,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #fbdf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #bg1 #bjah,miss
 ,gonzlez-,coln of ,puerto ,rico 7for   
herself1 ,mr4 ,bishop of ,utah1 ,mr4    
,young of ,alaska1 ,mr4 ,serrano1 ,mr4  
,la,malfa1 ,mrs4 ,murphy of ,florida1   
,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,duffy1 ,mr4           
,mac,arthur1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4      
,de,santis1 ,mr4 ,raskin1 ,ms4          
,stefanik1 ,mr4 ,curbelo of ,florida1   
,mr4 ,bacon1 ,mr4 ,beyer1 ,mr4 ,banks of
 ,indiana1 ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen1 ,mr4    
,gene ,green of ,texas1 ,mrs4           
,radewagen1 ,mr4 ,sablan1 ,mr4 ,vargas1 
,ms4 ,bordallo1 ,mr4 ,king of ,new      
,york1 ,mr4 ,diaz-,balart1 ,mr4 ,yoho1  
,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,ms4 ,plaskett1 ,ms4 
,tenney1 ,mr4 ,labrador1 ,mr4 ,costello 
of ,pennsylvania1 ,mr4 ,trott1 ,ms4     
,esty of ,connecticut1 ,ms4 ,wasserman  
,schultz1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1 ,mr4 ,brown of 
,maryland1 ,mr4 ,denham1 and ,mr4       
,taylor7 introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 

,natural ,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
enable the admission of the territory of
 ,puerto ,rico into the ,union as a     
,state1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,puerto ,rico ,admission ,act of    
#bjah4  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds   
the following3  7#a7 ,puerto ,rico was  
ceded to the ,united ,states and came   
under this ,nation's sovereignty        
pursuant to the ,treaty of ,paris ending
 the ,spanish-,american ,war in #ahih4  
,article ,,ix of the ,treaty of ,paris  
recognized the authority of ,congress to
 provide for the political status of the
 inhabitants of the territory4 ,puerto  
,rico remained under the direct control 
of ,united ,states military forces until
 ,congress enacted the ,foraker ,act    
7,public ,law #ef-aia7 on ,april #ab1   
#aijj1 bringing a civilian government1  
appointed by the ,president of the      
,united ,states1 to the island4  7#b7   
,consistent with the establishment of   
,united ,states nationality for the     

inhabitants of ,puerto ,rico under the  
,treaty of ,paris1 in #aiag1 ,congress  
exercised its powers under the          
,territorial ,clause of the ,united     
,states ,constitution 7article ,,iv1    
section #c1 clause #b7 to provide for   
the ,united ,states citizenship status  
of persons born in ,puerto ,rico        
7,public ,law #fd-cfh74  7#c7 ,under    
rulings of the ,united ,states ,supreme 
,court1 including ,balzac v4 ,people of 
,porto ,rico1 #beh ,u4,s4 #bih 7#aibb71 
only ambiguous1 inconsistent and        
indirect application of the ,united     
,states ,constitution has been          
established in the unincorporated       
territories of the ,united ,states      
including ,puerto ,rico4  7#d7 ,in      
#aiej1 ,congress prescribed a procedure 
for instituting limited internal        
self-government for ,puerto ,rico       
pursuant to statutory authorization for 
a local constitution 7,public ,law      
#ha-fjj74 ,as a result1 a local         
constitution was approved by the people 

of ,puerto ,rico1 ratified by ,congress1
 subject to conforming amendments       
enacted by ,puerto ,rico1 and thereupon 
given effect in #aieb4  7#e7 ,the       
approved constitution established a     
republican form of government in        
conformity with the ,united ,states     
,constitution and the principles of the 
,declaration of ,independence and is the
 functional equivalent of a ,state      
constitution1 but did not restrict the  
authority of ,congress under the        
,territorial ,clause to determine the   
application of ,federal law to ,puerto  
,rico4 ,congress' plenary power under   
the ,territorial ,clause was most       
recently and dramatically evidenced in  
#bjaf with the enactment of the ,puerto 
,rico ,oversight1 ,management1 and      
,economic ,stability ,act 7,public ,law 
#aad-ahg74  7#f7 ,congressional policies
 to date have disenfranchised the       
approximately #c1djj1jjj ,united ,states
 citizens residing in ,puerto ,rico who 
do not enjoy a democratic form of       

government at the national level as they
 cannot vote in the election of the     
,president and ,vice ,president of the  
,united ,states1 are not represented in 
the ,united ,states ,senate1 and only   
have one ,resident ,commissioner in the 
,united ,states ,house of               
,representatives1 who can only vote in  
the ,congressional committees to which  
she or he is assigned4  7#g7            
,furthermore1 the ,federal ,government  
may1 and often does1 treat the ,united  
,states citizens residing in ,puerto    
,rico unequally under most ,federal     
programs and other laws applicable to   
the several ,states and their residents4
 ,in its ,december #ad1 #bjaf1 ,report  
to ,congress1 the ,congressional ,task  
,force on ,economic ,growth in ,puerto  
,rico established that the territory is 
not treated equally with the ,states    
under more than #dj ,federal statutes4  
7#h7 ,the limitations of1 and unequal   
treatment under1 territory status has   
left ,puerto ,rico under-developed when 

compared to the ,states and has         
substantially contributed to its fiscal 
and economic crisis1 forcing a massive  
exodus that has resulted in #e1djj1jjj  
,united ,states citizens of ,puerto     
,rican ancestry living in the ,united   
,states mainland4  7#i7 ,puerto ,rico   
has been under ,united ,states          
sovereignty and within the ,united      
,states customs territory for close to  
#abj years1 making ,puerto ,rico the    
oldest1 largest1 and most populous      
colony in the world1 yet ,congress has  
failed to respond to the people of      
,puerto ,rico's continued quest for     
equality and self-determination4  7#aj7 
,it has been the longstanding policy of 
the ,united ,states that the ,united    
,states citizens of a territory can     
democratically determine whether it     
should eventually become a ,state or a  
sovereign nation4  7#aa7 ,on ,november  
#f1 #bjab1 the ,government of ,puerto   
,rico held a locally sanctioned1        
two-part plebiscite4 ,this plebiscite   

was consistent with the recommendations 
set forth by the ,president's ,task     
,force on ,puerto ,rico's ,status       
,report to ,congress of ,march #bjaa4   
,the first question asked if ,puerto    
,rico should continue to be a territory 
of the ,united ,states1 and #ed percent 
of the voters rejected territory status4
 ,the second question asked the voters  
to express their preference among the   
three possible and internationally      
recognized permanent alternatives to    
territory status--statehood1            
independence1 or nationhood in free     
association with the ,united            
,states--and #fa percent of the voters  
who selected an option chose statehood4 
,the number of votes cast for statehood 
on the second question exceeded the     
number of votes cast for continued      
territory status on the first question4 
7#ab7 ,on ,june #aa1 #bjag1 the         
,government of ,puerto ,rico held yet   
another status plebiscite to ratify the 
results of the #bjab vote1 on a ballot  

amended to specifically comply with the 
,united ,states ,department of          
,justice's requirements pursuant to     
,public ,law #aac-gf4 ,in this          
plebiscite1 statehood received #ig      
percent1 free association_/independence 
received #a4e percent1 and current      
territorial status received #a4c percent
 of the votes cast4  7#ac7 ,puerto      
,ricans have contributed greatly to the 
,nation in all fields of endeavor1 both 
in war and in peace4 ,over #bej1jjj have
 served in the ,united ,states ,armed   
,forces1 many paying the ultimate       
sacrifice4 ,they not only deserve1 but  
have earned the right to have their     
voices heard4  7#ad7 ,last year marked  
the #ajjth anniversary of the granting  
of ,united ,states citizenship to the   
people of ,puerto ,rico by ,congress1   
who remain disenfranchised and trapped  
in a second-class citizenship that      
denies them the same rights and         
responsibilities as their fellow        
citizens in the ,states4  7#ae7         

,equality within the ,nation is required
 for a healthy ,american economy and    
essential for ,puerto ,rico's social and
 economic well-being as well as for     
basic reasons of democracy4 ,puerto     
,rico should be transitioned into       
equality within the ,union4  #c4        
,purpose ,the purpose of the ,act is to 
respond to1 and comply with1 the        
democratic will of the ,united ,states  
citizens residing in ,puerto ,rico as   
expressed in the plebiscites held on    
,november #f1 #bjab1 and ,june #aa1     
#bjag1 by setting forth the terms for   
the admission of the territory of       
,puerto ,rico as a ,state of the ,union4
  #d4 ,admission ,subject to the        
provisions of this ,act1 and upon the   
issuance of the proclamation by the     
,president of the ,united ,states       
required by section #f of this ,act1 the
 territory of ,puerto ,rico thereupon   
shall become a ,state of the ,united    
,states1 and admitted into the ,union on
 an equal footing and in true permanent 

union with the other ,states in all     
respects whatsoever4  #e4 ,transition   
process  7a7 ,state constitution ,the   
constitution of the ,state of ,puerto   
,rico shall always be republican in form
 and shall be in conformity with the    
,constitution of the ,united ,states4   
,the current constitution of ,puerto    
,rico is deemed to be republican in form
 and in conformity with the             
,constitution of the ,united ,states and
 is hereby accepted as the constitution 
of the ,state of ,puerto ,rico4  7b7    
,plebiscite results deemed sufficient   
,immediately upon the enactment of this 
,act1 the results of the ,november #f1  
#bjab1 and ,june #aa1 #bjag1 status     
plebiscites are deemed sufficient to    
trigger the transition process to       
,statehood set forth in this section4   
,this section does not preclude         
additional democratic self-determination
 under local or ,federal law4  7c7 ,task
 force on equality for the ,united      
,states citizens of ,puerto ,rico  7#a7 

,establishment ,there is established    
within the legislative branch a         
,congressional ,task ,force on ,equality
 for the ,united ,states ,citizens of   
,puerto ,rico 7hereinafter referred to  
as the ,task ,force74  7#b7 ,duties ,the
 ,task ,force shall-- 7,a7 survey the   
laws of the ,united ,states and make    
recommendations to ,congress and the    
,president of the ,united ,states as to 
how laws that do not apply to the       
territory of ,puerto ,rico or apply     
differently to the territory than to the
 several ,states should be amended or   
repealed to phase-in equal treatment of 
,puerto ,rico with the several ,states1 
as appropriate1 no later than ,january  
#a1 #bjba2  7,b7 make recommendations on
 potential temporary economic measures  
to assist ,puerto ,rico's transition    
from a territory to a ,state1 seeking   
the greatest degree of flexibility for  
the phase-in of ,federal programs and   
the development of the territory's      
economy through fiscal incentives1      

alternative tax arrangements1 and other 
measures2  7,c7 propose timelines and   
rules guiding elections for ,federal    
offices2 and  7,d7 study the effect of  
,puerto ,rico's admission as a ,state on
 the existing apportionment in the      
,house of ,representatives4  7#c7       
,membership ,the ,task ,force shall be  
comprised of #i ,members as follows3    
7,a7 ,four ,members of the ,house of    
,representatives1 two of whom shall be  
appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house 
of ,representatives1 and two of whom    
shall be appointed by the minority      
leader of the ,house of                 
,representatives4  7,b7 ,four ,members  
of the ,senate1 two of whom shall be    
appointed by the majority leader of the 
,senate1 and two of whom shall be       
appointed by the minority leader of the 
,senate4  7,c7 ,the ,resident           
,commissioner of ,puerto ,rico4  7#d7   
,deadline for appointment ,appointments 
to the ,task ,force shall be made not   
later than #cj days after the date of   

enactment of this ,act4  7#e7 ,chair    
,the ,speaker of the ,house of          
,representatives shall designate one    
,member to serve as ,chair of the ,task 
,force4  7#f7 ,vacancies ,any vacancy in
 the ,task ,force shall be filled in the
 same manner as the original            
appointment4  7#g7 ,agency cooperation  
,the ,departments and agencies of the   
executive branch and all offices and    
entities of the legislative branch of   
shall--  7,a7 cooperate with the ,task  
,force in carrying out its duties2 and  
7,b7 furnish it with such information   
and technical assistance as may be      
requested1 including1 but not limited   
to1 views1 recommendations1 and drafting
 services on the measures needed to     
fulfill the ,task ,force's mandate4     
7#h7 ,reports  7,a7 ,not later than #bgj
 calendar days after its establishment1 
the ,task ,force shall submit a         
preliminary report of its               
recommendations to the ,house of        
,representatives1 the ,senate1 and the  

,president of the ,united ,states4  7,b7
 ,not later than #abj calendar days     
after the submission of the preliminary 
report1 the ,task ,force shall submit a 
final report of its recommendations to  
the ,house of ,representatives1 the     
,senate1 and the ,president of the      
,united ,states4  7,c7 ,to the greatest 
extent practicable1 the reports issued  
pursuant to subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 
shall reflect the shared views of all #i
 ,members of the ,task ,force but the   
reports may contain dissenting views4   
7#i7 ,congressional intent ,the         
enactment of this ,act expresses the    
intent of ,congress to pass legislation 
based upon the ,task ,force's final     
report4  7#aj7 ,termination ,upon       
issuing the final report under paragraph
 7#h77;,b71 the ,task ,force shall      
terminate4  7#aa7 ,implementation ,upon 
receipt of the final ,task ,force       
,report under paragraph 7#h77;,b71      
,congress shall ensure that1 as         
appropriate1 ,federal laws that do not  

apply to ,puerto ,rico or apply         
differently to the territory than to the
 several ,states are amended or repealed
 to phase-in the equal treatment of     
,puerto ,rico with the several ,states  
no later than ,january #a1 #bjba4       
,generally1 as part of the transition   
process--  7,a7 all ,acts1 or parts of  
,acts1 in conflict with the provisions  
of this ,act1 whether passed by the     
,legislature of ,puerto ,rico or by     
,congress1 shall be repealed or amended 
to conform to the provisions of this    
,act2  7,b7 ,puerto ,rico will cease to 
be an unincorporated territory of the   
,united ,states and will become an      
incorporated territory of the ,united   
,states until its final admission into  
the ,union as a ,state no later than    
,january #a1 #bjba2 and  7,c7 with the  
exception of those parts that are not in
 conflict with this ,act1 the following 
shall be repealed3  7i7 ,the ,puerto    
,rican ,federal ,relations ,act of #aiej
 7,public ,law #ha-fjj74  7ii7 ,the ,act

 of ,july #c1 #aiej 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4      
#gca;b-#gca;e74  7iii7 ,the ,act of     
,april #ab1 #aijj 7,public ,law         
#ef-aia74  7iv7 ,the ,act of ,march #b1 
#aiag 7,public ,law #fd-cfh74  #f4      
,issuance of presidential proclamation  
,following the completion of the        
transition process set forth in section 
#e1 the ,president of the ,united       
,states shall issue a proclamation      
declaring that ,puerto ,rico is admitted
 into the ,union on an equal footing    
with the other ,states1 effective no    
later than ,january #a1 #bjba4 ,upon    
issuance of the proclamation by the     
,president1 ,puerto ,rico shall cease to
 be an incorporated territory of the    
,united ,states and be deemed admitted  
into the ,union as a ,state4  #g4 ,state
 of ,puerto ,rico  ,upon the admission  
of ,puerto ,rico into the ,union as a   
,state1 the following apply3 7#a7       
,territory ,the newly admitted ,state of
 ,puerto ,rico shall consist of all its 
islands1 together with their appurtenant

 reefs and territorial waters in the    
seaward boundary1 presently under the   
jurisdiction of the territory of ,puerto
 ,rico4  7#b7 ,continuity of government 
,persons holding executive1 legislative1
 and judicial offices in the ,government
 of ,puerto ,rico shall continue to     
discharge the duties of their respective
 offices consistent with the ,united    
,states ,constitution and ,federal law  
applicable to ,puerto ,rico1 and the    
,state of ,puerto ,rico's laws and      
constitution4  7#c7 ,continuity of laws 
7,a7 ,territory law ,all of the         
territory laws in force in ,puerto ,rico
 shall continue in force and effect in  
the ,state1 except as modified by this  
,act1 and shall be subject to repeal or 
amendment by the legislature and the    
,governor of ,puerto ,rico4  7,b7       
,federal law ,all of the laws of the    
,united ,states shall have the same     
force and effect as on the date         
immediately prior to the date of        
admission of ,puerto ,rico into the     

,union as a ,state1 except for any      
provision of law that treats ,puerto    
,rico and its residents differently than
 the ,states of the ,union and their    
residents1 which shall be amended as of 
the date of admission to treat the      
,state of ,puerto ,rico and its         
residents equally with the other ,states
 of the ,union and their residents4     
7#d7 ,united ,states citizenship ,no    
provision of this ,act shall operate to 
confer ,united ,states citizenship1 nor 
terminate citizenship hereto lawfully   
acquired1 nor restore citizenship       
terminated or lost under any law of the 
,united ,states or under any treaty to  
which the ,united ,states is or was a   
party4  #h4 ,severability ,if any       
provision of this ,act1 or any section1 
subsection1 sentence1 clause1 phrase1 or
 individual word1 or the application    
thereof to any person or circumstance is
 held invalid1 the validity of the      
remainder of the ,act and of the        
application of any such provision1      

section1 subsection1 sentence1 clause1  
phrase1 or individual word to other     
persons and circumstances shall not be  
affected thereby4