I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2499 

To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process for the people 

of Puerto Rico. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 19, 2009 

Mr. PIERLUISI (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ARCURI, Mr. BAIRD, Ms. 

BERKLEY, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. BOUSTANY, Ms. CORRINE

BROWN of Florida, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. CASTLE, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. 

CONNOLLY of Virginia, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COSTA, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. 

DELAHUNT, Mr. DENT, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. 

MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 

FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FARR, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FLAKE, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. 

GERLACH, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. HARE, Mr. 

HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HOYER, Ms. 

JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 

KENNEDY, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Mr. KLEIN of 

Florida, Mr. KRATOVIL, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MACK, Mr. MAFFEI, Ms. 

MARKEY of Colorado, Mr. MASSA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. 

MICA, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 

OLVER, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. PENCE, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. POLIS of Colorado, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Ms. ROSLEHTINEN, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. SALAZAR, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. SHULER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. STARK, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. TONKO, Mr. WALZ, Ms. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. WATSON, Mr. WATT, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. 

WESTMORELAND, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. WU, 

Mr. YARMUTH, and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 


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•HR 2499 IH

A BILL 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Democ5 racy Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO 

7 RICO’S SELF-DETERMINATION. 

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

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

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

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

12 following 2 options: 

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

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

15 here ll. 

16 ‘‘(2) Puerto Rico should have a different polit17 ical status. If you agree, mark here ll.’’. 

18 (b) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE

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

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

21 of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct additional plebi22 scites under subsection (a) at intervals of every 8 years 


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•HR 2499 IH

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

2 certified under section 3(d). 

3 (c) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE

4 FAVORS OPTION 2.—If a majority of the ballots in a plebi5 scite conducted pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) are cast 

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

7 authorized to conduct a plebiscite on the following 3 op8 tions: 

9 (1) Independence: Puerto Rico should become 

10 fully independent from the United States. If you 

11 agree, mark here ll. 

12 (2) Sovereignty in Association with the United 

13 States: Puerto Rico and the United States should 

14 form a political association between sovereign na15 tions that will not be subject to the Territorial 

16 Clause of the United States Constitution. If you 

17 agree, mark here ll. 

18 (3) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted 

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

20 ll. 

21 SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LAWS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 

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

23 to the election of the Resident Commissioner shall, as ap24 propriate and consistent with this Act, also apply to any 

25 plebiscites held pursuant to this Act. Any reference in 


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1 such Federal laws to elections shall be considered, as ap2 propriate, to be a reference to the plebiscites, unless it 

3 would frustrate the purposes of this Act. 

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

5 State Elections Commission shall issue all rules and regu6 lations necessary to carry out the plebiscites under this 

7 Act. 

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

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

10 Act: 

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

12 effect in Puerto Rico at the time the plebiscite is 

13 held. 

14 (2) All United States citizens born in Puerto 

15 Rico who comply, to the satisfaction of the Puerto 

16 Rico State Elections Commission, with all Commis17 sion requirements (other than the residency require18 ment) applicable to eligibility to vote in a general 

19 election in Puerto Rico. Persons eligible to vote 

20 under this subsection shall, upon timely request sub21 mitted to the Commission in compliance with any 

22 terms imposed by the Electoral Law of Puerto Rico, 

23 be entitled to receive an absentee ballot for the plebi24 scite. 


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1 (d) CERTIFICATION OF PLEBISCITE RESULTS.—The 

2 Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall certify the 

3 results of any plebiscite held under this Act to the Presi4 dent of the United States and to the Members of the Sen5 ate and House of Representatives of the United States. 

Æ 


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