During the 1st Session of the 76th Congress, on June 26, 1939, Democrat and Socialist member of the conservative Coalición, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias of Puerto Rico (D/Coalición-PR) introduced H.R. 6986 in the House Committee on the Territories. This bill accompanied S.2780 in the Senate. This status bill called 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. 710 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 September 28, 1996, during the 2nd Session of the 104th Congress, Republican Representative Don E. Young of Alaska (R-AK) initially introduced H.R. 4281 in the Committee on Resources. This bill provided a plebiscitary process leading to the full self-government of Puerto Rico.
Public Law 113-76 was enacted on September 30, 2014, during the 1st Session of the 114th Congress. Public Law 113-76 was titled the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014. This law authorized $2,500,000 for objective, nonpartisan voter education about, and a plebiscite on, options that would resolve Puerto Rico’s future political status, which shall be provided to the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico.
On May 12, 1987, during the 1st Session of the 100th Congress, Republican Senator Robert J. Dole of Kansas (R-KS) introduced S. 1182 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The status bill provided for a referendum in Puerto Rico on the admission of Puerto Rico into the Union as a state.
On September 22, 1976, during the 2nd Session of the 94th Congress, Democrat Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington (D-WA) introduced S.J. Res. 215 in the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The status bill sought to approve a Compact of Permanent Union between Puerto Rico and the United States.
On October 16, 1963, during the 1st Session of the 88th Congress, Democrat Representative Ray J. Madden of Indiana (D-IN) introduced H.Res. 549 in the House Committee on Rules. This resolution sought to create a Commission on the Status of Puerto Rico to establish a procedure for the prompt settlement, in a democratic manner, of the political status of Puerto Rico.
On January 23rd, 1951, during the 1st Session of the 82nd Congress, Representative Isidore Dollinger of New York (D-NY) introduced H.R. 1937 in the House Committee on Public Lands. This plebiscitary legislation authorized Puerto Rican electors to choose among three different status options, namely 1) the recently enacted constitutional government, 2) statehood, and 3) independence.
On January 19, 1900, during the 1st Session of the 56th Congress, Republican Representative Sereno E. Payne of New York (R-NY) introduced H.R. 6883 in the House Committee on Ways and Means. This organic act extended the laws relating to customs and internal revenue over the island of Puerto Rico ceded to the United States. The organic act created a local customs house.
During the 2nd Session of the 57th Congress, on June 13, 1914, Democrat Representative Willard Saulsbury Jr. of Delaware (D-DE) introduced S.5845 in the Senate Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The bill was an organic or territorial act.
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