel 4

1. Mr. Fernando Martín, Executive President, Puerto Rican Independence Party
2. Mr. Nestor Duprey, Spokesman, Puerto Ricans for Free Association and Social Justice (MAS)
3. Honorable Rafael Hernández Colón, Former Governor, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
4. Honorable Carlos Romero Barceló, Former Governor, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Former Member of U.S. Congress
5. Mr. Juan Manuel García Passalacqua, Lawyer, Writer, Political Analyst