Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/18-1334_8m58.pdf
Page Number: 50.0

Cite as:  590 U. S. ____ (2020) 

13 

SOTOMAYOR, J., concurring in judgment 

not elected or approved, directly or indirectly, by the people 
of Puerto Rico. 

B 
Of course, it might be argued that Congress is neverthe-
less free to repeal its grant of self-rule, including the grant 
of authority to the island to select its own governmental of-
ficers.  And perhaps, it might further be said, that is exactly
what  Congress  has  done  in  PROMESA  by  declaring  the
Board  “an  entity  within  the  territorial  government”  of
Puerto Rico.  §101(c)(1), 130 Stat. 553.  But that is not so 
certain. 

This  Court  has  “ ‘repeatedly  stated  . . .  that  absent  “a 
clearly  expressed  congressional  intention” ’ ”  to  repeal,
“ ‘[a]n implied repeal will only be found where provisions in 
two  statutes  are  in  “irreconcilable  conflict,”  or  where  the 
latter Act covers the whole subject of the earlier one and “is
clearly intended as a substitute.” ’ ”  Carcieri v. Salazar, 555 
U. S. 379, 395 (2009) (quoting Branch v. Smith, 538 U. S. 
254, 273 (2003) (plurality opinion)).  Not so, it seems, with 
PROMESA on the one hand, and Congress’ 1950 and 1952 
legislations on the other.  As written, PROMESA is a tem-
porary bankruptcy measure intended to assist in restoring
Puerto Rico to fiscal security.  It is not an organic statute 
clearly or expressly purporting to renege on Congress’ prior
“gran[t to] Puerto Rico [of] a measure of autonomy compa-
rable to that possessed by the States,” Flores de Otero, 426 
U. S., at 597, nor on the concomitant grant of authority to
select officers of its own choosing.  It would seem curious to 
interpret  PROMESA  as  having  done  so  indirectly,  simply 
through  its  characterization  of  the  Board  “as  an  entity 
within  the  territorial  government.”    §101(c)(1),  130  Stat. 
553. 

Further, there is a legitimate question whether Congress
could validly repeal any element of its earlier compact with