,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ijj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #g1 #bjag,mr4
 ,gutirrez introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,natural    
,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to recognize     
,pu]to ,rico's sov]eign nationhood "u   
ei!r indep5d5ce or free association & to
 provide = a transition process1 & = o!r
 purposes4  #a4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! 
foll[+3 7#a7 ,9 ord] to ensure !        
legitimate int]e/s ( ,pu]to ,rico & !   
,unit$ ,/ates1 ,congress %\ld recognize 
,pu]to ,rico z a sov]eign nation4  7#b7 
,consi/5t ) article ,,iv1 section #c ( !
 ,con/itution1 only ,congress has ! p[] 
to dispose ( & make all ne$ful rules &  
regulations respect+ ,pu]to ,rico4  7#c7
 ,pu]to ,rico's t]ritorial condition    
con/itutes an unsu/a9able /atus (       
political subord9ation4  7#d7           
,annexation ( ,pu]to ,rico z a ,/ate ( !
 ,union w\ld be detrim5tal to bo? ,pu]to
 ,rico & ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#e7 ,a      
majority ( ! vot]s reject$ ! cont9uation

 ( t]ritorial /atus 9 ! ref]5dum on !   
political /atus ( ,pu]to ,rico held 9   
,pu]to ,rico on ,novemb] #f1 #bjab4     
7#f7 ,! p ( ,pu]to ,rico %\ld1 ?r\gh    
p>ticipation 9 a ref]5dum vote on !     
future /atus ( ,pu]to ,rico1 *oose      
betwe5 indep5d5ce or free association4  
7#g7 ,congress %\ld dispose ( ! t]ritory
 ( ,pu]to ,rico1 recognize its sov]eign 
nationhood1 & provide = an appropriate  
transition process to take place "u     
indep5d5ce or "u a compact ( free       
association ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 9 h>mony 
) ! results ( ! vote express$ by ! ,p ( 
,pu]to ,rico 9 ! ref]5dum4  #b4         
,ref]5dum  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,legislative 
,assembly ( ,pu]to ,rico %all provide = 
a ref]5dum to take place 9 ,pu]to ,rico1
 9 :i* eligible vot]s %all express _!   
pref]5ce betwe5 ! non-t]ritorial options
 ( ei!r indep5d5ce or free association1 
z h]e9 provid$4  7b7 ,eligible vot]s ,an
 individual %all be eligible to vote 9 !
 ref]5dum held "u ?is ,act if t         
individual-- 7#a7 0 born 9 ,pu]to ,rico2

 or  7#b7 has a p>5t :o 0 born 9 ,pu]to 
,rico4  7c7 ,indep5d5ce  7#a7           
,au?orization to negotiate treaty ,!    
,presid5t %all negotiate a ,treaty (    
,fri5d%ip & ,coop]ation & o!r bilat]al  
agreem5ts ) ! gov]nm5t ( an indep5d5t   
,pu]to ,rico t w provide = equitable    
economic relations betwe5 bo? nations4  
7#b7 ,treaty ( ,fri5d%ip & ,coop]ation  
,! ,treaty ( ,fri5d%ip & ,coop]ation    
%all e/abli% ! details ( ! bilat]al     
relations ( ,pu]to ,rico & ! ,unit$     
,/ates "u ! guidel9es set =? bel[3  7,a7
 ,citiz5%ip ,pu]to ,ricans %all become  
citiz5s ( ! ,republic ( ,pu]to ,rico4   
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip %all be gu>ante$
 to all ,pu]to ,rican citiz5s :o *oose  
to reta9 _! ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip aft]
 ! proclamation ( ,pu]to ,rico's        
indep5d5ce4 ,^? born !reaft] may acquire
 non-immigrant /atus1 dual or reciprocal
 ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip z provid$ by   
law1 or z o!rwise agre$ by treaty1 s t  
_! fre$om to travel to & f ! ,unit$     
,/ates & to live & "w !re %all n be     

impair$4  7,b7 ,ve/$ ,rights ,vet]ans   
b5efits1 ,f$]al p5sions1 & full ,social 
,security rights1 z well z any o!r ve/$ 
rights & b5efits "u ! laws ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates are h]eby gu>ante$ to citiz5s (  
,pu]to ,rico until ! normal expiration (
 su* b5efits2 provid$ t all necess>y    
agreem5ts to protect ! rights ( work]s  
:o acquire p]man5tly insur$ /atus dur+  
#e ye>s foll[+ ! proclamation ( ,pu]to  
,rico's indep5d5ce1 b are n yet         
b5efici>ies "u ! ,old-,age1 ,survivors1 
& ,disability ,insurance ,b5efits       
program "u title ,,ii ( ! ,social       
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dja et   
seq471 %all be e/abli%$2 fur!r provid$ t
 all contributions made by ^? :o h n yet
 a*iev$ p]man5tly insur$ /atus at ! "t (
 ,pu]to ,rico's indep5d5ce %all !n be   
transf]r$1 ) int]e/1 to ! gov]nm5t (    
,pu]to ,rico1 9 ord] to assi/ 9 !       
e/abli%m5t ( a sep>ate sy/em ( social   
insurance4  7,c7 ,trade ,! ,unit$ ,/ates
 %all elim9ate trade b>ri]s ) ,pu]to    
,rico1 provid$ t limitations on imports 

or exports agre$ ^u by bo? nations %all 
ensure mutual b5efits & assi/ ea* nation
 9 meet+ its trade & economic developm5t
 objectives4  7,d7 ,public ,debt &      
,economic ,transition ,z p>tial         
indemnity = m ?an #aah ye>s ( political 
& economic subord9ation1 dur+ :i* !     
total paym5t ( int]e/ e>n+s & divid5ds f
 ,pu]to ,rico to ,unit$ ,/ates          
corporations h f> exce$$ net transf]s ( 
,f$]al assi/ance to bo? ! gov]nm5t & !  
resid5ts ( ,pu]to ,rico1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 %all ent] into negotiations ) ,pu]to   
,rico to re/ructure ! out/&+ debts &    
obligations ( ! gov]nm5t ( !            
,commonweal? ( ,pu]to ,rico & its       
in/rum5talities4 ,moreov]1 dur+ a       
transition p]iod1 an indep5d5t ,pu]to   
,rico %all receive annual transf] block 
grants equal to ! total am\nt ( grants1 
programs1 & s]vices curr5tly provid$ by 
! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 9 ,pu]to ,rico1      
adju/$ = inflation1 = a p]iod to be     
negotiat$ to take place imm$iately      
foll[+ ! jo9t proclamation ( ,pu]to     

,rico's indep5d5ce4  7,e7 ,curr5cy ,if s
 reque/$ by ,pu]to ,rico1 bo? nations   
%all make ! necess>y arrangem5ts )      
respect to ! use ( ,unit$ ,/ates curr5cy
 by ! ,republic ( ,pu]to ,rico4  7,f7   
,def5se ,! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,republic (
 ,pu]to ,rico %all ent] into agreem5ts  
lead+ to ! complete demilit>ization ( ! 
,republic ( ,pu]to ,rico1 & ! devolution
 & decontam9ation ( any real e/ate      
previ\sly held by any bran* ( ! ,arm$   
,=ces4  7d7 ,free association  7#a7     
,au?orization to negotiate compact ,to  
provide a process consonant ) ! laws &  
policies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 9          
accordance ) pr9ciples ( int]national   
law1 ! ,presid5t %all negotiate ! t]ms =
 a ,compact ( ,free ,association ) !    
gov]nm5t ( ,pu]to ,rico :i*1 prior to ! 
t]ritory's recognition & proclamation ( 
sov]eignty1 %all e/abli% ! t]ms ( !     
association4  7#b7 ,compact ( ,free     
,association ,! ,compact ( ,free        
,association betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &   
,pu]to ,rico %all be submitt$ to        

,congress & ! ,p ( ,pu]to ,rico =       
ratification "u ! agre$ guidel9es set =?
 bel[3  7,a7 ,pu]to ,rico z sov]eign    
/ate ,int]national legal p]sonality (   
,pu]to ,rico z a sov]eign /ate4  7,b7   
,self-gov]nm5t ,full self-gov]nm5t n    
subject to ! ,con/itution or laws ( !   
,unit$ ,/ates1 except = ^? specific p[]s
 delegat$ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates & :i* are  
subject to revocation by ,pu]to ,rico4  
7,c7 ,t]m9ation ( free association ,! "r
 ( ,pu]to ,rico & ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to  
unilat]ally put an end to ! relation%ip 
( free association & ,pu]to ,rico becom+
 fully indep5d5t4  7,d7 ,unit$ ,/ates   
citiz5%ip ,! cont9uation ( ,unit$ ,/ates
 citiz5%ip = ! citiz5s ( ,pu]to ,rico4  
7,e7 ,trade relations ,! cont9uation (  
exi/+ trade relations ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
& an agre$ ^u level ( p>ticipation by   
resid5ts ( ,pu]to ,rico 9 ,f$]al        
economic & social assi/ance programs4