President Biden has gone on record favoring statehood, unlike his predecessor who slow-walked federal aid to the territory in the wake of Hurricanes Maria and Irma.
He said he attended President Biden’s inauguration to make sure the administration and Congress wouldn’t forget about the island.
Puerto Rico sent about 200 National Guard troops to Washington to protect the U.S. Capitol for Mr. Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration after the Jan. 6 riot by supporters of President Trump.
Mr. Pierluisi said the deployment is one more example of why the territory deserves statehood.
“The service of one of our soldiers is the clearest proof that we deserve Equality,” he tweeted. “That is why our people voted for statehood. We will fight for it until we achieve it.”