Legislative Background
Recent Action on Puerto Rico Status Bills
Legislation relating to Puerto Rico’s political status has been introduced in Congress since the late 1970s. While House and Senate committees have held hearings and taken other action on some of these bills, none has been the subject of a floor vote until this year. Introduction of H.R 856 and S. 472. On February 27, 1997, Representative Don Young (AK-R) introduced H.R. 856, the United States_Puerto Rico Political Status Act, a bill to establish a process for permanent self-government for Puerto Rico. H.R. 856 presents voters in Puerto Rico with three political status alternatives: statehood, enhanced commonwealth status, and independence.The…
