Statehood becomes growing possibility

Range of benefits could help island climb out of its economic crisis

Advocates for making the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico the 51st US state say its economic woes are strengthening their arguments.

With unemployment at 12 percent, and the public debt reaching $72 billion, Puerto Rico's municipalities and public utilities would no longer be prohibited from restructuring their debts through bankruptcy if it was a state. It would also receive more federal funding, which other states already get.