Congresswoman Ramirez Urges Congress to Act for Food Sovereignty in Puerto Rico

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) took to the House Floor to amplify the Puerto Rican communities’ call for Congress to invest in pathways for food sovereignty in Puerto Rico. Ramirez is joining the voices of other Puerto Rican leaders in the archipelago and her district, like the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, to ensure federal funding is strategically directed towards agriculture development programs. 

“The lack of food sovereignty in Puerto Rico is a policy choice that threatens lives and livelihoods,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “This body has the responsibility to act now on supporting food sovereignty in Puerto Rico. We can start today by using every legislative tool at our disposal through the upcoming Farm Bill.”

Full remarks video available here. 

BACKGROUND

Illinois 3rd Congressional District includes the neighborhood of Humboldt Park, which is home to the largest Puerto Rican population in the city of Chicago and is considered the center of Puerto Rican culture throughout the Midwest. In December 2022, before being sworn in, Congresswoman Ramirez visited Puerto Rico with the Puerto Rico Cultural Center and other Puerto Rican leaders from her district to better understand the issues affecting the communities in Puerto Rico and its connection to the Puerto Rican diaspora in IL-03.