ISSUES + FACT SHEETS
Complex issues. Clear explanations.
Our 20 fact sheets now have their own page, with current figures, the bills in Congress, who decides, and a bilingual PDF for each topic.
The historical record
Follow the proposals. Understand the process.
Historical foundations and selected 119th Congress proposals, with official texts and research sources.
Public Law 119-21 · H.R. 1
2025 reconciliation law (H.R. 1), enacted July 4, 2025. Section 70421(a)(3) repeals Puerto Rico’s special opportunity-zone rule effective December 31, 2026. Federal provisions must be assessed individually for their application to Puerto Rico residents.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 9724 · 119th Congress
End Birthright Citizenship for Territories Act. Introduced July 16, 2026. Would limit specified territorial birthright-citizenship statutes from January 1, 2027, with exceptions in the introduced text. This is proposed legislation, not a change visitors should assume is in force.
Official introduced text ↗S. 4001 · 119th Congress
Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2026. Introduced March 5, 2026. Section 13 proposes extending SSI to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, alongside changes to eligibility and benefits.
Official introduced text ↗H.R. 7828 · 119th Congress
Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2026. House proposal to revise SSI eligibility and benefits, including extending the program to Puerto Rico and other territories specified in the text. Read its own text and actions separately from the Senate bill.
Official introduced text ↗H.R. 10275 · 119th Congress
Puerto Rico Energy Opportunity and Geothermal Assessment Act of 2026. Introduced September 3, 2026; proposes federal geothermal assessments for Puerto Rico.
Official bill text and version ↗H.R. 9246 · 119th Congress
Puerto Rico Democratic Self Determination Act. Introduced June 10, 2026; proposes a plebiscite with independence, commonwealth, statehood, and sovereignty in free association. Proposed voting dates are not an enacted election schedule.
Official bill text and version ↗H.R. 7833 · 119th Congress
Puerto Rican People’s Power Restoration Act of 2026. Introduced March 5, 2026; proposes changes to PROMESA, including termination of the Oversight Board under specified circumstances.
Official bill text and version ↗H.R. 5168 · 119th Congress
Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act. Introduced September 8, 2025; proposes a transition from NAP to SNAP. Introduction does not itself change benefit eligibility.
Official bill text and version ↗Historical laws and proposals
Historical descriptions cross-checked against the cited CRS reports and introduced bill texts on September 15, 2026. “House passed” does not mean enacted. Bills from a previous Congress do not carry over automatically. “Committee report” links go to the official House report on GovInfo where the committee filed one.
H.R. 7829 · 119th Congress
Would prohibit policies imposing an arbitrary monetary threshold on the obligation or disbursement of FEMA disaster-relief funds. It is a proposal, not a current change to disaster-assistance rules.
Official introduced text ↗H.R. 7397 · 119th Congress
Would require the Army Corps of Engineers to assess Puerto Rico's water and wastewater modernization needs and report on vulnerabilities, projects, resilience, and coordination.
Official introduced text ↗H.R. 6441 · 119th Congress
Would direct USPS to improve recognition and preservation of Puerto Rico address data, including Spanish-language diacritical marks, and report on implementation barriers.
Official introduced text ↗H.R. 2757 · 118th Congress
Puerto Rico Status Act: statehood, independence, or sovereignty in free association.
Read source ↗S. 2944 · 118th Congress
A different Puerto Rico Status Act, including a commonwealth option.
Read source ↗S. 4560 · 117th Congress
Puerto Rico Status Act; included a commonwealth option and a statehood-readiness study, unlike H.R. 8393.
Read source ↗H.R. 8393 · 117th Congress
Puerto Rico Status Act; passed the House in December 2022 but did not become law.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 117-642 ↗H.R. 1522 / S. 780 · 117th Congress
Statehood-admission proposals considered during the 117th Congress.
Read source ↗H.R. 2070 / S. 865 · 117th Congress
Self-determination proposals; compare the convention approach with plebiscite bills.
Read source ↗H.R. 1965 · 116th Congress
Puerto Rico Admission Act (introduced in 2019). Source is the introduced text.
Read source ↗H.R. 4901 · 116th Congress
Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. Source is the introduced text.
Read source ↗H.R. 6246 · 115th Congress
Puerto Rico Admission Act of 2018. Source is the introduced text.
Read source ↗PROMESA · Public Law 114-187
Fiscal oversight and debt framework; related context rather than an admission act.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 114-602 ↗H.R. 727 · 114th Congress
Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Process Act. Source is the introduced text.
Read source ↗Public Law 113-76 · Division B
Provided $2.5 million for status education and a plebiscite, subject to federal conditions. It did not admit Puerto Rico as a state.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 2000 · 113th Congress
Puerto Rico Status Resolution Act. Source is the introduced text.
Read source ↗H.R. 2499 · 111th Congress
Puerto Rico Democracy Act; passed the House in 2010, without enactment.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 111-294 ↗H.R. 900 · 110th Congress
Puerto Rico Democracy Act; a plebiscite approach discussed in CRS.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 110-597 ↗H.R. 1230 · 110th Congress
Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act; an alternative convention approach.
Read source ↗S. 2304 / H.R. 4963 · 109th Congress
Convention proposals: Congress would consider the convention’s recommendation before a referendum in Puerto Rico. Neither became law.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 4867 · 109th Congress
Proposed two status plebiscites; a predecessor to the H.R. 900 approach. Not enacted.
Source / Fuente ↗S. 2661 · 109th Congress
Proposed a vote between continued territorial status and a path toward permanent nonterritorial status. Not enacted.
Source / Fuente ↗Public Law 106-346
Appropriated $2.5 million for a status education campaign and vote. An appropriation, not a change in political status.
Source / Fuente ↗S. Res. 279 · 105th Congress
Senate-approved resolution supporting a status referendum. A Senate resolution is not a statute admitting a state.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 856 · 105th Congress
United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act; passed the House in 1998.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 105-131 ↗S. 472 · 105th Congress
Puerto Rico Self Determination Act of 1997; a Senate proposal similar to H.R. 856. Not enacted.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 3024 · 104th Congress
United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act; committee consideration.
Read source ↗ · Committee report: H. Rept. 104-713 ↗H.R. 4228 / H.R. 4281 · 104th Congress
Revisions of H.R. 3024 with different language-related provisions. These proposals did not become law.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 602 · 104th Congress
Proposed redesignating the Resident Commissioner as a Delegate and changing the term to two years. Hearings did not produce enactment.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 5005 · 103rd Congress
Proposed periodic plebiscites in U.S. territories. Referred to committees; not enacted.
Source / Fuente ↗H. Con. Res. 94 · 103rd Congress
Self-determination resolution; hearings were held but the measure did not advance further.
Source / Fuente ↗H.J. Res. 195 · 103rd Congress
Proposed a constitutional amendment allowing residents of territories to vote in presidential elections. Not ratified.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 3715 · 103rd Congress
Proposed territorial incorporation for Puerto Rico. It was a proposal, not an enacted change of status.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 316 / S. 244 · 102nd Congress
Referendum proposals. S. 244 failed to obtain Senate committee approval on a 10–10 vote. Neither became law.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 4765 · 101st Congress
Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act; House action did not make it law.
Read source ↗S. 712 · 101st Congress
Sen. J. Bennett Johnston’s Puerto Rico Status Referendum Act, which proposed a referendum among statehood, independence and commonwealth. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee reported it (S. Rept. 101-120); it did not become law.
Read source ↗ · Committee report cited in CRS chronology ↗Public Law 101-45
Provided $1.5 million for Puerto Rico’s three main political parties to participate in the legislative process concerning status.
Source / Fuente ↗S. Con. Res. 35 · 96th Congress
Congressional expression supporting the right to determine Puerto Rico’s political future; not an admission law.
Read source ↗H.R. 2201 · 95th Congress
Statehood bill introduced January 19, 1977, following President Ford’s 1976 endorsement. It died in committee.
Source / Fuente ↗H.R. 11200 · 94th Congress
Proposed a Compact of Permanent Union. A subcommittee approved an amended bill, but it did not become law.
Source / Fuente ↗Public Law 82-447
Approved Puerto Rico’s constitution subject to congressional conditions.
Read source ↗S. 797 · 81st Congress
Sen. Tydings bill to withdraw U.S. sovereignty and recognize Puerto Rico’s independence after a locally drafted constitution, with tariffs phased in 2.5% a year. Introduced February 7, 1949, and referred to Senate Interior and Insular Affairs; no further action.
Bill text (UConn archive) ↗S. 227 · 79th Congress
Sen. Tydings bill to withdraw U.S. sovereignty and recognize Puerto Rico’s independence, introduced January 10, 1945, and referred to the Senate Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs; not enacted.
Bill text (UConn archive) ↗S. 4529 · 74th Congress
Sen. Tydings bill to hold a referendum in Puerto Rico on independence. Referred to the Senate Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs; not enacted.
Read source ↗Jones-Shafroth Act
Reorganized territorial government and extended U.S. citizenship under federal statute.
Read source ↗Treaty of Paris
Transferred Puerto Rico from Spain to the United States. Treaty, not an admission act.
Read source ↗