DNC Calls on Congress to Act on Puerto Rico Political Status

DNC Passes Resolution Calling for Congressional Action on Puerto Rico Status

The Democratic National Committee's resolutions committee approved a measure on April 9, 2026, formally calling on the United States Congress to take immediate action to resolve Puerto Rico's long-disputed political status. The resolution represents a renewed and formal commitment by the Democratic Party to the cause of Puerto Rican self-determination and addresses one of the most enduring unresolved questions in American territorial governance — the political relationship between the United States and the 3.2 million American citizens who live in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico's Political Limbo

Puerto Rico has been a US territory since 1898, when Spain ceded the island to the United States following the Spanish-American War under the Treaty of Paris. Puerto Ricans were granted statutory US citizenship under the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917, but they remain excluded from voting in US presidential elections and lack voting representation in Congress. The island has held six status referendums, with the most recent votes in 2012, 2017, 2020, and 2023 all showing majority support for statehood. Congress has not acted on any of these results, leaving the island in a state of political uncertainty that affects everything from federal programme funding equity to constitutional rights.

Why the DNC Resolution Matters Now

The DNC resolution comes at a moment of heightened anxiety about citizenship security for Puerto Ricans, following the Trump administration's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship and ongoing Supreme Court litigation — including Trump v. Barbara — that could affect the constitutional basis of territorial citizenship rights. Statehood advocates argue that only full statehood can permanently guarantee constitutionally protected citizenship rights for Puerto Ricans. Republican-controlled Congress has historically resisted Puerto Rico statehood, with many members citing concerns about political implications. The path forward therefore remains deeply uncertain despite the DNC's formal endorsement.