I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4963 
To recognize the right of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to call a constitu-
tional convention through which the people of Puerto Rico would exercise 
their right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for con-
gressional consideration of such decision. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 15, 2006 
Mr. DUNCAN (for himself, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. WICKER, Mr. 
PICKERING, Mr. BONNER, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. BACHUS, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. GRIJALVA, 
Mr. HONDA, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. OBERSTAR, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. 
LARSON of Connecticut, and Mr. UDALL of New Mexico) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To recognize the right of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
to call a constitutional convention through which the 
people of Puerto Rico would exercise their right to self- 
determination, and to establish a mechanism for congres-
sional consideration of such decision. 
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 Self-De-
termination Act of 2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMONWEALTH.—The term ‘‘Common-
wealth’’ means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
(2) SELF-DETERMINATION OPTION.—The term 
‘‘self-determination option’’ means an option agreed 
to by a constitutional convention in the Common-
wealth for a new or modified Commonwealth status, 
statehood, or independence. 
(3) 
SELF-DETERMINATION
PROPOSAL.—The 
term ‘‘self-determination proposal’’ means a docu-
ment submitted to Congress by a constitutional con-
vention in the Commonwealth that proposes a self- 
determination option. 
SEC. 3. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—Congress reaffirms the inherent 
authority of the government of the Commonwealth to call, 
and hereby expressly authorizes the calling of, a constitu-
tional convention through the election of delegates for the 
purpose of establishing a mechanism for self-determina-
tion. 
(b) PURPOSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.— 
The purpose of a constitutional convention called under 
subsection (a) is to propose to Congress— 
(1) a new or amended compact of association to 
replace or amend the compact established under the 
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Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the organization 
of a constitutional government by the people of 
Puerto Rico’’, approved July 3, 1950 (64 Stat. 319) 
(commonly referred to as ‘‘Public Law 600’’) and 
the Commonwealth constitution; 
(2) the admission of the Commonwealth as a 
State in the United States; or 
(3) the declaration of the Commonwealth as an 
independent country. 
SEC. 4. SELF-DETERMINATION PROPOSAL. 
(a) SUBMISSION
TO CONGRESS
OF SELF-DETER-
MINATION PROPOSAL.—Upon the approval by a constitu-
tional convention in the Commonwealth of a self-deter-
mination option, the constitutional convention shall submit 
a self-determination proposal to Congress for approval. 
(b) DISPOSITION
OF SELF-DETERMINATION PRO-
POSAL.— 
(1) REFERENDUM.—If a self-determination pro-
posal is approved by Congress with or without modi-
fications, the proposal shall be submitted to the peo-
ple of the Commonwealth for approval or rejection 
in a referendum. 
(2) ENACTMENT OF PROPOSAL.—If the people 
of the Commonwealth approve the self-determination 
proposal in a referendum held pursuant to para-
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graph (1), a joint resolution of Congress shall be en-
acted approving the terms of the proposal and in-
cluding provisions necessary to implement the pro-
posal. 
(3) REJECTION OF PROPOSAL.—If a self-deter-
mination proposal is not approved by Congress pur-
suant to subsection (a) or is not approved by the 
people of the Commonwealth in a referendum held 
pursuant to paragraph (1), the Government of the 
Commonwealth should call for a new constitutional 
convention, including an election by the people of the 
Commonwealth of new delegates to the convention, 
for the purpose of formulating and submitting to 
Congress a new self-determination proposal. 
SEC. 5. CONVENTION IN CONTINUOUS SESSION. 
A constitutional convention held pursuant to this Act 
may remain in session until a self-determination proposal 
is approved in a referendum by the people of the Common-
wealth and enacted by a joint resolution of Congress. 
Æ 
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