During the 1st Session of the 78th Congress, on February 18, 1943, Republican Senator William Langer of North Dakota (R-ND) introduced S. 732 in the Senate Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs. This status bill called for the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union on an equal footing with the states.
On June 26, 2000, during the 2nd Session of the 106th Congress, Republican Representative John T Doolittle of California (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4751 in the Committee on Resources. This bill recognized the entry of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico into a permanent union with the United States.
On March 25, 1981, during the 1st Session of the 97th Congress, Democrat Representative Roland V. Dellums of California (D-CA) introduced H.J.Res. 215 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The resolution affirmed the right to self-determination and the decolonization of Puerto Rico.
On March 26, 1945, during the 1st Session of the 79th Congress, American Laborite Representative Vito A. Marcantonio of New York (R-NY) introduced H.R. 2781 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This status bill provided for Puerto Rico’s independence.
Only one bill was introduced in the 90th Congress. This status legislation, H.R. 9691 contained a provision for Statehood. The 90th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.
Congress debated at least five bills explicitly addressing the territorial status of Puerto Rico during the 56th Congress. These bills focused on the creation of an organic or territorial law that could provide a civil government for Puerto Rico. Two bills introduced by Senator Joseph B. Foraker (R-OH), namely S. 2016 and S. 2264, which provided early versions of the subsequent Foraker Act of 1900. Three additional bills providing for alternative territorial statuses, H.R. 7020 (explicitly treating Puerto Rico as a territory), H.R. 5466 (treating Puerto Rico as a District), and H.R. 8878 (implicitly treating Puerto Rico as a territory), were also debated during this period. None of the bills offered an alternative political status to some variant of a territorial status.
Six bills were introduced in the 103rd congress. Three resolutions were introduced, namely H. Con Res. 94, S. Con. Res 75 and H. Con. Res 300. In addition, three bills H.R. 3715, H.R. 4442, and H.R 5005 provided for consultations on Puerto Rico’s political status. The 103rd Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.
Only one status bill was introduced in the 77th Congress, H.R. 7352. It was an organic act, with a provision for a greater degree of self-government. The 77th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.
Six plebiscitary bills were introduced during the 117th Congress. The first four bills introduced, namely H.R. 1522/S. 780, H.R. 2070/S. 865, excluded the “Commonwealth” as a status option or alternative for Puerto Rican voters. A fifth plebiscitary bill introduced in the Senate, S. 4560, included the Commonwealth option. A sixth bill, H.R. 8393, reconciled the first four bills and ultimately passed a House vote prior to the closing of the 117th Congress.
Two bills were introduced in the 91st Congress. One status bill H.R. 499 provided for the admission of Puerto Rico as a state. The other bill, H.R. 2699, was a referendum bill on statehood. The 91st Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.
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