,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bjbj  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #ab1 #bjad    
,mr4 ,he9ri* 7= himself & ,mr4 ,wyd57   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy
 & ,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
set =? ! process = ,pu]to ,rico to be   
admitt$ z a ,/ate ( ! ,union4  #a4      
,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,pu]to ,rico ,/atus ,resolution ,act4   
#b4  ,f9d+s & purposes  7a7  ,f9d+s     
,congress f9ds t--  7#a7 9 #ahih1 ,pu]to
 ,rico became a ,unit$ ,/ates t]ritory &
 p]sons born 9 ,pu]to ,rico h be5 grant$
 ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip by law s9ce    
,m>* #b1 #aiag2  7#b7 ,pu]to ,rico has  
be5 grant$ au?ority ov] local matt]s t  
is simil> to ! au?ority t ! sev]al      
,/ates possess1 b ,pu]to ,rico rema9s   
subject to ! p[]s ( ,congress "u !      
,t]ritory ,clause ( ! ,con/itution ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates2  7#c7 ! approximately    
#c1gjj1jjj resid5ts ( ,pu]to ,rico d n h
 a democratic =m ( gov]nm5t at !        

national level1 because-- 7,a7 ,unit$   
,/ates citiz5s resid+ 9 ! t]ritory-- 7i7
 are dis5fran*is$ 9 ! election = !      
,presid5t & ! ,vice ,presid5t2 &  7ii7  
are n repres5t$ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates       
,s5ate2 &  7,b7 ! #a repres5tative (    
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s resid+ 9 !        
t]ritory 9 ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives c  
only vote 9 committees ( ! ,h\se (      
,repres5tatives2  7#d7 ! ,f$]al         
,gov]nm5t may1 & (t5 does1 treat ,pu]to 
,rico & resid5ts ( ,pu]to ,rico         
unequally "u ,f$]al program1 tax1 & o!r 
laws relative to ! sev]al ,/ates & !    
,di/rict ( ,columbia & resid5ts2  7#e7  
7,a7 on ,novemb] #f1 #bjab1 ! ,gov]nm5t 
( ,pu]to ,rico held a #b-"p ref]5dum2   
7,b7 ! fir/ "q ask$ vot]s if ,pu]to     
,rico %\ld cont9ue to h its pres5t =m ( 
t]ritorial /atus2 &  7,c7 ( ! #a1gih1ihg
 vot]s :o *ose an option1 #ec4ig p]c5t  
vot$ aga9/ cont9u$ t]ritorial /atus2    
7#f7 7,a7 ! second "q ask$ vot]s to     
express _! pref]5ce among ! #c possible 
alt]natives to t]ritorial /atus3        

/atehood1 indep5d5ce1 & nationhood 9    
free association ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &   
7,b7 ( ! #a1cfc1hed vot]s :o *ose an    
option1 #fa4af p]c5t vot$ = /atehood2 & 
7#g7 ! numb] ( votes ca/ 9 favor (      
/atehood exce$$ ! numb] ( votes ca/ 9   
favor ( cont9u$ t]ritorial /atus4  7b7  
,purposes  ,! purposes ( ?is ,act are-- 
7#a7 to provide = a f$]ally au?oriz$    
ratification vote 9 ,pu]to ,rico on !   
admission ( ,pu]to ,rico into ! ,union z
 a ,/ate2 &  7#b7 if a majority ( vot]s 
ratify ! desire ( ,pu]to ,rico =        
/atehood1 to describe ! /eps t !        
,presid5t & ,congress %all take to      
enable ! admission ( ,pu]to ,rico z a   
,/ate ( ! ,union4  #c4  ,ratification   
vote  ,! ,/ate ,elections ,commission ( 
,pu]to ,rico is au?oriz$ to provide = a 
ratification vote on ! admission (      
,pu]to ,rico into ! ,union z a ,/ate1 9 
accordance ) rules & regulations det]m9$
 by ! ,commission1 includ+              
qualifications = vot] eligibility1 ) !  
foll[+ on ! ballot3  ,z a ,/ate3  7,a7  

,pu]to ,rico w\ld be p]man5tly unit$ to 
! o!r ,/ates ( ! ,union4  7,b7 ,all     
provisions ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates t apply to ! ,/ates w\ld apply to
 ,pu]to ,rico4  7,c7 ,individuals born 9
 ,pu]to ,rico w\ld be ,unit$ ,/ates     
citiz5s by virtue ( ! ,con/itution ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates1 in/ead ( by virtue ( laws
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7,d7 ,pu]to ,rico  
w\ld be treat$ equally ) ! o!r ,/ates 9 
all ,f$]al laws ( g5]al application4    
7,e7 ,!re w\ld be a p]iod ( transition  
to /atehood1 dur+ :i* equal treatm5t (  
,pu]to ,rico 9 program & tax laws w\ld  
be phas$ 94  7,f7 ,pu]to ,rico w\ld be  
repres5t$-- 7i7 9 ! ,s5ate by #b        
,s5ators2  7ii7 9 ! ,h\se (             
,repres5tatives by a numb] (            
,repres5tatives 9 proportion to its %>e 
( ! national population 7& ! numb] (    
,memb]s ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives w\ld
 be increas$ by ! same numb]72 &  7iii7 
= ! election ( ! ,presid5t & ! ,vice    
,presid5t by a numb] ( votes 9 !        
,electoral ,college equal to ! numb] (  

its ,s5ators & ,repres5tatives4  7,g7 ,!
 ,gov]nm5t ( ,pu]to ,rico1 l ! gov]nm5ts
 ( ! o!r ,/ates1 w\ld h p]man5t au?ority
 ov] all matt]s n delegat$ to ! ,f$]al  
,gov]nm5t or ! p by ! ,con/itution ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates4  ,d y want ,pu]to ,rico  
to be admitt$ z a ,/ate ( ! ,unit$      
,/ates8 ,yes ,no  4  #d4  ,implem5tation
  7a7  ,presid5tial action  ,if a       
majority ( votes ca/ 9 ! ratification   
vote held "u section #c are = !         
admission ( ,pu]to ,rico z a ,/ate ( !  
,union1 ! ,presid5t1 n lat] ?an #ahj    
days aft] ! c]tification ( ! vote1 %all 
submit to ,congress legislation to admit
 ,pu]to ,rico z a ,/ate ( ! ,union on an
 equal foot+ ) ! sev]al ,/ates 9 all    
respects1 consi/5t ) ! t]ms ( ?is ,act4 
7b7  ,legislative action  ,if a majority
 ( votes ca/ 9 ! ratification vote held 
"u section #c are = ! admission ( ,pu]to
 ,rico z a ,/ate ( ! ,union1 ?is ,act   
con/itutes a commitm5t by ,congress to  
act1 ?r\gh legislation1 to admit ,pu]to 
,rico z a ,/ate ( ! ,union on an equal  

foot+ ) ! sev]al ,/ates 9 all respects1 
consi/5t ) ! t]ms ( ?is ,act4