Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said there has been a “loud diversity” of positions about Puerto Rico’s political status among those in Connecticut’s Puerto Rican community. But he believes the island should decide its future and whether it is recognized differently than a U.S. territory.

Murphy and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., helped announce legislation on Wednesday that would pave the way for Puerto Rico to determine its own status through a binding referendum held in November 2025. Residents would be given the choice to vote on either statehood, independence or sovereignty of free association with the U.S.

“Many want to continue the relationship, some want independence, and many want statehood. There’s never been a consensus view here in Connecticut’s Puerto Rican community, but I’ve heard widespread support for this measure,” Murphy said in an interview.

“Even though people in Connecticut may differ on commonwealth or statehood status, most agree that the current uncertainty is not sustainable, and a long term decision needs to be made,” he added. Both Murphy and Blumenthal argued that Puerto Rico’s current territorial status provides less help and resources to the island, particularly when it comes to disaster relief. They noted that Puerto Rico did not have power for months after Hurricane Maria, which they believe would not have happened if the island were a state.

“If Puerto Rico were a state, there’s no way that a president would be tossing towels instead of providing real relief to the people of Puerto Rico in the wake of natural disasters,” Blumenthal said, referring to when then-President Donald Trump visited the island to survey the damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and threw paper towel rolls into a crowd of survivors. The uncertainty surrounding Puerto Rico’s status creates “political and real life consequences,” Murphy said, for both the island and his constituents in Connecticut of Puerto Rican descent.

More than 298,000 Puerto Ricans live in Connecticut and make up almost half of the Hispanic population in the state. Blumenthal said Connecticut has been the “beneficiary” of Puerto Ricans coming to the state following natural disasters and hurricanes. The Puerto Rico Status Act previously passed in the House last December with support from all Democrats and 16 Republicans. But it did not receive a vote in the Senate before the end of the last session of Congress. The latest push in the Senate has 21 co-sponsors.