I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4867 
To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process for the people 
of Puerto Rico. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2006 
Mr. FORTUN˜O (for himself, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. CANTOR, 
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. 
HOYER, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. 
MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. 
HYDE, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. PENCE, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Vir-
ginia, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. WELLER, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. 
BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. 
FOLEY, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CANNON, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. 
NUNES, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. PETERSON of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. RENZI, Mrs. DRAKE, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. 
DENT, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. POE, Mr. PETERSON of 
Minnesota, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. WILSON of South Caro-
lina, Mr. MICA, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 
SCHWARZ of Michigan, Ms. HART, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. MACK, Mr. 
WELDON of Florida, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. FITZPATRICK of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. WAMP, 
Mr. COBLE, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. 
KELLER, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. MORAN of Vir-
ginia, Mr. WYNN, Mr. KIND, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. NADLER, Mr. WALDEN 
of Oregon, Mrs. TAUSCHER, and Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination 
process for the people of Puerto Rico. 
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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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2006’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Federally sanctioned process for Puerto Rico’s self-determination, in-
cluding initial plebiscite and subsequent procedures. 
Sec. 4. Applicable laws and other requirements. 
Sec. 5. Availability of funds for the self-determination process. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) On November 30, 1992, President George 
H.W. Bush issued a Memorandum to Heads of Ex-
ecutive Departments and Agencies recognizing that 
‘‘As long as Puerto Rico is a territory . . . the will 
of its people regarding their political status should 
be ascertained periodically by means of a general 
right of referendum . . .’’. 
(2) Consistent with this policy, on December 
23, 2000, President William J. Clinton issued Exec-
utive Order 13183, establishing the President’s Task 
Force on Puerto Rico’s Status for purposes that in-
cluded identifying the options for the territory’s fu-
ture political status ‘‘. . . that are not incompatible 
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with the Constitution and basic laws and policies of 
the United States . . .’’, as well as the process for 
realizing such options. 
(3) President George W. Bush adopted Execu-
tive Order 13183 and, on December 3, 2003, 
amended it to require that the President’s Task 
Force on Puerto Rico’s Status issue a report ‘‘. . . 
no less frequently than once every 2 years, on 
progress made in the determination of Puerto Rico’s 
ultimate status.’’. 
(4) On December 22, 2005, the Task Force ap-
pointed by President George W. Bush issued a re-
port recommending that: 
(A) The Congress provide within a year for 
a federally sanctioned plebiscite in which the 
people of Puerto Rico would be asked to vote on 
whether they wish to remain a United States 
territory or pursue a constitutionally viable 
path toward a permanent nonterritorial status. 
(B) If the people of Puerto Rico elect to 
pursue a permanent nonterritorial status, Con-
gress should provide for a subsequent plebiscite 
allowing the people of Puerto Rico to choose be-
tween one of the two permanent nonterritorial 
status options. Once a majority of the people 
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has selected one of the two options, Congress is 
encouraged to begin a process of transition to-
ward that option. 
(C) If the people of Puerto Rico elect to 
remain as a United States territory, further 
plebiscites should occur periodically, as long as 
a territorial status continues, to keep Congress 
informed of the people’s wishes. 
SEC. 3. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO 
RICO’S 
SELF-DETERMINATION, 
INCLUDING 
INITIAL PLEBISCITE AND SUBSEQUENT PRO-
CEDURES. 
(a) FIRST PLEBISCITE UNDER THIS ACT.—The 
Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall conduct a 
plebiscite in Puerto Rico during the 110th Congress, but 
not later than December 31, 2007. The ballot shall provide 
for voters to choose only between the following two op-
tions: 
(1) Puerto Rico should continue the existing 
form of territorial status as defined by the Constitu-
tion, basic laws, and policies of the United States. 
If you agree, mark herellll. 
(2) Puerto Rico should pursue a path toward a 
constitutionally viable permanent nonterritorial sta-
tus. If you agree, mark here llllll. 
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The two options set forth on the ballot shall be preceded 
by the following statement: Instructions: Mark the option 
you choose as each is defined below. Ballots with more 
than one option marked will not be counted. 
(b) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE 
FAVORS CONTINUED TERRITORIAL STATUS.—If a major-
ity vote in a plebiscite held under subsection (a) favors 
the continuation of the existing territorial status, the 
Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall conduct ad-
ditional plebiscites under subsection (a) at intervals of 
every 8 years from the date that the results of the prior 
plebiscite are certified unless a majority of votes in the 
prior plebiscite favors pursuing a permanent nonterritorial 
status. 
(c) PROCEDURE IF MAJORITY IN FIRST PLEBISCITE 
FAVORS PERMANENT NONTERRITORIAL STATUS.—If a 
majority vote in any plebiscite held under subsection (a) 
favors permanent nonterritorial status, the Puerto Rico 
State Elections Commission shall conduct a plebiscite 
under this subsection. The ballot on the plebiscite under 
this subsection shall provide for a vote to choose only be-
tween the following two options: 
(1) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted 
as a State of the Union, on equal footing with the 
other States. If you agree, mark herellll. 
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