IIB 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2499 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 30, 2010 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination 

process for the people of Puerto Rico. 

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

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Democ3 racy Act of 2010’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO 

5 RICO’S SELF-DETERMINATION. 

6 (a) FIRST PLEBISCITE.—The Government of Puerto 

7 Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico. 

8 The 2 options set forth on the ballot shall be preceded 

9 by the following statement: ‘‘Instructions: Mark one of the 

10 following 2 options: 

11 ‘‘(1) Puerto Rico should continue to have its 

12 present form of political status. If you agree, mark 

13 here ll. 

14 ‘‘(2) Puerto Rico should have a different polit15 ical status. If you agree, mark here ll.’’. 

16 (b) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE

17 FAVORS OPTION 1.—If a majority of the ballots in the 

18 plebiscite are cast in favor of Option 1, the Government 

19 of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct additional plebi20 scites under subsection (a) at intervals of every 8 years 

21 from the date that the results of the prior plebiscite are 

22 certified under section 3(d). 

23 (c) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE

24 FAVORS OPTION 2.—If a majority of the ballots in a plebi25 scite conducted pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) are cast 

26 in favor of Option 2, the Government of Puerto Rico is 

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1 authorized to conduct a plebiscite on the following 4 op2 tions: 

3 (1) Independence: Puerto Rico should become 

4 fully independent from the United States. If you 

5 agree, mark here ll. 

6 (2) Sovereignty in Association with the United 

7 States: Puerto Rico and the United States should 

8 form a political association between sovereign na9 tions that will not be subject to the Territorial 

10 Clause of the United States Constitution. If you 

11 agree, mark here ll. 

12 (3) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted 

13 as a State of the Union. If you agree, mark here 

14 ll. 

15 (4) Commonwealth: Puerto Rico should con16 tinue to have its present form of political status. If 

17 you agree, mark here lll. 

18 SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LAWS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 

19 (a) APPLICABLE LAWS.—All Federal laws applicable 

20 to the election of the Resident Commissioner shall, as ap21 propriate and consistent with this Act, also apply to any 

22 plebiscites held pursuant to this Act. Any reference in 

23 such Federal laws to elections shall be considered, as ap24 propriate, to be a reference to the plebiscites, unless it 

25 would frustrate the purposes of this Act. 

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1 (b) RULES AND REGULATIONS.—The Puerto Rico 

2 State Elections Commission shall issue all rules and regu3 lations necessary to carry out the plebiscites under this 

4 Act. 

5 (c) ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE.—Each of the following 

6 shall be eligible to vote in any plebiscite held under this 

7 Act: 

8 (1) All eligible voters under the electoral laws in 

9 effect in Puerto Rico at the time the plebiscite is 

10 held. 

11 (2) All United States citizens born in Puerto 

12 Rico who comply, to the satisfaction of the Puerto 

13 Rico State Elections Commission, with all Commis14 sion requirements (other than the residency require15 ment) applicable to eligibility to vote in a general 

16 election in Puerto Rico. Persons eligible to vote 

17 under this subsection shall, upon timely request sub18 mitted to the Commission in compliance with any 

19 terms imposed by the Electoral Law of Puerto Rico, 

20 be entitled to receive an absentee ballot for the plebi21 scite. 

22 (d) CERTIFICATION OF PLEBISCITE RESULTS.—The 

23 Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall certify the 

24 results of any plebiscite held under this Act to the Presimstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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1 dent of the United States and to the Members of the Sen2 ate and House of Representatives of the United States. 

3 (e) ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS.—The 

4 Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall— 

5 (1) ensure that all ballots used for any plebi6 scite held under this Act include the full content of 

7 the ballot printed in English; 

8 (2) inform persons voting in any plebiscite held 

9 under this Act that, if Puerto Rico retains its cur10 rent political status or is admitted as a State of the 

11 United States, the official language requirements of 

12 the Federal Government shall apply to Puerto Rico 

13 in the same manner and to the same extent as 

14 throughout the United States; and 

15 (3) inform persons voting in any plebiscite held 

16 under this Act that, if Puerto Rico retains its cur17 rent political status or is admitted as a State of the 

18 United States, it is the Sense of Congress that it is 

19 in the best interest of the United States for the 

20 teaching of English to be promoted in Puerto Rico 

21 as the language of opportunity and empowerment in 

22 the United States in order to enable students in 

23 public schools to achieve English language pro24 ficiency. 

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1 (f) PLEBISCITE COSTS.—All costs associated with 

2 any plebiscite held under this Act (including the printing, 

3 distribution, transportation, collection, and counting of all 

4 ballots) shall be paid for by the Commonwealth of Puerto 

5 Rico. 

Passed the House of Representatives April 29, 2010. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 

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