91st Congress

1969-1970

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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57th Congress

1901-1902

Only one status bill, H. J. Res. 5 was introduced during the 57th Congress. This bill, submitted in the form of a Resolution, provided for the territorial incorporation of Puerto Rico, a pre-condition for future statehood. The 57th Congress did not enact any legislation providing for a change in Puerto Rico’s political status.

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104th Congress

1995-1996

Five bills were introduced in the 104th Congress. One resolution, H. Con. Res. 11, affirmed the right of Puerto Ricans self-determination over the status of Puerto Rico. The four additional bills debated during this Congress, H.R. 3024, S. 2019, H.R. 4228 and H.R. 4281, proposed various types of plebiscites to determine the future status of the Puerto Rican islands. These plebiscites offered various mechanism enabling Puerto Rican electors to choose among multiple status alternatives. The 104th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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78th Congress

1943-1945

Four bills were introduced in the 78th Congress. All bills, S. 732, S. 952, H.R. 2989 and H.R. 3002 were status bills each providing for a variety of status options for Puerto Rico. The 78th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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118th Congress

2023-present

As of the time of this writing, Congress has only introduced one plebiscitary bill during the 118th Congress. H.R. 2757 reproduced H.R. 8393 (117th Congress). No action has been taken on this bill and Representative Grijalva has suggested that he does not expect any resolution of Puerto Rico’s political status to take place during the 118th Congress or while the Republican Party control’s Congress.

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94th Congress

1975-1976

Four bills were introduced in the 94th Congress. Three bills, H.R. 11200, H.R. 11201, and S.J. Res 215 were amendments providing for the enhancement of the Puerto Rican Commonwealth. The remaining bill H.J. Res 1010, is a status bill with a provision for independence. The 94th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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63rd Congress

1913-1914

Only one bill, S.5845, was introduced in the Senate during the 63rd Congress. This organic act treated Puerto Rico as a territory for purposes of the legislation.

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105th Congress

1997-1998

Three bills were introduced during the 105th Congress. Two of these bills, S. 472 and H.R. 856 were plebiscitary legislation and contained multiple options, namely Commonwealth, Statehood, Independence, or Free Association. The remaining bill, S. Res. 279, was a Resolution on the right to self-determination. The 105th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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79th Congress

1945-1946

Five bills were introduced in the 79th Congress. Three bills, S. 227, H.R. 2781 and S. 1485 were status bills providing for either independence or statehood for Puerto Rico. Alternative, two companion bills, S. 1002/H.R. 3237, provided for a plebiscite with multiple status options. It is important to highlight that the so-called Tydings-Piñero Bill (S. 1002/H.R. 3237) provided one of the more comprehensive status legislation of this history and offered viable alternatives to the status quo. The 79th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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68th Congress

1923-1925

Two organic act bills were introduced during the 68th Congress. S. 913 and H.R. 3910 were organic acts that treated Puerto Rico like an incorporated territory. Lawmakers during the 68th Congress did not enact any legislation changing Puerto Rico’s territorial status.

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