The 1952 Constitution: what it changed and what it did not
Puerto Rico’s constitution, approved by its voters and by Congress, was a real step in self-government. Why it did not change the territorial relationship or provide federal representation.
Federal justice in Puerto Rico and life tenure since 1966
Public Law 89-571 gave Puerto Rico’s federal judges the life tenure of Article III. What changed in 1966, what did not, and why the island still has no senators to confirm its judges.
The Borinqueneers and the Congressional Gold Medal
In 2014 Congress awarded its Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment. The record of service it honors, and the representation gap that island veterans still face.
The Resident Commissioner: a seat without a final vote since 1900
Puerto Rico’s only member of Congress can introduce bills and vote in committee, but not on final passage. Why one non-voting seat cannot represent more people than live in 18 states.
Seven status votes, 1967 to 2024: what Puerto Rico’s voters said
Every status vote in Puerto Rico, with its ballot and turnout. Read together, the record shows the territorial status losing its majority and statehood leading every vote since 2012.
Citizenship by statute: why Puerto Rico’s birthright rests on Congress
Citizenship for people born in Puerto Rico comes from an act of Congress, not the Fourteenth Amendment. What that means, and why statehood would settle it.
Columbus Day, Puerto Rico, and the unfinished promise of equality
From Taíno history and Columbus’s voyages to U.S. citizenship and the continuing demand for equal representation: a NAPREC perspective on history, dignity, and statehood.