On January 24, 1900, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress, Republican Senator Orville H.Platt of Connecticut (R-CT) introduced S.2264 in the Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico. The bill was a proposed amendment to an organic or territorial act (Foraker Act).
On July 26, 1947, during the 1st Session of the 80th Congress, Democrat Representative Emanuel Celler of New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 4404 in the House Committee on Public Lands. S. 1158 accompanied this bill in the Senate. This status bill provided for the withdrawal of sovereignty of the United States over the island of Puerto Rico and the recognition of its independence.
On February 7, 2007, during the 1st Session of the 110th Congress, Democrat Representative Jose E. Serrano of New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 900 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill provided a referendum to choose among various procedures to resolve Puerto Rico’s political status.
On January 4, 1977, during the 1st Session of the 95th Congress, Democrat Representative Roland V. Dellums of California (D-CA) introduced H.J. Res. 54 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The status bill sought to provide independence for Puerto Rico.
Public Law 81-60 was enacted on July 3, 1950, during the 2nd Session of the 81st Congress. Public Law 81-600 authorized a local referendum creating a constitutional convention that would become responsible for drafting a Puerto Rican Constitution. The final authorization of the Puerto Rican Constitution was contingent on Congress’ approval.
During the 2nd Session of the 67th Congress, on January 19, 1922, Republican Representative Philip P. Campbell of Kansas (R-KS) introduced H.R.9995 in the House Committee on Insular Affairs. This was a status bill. S. 3137 was its companion bill in the Senate.
On January 3, 1991, during the 1st Session of the 102nd Congress, Democrat Delegate Ron de Lugo from the U.S. Virgin Islands (D-USVI) introduced H.R. 316 in the House Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs and Rules. This legislation authorized an island wide plebiscitary vote on multiple status options for Puerto Rico.
On February 7, 2017, during the 1st Session of the 115th Congress, Democrat Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez of Illinois (D-IL) introduced H.R. 900 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This bill recognized Puerto Rico’s sovereign nationhood either under independence or free association and provided a transition process.
On September 22, 1966, during the 2nd Session of the 89th Congress, Democrat Representative Hugh L. Carey from New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 17920 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. This status bill sought to provide the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union, on an equal footing with the original states.
On May 21, 1959, during the 1st Session of the 86th Congress, Democrat Senator James E. Murray of Montana (D-MT) introduced S. 2023 in the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. This bill provided amendments to “compact” adopted between the United States and Puerto Rico under the terms of the Commonwealth Constitution of Puerto Rico.
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