'That Is Denying The Consensus Of The Island': Ron Wyden Asks Puerto Rico Governor About Statehood

[0:00] Senator Wyden. [0:01] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [0:03] Governor, I think we need a little bit of an update on Medicaid, and a number of members [0:09] here on our side have worked hard to try to provide stability to Puerto Rico's Medicaid [0:15] program over the last few years, but the temporary fixes are about to expire, as you know. [0:21] If Congress fails to act, Puerto Rico plunges into a multibillion-dollar Medicaid funding [0:27] cliff, nearly half of your population relies on this program, I mean, this is life-saving [0:34] healthcare. [0:35] Can you just paint a clear picture for the committee of what this funding stability means [0:40] for Puerto Rico? [0:41] It will be catastrophic not having that appointment of resources in September of [0:47] 2027. [0:48] First of all, I want to say thank you, Senator, because you've been always a leader helping [0:53] us to the government of Puerto Rico to achieve the last deal of making the huge amount that [1:00] was done during my time serving in Congress. [1:04] I will give you a clear example. [1:06] Puerto Rico's Medicaid money is always capped at 55% FMAP. [1:12] That means that we cannot receive more than $500 million. [1:16] It's capped by law. [1:19] We can receive more than $500 million from the rest of the states, that depends on a formula [1:22] based on the poverty rate. [1:25] We don't have that as territories. [1:28] So that means that Congress needs to intervene. [1:31] As the hurricanes hit us in 2017, we received 100% FMAP for two years. [1:37] And after that, because of the pandemic, we received 86% FMAP, which is the cost share [1:45] of federal money that was assigned to the territories, at this time is 76%. [1:52] It covers 1.3 million Americans, at least in Puerto Rico. [1:58] Even with that money, and we're talking about $3.6 billion a year on the island. [2:04] That never covers all the mandatory programs for Medicaid on the island. [2:11] Because we cannot afford the rest of the programs. [2:13] That means we don't cover long-term care for elderly citizens in Puerto Rico. [2:20] That's the reason you see a lot of Puerto Ricans moving to Florida, moving to Texas, and moving [2:25] to the rest of the states. [2:27] Because there, they can receive all the mandatory programs. [2:30] I want to get in one other question that I know you care about. [2:35] I just want you to know that those of us that have been working with you, we're going to [2:38] pull out all the stops to handle the situation that's coming up at the end of the year. [2:43] And I share your view that the pain would be devastating. [2:46] The other question I just wanted to get into very quickly with you is the question of the [2:52] statehood matter. [2:54] And the Department of Justice and State and Congresses have made clear again and again [2:59] that the alternatives to the current unincorporated territory status under the Constitution are [3:05] essentially statehood. [3:07] Nationhood is a purely independent nation or nationhood freely associated with the United [3:13] States. [3:14] But certainly there are people in politics here who are floating ideas of a commonwealth [3:20] that isn't governed by Congress and can even make its own treaties but is still part of the [3:24] United States. [3:26] What do you think about these? [3:27] I call them unconstitutional fantasies, they seem to me to be a distraction and the status [3:34] question needs to stay focused on if Puerto Rico should become a state or an independent [3:38] nation and I would be interested in your thoughts. [3:41] First of all, even Republican and Democratic Department of Justice and any administration [3:47] of both parties has declared that unconstitutional. [3:52] One territory can declare what federal laws applies to a territory. [3:58] That cannot happen. [3:59] And a plebiscite proposed by the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico saying that you can have a territory [4:06] saying what federal laws applies and what not and they can have which country they want [4:12] to do a treaty or not. [4:13] It's been banned by the Supreme Court of this land and the Department of Justice by both [4:20] departments. [4:21] By the Department of Justice of the Republican administration and Democratic administration, [4:24] both. [4:25] And the people of Puerto Rico have rejected, not once, not twice, four times in a row, and [4:33] the last one in 2024, but more than 60% of the vote against the current territorial status. [4:41] So, that is denying the consensus of the island of more than 60% that they want statehood. [4:49] So, Senator, I believe that the only options the people of Puerto Rico got are independence, [4:55] remaining as a territory, or statehood, which is the preferred option of the people of the [4:59] island. [5:00] And you know what? [5:01] More than 230,000 people on our island have served the United States uniform. [5:07] We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of America. [5:10] It is time to solve our issue. [5:13] Well, well said, and I particularly appreciate your salute to the people who wear our uniform. [5:18] Thank you, sir. [5:19] Incredibly important. [5:20] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [5:21] Thank you. [5:22] Senator King. [5:23] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [5:24] Governor, a lot of-