Title: To state the need for action on statehood for Puerto Rico if the status wins a majority of the vote on the question in the territory's plebiscite on November 3.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
This resolution declares that Congress and the President will have a duty to act in 2021 on the self-determination choice of the people of Puerto Rico if the territory's plebiscite chooses statehood.
The resolution (1) recognizes that implementation legislation will need to include measures to phase-in the equal treatment of the territory and its residents in federal laws, and (2) states that such measures should implement equality for Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans as expeditiously as possible.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1113 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1113

To state the need for action on statehood for Puerto Rico if the status 
    wins a majority of the vote on the question in the territory's 
                       plebiscite on November 3.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2020

    Mr. Soto (for himself, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, Mr. 
    Hastings, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Crist, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Serrano, Mr. 
  Fitzpatrick, Mr. Young, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Shalala, Mrs. Murphy of 
Florida, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Frankel, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. 
  Mucarsel-Powell, Ms. Wilson of Florida, and Ms. Castor of Florida) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
To state the need for action on statehood for Puerto Rico if the status 
    wins a majority of the vote on the question in the territory's 
                       plebiscite on November 3.

Whereas the United States acquired Puerto Rico through the Spanish-American War 
        intending to keep the islands, but the Supreme Court divined that the 
        territory had become a possession of the United States, meaning that it 
        can become either a State or a sovereign nation and it can be treated 
        differently than parts of the United States;
Whereas, in 1917, United States citizenship was granted to individuals born in 
        Puerto Rico to permanently bind the territory to the Nation;
Whereas territory status prevents the 3.1 million Americans of the islands from 
        having votes in the Government that makes their laws (other than the 
        vote in committee of a resident commissioner), a democratic deficit, 
        which all of the territory's leaders reject;
Whereas Puerto Rico is a State for the purposes of most--but not all--Federal 
        laws, but the territory and our fellow Americans there are, overall, 
        treated worse than the States and their residents;
Whereas it has been the longstanding policy of the United States that a vote 
        among our citizens in the territory will determine whether it will 
        ultimately become a State or a nation;
Whereas Puerto Rico's last two status plebiscites, which were limited to but 
        included all of the territory's possible future statuses, rejected the 
        current status and chose statehood but the number of votes caused some 
        people to question whether they accurately reflected the electorate;
Whereas the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act 
        (Public Law 114-187) recognizes the territory's ``right to determine its 
        future political status'' through the plebiscite provided for by Public 
        Law 113-76 or otherwise;
Whereas the elected government of Puerto Rico has enacted a law to have a 
        plebiscite on statehood on November 3, 2020;
Whereas the vote would resolve any question as to the will of the territory 
        because opponents of equality within the Nation for any reason--
        including, but not limited to, support of the current status or a desire 
        for nationhood--could vote ``No'';
Whereas we recognize the Department of Justice has issued an opinion and express 
        our opposition to it on grounds that the plebiscite language is a 
        simple, clear question and allows voters to vote for the status of their 
        choice through the yes-or-no framework;
Whereas those who favor Puerto Rico's status as a territory or sovereign nation 
        can vote ``No'' on the ballot in November; and
Whereas Congress has the ultimate authority to admit new States regardless of 
        any Department of Justice opinion in accordance with article IV, section 
        3, clause 1 of the Constitution: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) declares that the Congress and the President will have 
        a duty to act in 2021 on the self-determination choice of the 
        people of Puerto Rico if the plebiscite chooses statehood;
            (2) recognizes that implementation legislation will need to 
        include measures to phase-in the equal treatment of the 
        territory and its residents in Federal laws; and
            (3) states that such measures should implement equality for 
        Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans as expeditiously as reasonably 
        possible.
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