Rival Puerto Rico Bills Dim Democratic Hopes of a 51st State
- The measures pit statehood against a ‘status convention’
- Party aims to solidify Congressional control for years to come
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Two competing bills trying to end Puerto Rico’s status as one of the world’s oldest territories threaten to undermine each other -- damping hopes that the island might become the 51st U.S. state and a decisive power in Washington.
On one side are those who want to make Puerto Rico a peer of New York, California and Wyoming. A rival measure would explore all status options for the island, including independence, statehood, a compact between sovereign states “or any other option other than the current territorial arrangement.”