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(c) TRANSFER
OF JUDICIAL POWER.—Upon the 
proclamation of international sovereignty through free as-
sociation, 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 of Puerto 
Rico shall be transferred to the corresponding Puerto 
Rican courts of competence or other competent judicial 
authority under the Constitution of the nation of Puerto 
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 District Court for the District of Puerto Rico shall 
continue until their final disposition and shall be sub-
mitted 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. 208. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION LAWS AFTER 
SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH FREE ASSOCIATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
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(1) PUERTO
RICAN
NATIONALITY.—After the 
proclamation of international sovereignty through 
free association, the citizenship status of each indi-
vidual born in Puerto Rico shall be determined in 
accordance with the Constitution and laws of the na-
tion of Puerto Rico. 
(2) UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION LAWS.—Ex-
cept as described in this section, after the proclama-
tion of international sovereignty through free asso-
ciation, citizens of Puerto Rico seeking to enter into 
the United States or obtain citizenship in the United 
States shall be subject to the immigration laws of 
the United States (as such term is defined in section 
101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101)). 
(b) EFFECT
OF PUERTO RICAN CITIZENSHIP.— 
Nothing in this Act precludes or limits the applicability 
of section 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 SOVEREIGNTY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as described in para-
graph (2), an individual born in Puerto Rico after 
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the 
proclamation 
of 
international 
sovereignty 
through free association 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 citizen at birth under 
subsection (c), (d), or (g) of section 301 of the Im-
migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 (c), 
(d) or (g)). 
(2) TRANSITION
PERIOD.—During the imple-
mentation of the first Articles of Free Association, 
an individual born in Puerto Rico to at least one 
parent who is a citizen of the United States shall be 
a United States citizen at birth under section 301 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1401) if otherwise eligible. 
(d) TRAVEL AND WORK AUTHORIZATION.— 
(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 effec-
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tive date of international sovereignty through 
free association; or 
(B) a naturalized citizen of Puerto Rico, 
who has been an actual resident there for not 
less than five years after attaining such natu-
ralization and who holds a proof of such resi-
dence. 
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 
(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 upon the termi-
nation of the Articles of Free Association in accord-
ance with section 211. 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 101 of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101) is amend-
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ed by striking ‘‘Puerto Rico,’’ in subsection (a) para-
graph (36) and in subsection (a) paragraph (38). 
(2) PRIOR
TO
SOVEREIGNTY.—Puerto Rico 
shall be considered to be in the United States, as 
such term is defined in section 101(a)(38) of the 
Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1101(a)(38)) prior to the date of international sov-
ereignty through free association. 
(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall limit the power and authority of the United 
States to change policy requirements for United States 
citizenship. 
SEC. 209. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LAW. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 30 days after the initial 
meeting of a constitutional Convention under section 
201(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 
(6) entitlement programs. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than one year 
after the date on which the President initiates a review 
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under subsection (a), the President shall submit rec-
ommendations to Congress for changes to Federal law 
identified during such review, as the President deems ap-
propriate. 
SEC. 210. BILATERAL NEGOTIATING COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—If a plebiscite held under this Act 
results in a majority vote for sovereignty in free associa-
tion with the United States, there shall be a Bilateral Ne-
gotiating Commission which shall conduct negotiations on 
Articles of Free Association with the United States. 
(b) MEMBERS.—Not later than 3 months after the 
establishment of the constitutional Convention under sec-
tion 201— 
(1) the Convention shall elect, by majority vote, 
5 members from among its delegates to join the Bi-
lateral Negotiating Commission on behalf of Puerto 
Rico; and 
(2) the President of the United States shall 
designate 5 members to the Bilateral Negotiating 
Commission, one of whom shall also be nominated 
for the rank of Ambassador, to negotiate on behalf 
of the United States. 
(c) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 3 months 
after the election and designation of members to the Bilat-
eral Negotiating Commission, members shall meet at such 
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time and place as the legislature of Puerto Rico shall de-
termine. Such meeting shall constitute the establishment 
of the Bilateral Negotiating Commission. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Bilateral Negotiating Commission 
shall— 
(1) be responsible for expediting the orderly 
transfer of all functions currently exercised by the 
Government of the United States in Puerto Rico, to 
Puerto Rico, and shall recommend to Congress any 
appropriate legislation to carry into effect such 
transfer, including any appropriate enabling legisla-
tion as may be required by the Articles of Free As-
sociation; 
(2) negotiate all matters pertaining to the gov-
ernment-to-government relationship between Puerto 
Rico and the United States through the development 
of the Articles of Free Association, including foreign 
affairs, trade, finance, taxation, currency, economic 
assistance, security and defense, dispute resolution, 
immigration, economic benefits (including grants), 
and termination of the free association status; and 
(3) endeavor to complete the Articles of Free 
Association not later than 2 years after the com-
mencement of the constitutional Convention. 
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(e) COLLABORATION.—The Government of the terri-
tory of Puerto Rico and the agencies of the Government 
of the United States shall collaborate with the Bilateral 
Negotiating Commission to provide for the orderly trans-
fer of the functions of government as required by the Arti-
cles of Free Association. 
SEC. 211. ARTICLES OF FREE ASSOCIATION APPROVAL AND 
EFFECTIVE DATE. 
(a) APPROVAL.—The Articles of Free Association 
shall come into effect upon mutual agreement between the 
Government of the United States and the Government of 
Puerto Rico after completion of approval by— 
(1) a separate ratification vote on the Articles 
by the eligible voters in the special election held 
under section 203; and 
(2) the Government of the United States in ac-
cordance with its constitutional processes. 
(b) REJECTION.—If the special election under sub-
section (a)(1) results in rejection of the Articles of Free 
Association, the process provided for in section 210 and 
subsection (a) shall be repeated. 
SEC. 212. TERMINATION. 
The Articles of Free Association between the United 
States and Puerto Rico may be terminated at will by ei-
ther party at any time. 
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SEC. 213. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TO ECONOMIC BENEFITS 
AND GRANTS. 
(a) RIGHTS AND BENEFITS.—All vested rights and 
benefits which accrue to residents of the territory of Puer-
to 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 States, retired Government employees, or bene-
ficiaries of old age, disability, or survivors’ insurance bene-
fits under the Social Security Act, shall not be interrupted 
after the proclamation of international sovereignty 
through free association 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 
services which must be rendered as part of these rights 
and benefits shall be made available through the Govern-
ment of the nation of Puerto Rico in accordance with 
agreements reached by the two nations. 
(b) SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.—Notwithstanding 
subsection (a), all contributions made by employees and 
employers in Puerto Rico to the Social Security system 
with respect to persons who, upon the proclamation of 
international sovereignty through free association, are 
residents of the nation of Puerto Rico and are not yet eli-
gible for old age, disability, or survivors’ insurance bene-
fits under the system, shall be transferred to the Govern-
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ment of the nation of Puerto Rico once said Government 
establishes its own social security system. The Govern-
ment of the nation of Puerto Rico may not use these funds 
for any purpose other than the establishment and oper-
ation of a social security system. Upon the transfer de-
scribed herein, the obligations of the United States Gov-
ernment under the Social Security Act with respect to 
such residents of the nation of Puerto Rico shall cease. 
(c) OTHER FEDERAL TRANSFER PAYMENTS.—All 
other Federal transfer payments to individuals and to the 
Government of the territory of Puerto Rico shall be main-
tained in the form of annual block grants to be used 
discretionally by the Government of the nation of Puerto 
Rico— 
(1) during the 10 fiscal years following the 
proclamation of international sovereignty through 
free association, the annual block grants shall 
amount to the annual aggregate funding of all pro-
grams which currently extend to the territory of 
Puerto Rico, or of all programs which shall have 
been extended to the territory of Puerto Rico during 
the fiscal year immediately prior to the proclamation 
of international sovereignty through free association, 
whichever shall be greater; and 
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(2) 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 international sov-
ereignty through free association. At any time dur-
ing the aforementioned transition period the terms 
of this subsection may be modified by agreement be-
tween the United States and the nation of Puerto 
Rico. 
(d) REVISION.—The terms and conditions of this 
subsection may be revised as part of an agreement under 
the Articles of Free Association. 
TITLE III—TRANSITION AND IM-
PLEMENTATION 
— 
STATE-
HOOD 
SEC. 301. PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION; ADMISSION INTO 
THE UNION. 
If a plebiscite held under this Act results in a major-
ity vote for statehood: 
(1) PRESIDENTIAL
PROCLAMATION; DATE
OF 
ADMISSION.—Upon receipt of the Elections Commis-
sion’s certification of the plebiscite results pursuant 
to section 5(d), the President shall issue a proclama-
tion declaring the date that Puerto Rico is admitted 
as a State of the Union on an equal footing with all 
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other States, which shall be a date not later than 
one year after the effective date of the plebiscite re-
sults. 
(2) 
SUBMISSION
OF
PROCLAMATION.—The 
President shall cause such proclamation to be sub-
mitted to the Governor of Puerto Rico, the legisla-
ture of Puerto Rico, 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. 
(3) ADMISSION INTO THE UNION.—Subject to 
the provisions of this Act, and upon the date de-
clared by the President for admission of Puerto Rico 
as a State under the proclamation under paragraph 
(1), the territory of Puerto Rico shall be a State of 
the United States of America and as such admitted 
into the Union on an equal footing with the other 
States in all respects. Upon admission, Puerto Rico 
shall be known as the State of Puerto Rico. 
(4) INCORPORATION.—Puerto Rico shall remain 
unincorporated until its admission as a State of the 
Union under paragraph (3). 
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SEC. 302. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LAW. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 30 days after the cer-
tification of a plebiscite result under this Act in favor of 
statehood, the President shall initiate a review of Federal 
law with respect to Puerto Rico, including those regard-
ing— 
(1) taxation of persons and businesses; 
(2) health care; 
(3) housing; 
(4) transportation; 
(5) education; and 
(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 any rec-
ommendations to Congress for changes to Federal law 
identified during such review, as the President deems ap-
propriate. 
SEC. 303. TERRITORY AND BOUNDARIES. 
The State of Puerto Rico shall consist of all of the 
islands, together with their appurtenant reefs, seafloor, 
submerged lands, and territorial waters in the seaward 
boundary, presently under the jurisdiction of the territory 
of Puerto Rico. 
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SEC. 304. CONSTITUTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Constitution of the territory 
of Puerto Rico, as approved by Public Law 82–447 and 
subsequently amended as of the date of enactment of this 
Act is hereby found to be republican in form and in con-
formity with the Constitution of the United States and 
the principles of the Declaration of Independence, and is 
hereby accepted, ratified, and confirmed as the Constitu-
tion of the State of Puerto Rico. 
(b) FUTURE CONSTITUTIONS.—The Constitution of 
the State of Puerto Rico— 
(1) shall always be republican in form; and 
(2) shall not be repugnant to the Constitution 
of the United States and the principles of the Dec-
laration of Independence. 
SEC. 305. ELECTIONS OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTA-
TIVES, 
CERTIFICATION, 
AND 
LEGAL 
DIS-
PUTES. 
(a) ELECTIONS OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTA-
TIVES.—Not more than one month after the proclamation 
under section 301, the Governor of Puerto Rico shall issue 
a declaration that shall designate and announce the dates 
and other requirements for primary and general elections 
under applicable Federal and local law for representation 
in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
United States upon admission of Puerto Rico as a State. 
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(b) RESIDENT COMMISSIONER.—The office of Resi-
dent Commissioner of Puerto Rico shall cease to exist 
upon the swearing in of the first Representative from the 
State of Puerto Rico to the House of Representatives. 
(c) SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon its admission into the 
Union, the State of Puerto Rico shall be entitled to 
Senators and Representatives who shall be entitled 
to be admitted to seats in the Congress of the 
United States and to all the rights and privileges of 
Senators and Representatives of the other States in 
the Congress of the United States. 
(2) FIRST
ELECTION
OF
SENATORS.—In the 
first election of Senators, the two senatorial offices 
shall be separately identified and designated, and no 
person may be a candidate for both offices. Nothing 
in this section shall impair the privilege of the Sen-
ate to determine the class and term to which each 
of the Senators elected shall be assigned, with the 
exception that the Senators shall not be in the same 
class. 
(3) FIRST ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 
In the first election of Representatives, and subse-
quent elections until the next Census-based reappor-
tionment cycle, the State of Puerto Rico shall be en-
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titled to the same number of Representatives as the 
State whose most recent Census population was clos-
est to, but less than, that of Puerto Rico, and such 
Representatives shall be in addition to the member-
ship of the House of Representatives as now pre-
scribed by law. Any such increase in the membership 
shall not operate to either increase or decrease the 
permanent membership of the House of Representa-
tives as prescribed in the Act of August 8, 1911 (37 
Stat. 13), nor shall such temporary increase affect 
the basis of apportionment established by the Act of 
November 15, 1941 (55 Stat. 761), for the 83d Con-
gress and each Congress thereafter, unless Congress 
acts to increase the total number of Members of the 
House of Representatives. Thereafter, the State of 
Puerto Rico shall be entitled to such number of Rep-
resentatives as provided for by applicable law based 
on the next reapportionment. The apportionment of 
congressional districts for the first election and sub-
sequent election of Representatives shall be con-
ducted as provided for by the Constitution and laws 
of the State of Puerto Rico for state legislative dis-
tricts. 
(d) CERTIFICATION
OF RESULTS.—The Elections 
Commission shall certify the results of primary and gen-
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eral elections for representation in the Senate and the 
House of Representatives of the United States to the Gov-
ernor. Not later than 10 days after the date of each certifi-
cation, the Governor shall declare the results of the pri-
mary and general elections, and transmit the results of 
each election to the President of the United States, the 
President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives. 
(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. 306. STATE TITLE TO LAND AND PROPERTY. 
(a) STATE TITLE.—The State of Puerto Rico and its 
political subdivisions and dependencies shall have and re-
tain title to all property, real and personal, held by the 
territory of Puerto Rico and its political subdivisions and 
dependencies on the date of the admission of Puerto Rico 
into the Union. 
(b) FEDERAL TITLE.—Any lands and other prop-
erties that, as of the date of admission of Puerto Rico 
into the Union, are set aside pursuant to law for the use 
of the United States under any— 
(1) Act of Congress; 
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(2) Executive order; 
(3) proclamation of the President; or 
(4) proclamation of the Governor of the terri-
tory of Puerto Rico, 
shall remain the property of the United States. 
(c) CONTINENTAL SHELF.—The State of Puerto Rico 
shall have the exclusive right to explore, exploit, lease, pos-
sess, and use all seabed, natural, and mineral resources 
lying within three marine leagues (nine nautical miles) 
from its shore, as granted under section 8 of the Act of 
March 2, 1917 (48 U.S.C. 749; 39 Stat. 954). All other 
rights of sovereignty in regards to the continental shelf 
and waters, shall belong to the United States, except those 
already vested in Puerto Rico. 
SEC. 307. CONTINUITY OF LAWS, GOVERNMENT, AND OBLI-
GATIONS. 
Upon the admission of the State of Puerto Rico into 
the Union: 
(1) CONTINUITY OF LAWS.—All of the terri-
torial laws in force in Puerto Rico on the date of 
issuance of the proclamation described in section 
301(1) not inconsistent with this Act or the Con-
stitution of the State of Puerto Rico shall be and 
continue in force and effect throughout the State, 
until amended, modified, or repealed by the State. 
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All of the laws of the United States shall have the 
same force and effect within the State as in the 
other several States. 
(2) CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT.—The indi-
viduals holding legislative, executive, and judicial of-
fices of Puerto Rico shall continue to discharge the 
duties of their respective offices when Puerto Rico 
becomes a State of the Union in, under, or by au-
thority of the government of the State, as provided 
by the constitution and laws of the State. 
(3) CONTINUITY
OF
OBLIGATIONS.—All con-
tracts, obligations, liabilities, debts, and claims of 
the territory of Puerto Rico and its instrumentalities 
at the moment of admission shall continue in full 
force and effect as the contracts, obligations, liabil-
ities, debts, and claims of the State of Puerto Rico 
and its instrumentalities when Puerto Rico becomes 
a State of the Union. 
(4) USE AND ENJOYMENT OF PROPERTY.—All 
laws of the United States reserving to the United 
States the free use or enjoyment of property which 
vests in or is conveyed to the State of Puerto Rico 
or its political subdivisions pursuant to this section 
or reserving the right to alter, amend, or repeal laws 
relating thereto, shall cease to be effective. 
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SEC. 308. JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS. 
(a) PENDING.—No writ, action, indictment, cause, or 
proceeding pending in any court of the territory of Puerto 
Rico, shall abate by reason of the admission of the State 
of Puerto Rico into the Union, but shall proceed within 
such appropriate State courts as shall be established 
under the Constitution of the State of Puerto Rico, or 
shall continue in the United States District Court for the 
District of Puerto Rico, as the nature of the case may 
require. 
(b) NOT YET PENDING.—All civil causes of action 
and all criminal offenses, which shall have arisen or been 
committed before the admission of the State, but as to 
which no writ, action, indictment, or proceeding shall be 
pending at the date of such admission, shall be subject 
to prosecution in the appropriate State courts or in the 
United States District Court for the District of Puerto 
Rico in like manner, to the same extent, and with like 
right of appellate review, as if such State had been created 
and such State courts had been established prior to the 
accrual of such causes of action or the commission of such 
offenses. The admission of the State shall effect no change 
in the procedural or substantive laws governing causes of 
action and criminal offenses which shall have arisen or 
been committed, and any such criminal offenses as shall 
have been committed against the laws of the territory of 
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Puerto Rico, shall be tried and punished by the appro-
priate courts of the State, and any such criminal offenses 
as shall have been committed against the laws of the 
United States shall be tried and punished in the United 
States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. 
(c) APPEALS.—Parties shall have the same rights of 
judicial review of final decisions of the United States Dis-
trict Court for the District of Puerto Rico or the Supreme 
Court of Puerto Rico, in any case finally decided prior to 
the admission of the State of Puerto Rico into the Union, 
whether or not an appeal therefrom shall have been per-
fected prior to such admission. The United States Court 
of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Supreme Court 
of the United States, shall have the same jurisdiction in 
such cases as by law provided prior to the admission of 
the State into the Union. Any mandate issued subsequent 
to the admission of the State, shall be to the United States 
District Court for the District of Puerto Rico or a court 
of the State, as appropriate. Parties shall have the same 
rights of appeal from and appellate review of all orders, 
judgments, and decrees of the United States District 
Court for the District of Puerto Rico and of the Supreme 
Court of Puerto Rico, in any case pending at the time 
of admission of the State into the Union, and the Supreme 
Court of Puerto Rico and the Supreme Court of the 
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HR 8393 RDS
United States shall have the same jurisdiction therein, as 
by law provided in any case arising subsequent to the ad-
mission of the State into the Union. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 15, 
2022. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
By KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Deputy Clerk. 
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