Clip of a Spanish language interview by El Comercio de Colorado discussing the potential impact of Puerto Rico statehood on the legislative and policy goals of the broader Hispanic community including immigration reform. - June 2022
Spanish language interview with Prensa Arizona Live on engaging Latino communities stateside to support statehood for Puerto Rico. - May 2022
Interview with Steve Crout of CityTech Strategy Group and Co-Founder of CANVAS for Disaster Recovery and Resilience. We discuss the importance of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and how the Readiness for Resilience Program, played a role in helping Puerto Rico develop strategic recovery plans. - November 2021
Interview with How to Disaster Podcast Episode: "How to Bridge the Gap Between Federal and Local Policy with George Laws Garcia" talks about the challenges faced during a disaster. When Hurricane Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, they had to rely on other states to do the advocacy work since they do not have voting representation in the Congress. - August 2021
Interview with TRT, a Turkish broadcasting service, on the topic of Puerto Rico statehood. Puerto Rico, a US territory in the Caribbean has been fighting for autonomy and full citizenship rights for more than a century. Earlier this month, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act was introduced in the US House of Representatives. - March 2021
Interview with Arte Agave on his Podcast "Gringo in Latin America" discusses Puerto Rico Statehood. It provides an overview of the problems with territorial inequality and discusses ways people can get involved in supporting full democracy and voting rights in Puerto Rico. - May 2020
Interview with the Real Washington Podcast Episode 2: "Is It Time for Puerto Rican Statehood?" explores the arguments in favor of statehood for Puerto Rico with former Governor Pedro Rosselló and George Laws Garcia, the Interim Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. - June 2019
5/30/2022 - Will Puerto Rico Become a State? George Laws, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. Listen here
4/18/2022 - Coalición de estadistas en Washington, el plebiscito de 2020 en Puerto Rico y el proyecto H.R. 1522. Listen here
Speaking at the Legislative Strategies Panel of the Puerto Rican Diaspora Summit - University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law - November 2017
04/21/2023 Washington - Sinking beneath the weight of tens of billions of dollars in debt, the trappings of paradise in Puerto Rico belie an island where... Read More
06/22/2022 TEXAS – As Republicans in Texas push for a referendum on possible secession from the United States, social media users suggested an idea, swap Texas for Puerto Rico. Although the U.S. Constitution makes no provision for secession, the Texas GOP included the measure in a proposed party platform that delegates at its state convention voted on last week. Read more
6/11/2022 - Denver - George Laws García, director ejecutivo del Puerto Rico Statehood Council, va a estar presente en el Taste of Puerto Rico del domingo 12 de junio en el Civic Center Park de Denver. “Queremos que los puertorriqueños en Colorado puedan estar enterados sobre el avance de las gestiones que se adelantan en el Congreso Federal para conseguir el objetivo final que sería la estadidad’, indicó Laws García. Read more
06/06/2022 WASHINGTON – As Democrats close in on the biggest overhaul of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 20 years, they’re ignoring a glaring health equity issue: unequal treatment for low-income adults 65 and older in Puerto Rico. Read Mo
12/16/2021 Washington – On Thursday, a letter was sent to the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), and its ranking member, Bruce Westerman (R-AR), from a bipartisan coalition of 51 organizations advocating for Puerto Rican statehood. Read more
12/16/21 - Washington - Grupos e individuos que favorecen la anexión de Puerto Rico a Estados Unidos expresaron su respaldo a un proyecto de consenso que impulse un referéndum de status entre alternativas no territoriales y no coloniales, que afirman son la estadidad y alguna forma de independencia. Read More
04/14/2021 Washington – For the first time Wednesday, a House committee held hearings on two competing bills which could lead to statehood or independence for Puerto Rico. Read more
02/20/2021 Washington – One of the most powerful prosecutions of former US president Donald Trump last week came from Stacey Plaskett of the US Virgin Islands, the first delegate from an American territory to hold the position of impeachment manager. Read more
03/16/2021 Washington – Democrats face a structural problem in national politics: A good-sized majority of American voters support the party, but that currently translates into a tenuous hold on government. One straightforward solution—some say—is to restructure things by adding more states. Read more
10/28/2020 NEW YORK — Residents of Puerto Rico are American citizens who have no voting representation in Congress. Next week, they will vote on a referendum about whether they want to change that — and have the island become a state. Read More
03/08/2019 WASHINGTON — More than a million Puerto Ricans have already seen cuts to their food stamp checks this month, as the island continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and a severe economic crisis. Read more
04/27/2018 SAN JUAN – While on a stateside Puerto Rico advocacy tour, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló met Friday with federal government officials, such as Housing Secretary (HUD) Ben Carson, and members of Congress as part of his efforts toward the island’s recovery after Hurricane Maria. Read more
In recent weeks, Democrats have made expanding voting rights a top priority, an effort that recently failed to pass the Senate but will remain top-of-mind for congressional Democrats. Yet over the course of this discussion and public debate, the president and top federal lawmakers have completely ignored the lack of voting rights for the over 3 million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico. Read More
It is a little-known fact that over a century ago, a coalition of labor movement leaders led the charge to extend U.S. citizenship to the people of Puerto Rico. This Labor Day, we should honor the legacy of this hard-fought victory, while recognizing that the 3.2 million U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico today are still being denied full equality, democracy and voting rights over 100 years after becoming citizens of our great nation. Read more
The State Senate chamber in the Oregon Capitol is adorned with a mural depicting the moment when Oregonians first learned that Congress had voted to make Oregon the 33rd state of the United States. It is a moment that is worth remembering.
Statehood meant that Oregonians would finally have voting representation in Congress; until then, Oregon’s only voice in national affairs was a non-voting congressman. Read more
On November 3rd — after 122 years under the American flag and for the first time — the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico will be asked whether they favor statehood with a simple "YES" or "NO" question. This vote will mark a historic moment not just for Puerto Rico, but for America as a whole, made obvious by the amount of national public attention Puerto Rico statehood has received. Both Presidential candidates have addressed the topic as well as the leaders of the U.S. Senate on both sides of the aisle. Read more
The rapid growth of the Hispanic population in the United States during the last several decades, which is projected to continue increasing in the years ahead, presents significant challenges as well as huge opportunities for our country. Read more
As part of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) I work to engage Congressional, state and local officials to help create favorable conditions for minority businesses and entrepreneurs to grow and prosper. Read more
Since approximately 2006 the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has been mired in a persistent recession which has now escalated into an all-out fiscal, economic and demographic crisis of unprecedented proportions. Read more
El Nuevo Día - 7-17-19 - House Committee on Energy and Commerce approves draft legislation to provide approximately $12 billion for 5 years to address Puerto Rico Medicaid cliff. Read more
Politico - 12-17-17 The House on Monday night disclosed the details of a staggering $81 billion disaster aid package, the largest single funding request for natural calamities in U.S. history. Read more
NPR - 5-23-14 - Congress passes H.R. 1786 to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment Borinqueneers. Read more