On November 8, 2023, during the first Session of the 118th Congress, Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico (D-NM) introduced S.3231 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This bill enabled the people of Puerto Rico to choose a permanent, nonterritorial, fully self-governing political status for Puerto Rico and to provide for a transition to and the implementation of that permanent, nonterritorial, fully self-governing political status. The three territorial options included in this bill are Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association.
On February 12, 2014, during the 2nd Session of the 113th Congress, Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich from New Mexico (D-NM) introduced S. 2020 (accompanied by S. 2000 in the House) in the House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This status bill set forth a process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a state of the Union.
Public Law 113-76 was enacted on September 30, 2014, during the 1st Session of the 114th Congress. Public Law 113-76 was titled the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014. This law authorized $2,500,000 for objective, nonpartisan voter education about, and a plebiscite on, options that would resolve Puerto Rico’s future political status, which shall be provided to the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico.
On January 4, 2017, during the 1st Session of the 115th Congress, Republican and New Progressive Party Resident Commissioner Jenifer González-Colón of Puerto Rico (R/PNP-PR) introduced H.R. 260 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill enabled the admission of the territory of Puerto Rico into the Union as a state on an equal footing.
On March 28, 2019, during the 1st Session of the 116th Congress, Democrat Representative Darren Soto from Florida (D-FL) introduced H.R. 1965 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill set forth the terms for the admission of the territory of Puerto Rico as a state of the Union.
On March 2, 2021, during the 1st Session of the 117th Congress, Democrat Representative Darrenn Soto from Florida (D-FL) introduced H.R. 1522 (accompanied by S. 780 in the Senate) in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill provided for the state of Puerto Rico into the Union.
On March 18, 2021, during the 1st Session of the 117th Congress, Democrat Representative Nydia M. Velazquez from New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 2070 (accompanied by S. 865 in the Senate) in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This bill recognized the right of the people of Puerto Rico to call a status convention through which the people would exercise their natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for congressional consideration of such decision.
On July 20, 2022, during the 2nd Session of the 117th Congress, Republican Senator Roger F. Wicker of Mississippi (R-MS) introduced S. 4560 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This bill enabled the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to determine the political status of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
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