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 April 5, 1989, during the 1st Session of the 101st Congress, Democrat Senator John B. Johnston of Louisiana (D-LA) introduced S. 711 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This legislation authorized an island wide plebiscitary vote on multiple status options for Puerto Rico.
On August 2, 1996, during the 2nd Session of the 104th Congress, Republican Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho (R-ID) introduced S. 2019 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This legislation authorized the celebration of a status plebiscite to resolve the political status of Puerto Rico.
On February 4, 2015, during the 1st Session of the 114th Congress, Democrat and New Progressive Party Resident Commissioner Pedro R. Pierluisi of Puerto Rico (D/PNP-PR) introduced H.R. 727 in the House Committee on Natural Resources. This status bill set forth a process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a state of the Union.
On June 30, 1987, during the 1st Session of the 100th Congress, Republican Representative Robert J. Lagomarsino of California introduced H.R. 2849 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The status bill provided for a referenda and development of enabling legislation regarding the incorporation of the Commonwealth into the Union as a state.
On October January 3, 1989, during the 1st Session of the 91st Congress, Democrat Representative Richard L. Ottinger of New York (R-NY) introduced H.R. 499 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.
Public Law 88-271 was enacted on February 20, 1964, during the 1st Session of the 88th Congress. Public Law 88-271 authorized the creation of the United States Commission on the Status of Puerto Rico. Central to this Commission was the potential development of a status plebiscite.
On March 2, 1954, during the 2nd Session of the 83rd Congress, Republican Representative Page H. Belcher of Oklahoma (R-OK) introduced H.Res. 455 in the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. This resolution called for an island wide referendum on whether Puerto Rico should become totally independent from the United States.
On December 6, 1899, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress, Republican Senator William E. Chandler of New Hampshire (R-NH) introduced S. 335 in the Senate Committee on Finance. 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.
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.
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