[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1230 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1230

     To recognize the right of the People of Puerto Rico to call a 
Constitutional Convention through which the people would exercise their 
 natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for 
             congressional consideration of such decision.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 28, 2007

Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Duncan, Mr. 
  Rangel, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Oberstar, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Bishop of 
 Georgia, Mr. Costello, Mr. Sires, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Honda, 
   Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. 
  DeFazio, Mr. Faleomavaega, and Ms. Solis) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To recognize the right of the People of Puerto Rico to call a 
Constitutional Convention through which the people would exercise their 
 natural right to self-determination, and to establish a mechanism for 
             congressional consideration of such decision.

    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 Self-Determination Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Commonwealth.--The term ``Commonwealth'' means the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
            (2) Self-determination option.--The term ``Self-
        Determination Option'' means an option agreed to by a 
        Constitutional Convention in the Commonwealth for a new or 
        modified Commonwealth status, Statehood, or Independence. A 
        Self-Determination Option must be based on the sovereignty of 
        the People of Puerto Rico and not subject to the plenary powers 
        of the territorial clause of the Constitution of the United 
        States.
            (3) Self-determination proposal.--The term ``Self-
        Determination Proposal'' means a Self Determination Option 
        approved by the People of Puerto Rico in a referendum held 
        pursuant to section 4(b).
            (4) People of puerto rico.--The term ``People of Puerto 
        Rico'' means residents in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and 
        non-resident Puerto Ricans.
            (5) Non-resident puerto ricans.--The term ``non-resident 
        Puerto Ricans'' refers to individuals who are not legal 
        residents of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and who are either 
        born in Puerto Rico or have one parent born in Puerto Rico.
            (6) Constitutional convention.--The term ``Constitutional 
        Convention'' means a Convention of delegates elected by the 
        People of Puerto Rico and convened pursuant to legislation 
        approved by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

SEC. 3. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

    Congress recognizes the inherent authority of the People of Puerto 
Rico to call a Constitutional Convention, constituted by a number of 
delegates to be determined in accordance to legislation approved by the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, for the purpose of proposing to the People 
of Puerto Rico a Self-Determination Option, which if approved by the 
People of Puerto Rico in a referendum would be presented to Congress by 
the Constitutional Convention as a Self-Determination Proposal.

SEC. 4. SELF-DETERMINATION OPTION AND PROPOSAL.

    (a) Consideration of Self-Determination Proposal.--
            (1) Approval of proposal.--If the People of Puerto Rico 
        approve the Self-Determination Proposal in a referendum, a 
        joint resolution of Congress shall be enacted approving the 
        terms of the Self-Determination Proposal, including provisions 
        necessary to implement the Self-Determination Proposal. If 
        Congress approves the Self-Determination Proposal with any 
        changes or amendments, it shall be submitted in a referendum 
        vote to the People of Puerto Rico for approval before it shall 
        be effective.
            (2) Rejection of proposal.--If a Self-Determination 
        Proposal is rejected by Congress or is rejected by the People 
        of Puerto Rico in a referendum held pursuant to paragraph (1), 
        the Constitutional Convention may reconvene for the purpose of 
        deliberating to adopt another Self-Determination Option to 
        propose to the People of Puerto Rico and Congress.

SEC. 5. CONVENTION IN CONTINUOUS SESSION.

    A Constitutional Convention held pursuant to this Act may remain in 
session until a Self-Determination Proposal is enacted by Federal law.
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