By BOB KAPPSTATTER
South Bronx Congressman Jose Serrano, who represents a major portion of the Hispanic population in the borough came away happy with two particular results of Tuesday’s national election.
Serrano said the elections results “show that Americans want to continue to move forward on many different issues. They were asking to continue to move the economy in the positive direction that it has been moving for the past 31 months, and asking for progress on other issues.”
Two key issues that the South Bronx representative said impressed him were immigration reform and the statehood referendum issue for Puerto Rico.
“I believe that there was a clear mandate for comprehensive immigration reform. Any party that stands in the way will continue to suffer the electoral consequences, as the pro-immigrant voting bloc continues to expand and flex its muscle at the voting booths,” he said. “We cannot put the dreams and aspirations of a whole community on hold for any longer. The time has come to move forward on this important issue.
He said he was also “particularly impressed with the outcome of the ‘status’ referendum in Puerto Rico.
“A majority of those voting signaled the desire to change the current territorial status. In a second question an even larger majority asked to become a state.
“This is an earthquake in Puerto Rican politics. It will demand the attention of Congress, and a definitive answer to the Puerto Rican request for change. This is a history-making moment where voters asked to move forward,” he said.
“Yet again our citizens have shown that they are the true leaders in this nation. They have shown us the direction that they want the country to move. Now those of us who have been honored to hold public office have the responsibility to carry that out,” said Serrano. “We will continue to move the nation forward. That’s what Americans voted for yesterday.”
