congress

99th Congress

99th Congress

1985-1986

Only one bill was introduced in the 99th Congress. The status bill, H.J. Res. 120, provided for the creation of a constituent assembly tasked with decolonizing Puerto Rico through independence or some form of alternative free association. The 99th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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99th Congress - H.J.Res.120

H.J.Res. 120

See HJ.Res 120

79th Congress

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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79th Congress - S.227

S. 227

See S.227

79th Congress - S.1485

S. 1485

See S.1485

79th Congress - S.1002

S. 1002

See S.1002

79th Congress - H.R.2781

HR. 2781

See HR.2781

79th Congress - H.R.3237

HR. 3237

See HR.3237

100th Congress

100th Congress

1987-1988

Three bills were introduced in the 100th Congress. All three bills were status legislation, but two contained provisions for Statehood, namely S.1182 and H.R. 2849. The remaining status bill, H. J. Res 215, provided for the creation of a constituent assembly tasked with decolonizing Puerto Rico through independence or some form of alternative free association. The 100th Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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100th Congress - S.1182

S.1182

See S.1182

100th Congress - HR.2849

HR.2849

See HR.2849

100th Congress - H.J.Res.218

H.J.Res.218

See HJ.Res 218

101st Congress

101st Congress

1989-1990

Five bills were introduced in the 101st congress. All bills, namely S. 710, S. 711, S. 712, H.R. 3536 and H.R. 4765 were part of a plebiscitary process that took place between 1989 and 1991. Although this was the most substantive plebiscitary process in the history of the relationship between PR and the United States, the 101st Congress did not enact any status changing legislation for Puerto Rico.

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101st Congress - S.710

S. 710

See S.710

101st Congress - S.711

S. 711

See S.711

S. 712

See S.712

101st Congress - HR.3536

HR. 3536

See HR.3536

101st Congress - HR.4765

HR. 4765

See HR.4765

81st Congress

81st Congress

1949-1950

Six bills were introduced in the 81st Congress. Three of the bills were status legislation, of which two, S. 797, and H.R. 7746 included a provision for independence. The remaining status legislation, H.R. 9247, included a provision for statehood. Two bills, Pub. L. 81-600 and S. 3336 included referendum legislation with a provision for a Commonwealth status. The sixth bill, H.R. 7674 was a congressional enactment with a Commonwealth provision.

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81st Congress - S.797

S. 797

See S.797

81st Congress - H.R.7746

HR. 7746

See HR.7746

81st Congress - H.R.9247

HR. 9247

See HR.9247

81st Congress - Pub.L.81

L. 81-600

See L.81-600

81st Congress - S.3336

S. 3336

See S.3336

81st Congress - H.R.7674

HR. 7674

See HR.7674

56th Congress

56th Congress

1899-1900

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.

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56th Congress - S.2016

S. 2016

See S.2016

56th Congress - S.2264

S. 2264

See S.2264

56th Congress - H.R.8878

HR. 8878

See HR.8878

56th Congress - H.R.5466

HR. 5466

See HR.5466

56th Congress - H.R.7020

HR. 7020

See HR.7020

56th Congress - Foraker Act

Foraker Act

See Act

56th Congress - S.335

S. 335

See S.335

56th Congress - H.R.6883

HR. 6883

See HR.6883

56th Congress - H.R.8245

HR. 8245

See HR.8245