IB 
Union Calendar No. 462 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8393 
[Report No. 117–642] 
To enable the people of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, nonterritorial, 
fully self-governing political status for Puerto Rico and to provide for 
a transition to and the implementation of that permanent, nonterritorial, 
fully self-governing political status, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 15, 2022 
Mr. GRIJALVA (for himself, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N, Mr. 
SOTO, and Mr. HOYER) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources 
DECEMBER 14, 2022 
Additional sponsors: Mr. SAN NICOLAS, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. PORTER, Mr. 
GALLEGO, Ms. SALAZAR, Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr. 
SABLAN, Mr. TONKO, Mr. UPTON, Mr. KATKO, Mr. BACON, Mr. 
HUFFMAN, Mr. MCEACHIN, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, 
Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CASE, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. CAS-
TOR of Florida, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RUSH, Mr. NEAL, Ms. ESCOBAR, Ms. 
ESHOO, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. TRONE, 
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. CARSON, Mr. THOMPSON of California, 
Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. DOGGETT, 
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. POSEY, Ms. WILD, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. 
GARBARINO, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. SWALWELL, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CARTER 
of Louisiana, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. NADLER, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. KAP-
TUR, Mr. LIEU, Mrs. TORRES of California, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. 
JACKSON LEE, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. SCANLON, and Mr. MOULTON 
DECEMBER 14, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 15, 2022] 
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A BILL 
To enable the people of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, 
nonterritorial, fully self-governing political status for 
Puerto Rico and to provide for a transition to and the 
implementation of that permanent, nonterritorial, fully 
self-governing political status, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Status Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. Findings. 
Sec. 4. Definitions. 
Sec. 5. Plebiscite. 
Sec. 6. Nonpartisan voter education campaign. 
Sec. 7. Oversight. 
Sec. 8. Funds for voter education; plebiscites. 
Sec. 9. Bilingual voter educational materials and ballots. 
Sec. 10. Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act. 
Sec. 11. Severability. 
TITLE I—TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION — INDEPENDENCE 
Sec. 101. Constitutional convention. 
Sec. 102. Character of the constitution. 
Sec. 103. Submission; ratification. 
Sec. 104. Election of officers. 
Sec. 105. Conforming amendments to existing law. 
Sec. 106. Joint Transition Commission. 
Sec. 107. Proclamations by President of the United States; Head of State of Puer-
to Rico. 
Sec. 108. Legal and constitutional provisions. 
Sec. 109. Judicial pronouncements. 
Sec. 110. Citizenship and immigration laws after Puerto Rican independence. 
Sec. 111. Individual rights to economic benefits and grants. 
TITLE II—TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION — SOVEREIGNTY IN 
FREE ASSOCIATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 
Sec. 201. Constitutional convention. 
Sec. 202. Character of the constitution. 
Sec. 203. Submission; ratification. 
Sec. 204. Election of officers. 
Sec. 205. Proclamations by President of the United States; Head of State of Puer-
to Rico. 
Sec. 206. Legal and constitutional provisions. 
Sec. 207. Judicial pronouncements. 
Sec. 208. Citizenship and immigration laws after sovereignty through free asso-
ciation. 
Sec. 209. Conforming amendments to existing law. 
Sec. 210. Bilateral Negotiating Commission. 
Sec. 211. Articles of Free Association approval and effective date. 
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Sec. 212. Termination. 
Sec. 213. Individual rights to economic benefits and grants. 
TITLE III—TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION — STATEHOOD 
Sec. 301. Presidential proclamation; Admission into the Union. 
Sec. 302. Conforming amendments to existing law. 
Sec. 303. Territory and boundaries. 
Sec. 304. Constitution. 
Sec. 305. Elections of Senators and Representatives, certification, and legal dis-
putes. 
Sec. 306. State title to land and property. 
Sec. 307. Continuity of laws, government, and obligations. 
Sec. 308. Judicial pronouncements. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
In recognition of the inherent limitations of Puerto 
Rico’s territorial status, and the responsibility of the Fed-
eral Government to enable the people of the territory to free-
ly express their wishes regarding political status and 
achieve full self-government, Congress seeks to enable the eli-
gible voters of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, non-terri-
torial, fully self-governing political status for Puerto Rico 
and to provide for a transition to and the implementation 
of said permanent, nonterritorial, fully self-governing sta-
tus. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BILATERAL NEGOTIATING COMMISSION.—The 
term ‘‘Bilateral Negotiating Commission’’ means the 
Bilateral Negotiating Commission established under 
section 209(a). 
(2) ELECTIONS COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Elec-
tions Commission’’ means the Puerto Rico State Elec-
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tions Commission (Comisio´n Estatal de Elecciones de 
Puerto Rico, in Spanish). 
(3) ELIGIBLE VOTERS.—The term ‘‘eligible vot-
ers’’ means bona fide residents of Puerto Rico who are 
otherwise qualified to vote in general elections in 
Puerto Rico. 
(4) INITIAL
PLEBISCITE.—The term ‘‘initial 
plebiscite’’ means the plebiscite required by section 
5(a)(1). 
(5) MAJORITY.—The term ‘‘majority’’ means 
more than 50 percent. 
(6) RUNOFF
PLEBISCITE.—The term ‘‘runoff 
plebiscite’’ means the plebiscite required by section 
5(a)(4). 
SEC. 5. PLEBISCITE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) INITIAL PLEBISCITE.—A plebiscite to resolve 
Puerto Rico’s political status shall be held on Novem-
ber 5, 2023. 
(2) OPTIONS.—The plebiscite held under para-
graph (1) shall offer eligible voters a choice of one of 
the three options which shall be presented on the bal-
lot as follows: 
(A) Independence. 
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(B) Sovereignty in Free Association with 
the United States. 
(C) Statehood. 
(3) MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED.—Approval of a 
status option must be by a majority of the valid votes 
cast. 
(4) RUNOFF PLEBISCITE.—If there is not a ma-
jority in favor of one of the three options defined in 
this Act, then a runoff plebiscite shall be held on 
March 3, 2024, which shall offer eligible voters a 
choice of the two options that received the most votes 
in the plebiscite held under paragraph (1). 
(b) BALLOT LANGUAGE.—A ballot for a plebiscite re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include the following lan-
guage, except that the ballot for the runoff plebiscite shall 
omit the option that received the fewest votes in the initial 
plebiscite: 
(1) INSTRUCTIONS.—Mark the status option you 
choose as each is defined below. A ballot with more 
than 1 option marked will not be counted. A ballot 
with no option marked will not be counted. 
(2) INDEPENDENCE.—If you agree, mark here 
llll. 
(A) Puerto Rico is a sovereign nation that 
has full authority and responsibility over its ter-
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ritory and population under a constitution of its 
own adoption which shall be the supreme law of 
the nation. 
(B) Puerto Rico is vested with full powers 
and responsibilities consistent with the rights 
and responsibilities that devolve upon a sov-
ereign nation under international law, including 
its own fiscal and monetary policy, immigra-
tion, trade, and the conduct in its own name 
and right of relations with other nations and 
international organizations. 
(C) Puerto Rico has full authority and re-
sponsibility over its citizenship and immigration 
laws, and birth in Puerto Rico or relationship to 
persons with statutory United States citizenship 
by birth in the former territory shall cease to be 
a basis for United States nationality or citizen-
ship, except that persons who have such United 
States citizenship have a right to retain United 
States nationality and citizenship for life, by en-
titlement or election as provided by Federal law. 
(D) Puerto Rico will no longer be a posses-
sion of the United States for purposes of the In-
ternal Revenue Code. In general, United States 
citizens and United States businesses in the na-
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tion of Puerto Rico will be subject to United 
States Federal tax laws (as is the case with any 
other United States citizen or United States 
business abroad) and to Puerto Rican tax laws. 
Puerto Rico’s status as an independent, sov-
ereign nation will be the controlling factor in the 
taxation of Puerto Rican taxpayers. 
(E) The Constitution and laws of the 
United States no longer apply in Puerto Rico 
and United States sovereignty in Puerto Rico is 
ended. 
(3) SOVEREIGNTY IN FREE ASSOCIATION WITH 
THE
UNITED
STATES.—If you agree, mark here 
lll. 
(A) Puerto Rico is a sovereign nation that 
has full authority and responsibility over its ter-
ritory and population under a constitution of its 
own adoption which shall be the supreme law of 
the nation. 
(B) Puerto Rico is vested with full powers 
and responsibilities consistent with the rights 
and responsibilities that devolve upon a sov-
ereign nation under international law, including 
its own fiscal and monetary policy, immigra-
tion, trade, and the conduct in its own name 
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and right of relations with other nations and 
international organizations, except as otherwise 
provided for in the Articles of Free Association 
to be negotiated by Puerto Rico and the United 
States. 
(C) Puerto Rico has full authority and re-
sponsibility over its citizenship and immigration 
laws, and persons who have United States citi-
zenship have a right to retain United States na-
tionality and citizenship for life by entitlement 
or election as provided by Federal law. 
(D) Birth in Puerto Rico shall cease to be 
a basis for United States nationality or citizen-
ship. Individuals born in Puerto Rico to parents 
both of whom are United States citizens shall be 
United States citizens at birth, consistent with 
the immigration laws of the United States, for 
the duration of the first agreement of the Articles 
of Free Association. 
(E) Puerto Rico enters into Articles of Free 
Association with the United States, with such 
devolution and reservation of governmental func-
tions and other bilateral arrangements as may 
be agreed to by both Parties under the Articles, 
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which shall be terminable at will by either the 
United States or Puerto Rico at any time. 
(F) Puerto Rico will no longer be a posses-
sion of the United States for purposes of the In-
ternal Revenue Code. In general, United States 
citizens and United States businesses in the na-
tion of Puerto Rico will be subject to United 
States Federal tax laws (as is the case with any 
other United States citizen or United States 
business abroad) and to Puerto Rican tax laws. 
Puerto Rico’s status as an independent, sov-
ereign nation will be the controlling factor in the 
taxation of Puerto Rican taxpayers. In addition, 
Puerto Rico will enter into an agreement with 
the United States to provide for ‘‘Sovereignty in 
Free Association’’ between the two nations. This 
agreement may modify the otherwise applicable 
tax rules, subject to negotiation and ratification 
by the two nations. 
(G) The Constitution of the United States 
no longer applies in Puerto Rico, the laws of the 
United States no longer apply in Puerto Rico 
except as otherwise provided in the Articles of 
Free Association, and United States sovereignty 
in Puerto Rico is ended. 
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(H) All matters pertaining to the govern-
ment-to-government relationship between Puerto 
Rico and the United States, which may include 
foreign affairs, trade, finance, taxation, cur-
rency, economic assistance, security and defense, 
dispute resolution and termination, shall be pro-
vided for in the Articles of Free Association. 
(4) STATEHOOD.—If you agree, mark here 
llll. 
(A) The State of Puerto Rico is admitted 
into the Union on an equal footing with the 
other States in all respects whatever and is a 
part of the permanent union of the United States 
of America, subject to the United States Con-
stitution, with powers not prohibited by the Con-
stitution to the States and reserved to the State 
of Puerto Rico or to its residents. 
(B) The residents of Puerto Rico are fully 
self-governing with their rights secured under the 
United States Constitution, which shall be fully 
applicable in Puerto Rico and which, with the 
laws and treaties of the United States, is the su-
preme law and has the same force and effect in 
Puerto Rico as in the other States of the Union. 
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(C) United States citizenship of those born 
in Puerto Rico is recognized, protected, and se-
cured under the United States Constitution in 
the same way such citizenship is for all United 
States citizens born in the other States. 
(D) Puerto Rico will no longer be a posses-
sion of the United States for purposes of the In-
ternal Revenue Code. Instead, the State of Puerto 
Rico will become a State on equal footing with 
each of the current 50 States in the United 
States of America. Individuals and businesses 
resident in the State of Puerto Rico will be sub-
ject to United States Federal tax laws as well as 
applicable State tax laws. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLEBISCITE.—The plebiscites 
authorized by this section shall be implemented by the Elec-
tions Commission, consistent with the laws of Puerto Rico 
and Federal law. 
(d) RESULTS.—The Elections Commission shall in-
form the President of the United States, the President pro 
tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
United States House of Representatives, the Senate Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the House 
Committee on Natural Resources of— 
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(1) the results of the initial plebiscite not later 
than 30 calendar days after the initial plebiscite is 
held; and 
(2) the results of the runoff plebiscite, if held, not 
later than 30 calendar days after the runoff plebiscite 
is held. 
(e) JURISDICTION OF DISTRICT COURT.—The United 
States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico shall 
have original and exclusive jurisdiction of any civil action 
alleging a dispute or controversy pertaining to electoral 
processes conducted under this section. 
SEC. 6. NONPARTISAN VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Elections Commission shall 
carry out a nonpartisan voter education campaign through 
traditional paid media and make available at all voting 
locations voter education materials related to the plebiscites 
authorized under this Act consistent with Department of 
Justice approval under section 7. 
(b) VOTER EDUCATION MATERIALS.—At a minimum, 
the voter education materials shall address for each op-
tion— 
(1) international representation; 
(2) citizenship and immigration; and 
(3) access and treatment under Federal law and 
programs. 
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SEC. 7. OVERSIGHT. 
(a) SUBMISSION OF MATERIALS.—Not later than 60 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Elec-
tions Commission shall submit the ballot design and voter 
education materials for the plebiscites authorized under this 
Act to the United States Attorney General for review and 
the Elections Commission shall make not more than one 
submission of the ballot design and voter education mate-
rials to the Attorney General for review. 
(b) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO COMPLY.—If the Attorney 
General fails to comply with subsection (c) within the 45- 
day period, the ballot design and voter education materials 
shall be considered approved. 
(c) REVIEW.—Not later than 45 days after receiving 
the ballot design and voter education materials under sub-
section (a), the Attorney General shall review the ballot de-
sign and voter education materials to ensure consistency 
with this Act and to ensure that the three options defined 
in this Act are represented fairly, especially in the event 
that any of the three options are not represented on the 
Elections Commission by a member of a political party that 
supports such option, and— 
(1) return the materials to the Elections Com-
mission with comments and instructions for changes; 
or 
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(2) before the expiration of the 45-day period, in-
form the Elections Commission that no instructions 
or requests for changes shall be made under para-
graph (1), but that the Attorney General reserves the 
right to submit instructions for changes in accordance 
with this section if additional information comes to 
the attention of the Attorney General during the re-
mainder of the 45-day period. 
(d) REVISION.—Not later than 45 days after receiving 
comments and instructions for changes from the Attorney 
General under subsection (c), the Elections Commission 
shall revise the ballot design and voter education materials 
as requested by the Attorney General. 
SEC. 8. FUNDS FOR VOTER EDUCATION; PLEBISCITES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
for the Elections Commission to carry out a nonpartisan 
voter education campaign and an initial plebiscite and, if 
necessary, a runoff plebiscite under this Act. 
(b) EXISTING FUNDS.—Notwithstanding any provi-
sion of Public Law 113–76, funds made available under 
such Act to carry out a plebiscite on Puerto Rico’s status 
shall be made available to carry out this Act. 
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SEC. 9. BILINGUAL VOTER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND 
BALLOTS. 
All voter educational materials and ballots used to 
carry out this Act shall be made available in English and 
Spanish. 
SEC. 10. PUERTO RICO OVERSIGHT, MANAGEMENT, AND 
ECONOMIC STABILITY ACT. 
Upon the admission of the State of Puerto Rico into 
the Union or on the date that the Government of the nation 
of Puerto Rico initially takes office: 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Puerto Rico Oversight, 
Management, and Economic Stability Act (48 U.S.C. 
2101 et seq.) shall no longer apply to the State of 
Puerto Rico or the nation of Puerto Rico, as the case 
may be. 
(2) OVERSIGHT
BOARD.—The Financial Over-
sight and Management Board for Puerto Rico estab-
lished under section 101(b)(1) of the Puerto Rico 
Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act 
(48 U.S.C. 2121(b)(1)) is terminated and all duties 
and responsibilities assigned to the Oversight Board 
shall return to the State of Puerto Rico or the nation 
of Puerto Rico, as the case may be. 
(3) TRANSFER.—All funds, property, and assets 
of the board described in subparagraph (B) shall be 
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transferred to the State of Puerto Rico or the nation 
of Puerto Rico, as the case may be. 
SEC. 11. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act, or any section, subsection, 
sentence, clause, phrase, or individual word, or the applica-
tion thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid 
by a court of jurisdiction, the validity of the remainder of 
the Act and of the application of any such provision, sec-
tion, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or individual 
word to other persons and circumstances shall not be af-
fected thereby. 
TITLE I—TRANSITION AND IM-
PLEMENTATION — INDEPEND-
ENCE 
SEC. 101. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 
(a) ELECTION OF DELEGATES.— Not later than 6 
months after the effective date of certification of a plebiscite 
result under this Act in favor of independence, the legisla-
ture of Puerto Rico shall provide for the election of delegates 
to a constitutional Convention to formulate and draft a 
Constitution for the nation of Puerto Rico. 
(b) ELIGIBLE VOTERS.—All eligible voters may vote 
in the election of delegates to the constitutional Convention. 
(c) GENERAL APPLICABILITY OF ELECTORAL LAW.— 
The laws of the territory of Puerto Rico relating to the elec-
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toral process shall apply to a special election held under 
this Act. 
(d) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 3 months after 
the election of delegates to the constitutional Convention, 
the elected delegates shall meet at such time and place as 
the legislature of Puerto Rico shall determine. The initial 
meeting shall constitute the establishment of the constitu-
tional Convention. 
SEC. 102. CHARACTER OF THE CONSTITUTION. 
The constitutional Convention under section 101 shall 
formulate and draft a Constitution for Puerto Rico that 
guarantees the protection of fundamental human rights, in-
cluding— 
(1) due process and equal protection under the 
law; 
(2) freedom of speech, press, assembly, associa-
tion, and religion; 
(3) the rights of the accused; 
(4) any other economic, social, and cultural 
rights as the constitutional Convention may deem ap-
propriate and necessary; and 
(5) provisions to ensure that no individual born 
in the nation of Puerto Rico shall be stateless at 
birth. 
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SEC. 103. SUBMISSION; RATIFICATION. 
(a) SUBMISSION.—Not later than one year after the 
establishment of the constitutional Convention, the Con-
stitution formulated and drafted by the constitutional Con-
vention shall be submitted to the eligible voters of Puerto 
Rico for ratification or rejection in a special election. 
(b) MANNER OF ELECTION.—The special election held 
under this subsection shall be held in the manner prescribed 
by the legislature of Puerto Rico. 
SEC. 104. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one month after the 
ratification of the Constitution under section 103, the Gov-
ernor of the territory of Puerto Rico shall issue a proclama-
tion calling for the election of such officers of the nation 
of Puerto Rico as may be required by the ratified Constitu-
tion. 
(b) REJECTION.—If the special election results in rejec-
tion of the Constitution, the process provided for in sections 
101 through 103 shall be repeated, except that section 
101(a) shall be applied by substituting— 
(1) ‘‘the special election’’ for ‘‘a plebiscite’’; and 
(2) ‘‘rejecting of the Constitution’’ for ‘‘in favor 
of independence’’. 
(c) DEADLINE; PROCEDURES.—The election under 
subsection (a) shall be held— 
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(1) not later than 6 months after the date of 
ratification of the Constitution; and 
(2) in accordance with the procedures and re-
quirements established in the Constitution of the na-
tion of Puerto Rico. 
(d) CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS.—Not later than 10 
days after the election of officers under subsection (a), the 
Elections Commission shall certify the results of the elec-
tion. The Governor of the territory of Puerto Rico shall in-
form the results of the election to the President of the United 
States, the President pro tempore of the United States Sen-
ate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representa-
tives, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 105. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LAW. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 30 days after the initial 
meeting of a constitutional Convention under section 
101(d), the President shall initiate a review of Federal law 
with respect to Puerto Rico, including those regarding— 
(1) taxation of persons and businesses; 
(2) health care; 
(3) housing; 
(4) transportation; 
(5) education; and 
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(6) entitlement programs. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than one year 
after the date on which the President initiates a review 
under subsection (a), the President shall submit rec-
ommendations to Congress for changes to Federal law iden-
tified during such review, as the President deems appro-
priate. 
SEC. 106. JOINT TRANSITION COMMISSION. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 3 months after the 
establishment of a constitutional Convention under section 
101(d), a Joint Transition Commission shall be appointed 
in equal numbers by the President of the United States and 
the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention of 
Puerto Rico. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Joint Transition Commission shall 
be responsible for expediting the orderly transfer of all func-
tions currently exercised by the Federal Government in 
Puerto Rico, or in relation to Puerto Rico to the nation 
of Puerto Rico, and shall recommend to Congress any ap-
propriate legislation to carry out such transfer. 
(c) COLLABORATION.—The Government of the territory 
of Puerto Rico and the agencies of the Government of the 
United States shall collaborate with the Joint Transition 
Commission and subsequently the officers of the nation of 
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Puerto Rico, to provide for the orderly transfer of the func-
tions under subsection (b). 
SEC. 107. PROCLAMATIONS BY PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES; HEAD OF STATE OF PUERTO RICO. 
(a) PROCLAMATION.—Not later than one month after 
the official certification of the elected officers of the nation 
of Puerto Rico under section 104(d), the President of the 
United States shall by proclamation— 
(1) withdraw and surrender all rights of posses-
sion, supervision, jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty 
then existing and exercised by the United States over 
the territory and residents of Puerto Rico; 
(2) recognize, on behalf of the United States of 
America, the independence of the nation of Puerto 
Rico and the authority of the government instituted 
by eligible voters of Puerto Rico under the Constitu-
tion of their own adoption; and 
(3) state that the effective date of withdrawal of 
the sovereignty of the United States and recognition 
of independence shall be the same as the date of the 
proclamation. 
(b) COPY
OF
PROCLAMATION
FORWARDED.—The 
President of the United States shall forward a copy of the 
proclamation issued under subsection (a) not later than one 
week after signature to the presiding officer of the Constitu-
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tional Convention of Puerto Rico, the officer elected as head 
of state of the nation, the President pro tempore of the 
United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
House of Representatives, the Senate Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources, and the House Committee on Nat-
ural Resources. 
(c) DATE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE OFFICE.—Not later 
than one week after the date of receipt of the Presidential 
proclamation and with the advice of the officer elected as 
head of state of the nation, the presiding officer of the con-
stitutional Convention shall determine the date on which 
the Government of the nation shall take office, and shall 
so notify the Governor of the territory of Puerto Rico, the 
President of the United States, the President pro tempore 
of the United States Senate, and the Speaker of the United 
States House of Representatives. 
SEC. 108. LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS. 
Upon the proclamation of independence as provided 
in this Title, and except as otherwise provided in this Title 
or in any separate agreements thereafter concluded between 
the United States and the nation of Puerto Rico— 
(1) all property, rights and interests which the 
United States may have acquired over Puerto Rico by 
virtue of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, and thereafter 
by cession, purchase, or eminent domain, with the ex-
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ception of such land and other property, rights, or in-
terests as may have been sold or otherwise legally dis-
posed of prior to the proclamation of Independence, 
shall vest ipso facto in the nation of Puerto Rico; and 
(2) except as provided in section 110, all laws of 
the United States applicable to the territory of Puerto 
Rico immediately prior to the proclamation of Inde-
pendence shall no longer apply in the nation of Puer-
to Rico. 
SEC. 109. JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS. 
(a) JUDGMENTS BEFORE PROCLAMATION.—The na-
tion of Puerto Rico shall recognize and give effect to all 
orders and judgments rendered by United States or terri-
torial courts before the date of the proclamation of inde-
pendence pursuant to the laws of the United States then 
applicable to the territory of Puerto Rico. 
(b) CONTINUITY OF PENDING PROCEEDINGS.—All ju-
dicial proceedings pending in the courts of the territory of 
Puerto Rico on the day of the proclamation of independence 
shall be continued in the corresponding courts under the 
Constitution of the nation of Puerto Rico. 
(c) TRANSFER OF JUDICIAL POWER.—Upon the proc-
lamation of independence, the judicial power of the United 
States shall no longer extend to Puerto Rico. All proceedings 
pending in the United States District Court for the District 
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of Puerto Rico shall be transferred to the corresponding 
Puerto Rican courts of competence or other competent judi-
cial authority under the Constitution of the nation of Puer-
to Rico for disposition in conformity with laws applicable 
at the time when the controversy in process arose. All pro-
ceedings pending in the United States Court of Appeals for 
the First Circuit, or in the Supreme Court of the United 
States, that initiated in, or that could have been initiated 
in, the courts of the territory or in the United States Dis-
trict Court for the District of Puerto Rico shall continue 
until their final disposition and shall be submitted to the 
competent authority of the nation of Puerto Rico for proper 
execution: Provided, That neither the United States nor any 
of its officers is a party, in which case any final judgment 
shall be properly executed by the competent authority of the 
United States. 
SEC. 110. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION LAWS AFTER 
PUERTO RICAN INDEPENDENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) PUERTO RICAN NATIONALITY.—After the ef-
fective date of independence, the citizenship status of 
each individual born in Puerto Rico shall be deter-
mined in accordance with the Constitution and laws 
of the nation of Puerto Rico. 
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(2) UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION LAWS.—Ex-
cept as described in this section, after the effective 
date of independence citizens of Puerto Rico seeking 
to enter into the United States or obtain citizenship 
in the United States shall be subject to the immigra-
tion laws of the United States (as such term is de-
fined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)). 
(b) EFFECT OF PUERTO RICAN CITIZENSHIP.—Noth-
ing in this Act precludes or limits the applicability of sec-
tion 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1481), except that the provision of citizenship by the laws 
of Puerto Rico shall not constitute or otherwise serve as the 
basis of loss, or relinquishment of United States citizenship 
under such section. 
(c) CITIZENSHIP AT BIRTH AFTER INDEPENDENCE.— 
An individual born in Puerto Rico after the effective date 
of independence to at least one parent who became a United 
States citizen under section 302 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1402) is not a United States cit-
izen at birth under subsections (c), (d), or (g) of section 
301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1401(c), (d) or (g)). 
(d) TRAVEL AND WORK AUTHORIZATION.— 
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(1) Any person in the following categories may 
enter, lawfully engage in occupations, and establish 
residence as a nonimmigrant in the United States 
and its territories and possessions without regard to 
paragraphs (5)(A) and (7) of section 212(a) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a); 
(5)(A) and (7))— 
(A) a person who acquires the citizenship of 
Puerto Rico, at birth, on or after the effective 
date of independence; or 
(B) a naturalized citizen of Puerto Rico, 
who has been an actual resident there for not less 
than five years after attaining such naturaliza-
tion and who holds a proof of such residence. 
Such persons shall be considered to have the permis-
sion of the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept 
employment in the United States. 
(2) The right of such persons to establish habit-
ual residence in a territory or possession of the 
United States may, however, be subjected to non-
discriminatory limitations provided for— 
(A) in statutes or regulations of the United 
States; or 
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(B) in those statutes or regulations of the 
territory or possession concerned which are au-
thorized by the laws of the United States. 
(3) This subsection shall expire 25 years after the 
date of independence. 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 101 of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101) is amended 
by striking ‘‘Puerto Rico,’’ in subsection (a) para-
graph (36) and in subsection (a) paragraph (38). 
(2) PRIOR
TO
INDEPENDENCE.—Puerto Rico 
shall be considered to be in the United States, as such 
term is defined in section 101(a)(38) of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(38)) 
prior to the effective date of independence. 
(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
shall limit the power and authority of the United States 
to change policy requirements for United States citizenship. 
SEC. 111. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TO ECONOMIC BENEFITS 
AND GRANTS. 
(a) RIGHTS AND BENEFITS.—All vested rights and 
benefits which accrue to residents of the territory of Puerto 
Rico under the laws of the United States from past services 
or contributions, such as rights and benefits for veterans 
or relatives of veterans of the Armed Forces of the United 
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States, retired Government employees, or beneficiaries of old 
age, disability, or survivors’ insurance benefits under the 
Social Security Act, shall not be interrupted after the proc-
lamation of independence but will continue until such time 
as said rights and benefits are completely extinguished ac-
cording to the applicable laws of the United States. All serv-
ices which must be rendered as part of these rights and bene-
fits shall be made available through the Government of the 
nation of Puerto Rico in accordance with agreements 
reached by the two nations. 
(b) SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.—Notwithstanding the 
provisions in subsection (a), all contributions made by em-
ployees and employers in Puerto Rico to the Social Security 
system with respect to persons who, upon the proclamation 
of independence, are residents of the nation of Puerto Rico 
and are not yet eligible for old age, disability, or survivors’ 
insurance benefits under the system, shall be transferred to 
the Government of the nation of Puerto Rico once said Gov-
ernment establishes its own social security system. The Gov-
ernment of the nation of Puerto Rico may not use these 
funds for any purpose other than the establishment and op-
eration of a social security system. Upon the transfer de-
scribed herein, the obligations of the United States Govern-
ment under the Social Security Act with respect to such 
residents of the nation of Puerto Rico shall cease. 
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(c) OTHER FEDERAL TRANSFER PAYMENTS.— 
(1) BLOCK GRANTS.—All other Federal transfer 
payments to individuals and to the Government of the 
territory of Puerto Rico shall be maintained in the 
form of annual block grants to be used discretionally 
by the Government of the nation of Puerto Rico. 
(2) ANNUAL AGGREGATE FUNDING.—During the 
ten fiscal years following the proclamation of inde-
pendence, the annual block grants shall amount to the 
annual aggregate funding of all programs which cur-
rently extend to the territory of Puerto Rico, or of all 
programs which shall have been extended to the terri-
tory of Puerto Rico during the fiscal year imme-
diately prior to the proclamation of independence, 
whichever shall be greater. 
(3) DECREASE IN AMOUNT.—The annual block 
grants shall decrease thereafter on a straight-line 
basis, at the rate of ten percent each year, beginning 
on the eleventh fiscal year after the proclamation of 
independence. At any time during the aforementioned 
transition period the terms of this subsection may be 
modified by agreement between the United States and 
the nation of Puerto Rico. 
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TITLE II—TRANSITION AND IM-
PLEMENTATION 
— 
SOV-
EREIGNTY IN FREE ASSOCIA-
TION 
WITH 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES 
SEC. 201. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 
(a) ELECTION
OF DELEGATES.—Not later than 6 
months after the effective date of certification of a plebiscite 
result under this Act in favor of Sovereignty in Free Asso-
ciation with the United States, the legislature of Puerto 
Rico shall provide for the election of delegates to a constitu-
tional Convention to formulate and draft a Constitution for 
the nation of Puerto Rico. 
(b) ELIGIBLE VOTERS.—All eligible voters may vote 
in the election of delegates to the constitutional Convention. 
(c) GENERAL APPLICABILITY OF ELECTORAL LAW.— 
The laws of the territory of Puerto Rico relating to the elec-
toral process shall apply to a special election held under 
this Act. 
(d) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 3 months after 
the election of delegates to the constitutional Convention, 
the elected delegates shall meet at such time and place as 
the legislature of Puerto Rico shall determine. The initial 
meeting shall constitute the establishment of the constitu-
tional Convention. 
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