,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dija  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,october #bi1 #bjai  
,mr4 ,serrano 7for himself1 ,miss       
,gonzlez-,coln of ,puerto ,rico1 ,mr4   
,young1 ,mr4 ,bishop of ,utah1 ,mr4     
,soto1 ,mrs4 ,murphy of ,florida1 ,mr4  
,gallego1 ,mr4 ,waltz1 ,ms4 ,plaskett1  
,mr4 ,diaz-,balart1 ,ms4 ,stefanik1 ,mr4
 ,crist1 ,mr4 ,king of ,new ,york1 ,ms4 
,shalala1 ,mr4 ,bacon1 ,ms4 ,wasserman  
,schultz1 ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,mrs4      
,radewagen1 ,mr4 ,swalwell of           
,california1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 ,mr4 ,posey1
 ,mr4 ,cicilline1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 
,vargas1 ,mrs4 ,kirkpatrick1 ,mr4       
,katko1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1 ,mr4
 ,sablan1 ,mr4 ,brown of ,maryland1 ,mr4
 ,lewis1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 ,mrs4 ,demings1
 ,mr4 ,wilson of ,south ,carolina1 ,mr4 
,san ,nicolas1 ,mr4 ,bishop of ,georgia1
 ,mr4 ,carbajal1 ,ms4 ,brownley of      
,california1 ,mr4 ,foster1 ,mr4 ,beyer1 
,mr4 ,raskin1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,ms4      
,wild1 ,mr4 ,peterson1 and ,mr4 ,spano7 

introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on ,natural 
,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to enable the   
admission of ,puerto ,rico as a ,state  
of the ,union1 and for other purposes4  
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,puerto ,rico ,statehood        
,admission ,act4  #b4 ,findings ,the    
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,united ,states national sovereignty in 
,puerto ,rico was established by the    
,treaty of ,peace between the ,united   
,states and the ,kingdom of ,spain 7#cj 
,stat4 #aged71 signed on ,december #aj1 
#ahih4  7#b7 ,puerto ,rico is governed  
by the ,united ,states under laws       
enacted by ,congress in the exercise of 
its power to make rules and regulations 
governing territory belonging to the    
,united ,states1 pursuant to article    
,,iv1 section #c1 clause #b of the      
,constitution4  7#c7 ,for reasons of    
precedent primarily related to the      
,philippines also ceded by ,spain after 
the ,spanish-,american ,war1            

substantially the same majority in the  
,united ,states ,supreme ,court that    
established the separate but equal      
doctrine in ,plessy v4 ,ferguson        
determined in the #aija ,downes v4      
,bidwell decision that ,puerto ,rico was
 an unincorporated territory of the     
,united ,states1 a status of possession 
that continues today4  7#d7 ,on ,march  
#b1 #aiag1 ,congress granted birthright 
citizenship of the ,united ,states by   
statute for all persons born in ,puerto 
,rico 7#ci ,stat4 #iea7 to further      
integrate ,puerto ,rico into our        
,nation4  7#e7 ,puerto ,rico has a      
territorial constitution that is        
republican in form and compatible with  
the ,united ,states ,constitution as    
well as the principles of the           
,declaration of ,independence1 and that 
is equivalent to a ,state constitution1 
having been democratically ratified by  
the ,united ,states citizens of the     
territory on ,november #d1 #aieb1 and   
subsequently approved by the ,congress  

of the ,united ,states through ,public  
,law #hb-ddg4  7#f7 ,thirty-two         
territories previously have petitioned  
,congress for statehood based on        
democratically expressed consent of the 
governed1 and each was duly admitted as 
a ,state of the ,union pursuant to      
article ,,iv1 section #c1 clause #a of  
the ,united ,states ,constitution1 with 
equal rights and responsibilities of    
national and ,state citizenship under   
the ,united ,states ,constitution4  7#g7
 ,puerto ,ricans have contributed       
greatly to the ,nation and its culture  
and distinguished themselves in every   
field of endeavor4 ,however1 the denial 
of equal voting representation and equal
 treatment by the ,federal ,government  
stands in stark contrast to their       
contributions4  7#h7 ,since becoming a  
,united ,states territory1 more than    
#bce1jjj ,united ,states citizens of    
,puerto ,rican heritage have served in  
the ,united ,states military4  7#i7     
,thousands of military servicemembers of

 ,puerto ,rican heritage have received  
numerous medals1 distinctions1 and      
commendations of every degree1 including
 for valorous military service in the   
twentieth and twenty-first centuries4   
7#aj7 ,nine military servicemembers from
 ,puerto ,rico have been awarded the    
,congressional ,medal of ,honor1 and    
many have been awarded the              
,distinguished ,service ,cross or the   
,navy ,cross4  7#aa7 ,the #feth         
,infantry ,regiment in ,puerto ,rico    
7known as the ,borinqueneers7 was       
awarded the ,congressional ,gold ,medal 
7,public ,law #aac-abj1 enacted ,june   
#aj1 #bjad7 for its contributions and   
sacrifices in the armed conflicts of the
 ,united ,states1 including ,world ,war 
,i1 ,world ,war ,,ii1 and the ,korean   
,war4  7#ab7 ,unincorporated territory  
status means that ,federal laws can be  
applied to ,puerto ,rico and its        
,american citizens differently1 on      
unequal and even inequitable terms1     
compared not only to the ,states and    

their residents1 but also unlike        
territories that were considered to be  
parts of the ,united ,states4 ,this has 
limited the development of ,puerto ,rico
 and hindered its economy4  7#ac7       
,unincorporated territory status has    
resulted in millions of residents       
leaving ,puerto ,rico to seek greater   
opportunities and a better quality of   
life available in a ,state4             
,approximately #fe percent of all people
 of ,puerto ,rican origin now live in   
the ,states1 with the increasing rate of
 population loss in the territory       
creating a severe strain on the local   
tax base and workforce participation4   
7#ad7 ,other than its unincorporated    
territory status and its unequal        
treatment in some laws1 ,puerto ,rico is
 socially1 economically1 politically1   
and legally integrated into the ,nation4
  7#ae7 ,puerto ,rico has held two      
plebiscites under local law on status   
proposals that are possible under       
,federal law in #bjab and #bjag4 ,in    

#bjab1 a majority of the vote rejected  
the current territory status and #fa4b  
percent chose statehood among the       
alternatives4 ,in #bjag1 #ig4a percent  
of the vote was for statehood on a      
ballot amended as advised by the        
,department of ,justice4  7#af7 ,no     
,united ,states territory that has      
petitioned for statehood has been denied
 admission into the ,union4  7#ag7      
,congress has recognized ,puerto ,rico's
 right to determine its future political
 status 7,public ,law #aad-ahg1 enacted 
,june #bj1 #bjaf71 which1 consistent    
with status votes in most territories   
that have become ,states1 may include a 
,yes or ,no vote on statehood4  7#ah7   
,congress has appropriated funding to   
the ,state ,elections ,commission of    
,puerto ,rico to conduct a plebiscite by
 which ,puerto ,rican voters will       
determine the future political status of
 ,puerto ,rico 7,public ,law #aac-gf1   
enacted ,january #ag1 #bjad74  7#ai7    
,granting equality through statehood to 

,puerto ,rico is long overdue in light  
of the historical contributions of its  
residents to the ,united ,states and its
 potential to further strengthen our    
,union and the #ajb years of political  
and economic discrimination against the 
,united ,states citizens living in      
,puerto ,rico4  #c4 ,national policy    
declaration ,this ,act constitutes the  
commitment of ,congress that1 if ,puerto
 ,rico chooses statehood1 subject to the
 provisions stated herein1 ,puerto ,rico
 shall be declared to be a ,state of the
 ,united ,states of ,america1 and shall 
be admitted into the ,union on an equal 
footing with the other ,states1 in all  
respects1 so that the ,united ,states   
citizens residing in ,puerto ,rico shall
 have all rights1 privileges1 and duties
 enjoyed by the ,united ,states citizens
 in the several ,states4  #d4 ,admission
 to ,union as ,state  7a7 ,democratic   
self-,determination ,in accordance with 
applicable laws of ,puerto ,rico1 a     
political status plebiscite shall be    

conducted in conjunction with the local 
general election scheduled for ,november
 #bjbj4  7b7 ,ballot ,the ballot for the
 plebiscite conducted under subsection  
7a7 shall present voters with the       
question3 ,do you approve ,puerto       
,rico's admission as a ,state of the    
,union on equal footing with all other  
,states8 ,yes ,no 44  7c7 ,certified    
results ,if statehood is approved by a  
majority of the votes cast in the       
plebiscite conducted under subsection   
7a71 the ,president of the ,state       
,elections ,commission of ,puerto ,rico 
shall certify the results of the        
plebiscite and shall transmit the       
certified results of the plebiscite to  
the ,governor within #c days4 ,not later
 than #aj days after the date of        
certification1 the ,governor shall      
declare the results of the plebiscite   
and transmit the certified results of   
the plebiscite to the ,president of the 
,united ,states1 the ,president pro     
tempore of the ,senate1 and the ,speaker

 of the ,house of ,representatives4  7d7
 ,content of declaration ,the           
declaration by the ,governor in         
subsection 7c7 shall designate and      
announce the dates and other            
requirements for primary and general    
elections under applicable ,federal and 
local law for representation in the     
,senate and the ,house of               
,representatives in accordance with the 
following3  7#a7 ,in the first election 
of ,senators1 the two senatorial offices
 shall be separately identified and     
designated1 and no person may be a      
candidate for both offices4 ,nothing in 
this section shall impair the privilege 
of the ,senate to determine the class   
and term to which each of the           
,senators-elect shall be assigned4  7#b7
 ,in the first election of a            
,representative1 ,puerto ,rico shall be 
entitled to one ,representative upon its
 admission into the ,union as a ,state4 
,in the next election for the ,united   
,states ,house of ,representatives1     

,puerto ,rico shall be entitled to the  
same number of ,representatives as the  
,state whose most recent ,census        
population was closest to1 but less     
than1 that of ,puerto ,rico1 and such   
,representatives shall be in addition to
 the membership of the ,house of        
,representatives as now prescribed by   
law3 ,provided1 that any increase in the
 membership shall not operate to either 
increase or decrease the permanent      
membership of the ,house of             
,representatives as prescribed in the   
,act of ,august #h1 #aiaa 7#cg ,stat4   
#ac71 nor shall such temporary increase 
affect the basis of apportionment       
established by the ,act of ,november    
#ae1 #aida 7#ee ,stat4 #gfa2 #b         
,u4,s4,c4 #b;a71 for the ,eighty-third  
,congress and each ,congress thereafter1
 unless ,congress acts to increase the  
total number of the ,house of           
,representatives4 ,thereafter1 the      
,state of ,puerto ,rico shall be        
entitled to such number of              

,representatives as provided for by     
applicable law based on the next        
reapportionment4  7#c7 ,the ,president  
of the ,state ,elections ,commission of 
,puerto ,rico shall certify the results 
of such primary and general elections1  
and shall transmit the results of each  
election to the ,governor within #c days
 following such primary and general     
elections4 ,within #aj days of the date 
of each certification1 the ,governor    
shall declare the results of the primary
 and general elections1 and transmit the
 results of each election to the        
,president of the ,united ,states1 the  
,president pro tempore of the ,senate1  
and the ,speaker of the ,house of       
,representatives4  7e7 ,presidential    
proclamation ,upon receipt of the       
,governor's declaration pursuant to     
subsection 7c71 the ,president of the   
,united ,states shall issue a           
proclamation declaring certified results
 of the plebiscite and the date ,puerto 
,rico is admitted as a ,state of the    

,union on an equal footing with all     
other ,states1 which date must follow   
the certification of results of the     
general elections required by this ,act1
 but not later than #cj months from the 
date on which the aforementioned        
plebiscite results were certified4 ,upon
 issuance of the proclamation by the    
,president1 ,puerto ,rico shall be      
deemed admitted into the ,union as a    
,state4  7f7 ,transition period ,during 
the period between the day on which     
voters have approved statehood1 and the 
date of admission as a ,state of the    
,union1 the ,constitution and laws of   
the ,united ,states shall apply to      
,puerto ,rico as it applied to the #cb  
incorporated territories that became    
,states prior to admission to the       
,union4  7g7 ,termination of act if     
statehood not approved ,if statehood is 
not approved by a majority of the votes 
cast in the plebiscite conducted under  
subsection 7a71 the provisions of this  
,act shall cease to be effective4  #e4  

,provisions applicable to ,state of     
,puerto ,rico ,upon the admission of the
 ,state of ,puerto ,rico into the       
,union1 the following shall apply3 7#a7 
,physical territory defined ,the ,state 
of ,puerto ,rico shall consist of all of
 the islands1 together with their       
appurtenant reefs1 seafloor1 and        
territorial waters in the seaward       
boundary1 presently under the           
jurisdiction of the territory of ,puerto
 ,rico4  7#b7 ,state constitution ,the  
,constitution of the ,commonwealth of   
,puerto ,rico1 as approved by ,public   
,law #hb-ddg and subsequently amended1  
shall be accepted as the ,state         
,constitution of ,puerto ,rico4  7#c7   
,continuity of laws ,all laws of the    
,united ,states and laws of ,puerto     
,rico not in conflict with this ,act    
shall continue in full force and effect 
following the date of admission of      
,puerto ,rico as a ,state of the ,union4
  7#d7 ,continuity of government ,the   
individuals holding legislative1        

executive1 and judicial offices of      
,puerto ,rico shall continue to         
discharge the duties of their respective
 offices when ,puerto ,rico becomes a   
,state of the ,union4  7#e7 ,continuity 
of obligations ,all contracts1          
obligations1 liabilities1 debts1 and    
claims of the ,commonwealth of ,puerto  
,rico and its instrumentalities shall   
continue in full force and effect as the
 contracts1 obligations1 liabilities1   
debts1 and claims of the ,state of      
,puerto ,rico and its instrumentalities4
  #f4 ,repeals ,all ,federal and        
territorial laws1 rules1 and regulations
 applicable to ,puerto ,rico that are   
incompatible with the political and     
legal status of statehood under the     
,constitution and the provisions of this
 ,act are repealed and terminated as of 
the date of statehood admission         
proclaimed by the ,president under      
section #d7;e7 of this ,act4 ,except for
 those parts that are not in conflict   
with this ,act and the condition of     

statehood1 the following shall be deemed
 repealed upon the effective date of the
 admission of ,puerto ,rico as a ,state3
  7#a7 ,the ,puerto ,rican ,federal     
,relations ,act of #aiej 7,public ,law  
#ha-fjj74  7#b7 ,the ,act of ,july #c1  
#aiej 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #gca;b-#gca;e74    
7#c7 ,the ,act of ,march #b1 #aiag      
7,public ,law #fd-cfh74  7#d7 ,the ,act 
of ,april #ab1 #aijj 7,public ,law      
#ef-aia74  #g4 ,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