Obama Open to Puerto Rican Statehood

President Obama is open to the idea of Puerto Rico becoming a state, Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli said at a meeting of a task force devoted to issues related to the U.S. commonwealth.

"The president strongly believes that the status question is a significant one" Perrelli said at this week's meeting of the President's Puerto Rico Task Force. "He also believes that Puerto Rico's status must be based on self-determination by the people of Puerto Rico. And we on the task force are here with open minds on this issue."

Perrelli co-chairs the task force and attended on behalf of the administration.

Last month, the House passed legislation that would allow Puerto Ricans to decide whether the island should remain a commonwealth. The measure still needs to be debated in the Senate.