II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2304 

To recognize the right of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to call a constitutional convention through which the people of Puerto Rico would exercise 

their right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2006 

Mr. BURR (for himself, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. LOTT, and Mr. MENENDEZ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To recognize the right of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 

to call a constitutional convention through which the 

people of Puerto Rico would exercise their right to selfdetermination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Self-De5 termination Act of 2006’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) COMMONWEALTH.—The term ‘‘Common2 wealth’’ means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 

3 (2) SELF-DETERMINATION OPTION.—The term 

4 ‘‘self-determination option’’ means an option agreed 

5 to by a constitutional convention in the Common6 wealth for a new or modified Commonwealth status, 

7 statehood, or independence. 

8 (3) SELF-DETERMINATION PROPOSAL.—The 

9 term ‘‘self-determination proposal’’ means a docu10 ment submitted to Congress by a constitutional con11 vention in the Commonwealth that proposes a self12 determination option. 

13 SEC. 3. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 

14 (a) AUTHORITY.—Congress reaffirms the inherent 

15 authority of the government of the Commonwealth to call, 

16 and hereby expressly authorizes the calling of, a constitu17 tional convention through the election of delegates for the 

18 purpose of establishing a mechanism for self-determina19 tion. 

20 (b) PURPOSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.— 

21 The purpose of a constitutional convention called under 

22 subsection (a) is to propose to Congress— 

23 (1) a new or amended compact of association to 

24 replace or amend the compact established under the 

25 Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the organization 


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1 of a constitutional government by the people of 

2 Puerto Rico’’, approved July 3, 1950 (64 Stat. 319) 

3 (commonly referred to as ‘‘Public Law 600’’) and 

4 the Commonwealth constitution; 

5 (2) the admission of the Commonwealth as a 

6 State in the United States; or 

7 (3) the declaration of the Commonwealth as an 

8 independent country. 

9 SEC. 4. SELF-DETERMINATION PROPOSAL. 

10 (a) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS OF SELF-DETER11 MINATION PROPOSAL.—Upon the approval by a constitu12 tional convention in the Commonwealth of a self-deter13 mination option, the constitutional convention shall submit 

14 a self-determination proposal to Congress for approval. 

15 (b) DISPOSITION OF SELF-DETERMINATION PRO16 POSAL.— 

17 (1) REFERENDUM.—If a self-determination pro18 posal is approved by Congress with or without modi19 fications, the proposal shall be submitted to the peo20 ple of the Commonwealth for approval or rejection 

21 in a referendum. 

22 (2) ENACTMENT OF PROPOSAL.—If the people 

23 of the Commonwealth approve the self-determination 

24 proposal in a referendum held pursuant to para25 graph (1), a joint resolution of Congress shall be enVerDate Aug 31 2005 21:49 Feb 17, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2304.IS S2304

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1 acted approving the terms of the proposal and in2 cluding provisions necessary to implement the pro3 posal. 

4 (3) REJECTION OF PROPOSAL.—If a self-deter5 mination proposal is not approved by Congress pur6 suant to subsection (a) or is not approved by the 

7 people of the Commonwealth in a referendum held 

8 pursuant to paragraph (1), the Government of the 

9 Commonwealth should call for a new constitutional 

10 convention, including an election by the people of the 

11 Commonwealth of new delegates to the convention, 

12 for the purpose of formulating and submitting to 

13 Congress a new self-determination proposal. 

14 SEC. 5. CONVENTION IN CONTINUOUS SESSION. 

15 A constitutional convention held pursuant to this Act 

16 may remain in session until a self-determination proposal 

17 is approved in a referendum by the people of the Common18 wealth and enacted by a joint resolution of Congress. 

Æ 


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