During the 1st Session of the 64th Congress, on December 7, 1915, Democrat Representative Willard Saulsbury Jr. of Delaware (D-DE) introduced S. 26 in the Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The bill was an organic or territorial act.
During the 1st Session of the 74th Congress, on January 3, 1935, Democrat and Socialist member of the conservative Coalición, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias of Puerto Rico (D/Coalición-PR) introduced H.R. 1393 in the House Committee on the Territories. The Organic Act amended the Jones Act of 1917 enabling Puerto Rican electors to form a territorial constitution and subsequent statehood.
During the 1st Session of the 76th Congress, on July 10, 1939, Democrat and Socialist member of the conservative Coalición, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias of Puerto Rico (D/Coalición-PR) introduced H.R. 7117 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This was a status bill calling for the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union on an equal footing with the states.
On February 8, 1900, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress, Republican Representative Sereno E. Payne of New York (R-NY) introduced HR8245 in the House from the Committee of the White House on the State of the Union. The organic act imposed a 25% tariff on merchandize imported from Puerto Rico into the United States. This organic act treated Puerto Rico as a foreign country for constitutional purposes.
The Foraker Act of 1900 was enacted on April 12, 1900, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress.
This was the first organic act providing a civil government for Puerto Rico. This organic act initially
treated Puerto Rico as a foreign territorial possession for tariff purposes. This act was subsequently
amended on multiple occasions and presently remains as the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act.
During the 1st Session of the 66th Congress, on July 10, 1919, Republican Representative Leonidas C. Dyer of Missouri (R-MO) introduced H.J.Res.144 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This resolution provided for an advisory plebiscite to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status.
During the 2nd Session of the 67th Congress, on February 10, 1922, Democrat Senator William H. King of Utah (D-UT) introduced S. 3137 in the Senate Committee on Territories and Insular Possessions. This was a status bill. H.R.9995 was its companion bill in the House.
This bill was introduced during the 2nd Session of the 74th Congress, on May 6, 1936, Republican Representative Vito A. Marcantonio of New York (R-NY) introduced H.R. 12611 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. The status bill provided for the independence of Puerto Rico.
During the 1st Session of the 75th Congress, on February 18, 1937, Democrat Resident Wilburn Cartwright of Oklahoma (D-OK) introduced H.R. 4885 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This was a status referendum bill.
During the 3rd Session of the 76th Congress, on April 12, 1940, Democrat and member of the Puerto Rican conservative Coalición, Resident Commissioner Bolivar Pagan (D/Coalición-PR) introduced H.R. 9361 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This was an organic or territorial act.
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