,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ghj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #af1         
#bjba,mr4 ,heinrich 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,padilla1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 and ,mr4 ,schatz7
 introduced the following bill2 which   
was read twice and referred to the      
,committee on ,energy and ,natural      
,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide for  
the admission of the ,state of ,puerto  
,rico into the ,union4  #a4 ,short title
 ,this ,act may be cited as the ,puerto 
,rico ,statehood ,admission ,act4  #b4  
,findings ,the ,congress finds the      
following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states    
national sovereignty in ,puerto ,rico   
was established by the ,treaty of ,paris
 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 ,after      
agreeing to independence for the        
,philippines1 also acquired through the 
,spanish-,american ,war1 on ,march #b1  
#aiag1 ,congress granted statutory      
,united ,states citizenship to the      
residents of ,puerto ,rico4 ,such action
 has historically led to incorporation  
and eventual statehood but was denied to
 ,puerto ,rico due to anomalies         
emanating from the #aija ,downes ruling 

and its progeny1 even as fellow         
,americans in ,hawaii and ,alaska       
attained statehood4  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 ,american citizens of ,puerto  
,rican heritage have served in the      
,united ,states military4  7#i7         
,thousands of ,united ,states military  
service members 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    
,united ,states military service members
 from ,puerto ,rico have been awarded   
the ,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-abj7 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 ,to  
further recognize and pay tribute to the
 bravery of the ,puerto ,rican soldiers 
of the #feth ,infantry ,regiment1       
,congress expressed support for the     
designation of ,april #ac as ,national  
,borinqueneers ,day in the ,national    
,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal
 ,year #bjba 7,public ,law #aaf-bhc74   
7#ac7 ,unincorporated territory status  
means that ,federal laws can be applied 
to ,puerto ,rico and its ,american      
citizens differently1 on unequal and1 at
 times inequitable terms1 compared not  
only to the ,states and their residents1
 but also unlike territories that are   
parts of the ,united ,states4 ,this has 
limited the development of ,puerto ,rico
 and hindered its economy4  7#ad7       

,unincorporated territory status has    
resulted in millions of residents       
leaving ,puerto ,rico to secure equal   
rights of citizenship attainable only in
 a ,state1 and that enable ,americans to
 seek greater opportunities and a better
 quality of life in the ,states4        
,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#ae7 ,other than its unincorporated    
territory status and its unequal        
treatment under some ,federal laws1     
,puerto ,rico is socially1 economically1
 politically1 and legally integrated    
into the nation4 ,numerous territories  
admitted as ,states did not have as     
strong a record of self-determination   
favoring statehood as the majority votes
 by ,american citizens in ,puerto ,rico 
favoring admission to the ,union4  7#af7
 ,in ,november #bjab1 a majority of     

voters rejected continuation of the     
current territory status1 and #fa4b     
percent of those expressing a choice on 
status alternatives chose statehood4    
7#ag7 ,in ,june #bjag1 a vote was held  
to confirm the aspirations of the people
 of ,puerto ,rico4 ,as advised by the   
,united ,states ,department of ,justice1
 all available status options were      
included in the ballot4 ,amid an        
opposition boycott1 statehood received  
#ig percent of the votes cast1 while    
independence and the current status     
received less than #c percent of the    
vote4  7#ah7 ,in ,november #bjbj1       
following ,alaska and ,hawaii precedent1
 ,puerto ,rico voters were presented    
with the question3 ,should ,puerto ,rico
 be admitted immediately into the ,union
 as a ,state8 ,yes or ,no4 ,a clear     
majority of #eb4eb percent voted in the 
affirmative4  7#ai7 ,in ,december #bjbj1
 the ,puerto ,rico legislature1         
following the absolute majority victory 
obtained by statehood in the plebiscite1

 approved a ,joint ,resolution          
petitioning1 on behalf of the ,people of
 ,puerto ,rico1 that ,congress and the  
,president of the ,united ,states admit 
,puerto ,rico into the ,union as a      
,state and appointed official           
representatives to manage the transition
 to statehood4  7#bj7 ,no large and     
populous ,united ,states territory      
inhabited by ,american citizens that has
 petitioned for statehood has been      
denied admission into the ,union4  #c4  
,admission ,subject to the provisions of
 this ,act1 and upon issuance of the    
proclamation required by section #g7;c71
 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico is  
hereby declared to be a ,state of the   
,united ,states of ,america1 and as such
 shall be declared admitted into the    
,union on an equal footing with the     
other ,states in all respects4  #d4     
,physical territory ,the ,state of      
,puerto ,rico shall consist of all 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  #e4 ,constitution    
,the constitution of the ,state of      
,puerto ,rico shall always be republican
 in form and shall not be repugnant to  
the ,constitution of the ,united ,states
 and the principles of the ,declaration 
of ,independence4 ,the constitution of  
the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 as  
approved by ,public ,law #hb-ddg and    
subsequently amended1 is hereby found to
 be republican in form and in conformity
 with the ,constitution of the ,united  
,states and the principles of the       
,declaration of ,independence1 and is   
hereby accepted1 ratified1 and confirmed
 as the constitution of said ,state4    
#f4 ,certification by ,president ,upon  
enactment of this ,act1 the ,president  
of the ,united ,states shall certify    
such fact to the ,governor of ,puerto   
,rico4 ,thereupon the ,governor shall1  
within #cj days after receipt of the    
official notification of such approval1 

issue a proclamation for the election of
 ,senators and ,representatives in      
,congress4  #g4 ,ratification vote  7a7 
,ratification of ,proposition ,at an    
election designated by proclamation of  
the ,governor of ,puerto ,rico1 which   
may be either the primary or the general
 election held pursuant to section #h1  
or a territorial general election1 or a 
special election1 there shall be        
submitted to voters1 for adoption or    
rejection1 a ballot with the following  
ratification question3 ,shall ,puerto   
,rico immediately be admitted into the  
,union as a ,state1 in accordance with  
terms prescribed in the ,act of         
,congress approved 44444444444 7date of 
approval of this ,act783 ,yes  ,no 44   
7b7 ,certified ,results ,if the         
foregoing proposition is adopted by a   
majority of the votes cast in the       
election conducted under subsection 7a71
 the ,president of the ,state ,elections
 ,commission of ,puerto ,rico shall     
certify the results of the election and 

shall transmit the certified results of 
the election to the ,governor4 ,not     
later than #aj days after the date of   
certification1 the ,governor shall      
declare the results of the election and 
transmit the certified results of the   
submission to the ,president of the     
,united ,states1 the ,president pro     
tempore of the ,senate1 and the ,speaker
 of the ,house of ,representatives4  7c7
 ,presidential ,proclamation ,upon      
receipt of the ,governor's declaration  
pursuant to subsection 7b71 the         
,president of the ,united ,states shall 
issue a proclamation declaring certified
 the results of the submission 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       
section #f of this ,act1 but not later  
than #ab months from the date on which  
the aforementioned submission results   
were certified in order to facilitate a 

transition process4 ,upon issuance of   
the proclamation by the ,president1     
,puerto ,rico shall be deemed admitted  
into the ,union as a ,state4  7d7       
,termination of ,act if ,proposition    
,not ,adopted ,if the foregoing         
proposition is not adopted by a majority
 votes cast in the election conducted   
under subsection 7a71 the provisions of 
this ,act shall cease to be effective4  
#h4 ,election of officers _/ submission 
of proposition ,the proclamation by the 
,governor in section #f 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              
,representatives following admission1   
and subsequent elections until the next 
,census-based reapportionment cycle1    
,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 such 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 members 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 ,the apportionment of  
congressional districts for the first   
election and subsequent election of     
,representatives shall be conducted as  
provided for by the ,constitution and   
laws of ,puerto ,rico4  7#c7 ,the       
,president of the ,state ,elections     
,commission of ,puerto ,rico shall      
certify the results of such primary and 
general elections to the ,governor4     
,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  #i4 ,continuity of   
laws1 government1 and obligations ,upon 
the admission of the ,state of ,puerto  
,rico into the ,union1 the following    
shall apply3 7#a7 ,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#b7 ,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#c7   
,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  7#d7 ,title 
to ,property ,the ,state of ,puerto     
,rico and its political subdivisions1 as
 the case may be1 shall have and retain 
title to all lands and other properties1
 real and personal1 over which the      
territory and its subdivisions presently
 hold title4 ,the ,united ,states shall 
retain title to all property1 real and  
personal1 to which it presently has     
title1 including public lands4  #aj4    
,repeals ,all ,federal and territorial  
laws1 rules1 and regulations1 or parts  
of ,federal and territorial laws1 rules1
 and regulations1 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 #g7;c7 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  #aa4    
,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 invalid  
by a court of jurisdiction1 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