[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2499 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 2499


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2010

   Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To provide for a federally sanctioned self-determination process for 
                       the people of Puerto Rico.

    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 Democracy Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO RICO'S SELF-
              DETERMINATION.

    (a) First Plebiscite.--The Government of Puerto Rico is authorized 
to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico. The 2 options set forth on the 
ballot shall be preceded by the following statement: ``Instructions: 
Mark one of the following 2 options:
            ``(1) Puerto Rico should continue to have its present form 
        of political status. If you agree, mark here __.
            ``(2) Puerto Rico should have a different political status. 
        If you agree, mark here __.''.
    (b) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 1.--If 
a majority of the ballots in the plebiscite are cast in favor of Option 
1, the Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct additional 
plebiscites under subsection (a) at intervals of every 8 years from the 
date that the results of the prior plebiscite are certified under 
section 3(d).
    (c) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 2.--If 
a majority of the ballots in a plebiscite conducted pursuant to 
subsection (a) or (b) are cast in favor of Option 2, the Government of 
Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite on the following 4 
options:
            (1) Independence: Puerto Rico should become fully 
        independent from the United States. If you agree, mark here __.
            (2) Sovereignty in Association with the United States: 
        Puerto Rico and the United States should form a political 
        association between sovereign nations that will not be subject 
        to the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution. If 
        you agree, mark here __.
            (3) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted as a State of 
        the Union. If you agree, mark here __.
            (4) Commonwealth: Puerto Rico should continue to have its 
        present form of political status. If you agree, mark here ___.

SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LAWS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Applicable Laws.--All Federal laws applicable to the election 
of the Resident Commissioner shall, as appropriate and consistent with 
this Act, also apply to any plebiscites held pursuant to this Act. Any 
reference in such Federal laws to elections shall be considered, as 
appropriate, to be a reference to the plebiscites, unless it would 
frustrate the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Rules and Regulations.--The Puerto Rico State Elections 
Commission shall issue all rules and regulations necessary to carry out 
the plebiscites under this Act.
    (c) Eligibility To Vote.--Each of the following shall be eligible 
to vote in any plebiscite held under this Act:
            (1) All eligible voters under the electoral laws in effect 
        in Puerto Rico at the time the plebiscite is held.
            (2) All United States citizens born in Puerto Rico who 
        comply, to the satisfaction of the Puerto Rico State Elections 
        Commission, with all Commission requirements (other than the 
        residency requirement) applicable to eligibility to vote in a 
        general election in Puerto Rico. Persons eligible to vote under 
        this subsection shall, upon timely request submitted to the 
        Commission in compliance with any terms imposed by the 
        Electoral Law of Puerto Rico, be entitled to receive an 
        absentee ballot for the plebiscite.
    (d) Certification of Plebiscite Results.--The Puerto Rico State 
Elections Commission shall certify the results of any plebiscite held 
under this Act to the President of the United States and to the Members 
of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States.
    (e) English Language Requirements.--The Puerto Rico State Elections 
Commission shall--
            (1) ensure that all ballots used for any plebiscite held 
        under this Act include the full content of the ballot printed 
        in English;
            (2) inform persons voting in any plebiscite held under this 
        Act that, if Puerto Rico retains its current political status 
        or is admitted as a State of the United States, the official 
        language requirements of the Federal Government shall apply to 
        Puerto Rico in the same manner and to the same extent as 
        throughout the United States; and
            (3) inform persons voting in any plebiscite held under this 
        Act that, if Puerto Rico retains its current political status 
        or is admitted as a State of the United States, it is the Sense 
        of Congress that it is in the best interest of the United 
        States for the teaching of English to be promoted in Puerto 
        Rico as the language of opportunity and empowerment in the 
        United States in order to enable students in public schools to 
        achieve English language proficiency.
    (f) Plebiscite Costs.--All costs associated with any plebiscite 
held under this Act (including the printing, distribution, 
transportation, collection, and counting of all ballots) shall be paid 
for by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 29, 2010.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.