Puerto Rico Seeks to Be State by 2025

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Jenniffer Gonzalez, the representative to the U.S. Congress, filed a bill on Wednesday which could make the island the 51st state by 2025. The bill includes a referendum that would allow Puerto Ricans to determine if they want independence or want statehood. It is also intended to assist in an economic crisis on the island, as Puerto Rico would receive around $10 billion in additional federal funds per year if it became a state. "The territorial status has contributed to the economic crisis," Gonzalez said. "We don't get assigned the same resources."