IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1113 

To state the need for action on statehood for Puerto Rico if the status 

wins a majority of the vote on the question in the territory’s plebiscite 

on November 3. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 

Mr. SOTO (for himself, Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. CRIST, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. 

FITZPATRICK, Mr. YOUNG, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Ms. SHALALA, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. FRANKEL, Mr. LAWSON

of Florida, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Ms. WILSON of Florida, and Ms. 

CASTOR of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

To state the need for action on statehood for Puerto Rico 

if the status wins a majority of the vote on the question 

in the territory’s plebiscite on November 3. 

Whereas the United States acquired Puerto Rico through the 

Spanish-American War intending to keep the islands, but 

the Supreme Court divined that the territory had become 

a possession of the United States, meaning that it can 

become either a State or a sovereign nation and it can 

be treated differently than parts of the United States; 


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•HRES 1113 IH 

Whereas, in 1917, United States citizenship was granted to 

individuals born in Puerto Rico to permanently bind the 

territory to the Nation; 

Whereas territory status prevents the 3.1 million Americans 

of the islands from having votes in the Government that 

makes their laws (other than the vote in committee of a 

resident commissioner), a democratic deficit, which all of 

the territory’s leaders reject; 

Whereas Puerto Rico is a State for the purposes of most— 

but not all—Federal laws, but the territory and our fellow Americans there are, overall, treated worse than the 

States and their residents; 

Whereas it has been the longstanding policy of the United 

States that a vote among our citizens in the territory will 

determine whether it will ultimately become a State or a 

nation; 

Whereas Puerto Rico’s last two status plebiscites, which were 

limited to but included all of the territory’s possible future statuses, rejected the current status and chose statehood but the number of votes caused some people to 

question whether they accurately reflected the electorate; 

Whereas the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (Public Law 114–187) recognizes the 

territory’s ‘‘right to determine its future political status’’ 

through the plebiscite provided for by Public Law 113– 

76 or otherwise; 

Whereas the elected government of Puerto Rico has enacted 

a law to have a plebiscite on statehood on November 3, 

2020; 

Whereas the vote would resolve any question as to the will 

of the territory because opponents of equality within the 


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•HRES 1113 IH 

Nation for any reason—including, but not limited to, 

support of the current status or a desire for nationhood—could vote ‘‘No’’; 

Whereas we recognize the Department of Justice has issued 

an opinion and express our opposition to it on grounds 

that the plebiscite language is a simple, clear question 

and allows voters to vote for the status of their choice 

through the yes-or-no framework; 

Whereas those who favor Puerto Rico’s status as a territory 

or sovereign nation can vote ‘‘No’’ on the ballot in November; and 

Whereas Congress has the ultimate authority to admit new 

States regardless of any Department of Justice opinion 

in accordance with article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the 

Constitution: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) declares that the Congress and the Presi3 dent will have a duty to act in 2021 on the self-de4 termination choice of the people of Puerto Rico if 

5 the plebiscite chooses statehood; 

6 (2) recognizes that implementation legislation 

7 will need to include measures to phase-in the equal 

8 treatment of the territory and its residents in Fed9 eral laws; and 

10 (3) states that such measures should implement 

11 equality for Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans as expe12 ditiously as reasonably possible. 

Æ 


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