ORLANDO, Fla. – Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Florida, held a panel discussion in Orlando, hoping to hear from Puerto Ricans about their struggles both here in Central Florida and on the island.
The newly elected congresswoman made her position clear. Murphy supports Puerto Rico becoming a state, and she wants Puerto Ricans to have equal funding and rights.
"Simply put, you're a vibrant and powerful community. You deserve recognition and respect, and you deserve to have the issues you care about taken seriously by your elected leaders," Murphy said.
In a recent election with low voter turnout, Puerto Rico overwhelmingly voted for statehood rights. But what that truly means here in the states is questionable. Jimmy Torres, with Puerto Rican Action Initiative, said support isn't clear.
"It's easy to say, 'Yeah, we're supporting Puerto Rico and whatever decision they make,' but when it comes to money and policies that come to Puerto Rico, they don't support those policies," Torres said.
The lack of clarity, and the extreme lack of resources on the island, have forced many Puerto Ricans to immigrate to the mainland. That has put pressure on Orange County to help students who are low-income and often don't speak English. Back in Puerto Rico, many say they just want fairness. They contribute to federal taxes, so they want the same resources, no matter whether they become a state or not.
"We're trying to move that discussion from the political parties in Puerto Rico to the more serious open types of conversation, so people can have their say and then vote for something more concrete," Torres said.
Murphy said she plans to take what she learns back to Washington, D.C., where she will continue to discuss her support for Puerto Rico.