Editing Politics of Puerto Rico (section)

== Political status ==
{{Main|Political status of Puerto Rico}}

In 1950, the [[U.S. Congress]] gave Puerto Ricans the right to organize a constitutional convention, contingent on the results of a referendum, where the electorate would determine if they wished to organize their own government pursuant to a constitution of their own choosing. Puerto Ricans expressed their support for this measure in a 1951 referendum, which gave voters a yes-or-no choice for the commonwealth status, defined as a 'permanent association with a federal union' but not choice for independence or statehood. A second referendum was held to ratify the constitution, which was adopted in 1952.

Before approving the new constitution, the [[Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico|Constitutional Convention]] specified the name by which the [[body politic]] would be known. On February 4, 1952, the convention approved Resolution 22 which chose in English the word "[[Commonwealth (United States insular area)|Commonwealth]]", meaning a "politically organized community" or "state", which is simultaneously connected by a compact or treaty to another political system.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} The convention adopted a translation into Spanish of the term, inspired by the Irish saorstát [[Free state (government)|(Free State)]] of "Estado Libre Asociado" (ELA) to represent the agreement adopted "in the nature of a compact" between the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. literally translated into English, the phrase means "Associated Free State."

In 1967, the Legislative Assembly tested the political interests of the Puerto Rican people by passing a [[plebiscite]] Act that allowed a vote on the status of Puerto Rico. This constituted the first plebiscite by the Legislature for a choice on three political status options. Puerto Rican leaders had lobbied for such an opportunity repeatedly, in 1898, 1912, 1914, 1919, 1923, 1929, 1932, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1956, and 1960.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1998-01-01|title=Puerto Rico 1898-1998: The Institutionalization of Second Class Citizenship?|url=https://elibrary.law.psu.edu/psilr/vol16/iss2/2|journal=Penn State International Law Review|volume=16|issue=2|pages=295–297}}</ref> The Commonwealth option, represented by the PPD, won with an overwhelming majority of 60.4% of the votes. The [[Partido Republicano Puertorriqueño]] and the [[Puerto Rican Independence Party]] boycotted the plebiscite.

After the plebiscite, efforts in the 1970s to enact legislation to address the status issue died in Congressional committees. In the 1993 plebiscite, in which Congress played a more substantial role, Commonwealth status was again upheld.<ref>For complete statistics of these plebiscites, see [http://electionspuertorico.org/cgi-bin/events.cgi Elections in Puerto Rico:Results].</ref> In the 1998 plebiscite, all the options were rejected when 50.3% of voters chose the "none of the above" option, favoring the commonwealth status quo by default.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionspuertorico.org/1998/summary.html|title=Elections in Puerto Rico: 1998 Status Plebiscite Vote Summary|publisher=electionspuertorico.org|access-date=2007-10-01}}</ref>

=== International status ===
On November 27, 1953, shortly after the establishment of the Commonwealth, the [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly of the United Nations]] approved [[UN General Assembly Resolution|Resolution 748]], removing Puerto Rico's classification as a [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories|non-self-governing territory]] under article 73(e) of the [[Charter of the United Nations|Charter from UN]]. But the General Assembly did not apply its full list of criteria to Puerto Rico to determine if it has achieved self-governing status.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

In August 1977, the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, Franklin Delano López, testified before the [[Special Committee on Decolonization|UN Decolonization Committee]] denouncing the colonial nature of the Commonwealth Status. As a result of his statement, many other statehooders and commonwealth supporters went to the United Nations requesting the end of the colonial status.

=== Political status within the United States ===
Under the [[Constitution of Puerto Rico]], Puerto Rico is described as a Commonwealth and Puerto Ricans have a degree of [[autonomous entity|administrative autonomy]] similar to that of a [[U.S. state]].
Puerto Ricans were collectively made [[American citizenship#Birth within the United States|U.S. citizens]] in 1917 as a result of the [[Jones–Shafroth Act]].<ref name="American Expansion 1898. Page 166, 178">[The Louisiana Purchase and American Expansion: 1803–1898. By Sanford Levinson and Bartholomew H. Sparrow. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 2005. Page 166, 178.]"U.S. citizenship was extended to residents of Puerto Rico by virtue of the Jones Act, chap. 190, 39 Stat. 951 (1971) (codified at 48 U.S.C. §&nbsp;731 (1987)")</ref> The act was signed into law by President [[Woodrow Wilson]] on March 2, 1917. U.S. Federal law {{USC|8|1402}} approved by the President [[Harry S. Truman]] on June 27, 1952, declared all persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, to be [[citizens of the U.S. at birth]] and all persons born in Puerto Rico between April 11, 1899, and January 12, 1941, and meeting certain other technical requirements, and not citizens of the United States under any other Act, were declared to be citizens of the U.S. as of January 13, 1941.<ref name="Constitutional Topic: Citizenship">{{Citation|url=http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html|title=Constitutional Topic: Citizenship|publisher=U.S. Constitution Online|access-date=2009-06-06}}</ref>

Only the "[[fundamental right]]s" under the federal constitution apply to Puerto Rico like the [[Privileges and Immunities Clause]] ([[United States Constitution|U.S. Constitution]], Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1, also known as the 'Comity Clause') that prevents a [[U.S. state|state]] from treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner, with regard to basic civil rights. The clause also embraces a right to travel, so that a citizen of one state can go and enjoy privileges and immunities in any other state; this constitutional clause was expressly extended to Puerto Rico by the [[U.S. Congress]] through the federal law {{USC|48|737}} and signed by the President [[Harry S. Truman]] in 1947.<ref name="U.S. Department of State">{{cite web|url=https://fam.state.gov/FAM/07FAM/07FAM1120.html|title=7 fam 1120 acquisition of u.s. nationality in u.s. territories and possessions|access-date=2015-12-13|date=June 1, 2005|work=U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7– Consular Affairs|publisher=U.S. Department of State|format=PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081013/https://fam.state.gov/FAM/07FAM/07FAM1120.html|archive-date=December 22, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=105_house_hearings&docid=f:40445.pdf|title=Puerto Rico Status Hearing before the Committee on Resources House of Representative One Hundred Fifth Congress|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|access-date=2009-06-07}}</ref><ref name="Torres v. Puerto Rico">[[Torres v. Puerto Rico]]</ref> Other fundamental rights like the [[Due Process Clause]] and the [[equal protection]] guarantee of the [[Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fourteenth Amendment]] was expressly extended to Puerto Rico by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]]. In a brief concurrence in the judgment of ''[[Torres v. Puerto Rico]]'', U.S. Supreme Court Justice [[William J. Brennan Jr.|Brennan]], argued that any implicit limits from the Insular Cases on the basic rights granted by the Constitution (including especially the [[United States Bill of Rights|Bill of Rights]]) were anachronistic in the 1970s.<ref name="Torres v. Puerto Rico" /><ref>{{Citation|url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=442&invol=465|title=Torres v. Puerto Rico|publisher=FindLaw.com Supreme Court Case Law|access-date=2009-09-09}}</ref><ref name=salud>{{Citation|url=http://puertoricoadvancement.org/Documents/Consejo%20De%20Salud%20Playa%20De%20Ponce%20V.%20Johnny%20Rullan%20-%20Secretary%20of%20Health%20of%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Puerto%20Rico.pdf|title=Consejo de Salud Playa de Ponce v Johnny Rullan, Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico|publisher=The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico|access-date=2009-12-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510095936/http://puertoricoadvancement.org/Documents/Consejo%20De%20Salud%20Playa%20De%20Ponce%20V.%20Johnny%20Rullan%20-%20Secretary%20of%20Health%20of%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Puerto%20Rico.pdf|archive-date=2011-05-10}}</ref>

President [[George H. W. Bush]] issued a memorandum on November 30, 1992, to heads of executive departments and agencies establishing the current administrative relationship between the federal government and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This memorandum directs all federal departments, agencies, and officials to treat Puerto Rico administratively as if it were a state, insofar as doing so would not disrupt federal programs or operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS:_Political_Status_of_Puerto_Rico:_Options_for_Congress%2C_May_29%2C_2008 |title=Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress |access-date=2009-12-06 |date=2000-05-17 |work=Congressional Research Service CRS RL32933 |publisher=United States Congressional Research Service |format=PDF |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104130123/https://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS:_Political_Status_of_Puerto_Rico:_Options_for_Congress%2C_May_29%2C_2008 |archive-date=November 4, 2009 }}</ref>

Puerto Rico does participate in the internal political process of both the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] parties in the U.S., accorded equal-proportional representation in both parties, and delegates from the islands vote in each party's national presidential convention.

Puerto Ricans may enlist in the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]]. Since 1917, Puerto Ricans have been included in the compulsory draft whenever it has been in effect and more than 400,000 Puerto Ricans have served in the United States Armed Forces. Puerto Ricans have participated in all U.S. wars since 1898, most notably [[Puerto Ricans in World War I|World War I]], [[Puerto Ricans in World War II|World War II]], the [[65th Infantry Regiment (United States)|Korean]] and [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] wars, as well as the current [[Middle Eastern conflicts]]. Several Puerto Ricans became notable commanders, five have been awarded the [[Medal of Honor]], the highest military decoration in the United States, also several Puerto Ricans have attained the rank of [[General (United States)|General]] or [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]], which requires a Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.<ref name=salud/> In World War II,<ref name="PRS">[http://www.prsoldier.com/17-aug2005.pdf Who was Agustín Ramos Calero?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825155803/http://www.prsoldier.com/17-aug2005.pdf |date=2006-08-25 }}, ''The Puerto Rican Soldier'', August 17, 2005. PDF format. Retrieved November 19, 2006.</ref> the Korean War<ref name="MC">{{cite web|author=Mr. Asencio |url=http://www.valerosos.com/CCFSpringOffensive.pdf |title=Mosdesto Cartagena |access-date=2011-06-13}}</ref> and the Vietnam War<ref Name="COL">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoflorain.org/calendar/?e=36222 |title=City of Lorain |publisher=City of Lorain |access-date=2011-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520083746/http://www.cityoflorain.org/calendar/?e=36222 |archive-date=May 20, 2011 }}</ref> Puerto Ricans were the most decorated Hispanic soldiers and in some cases they were the first to die in combat.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nadine |last=Brozan |title=Chronicle |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE4D6103EF932A2575BC0A964958260 |work=The New York Times |date=1992-08-11 |access-date=2008-01-02}}</ref><ref name=Nieves>Nieves, ''New York Times'', 1993.</ref>

Puerto Rico has not yet become an independent nation or a state of the Union. It remains a territory of the United States of America. The action of Congress in authorizing and approving, The Commonwealth Constitution is adopted pursuant to the constitutional power of Congress to make necessary rules and regulations concerning the territory of the United States of America. The foreign relations of Puerto Rico, like those of other territories and states, continue to be conducted by the United States of America. Internal government and administration, Puerto Rico occupies a unique position among the territories and states of the United States of America. in requesting Congress to authorize the drafting and adoption of a constitution. Congress has agreed that Puerto Rico shall, under this constitution, be free from any control or interference by Congress in matters relating to internal government and administration, subject only to compliance with the applicable provisions of the federal constitution of the United States of America. Laws that directed or authorized direct interference by the United States federal government in local government affairs, prior to 1952, have been repealed.<ref>[https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v03/d902 "Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, United Nations Affairs, Volume III"].{{source-attribution}}</ref>

=== Implications of the current political status ===
{{Main|Implications of Puerto Rico's current political status}}
{{See also|Voting rights in Puerto Rico}}

Puerto Rico is an organized unincorporated U.S. territory which has been given internal self-governing powers{{efn|The number and breadth of these "internal self-governing powers" is a matter of debate}} which, taken together, are referred to as "[[Commonwealth (United States insular area)|Commonwealth]]" status. Puerto Rico has more latitude over its internal affairs than the U.S. territories of [[Guam]], the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]], or [[American Samoa]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pitzer, Kurt.|title=Puerto Rico's Cordillera Central.|date=2013|publisher=Hunter Publishing|isbn=978-1-58843-796-9|location=West Palm Beach|oclc=881163053}}</ref>

Puerto Rico has approximately the same degree of authority over its internal affairs as an American [[U.S. state|state]]. However, it does not have the sovereignty that a state of the Union has, given that Puerto Rico is a possession of the United States and it is, thus, not protected by the US Constitution to the same degree that states are.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-17-4-c.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610210536/http://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-17-4-c.html%23|url-status=dead|title=Constitutional Rights Foundation|archive-date=June 10, 2009|access-date=October 21, 2009}}</ref>

Some differences between Puerto Rico and a state of the American Union are:
* "Unlike [[US states|states]], and federally-recognized Native American reservations, [[Puerto Rico]] does not have a zone of reserved sovereignty that is beyond the reach of Congress in the latter's exercise of its territorial powers."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thomas.gov/ |title=House Report 110-597 - Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2007 |publisher=Thomas.gov |access-date=2011-06-13 |archive-date=September 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929022433/http://www.thomas.gov/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> That is, Puerto Rico has no recourse to challenge unilateral actions by the United States government that affect citizens of Puerto Rico.
* Some residents of Puerto Rico are exempt from some aspects of the [[Internal Revenue Code]].<ref>See also: [[Taxation in Puerto Rico]] and [[Puerto Rico Tax and Customs Laws]]</ref>
* Puerto Rico has international representation in sports and some other culturally international events, similar to sovereign nations.
* Puerto Rico does not have the rights of a state as granted by the US constitution, because it is not a state. These include:
** Lack of voting representation in either House of the [[Congress of the United States|U.S. Congress]].
** Puerto Rico residents cannot vote in [[President of the United States|presidential elections]].

Despite the fact that the U.S. Federal Government holds ultimate sovereignty over all U.S. citizens and the territory of Puerto Rico, residents of Puerto Rico are without an effective voice in the Federal government. This is not because Puerto Rico residents do not have the right to vote, but rather because the territory itself does not have voting representation in the [[United States Congress]], nor is it represented in the [[United States Electoral College]]. Puerto Ricans do, however, play an indirect role in electing the [[President of the United States]], since both the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] hold primaries in Puerto Rico, giving Puerto Ricans a voice selecting each party's presidential nominee.

Both the [[Puerto Rican Independence Party]] and the [[New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico|New Progressive Party]] outright reject the status quo that permits disfranchisement. The remaining political organization, the [[Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico)|Popular Democratic Party]], is less active in its opposition of this case of disfranchisement but has officially stated that it favors fixing the remaining "deficits of democracy" that the [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]] Administrations have publicly recognized in writing through Presidential Task Force Reports.

=== Presidential politics in Puerto Rico ===
Although the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] chapters in Puerto Rico have selected voting delegates to the national nominating conventions since the early 1900s, public interest in these processes heightened as a result of the efforts of a group of Democratic statehooders led by [[Franklin Delano López]] in 1976 to elect delegates supporting former Georgia Gov. [[Jimmy Carter]] to that year's [[Democratic National Convention]]. On October 23, 1979, the first primary of a party affiliated to the Democratic National Committee was held in Puerto Rico. Franklin Delano López was elected Chairman of the New Democratic Party of Puerto Rico by the direct votes of 374,000 American citizens residing on the Island. Lopez then moved the Puerto Rican Legislature to adopt a Presidential Primary Law. During the discussion of the Presidential primary Law, Lopez managed to persuade Presidential Chief of Staff, [[Hamilton Jordan]] and [[Timothy Kraft]] to grant Puerto Rico the right for a more robust delegation, the inclusion of Puerto Rico after [[Pennsylvania]] in the roll call of the state in exchange of eliminating from the bill that Puerto Rico was going to be the first Presidential Primary in the Nation. As a result of that effort, the Puerto Rico Legislature approved a law regulating presidential primaries in 1979, the first of which was held in 1980, with [[George H. W. Bush]] winning the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] primary and President [[Jimmy Carter|Carter]] beating Senator [[Ted Kennedy|Edward "Ted" Kennedy]] in a hard-fought Democratic primary. More than 1.2 million American citizens residing in Puerto Rico participated in the primaries.

In the first internal primary of a National political party, the new slate of statehooders, headed by Franklin Delano López took control of the local Democratic party chapter. In January 1980 after clashing with Governor [[Carlos Romero Barceló]], Lopez was forced to resign the chairmanship of the New Democratic Party in exchange of the Governor becoming the President of Carter's campaign in Puerto Rico and throwing the New Progressive Party behind the president's re-election efforts. Lopez' fight with Governor Romero, on behalf of President Carter, paid off and was appointed Deputy Campaign Manager of President Carter national campaign. Lopez efforts moved to Puerto Rico and the status issue at the forefront of the National political discussion. Subsequently, both the statehood faction and the commonwealth shared control on a 50-50 basis from 1984 to 1988 and lost control that year as a result of their defeat in an internal primary that year between PPD forces led by then Senate president [[Miguel Hernández Agosto]] and PNP forces led by former Gov. [[Carlos Romero Barceló]]. While the PPD Democratic faction controls the Democratic party chapter under the state chairmanship of former senator [[Roberto Prats]], two of the five DNC members residing in Puerto Rico, Senate president [[Kenneth McClintock]] and [[Francisco Domenech]] are statehooders.

On the Republican side PNP-affiliated statehood Republicans control the GOP local chapter ([[Republican Party of Puerto Rico (1903)|Republican Party of Puerto Rico]]), headed by state chair and [[Aguadilla]] mayor [[Carlos Méndez Martínez|Carlos Méndez]], Republican National Committeeman and Governor [[Luis Fortuño]] and Republican National Committeewoman Zoraida Fonalledas.

The 2008 Republican presidential primary was slated to be held in February, while Democrats held their primary in June. Then Senate President and Democratic National Committeeman [[Kenneth McClintock]], former Sen. [[Roberto Prats]], Puerto Rico's Democratic State Chair and former PPD gubernatorial candidate [[José Alfredo Hernández Mayoral]] were appointed co-chairs of Sen. [[Hillary Clinton]]'s National Hispanic Leadership Council while [[Young Democrats of America]] Democratic National Committeeman [[Francisco Domenech]] co-chaired Clinton's young professionals organization. Prats and McClintock subsequently co-chaired Clinton's Puerto Rico campaign, while [[Francisco Domenech]] became the Deputy Campaign Manager. Senator Clinton won the Puerto Rico Primary by a 68% to 32% margin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goppr.org/index.php.en/|title=The Republican Party of Puerto Rico|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422234520/http://www.goppr.org/index.php.en/|archive-date=April 22, 2009|access-date=January 20, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Being the last big primary before the last two states voted on June 3, Puerto Rico's Democratic presidential primary attracted historic levels of national media coverage.

Several local politicians have expressed concern that Puerto Rico has become a "piggy bank" for presidential campaigns.<ref name="endi">{{Cite web |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/politica/noticias/obama_ignoro_consejo/310007 |title=el Nuevo Día - Obama ignoró consejo |access-date=November 7, 2007 |archive-date=November 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109045644/http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/politica/noticias/obama_ignoro_consejo/310007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Recent examples include Vice President [[Dick Cheney]]'s whirlwind two-hour visit to collect $300,000 in 2006 and Senator [[Barack Obama]]'s 50% longer three-hour trip in November, 2007 to collect $200,000<ref name="endi2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/portada/noticias/llego,_cobro_y_volo/309815 |title=el Nuevo Día - Llegó, cobró y voló |access-date=November 7, 2007 |archive-date=November 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107045416/http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/portada/noticias/llego,_cobro_y_volo/309815 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Speculation, which began in late 2009 by a national media blog<ref>{{cite web |author=Andrew Romano |url=http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/11/25/absurdly-premature-2012-watch-vol-2-the-governor-of-puerto-rico-for-president.aspx |title=Absurdly Premature 2012 Watch, Vol. 2: The Governor of Puerto Rico ... for President? |work=Newsweek |date=2009-11-25 |access-date=2011-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127085950/http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/11/25/absurdly-premature-2012-watch-vol-2-the-governor-of-puerto-rico-for-president.aspx |archive-date=November 27, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and by [[Grover Norquist]], a well-known Republican commentator, mentioned Gov. [[Luis Fortuño|Fortuño]] as a long-shot inclusion in a national political ticket.

=== 21st Century===
According to a December 2005 report by the [[President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status]], it is not possible "to bind future (U.S.) Congresses to any particular arrangement for Puerto Rico as a Commonwealth".<ref name=status /> This determination was based on articles in the [[U.S. Constitution]] regarding territories. Prominent leaders in the pro-statehood and pro-independence political movements agree with this assessment. In 2005 and 2007, two reports were issued by the U.S. President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status.<ref name=status>{{cite web|url=http://charma.uprm.edu/~angel/Puerto_Rico/reporte_status.pdf|title=Report by the President's task force on Puerto Rico's Status|date=December 2005|access-date=2007-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070925184244/http://charma.uprm.edu/~angel/Puerto_Rico/reporte_status.pdf|archive-date=September 25, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=status2007>{{cite web|url=http://www.primerahora.com/XStatic/primerahora/docs/espanol/whitehousestatusreport.pdf|title=Report by the President's task force on Puerto Rico's Status|date=December 2007|access-date=2007-12-24|archive-date=February 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216013058/http://www.primerahora.com/XStatic/primerahora/docs/espanol/whitehousestatusreport.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Both reports conclude that Puerto Rico continues to be a territory of U.S. under the plenary powers of the U.S. Congress.<ref name=status2007 /> Reactions from Puerto Rico's two major political parties were mixed. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) challenged<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Puerto rico labor laws and regulations handbook : strategic information and basic laws.|date=2009|publisher=International Business Publications USA|isbn=978-1-4387-8149-5|location=[Place of publication not identified]|pages=22|oclc=946207080}}</ref> the task force's report and committed to validating the current status in all international forums, including the [[United Nations]]. It also rejects<ref name=":0" /> any "colonial or territorial status" as a status option, and vows to keep working for the enhanced Commonwealth status that was approved by the PPD in 1998 which included sovereignty, an association based on "respect and dignity between both nations", and common citizenship.<ref>[http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/vol2n11/indep-hearing-v2n11.html Independence Hearing] by the ''Puerto Rico Herald''.</ref> The New Progressive Party (PNP) supported<ref name=":0" /> the [[White House]] Report's conclusions and supported bills to provide for a democratic referendum process among Puerto Rico voters.<ref name=status2007/> It stated that the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Justice Department]] in 1959 reiterated that Congress held power over Puerto Rico pursuant to the [[Article Four of the United States Constitution|Territorial Clause]]<ref>Art. IV, Sec. 3, clause 2, U.S. Constitution</ref> of the U.S. Constitution.<ref name=status2007 /> In a 1996 report on a Puerto Rico status political bill, the "[[United States House Committee on Natural Resources|U.S. House Committee on Resources]] stated that PR's current status does not meet the criteria for any of the options for full self-government". It concluded that Puerto Rico is still an unincorporated territory of the U.S. under the territorial clause, that the establishment of local self-government with the consent of the people can be unilaterally revoked by the U.S. Congress, and that U.S. Congress can also withdraw the U.S. citizenship of Puerto Rican residents of Puerto Rico at any time, for a legitimate Federal purpose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/resources/hii43194.000/hii43194_0.HTM|title=Puerto Rico Status Field Hearing|publisher=Committee on Resources, U.S. House of Representatives, 105th Congress|date=April 19, 1997|access-date=2007-10-01}}</ref> The application of the Constitution to Puerto Rico is limited by the [[Insular Cases]].

On December 21, 2007, the Bush Administration's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status reiterated and confirmed that Puerto Rico continues to be a territory of the U.S. under the plenary powers of the U.S. Congress,<ref name="autogenerated4">{{cite web|url=http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/documents/2007-report-by-the-president-task-force-on-puerto-rico-status.pdf |title=''Report By the President's Task Force On Puerto Rico's Status (December 2007)'' |access-date=2011-06-13}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.eldiariony.com/noticias/detail.aspx?section=20&desc=Nuestros%20Pa%C3%ADses&id=1778876 |title=U.S. hardens position on Puerto Rico ("EE.UU. endurece posición sobre Puerto Rico"); Jesús Dávila – El Diario La Prensa; December 22, 2007 |access-date=May 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308162027/http://www.eldiariony.com/noticias/detail.aspx?section=20&desc=Nuestros%20Pa%C3%ADses&id=1778876 |archive-date=March 8, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a position shared by the remaining two-major parties: [[New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico|New Progressive Party]] and the [[Puerto Rican Independence Party]].<ref name="autogenerated1" />

On June 15, 2009, the [[Special Committee on Decolonization|United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization]] approved a draft resolution calling on the Government of the United States to expedite a process that would allow the Puerto Rican people to exercise fully their inalienable right to self-determination and independence.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gacol3193.doc.htm|title=Members Hear Petitioners Speak up for Independence, Statehood, Free Association|publisher=General Assembly of the United Nations|date=June 15, 2009}}</ref>

Following the reports recommendations the 2009 bill ({{USBill|111|H.R.|2499}}), was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on May 19, 2009, by [[Pedro Pierluisi]] (D-[[Puerto Rico]]).<ref name=bill2009>{{cite web|url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2499&tab=related|title=H.R. 2499|access-date=May 21, 2009|author=111th Congress (2009)|date=May 19, 2009|work=Legislation|publisher=GovTrack.us|quote=Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009|archive-date=January 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119154343/http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2499&tab=related|url-status=dead}}</ref> The bill would have provided for a referendum giving Puerto Ricans the choice between the options of retaining their present political status, or choosing a new status.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.hr2499.com/| title = HR 2499 Puerto Rico Democracy Act Website| access-date = March 20, 2015| archive-date = December 17, 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141217063204/http://hr2499.com/| url-status = dead}}</ref> If the former option won, the referendum would have been held again every 8 years. If the latter option won, a separate referendum would be held where Puerto Ricans would have been given the option of being admitted as a US State "on equal footing with the other states", or becoming a "sovereign nation, either fully independent from or in free association with the United States." The bill enjoyed bi-partisan support in the House of Representatives, with 182 co-sponsors and was reported out of the House Resources Committee on a 30–8 vote. The measure was passed by the House on April 29, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |author=Dwyer Arce|url=http://jurist.org/paperchase/2010/04/done-us-house-passes-bill-on-puerto-rico-status-referendum.php|title=US House approves Puerto Rico status referendum bill|date=April 30, 2009|publisher=JURIST – Paper Chase}}</ref> The bill did not pass in the Senate.<ref name=bill2009/>

On March 16, 2011, the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status issued a third report<ref>{{cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/Puerto_Rico_Task_Force_Report.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-07-14 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216184218/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/Puerto_Rico_Task_Force_Report.pdf |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |archive-date=2017-02-16 }}</ref> that reaffirmed the legal position adopted by the three previous presidents over nearly a quarter century that Puerto Rico remains today "subject to the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution (see Report at p.&nbsp;26), that the territory's long-term economic well-being would be enhanced by an early resolution of the political status problem (p.&nbsp;33) and devotes most of the report to extensive economic analysis and recommendations.

On December 11, 2012, the [[Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico]] enacted a [[concurrent resolution]] to request the [[U.S. President|President]] and the [[Congress of the United States]] to respond diligently and effectively, and to act on the demand of the people of Puerto Rico, as freely and democratically expressed in the plebiscite held on November 6, 2012, to end, once and for all, its current form of territorial status and to begin the process to admit Puerto Rico to the Union as a State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.puertoricoreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-concurrent-resolution.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112212628/http://www.puertoricoreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-concurrent-resolution.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |title=The Senate and the House of Representative of Puerto Rico Concurrent Resolution |date=December 2012 |access-date=2013-12-29}}</ref>

On May 15, 2013, headed by non-voting Resident Commissioner [[Pedro Pierluisi]], a group of 119 Democratic and 12 Republican members of Congress introduced H.R. 2000, the Puerto Rico Status Resolution Act to Congress, requesting a process for voting to admit Puerto Rico as a State to be approved and a vote to ratify Puerto Rico as a state.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135632/http://www.puertoricoreport.org/pierluisi-introduces-historic-legislation/ "Pierluisi Introduces Historic Legislation"]}}, ''Puerto Rico Report'', 15 May 2013. Retrieved on 15 May 2013.</ref><ref name=hr2000>{{cite web|title=H.R. 2000: Puerto Rico Status Resolution Act|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr2000|publisher=Govtrack.us|access-date=1 November 2014}}</ref> It did not receive a vote in the House.<ref name=hr2000/>

The nature of Puerto Rico's political relationship with the United States is the subject of ongoing debate in the United Nations and the [[International Community]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL32933.pdf|title=Political Status of Puerto Rico: Background, Options, and Issues in the 109th Congress|date=May 25, 2005|author=Keith Bea|publisher=Congressional Research Service|access-date=2007-10-01}}</ref><ref name="sdc">{{cite press release|title=Special committee on decolonization approves text calling on United States to expedite Puerto Rican self-determination process|date=13 June 2006|publisher=Department of Public Information, United Nations General Assembly|url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/gacol3138.doc.htm|access-date=2007-10-01}}</ref> According to two consecutive Bush Administration President's Task Force Reports,<ref name=status/> the latest of which was issued on December 21, 2007<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.primerahora.com/XStatic/primerahora/docs/espanol/whitehousestatusreport.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 12, 2008 |archive-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216013058/http://www.primerahora.com/XStatic/primerahora/docs/espanol/whitehousestatusreport.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Puerto Rico is an unincorporated [[organized territory]] of the United States, subject to the [[plenary power]]s of the United States government. The [[Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico)|Popular Democratic Party]] has challenged the Bush Administration's Task Force Reports stating that in 1953 Puerto Rico achieved a compact of association between both nations that was recognized by the United Nations. Nonetheless, the aforementioned U.S. Presidential and Congressional Reports state that the current prerogatives assumed by the Puerto Rico government are delegated by the U.S. Congress and may be amended or eliminated at its sole behest.

In a letter sent by the former governor of Puerto Rico to the former U.S. Secretary of State, [[Condoleezza Rice]] and the Co-Chairs of the White House's Presidential Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status on the Bush administration, former governor Acevedo Vilá stated:<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B0BBF386D-F7D6-4870-9CF0-EC85014C0EC6%7D)&language=en |title=Prensa Latina, Nestor Rosa-Marbrell, November 20, 2007; last verified on December 1st, 2007 |publisher=Plenglish.com |date= |access-date=2011-06-13 |archive-date=October 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003065701/http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B0BBF386D-F7D6-4870-9CF0-EC85014C0EC6%7D%29&language=EN |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web |url=http://espanol.news.yahoo.com/s/19112007/54/eeuu-gobernador-pide-rice-enmiende-informe-estatus-pol-tico-p.html |title=''El Gobernador pide a Rice que enmiende el informe sobre el estatus político de P.Rico''; |publisher=Espanol.news.yahoo.com |date=2011-04-20 |access-date=2011-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110063744/http://espanol.news.yahoo.com/s/19112007/54/eeuu-gobernador-pide-rice-enmiende-informe-estatus-pol-tico-p.html |archive-date=2008-01-10 }}</ref>

:"My Administration's position is very clear: if the Task Force and the Bush Administration stand by their 2005 conclusions, then for over 50 years the U.S Government has perpetuated a 'monumental hoax' on the people of Puerto Rico, on the people of the United States and on the international community. If the 2005 report articulates the new official position of the United States, the time has come now for the [[United States Department of State|State Department]] to formally notify the United Nations of this new position and assume the international legal consequences. You cannot have a legal and constitutional interpretation for local, political purposes and a different one for the international community. If it is a serious, relevant document, the report must have international consequences. Alternatively, the Task Force may review and amend the 2005 conclusions to make them consistent with legal and historical precedent, and therefore allow future status developments based on a binding compact."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fortaleza.gobierno.pr/admin_fortaleza/sistema/noticias/1160.doc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029001710/http://www.fortaleza.gobierno.pr/admin_fortaleza/sistema/noticias/1160.doc|url-status=dead|title=Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá's letter to U.S. President George W. Bush's President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status (formally addressed to the Co-Chairs of the Bush Administration's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status); October 23, 2007|archive-date=October 29, 2008|access-date=December 22, 2007}}</ref>

On December 15, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the Puerto Rico Status Act. The act sought to resolve Puerto Rico's status and its relationship to the United States through a binding plebiscite.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-status-act-house-vote-territory-plebiscite-rcna61871|title=House votes in favor of resolving Puerto Rico's territorial status|website=NBC News|date=December 15, 2022}}</ref>

In September 2023, Roger Wicker reintroduced legislation in the United States Congress on the territorial status of Puerto Rico. a two-round consultation process. The first vote is scheduled for August 4, 2024, where Puerto Ricans will have the choice between four alternatives: annexation to the United States, independence, sovereignty in free association, and a free state associated with the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2023/9/wicker-reintroduces-puerto-rico-status-act|title=Wicker Reintroduces Puerto Rico Status Act|website=www.wicker-senate.gov|date=September 28, 2023}}</ref>

In July 2024, Governor Pedro Pierluisi calls a plebiscite on the status of Puerto Rico in November 2024. For the first time, the island's current status as a U.S. territory will not be an option during the non-binding plebiscite. The executive order follows the U.S. House of Representatives' approval in 2022 of a bill to help Puerto Rico move toward a change in territorial status. Voters have a choice between statehood, independence, or independence with free association, the terms of which would be negotiated regarding foreign affairs, U.S. citizenship, and use of the U.S. dollar.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Porto Rico inclura un plébiscite sur le statut lors des élections générales de novembre|url=https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-status-plebiscite-election-e763c4d11e10a42fb557bd1bbd722614}}</ref> There was three choices: statehood, independence, and independence with free association with the United States (There was no option to maintains status). The top choice was 57% voted for Statehood (as part of the USA) from 528 thousand votes.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/jenniffer-gonzalez-of-puerto-ricos-pro-statehood-party-edges-ahead-in-gubernatorial-election Jenniffer González of Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood party edges ahead in gubernatorial election], Politics Nov 6, 2024 11:29 AM EST by Danica Coto AP</ref><ref>[https://floridianpress.com/2024/11/puerto-rico-voted-for-statehood-what-happens-next/ Puerto Rico Voted for Statehood, What Happens Next? by Daniel Molina]</ref>

On February 15, 2025, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved a resolution on the legal status of Puerto Rico, 'the resolution, requests that "the President and Congress of the United States of America respond promptly and act in accordance with the demands of the citizens of Puerto Rico.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cámara aprueba resolución sobre status que populares querían debatir en inglés {{!}} Metro Puerto Rico  |url=https://www.metro.pr/noticias/2025/02/13/camara-aprueba-resolucion-sobre-status-que-populares-querian-debatir-en-ingles/ |website=metro.pr|date=February 15, 2025 }}</ref>