PIERLUISI'S BILL DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE NOV 6 PLEBISCITE RESULTS AS A MANDATE. HE MAKES US VOTE AGAIN !!! mj
.....................................................................(Original
Signature of Member)
113TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. ________
To set forth the process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a
State of the Union.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. PIERLUISI introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
A BILL
To set forth the
process for Puerto Rico to be admitted as a State of the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of
America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT
TITLE.
This Act may be
cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Status
Resolution Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS
AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS
.—Congress finds
the following:
(1) Puerto Rico
became a United States territory
in 1898 and persons born in Puerto Rico have been granted United States citizenship by law since
1917, but Puerto Rico’s ultimate political
status has not been determined.
(2) Puerto Rico has
been granted authority over local matters that is similar to the
authority that the several States possess, but Puerto Rico remains subject
to the authority of Congress under the Territory Clause of the Constitution of
the United States.
(3) The
approximately 3,700,000 residents of Puerto Rico do not have a democratic
form of government at the national level, because United States citizens
residing in the territory cannot vote for the President or the Vice President
of the United States, are not represented in the United States Senate, and have
a single representative in the United States House of Representatives who can only
vote in committees of the United States House of Representatives.
(4) The Federal
Government may—and often does—treat Puerto Rico and its residents
unequally under Federal program, tax, and other laws relative
to the several States and the District
of Columbia and their residents.
(5) On
November 6, 2012, the Government of Puerto Rico held a two-part referendum
under local law. The first question asked if Puerto Rico
‘‘should continue to have its present form of territorial status’’. Of the
1,798,987 voters who chose an option, 53.97 percent voted against continued
territory status.
(6) The second
question asked voters to express their preference among the three possible
alternatives to territory status: statehood, independence, and nationhood in
free association with the United
States. Of the 1,363,854 voters who chose an
option, 61.16 percent voted for statehood.
(7) The number of
votes cast in favor of statehood exceeded the number of votes cast in favor
of continued territory status.
(b) PURPOSE
.—The purpose of
this Act is to provide for a federally authorized vote in Puerto Rico on the
question of statehood and, if a majority of voters ratify Puerto Rico’s desire
for statehood, to describe the steps that the President and Congress shall take
to enable the admission of Puerto Rico as a State of the Union.
SEC. 3.
RATIFICATION VOTE.
The State Elections
Commission of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a referendum, in accordance
with rules and regulations determined by the Commission, including
qualifications for voter eligibility, with the following on the ballot:
‘‘Under statehood:
‘‘(A)
Puerto Rico would become a permanent part of the United States.
‘‘(B)
All provisions of the Constitution of the United
States would apply in Puerto Rico.
‘‘(C)
Individuals born in Puerto Rico would be United States citizens by virtue of the
Constitution of the United States,
instead of by virtue of laws of the United States.
‘‘(D)
Puerto Rico would be treated equally with the other States in all Federal laws of general
application, including program and tax laws and laws regarding the use of
language.
‘‘(E) There would
be a period of transition to statehood, during which equal treatment of Puerto Rico in program and tax laws would be phased in.
‘‘(F) As a State,
Puerto Rico would be represented in the United States Senate by two Senators,
in the United States House of Representatives by a number of Representatives in
proportion to its share of the national population (and the number of Members
of the House of Representatives would be increased by the same number),
and for the election of the President and the Vice President of the United States
by a number of votes in the Electoral College equal to the number of its
Senators and Representatives.
‘‘(G) The
Government of Puerto Rico would have permanent authority over all matters
not delegated to the Federal Government or the people by the Constitution of
the United States.
Do you want Puerto
Rico to be admitted as a State of the United States?
Yes_____ No_____
SEC. 4.
IMPLEMENTATION.
(a) PRESIDENTIAL ACTION
.—If a majority of
votes cast in the ratification vote held under section 3 are for statehood, the
President, not later than 180 days after the certification of the vote, shall
submit to Congress legislation to enable the admission of Puerto Rico as a
State of the Union on an equal footing with the several States in all respects,
consistent with the terms of this Act.
(b) LEGISLATIVE ACTION
.—If a majority of
votes cast in the ratification vote held under section 3 are for statehood,
this Act constitutes a commitment by Congress to act, through legislation, to enable the admission of Puerto Rico
as a State of the Union on an equal footing with the several States in all respects, consistent with the terms of this Act.
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