Pedro Pierluisi

Pedro Pierluisi, a member of Puerto Rico's Partido Nuevo Progresista, represents the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as the territory's Resident Commissioner in the United States House of Representatives.

Puerto Rican Statehood
Pierluisi is pro-statehood for Puerto Rico. He has said he will work to get Congress to pass a bill to create a referendum in Puerto Rico on the question of whether Puerto Ricans would prefer to keep their political status the way it is or would prefer to change it. He says his primary goal is to get 'state-like' treatment for Puerto Rico in federal programs.

Economy
He says he will encourage growth in the private sector by reducing taxes on the working class and on corporations. He supports the National Enterprise Zones Bill, which will provide disadvantaged areas with additional incentives for economic development.

Bio
Pedro Pierluisi earned a J.D. at the George Washington University law school and was an aide in Washington to former Resident Commissioner Baltasar Corrada del Rio, who represented Puerto Rico in the 1980s. He was also Secretary of Justice for Puerto Rico from 1993 to 1996.

2008 elections
Pierluisi, of the Partido Nuevo Progresista, won in the general election to replace incumbent Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuno, who was running for Governor in 2008.

Money in Politics
cid=N00029168&cycle=2008

External resources

 * Green Papers: Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Candidates
 * Official Pierluisi for Resident Commissioner campaign website