Dick Thornburgh

Federal program and services outlay in Puerto Rico is approximately $10 billion per year. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#billion #federal #outlay #per #program

If Congress does its job in this regard, the residents of Puerto Rico will be empowered to act in their own self-interest and express their future political status aspirations accordingly. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#act #aspirations #congress #does #empowered

If U.S. national sovereignty continues, it is only as a state that Puerto Rico will have permanent 10th Amendment powers over its non-federal affairs, as well as voting power in Congress. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#amendment #congress #continues #national #national sovereignty

Instead of generating either unnecessary alarm or a false sense of security regarding these fundamental issues, the best course is to empower people with the truth. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#best #course #either #empower #false

It is quite understandable that Puerto Ricans seek to preserve a cultural sense of identity without separating politically from U.S. national sovereignty. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#identity #national #national sovereignty #politically #preserve

Now that the there is a path for the people of Puerto Rico to express their self-determination on Puerto Rico's political status, there are some who seek to block that path. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#express #for the people #now #path #people

Specifically, the reservation of sovereignty to the people of the states in matters not governed by federal law is constitutionally defined and permanently enshrined in the 10th Amendment. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#constitutionally #defined #enshrined #federal #federal law

That is why, with optimism instead of fear, all those who want to see Puerto Rico's status resolved should seek the truth about each option, including the upside and the downside of each. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#downside #each #fear #including #instead

The need for a permanent status resolution approved by Congress is made even more clear to me because of my experience as a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#because #clear #congress #even #experience

The political status legislation which emerged in Congress in 1990 and 1991 did not receive the support needed for enactment into law during my tenure as Attorney General. ↗

— Dick Thornburgh

#attorney general #congress #did #during #emerged