WikiLeaks Document Release http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 February 2, 2009

Congressional Research Service Report RL31856 Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico R. Eric Petersen, Government and Finance Division

March 11, 2008

Abstract. Since 1902, Congress has authorized Puerto Rico to be represented in Washington, D.C., by a Resident Commissioner. Although the office of territorial Delegate in Congress dates from the Congress of the Articles of Confederation, the office of Resident Commissioner was not established until after the Spanish-American War to provide representation for Puerto Rico and the Philippines. This report surveys the evolution of the office of Resident Commissioner, the expansion in the authority provided to the Resident Commissioner, and the various approaches the Resident Commissioner takes in fulfilling the responsibilities of the office. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 &3:&7>=+0`=,**3= 3&1>89=.3=2*7.(&3=&9.43&1=4;*732*39= _=7.(= *9*78*3= *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress =*5479=+47=43,7*88

43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= <<<_(78_,4;= -+2/0= 18/1**= = http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 Commissioner takesfulfilling in the responsibilities ofoffice. the authority provided to the Resident Commissione warranted, surveys theevolution of the office of 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= This report, which will be updated at the conclusion of the 111 the Philippines. established until after the Spanish-American War to provide representation for Puerto Rico and Congress of the Articles of Confederation, the office of Resident Commissioner wasnot Resident Commissioner. Although the office of territorial Delegate in Congress dates from the Since 1902, Congress has authorized Puerto Rico to be represented in Washington, DC,by a :22&7>= = Resident Commissioner, theexpansion inthe r,various andthe approaches theResident *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= th Congress, or sooner as http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= Acknowledgments...... Author Contact 439&(98= Table 2. Measures Cosponsored by Resident Commissioner, 93 Table 1. Measures Sponsored by Resident Commissioner, 93 &'1*8= Legislative Role of the Committee of the W Committee Seniority Establishing theOffice of 439*398= = Informa hole VotingRights...... and VotingRights...... eietCmisoe ...... 6 ...... Resident Commissioner in...... tion Rsdn omsinr...... 2 Commissioner...... Resident *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= rd -110 rd -110 th Cnrse...... 8 Congresses...... th Cnrse...... 8 Congresses...... 9 ...... 9 ...... 5 3

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 Constitution applied to these lands. considered “unincorporated” territories, however, and only the“fundamental” part of the statehood. The overseas territories acquired through the peace treaty ending the War of 1898were the Constitution applied. It wasgenerally understood that such territories were bound for eventual territories were considered integral parts of the United States, to which all relevant provisions of What emerged wasanew legal concept, that of an unincorporated territory. Earlier, incorporated Baker Printers, 1896). Legislation of Congress for the Government of the Organized Territories ofthe United States, 1789-1895 District,” Government.” have aseat in Congress, with aright ofdebating, but not ofvoting, during this temporary territorial legislature (once formed) was authorized to elect a “Delegate to Congress, who shall enacted, providing for the organization of agove Constitution was ratified and thenew Congress assembled, the Northwest Ordinance was re- for a territorial Delegate to represent the territory northwest of the Ohio River. When the Ordinance of 1787, ameasure enacted by Congress under the Articles of Confederation, provided 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 3 2 1 T legislative duties and executive responsibilities aswell. legislators, while the statutes creating the posts of Resident Commissioner gave theseofficials Commissioners were chosen initially for two-year, but later for four-year, terms. Delegates were Delegates (like Members of theHouse) were chosen for two-year terms. The Resident The office ofResident Commissioner wasclearly different from that of congressional Delegate. government andcitizenry sent to represent their interests at the national capital. government. In American usage, theResident Commissioner was anagent of the local Empire to indicate a crown representative sent to a territory tomanage the affairs of the home Commissioners. The term wasnewto American lega representation. These two territories were to be represented in Washington, DC,by Resident In thecaseof Puerto Rico and the Philippines, Congress granted by lawanew form ofterritorial = opinion in varieties ofgovernment established inU.S. possessions during the 18 framework. Confederation Congress, was necessary tofit the territorial territories. The legal status of the inhabitants of these territories was amatter of controversy. ending the Spanish-American War of 1898, the United States acquired a number of overseas colonies, orwhether the territory hadbeen acqu whether a territory hadbeen apart of the original land area claimed by the13 former British traditional practice for territories created during thewestward continental expansion, regardless of various territorial governments moved gradually toward admission as states. This was the Subsequently, the territorial Delegates served as transitional figures during the period inwhich and unincorporated territories was first endorsed by a majority of Supreme the Court in 138, 49 L Ed 128, 24 SCt 808 (1904). The concept of unincorporated territories wasfirst enunciated by Chief Justice Edward D. White ina concurring One of the foremost constitutional scholars inAmerican history, Max Farrand, commented extensively onthe Act ofAug. 7,1789, ch. 8, 1 Stat. 50. This law, incorporating provisions from the earlier ordinances of the Articles of recognized in law since before the adoption of the federal Constitution. NorthwestThe from that of territorial Delegate inCongress. he Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico holds an office specifically differentiated American Historical Review Downes v. Bidwell v. Downes 1 The first territorial Delegate was seated in 1794. , 182 US 244, 45 L Ed 1088, 21 S Ct 770 (1901). The distinction between incorporated , vol. 5, no. 4, July 1900, pp. 676-681. See also his book-length treatment

3

ired by purchase or conquest. Through thetreaty structure inthe old Northwest intothe new constitutional rnmentin theterritory. Under theact, The office of territorial Delegate has been l usage, butwas widely used in the British th and 19 *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= th centuries. See his article “Territory and and “Territory article his See centuries. Dorr v. United States United Dorr v. (Newark, NJ: , 195 US US 195 , 2

+= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 and that the House begin consideration within instructions that the Resident Commissioner receive the same rights and privileges asDelegates, of the Rules Committee, sought torecommit theresolution to the Rules Committee with are possessed by Delegates.” Representative John Sharp Williams, the rankingminority member the Commissioner the same “powers and privileges as to committee service and in the House as 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 5 4 Committee reported a resolution (H.Res. 197,58 for the election of a territorial Delegate instead of a resident commissioner. HouseThe Rules efforts by Representative Cooper and others to amend the organic act for Puerto Rico toprovide of granting more parliamentary rights to the Resident Commissioner was directly connected to speak onthe floor and to serve oncommittees as was accorded to territorial Delegates. The issue It wasnotuntil 1904 that the Housegranted to the Resident Commissioner the same right to House floor. House chamber. However, the Resident Commissioner was still not allowed to speak onthe executive departments, foreign ministers, and the Librarian ofCongress in having access to the resolution, the Commissioner was put on apar with the clerks ofHouse committees, heads of House Rules to give floor privileges to the Resident Commissioner. With the adoption of the Henry Allen Cooper (R-WI), the Chairman of the House Insular Affairs Committee, to amend Puerto Rico. On 28,1902,June the House agreed to H.Res. 169,introduced by Representative The House took incremental steps to grant more privileges tothe Resident Commissioner from rooms.” House. His only contacts with the Members were at their private quarters or in committee voice norvote in congressional deliberations; in fact, he wasnot even allowed on the floor of the Representatives, if any. As one scholar has no thatsame forMembersas Congress,of butdidnot The act creating the office set the salary ofthe Resident Commissioner at $5,000 per annum, the At first, the Resident Commissioners were not fully welcome in the House of Representatives. Committee, stated: establishing thepost of Delegate. As Senator John Coit Spooner, chairman of the Senate Rules The Senate action was predicated on opposition to a potential for statehood that was implicit in Rico, the Senate amended the measure to establis Although the House passed abill in 1900 providing for theselection of a Delegate from Puerto 89&'1.8-.3,=9-*=++.(*=4+=*8.)*39= 422.88.43*7= Universidad de Puerto Rico = William R.Tansill, “The Resident Commissioner to the United States from Puerto Rico,” Sen. John Coit Spooner, remarks inthe Senate, 5 interests, or certainly for ours, to let them become one of the members Union. this of the letthem ours,for to certainly one of become or interests, statehood, orto imply they that will ever reach for thatnotyetwe people, Iam ready, nor calledupon are now,to give that quasi pledge of kindness of full heart a with say, to frank am I but subject, that on view my own change may statehood and toparticipateas entitled one of Union. ofknownot States the how the I time to beadmitted when shall they come to time is upon the theory that a peopleexcept the a vote. It has always been a considered pledge of statehood. No Congress gives adelegate to isThere no difference between aDelegate in Congress and amember exceptmatter the in of

, vol. 47, nos. 1-2, 1978, p. 72.

Congressional Record Congressional ted, the Resident Commissioner was “given neither twoweeks ofabill th h insteadan office Resident of Commissioner. Congress) amending House Rule XII togrant acondition where itshall beeither for their specify his responsibilities in the House of , Apr. 2, 1900, vol. 33, p. 3632. *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= (H.R. 3540,sponsored by Revista Juridica de la la de Juridica Revista 4

,= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 revise the rule to read as follows: Resident Commissioner Jorge Cordova offered an amendment inthe Committee of the Whole to committees on which he served, without accruing seniority. requiring theResident Commissioner to serve as an “additional,” non-votingmember on the proposed merely to delete references to Alaska andHawaii and to continue language inRule XII admission of the latter two territories to statehood a decade earlier. The Houseversion of the bill the Delegates from Alaska andHawaii, were to be assigned as“additional members,” despite the language specifying the committees to which th obsolete provisions from Rules. House Among theseprovisions still in House Rules in 1970 was Provisions in the reorganization bill then being considered by theHouse sought to remove Senate, including their committees. Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, a measure 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 7 the 62 floor with the right to debate to the two Resident Commissioners by name (Commissioners Legarda and Quezon). In on Jan. 7, 1910, Dalzell presented by unanimous consent a standing order (not a rule) authorizing the privileges of the 6 leadership post ona subcommittee or full committee. a to leading seniority acquire to nor committee, in vote to right no had Commissioner the Although the Resident Commissioner was permitted to serve on a broader range ofcommittees, 422.99**=*3.47.9>=&3)=49.3,=.,-98= the House slowly took actions to assign theCommissioner to other panels. In 1933,in the 76 Initially, theResident Commissioner was limited to service on the Insular Affairs Committee, but Committee onInsular Affairs. Speaker G.Joseph Cannon named theResident Commissioner, Federico Degetau, to the motion to recommit outof order. The House agreed to H. Res.197by voice vote. Thereupon, Representative Dalzell, John the Rules Committee floor manager, theSpeaker ruled Williams’s Representative Cooper) to provide Puerto Rico with a Delegate. On a point of order raised by jurisdiction overterritorial affairslegislation. on theInsular Affairs Committee, or the current Committee onResources, which hasassumed addition to the Committee on Insular Affairs. Thereafter, noResident Commissioner served only additional committees, being named tothe Agriculture, Labor, and Territories Committees, in Congress, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesi = District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Isla Commissioner from Puerto Rico was the only non-voting Member of the House. Delegates were provided for the ban applied to all territorial Delegates aswell, butafter the admission of Hawaii and Alaska tostatehood, the Resident Resident Commissioners were never assigned tocommittees. recognized for debate by unanimous consent. Unlike the Philippines. Thereafter, the House did not renew these reso this resolution did not amend House Rules, its Because Commissioners. Resident Philippine the to debate of right the with floor the of privileges the granting Dalzell two Resident Commissioners from the Philippines. On Feb. 4, 1908, the House agreed to a resolution reported by Rep. Congressional Record The Resident Commissioner was not the Commissioner was to the not Theonly Resident seniority vote one the accrue denied to be right committees. or The in “Resident Commissioner tothe United States from Porto Rico,” remarks of Rep. John Dalzell and others, nd Cong., another resolution granted “the right of debate” to the two Resident Commissionersfrom the , Feb. 4, 1904, vol. 38, pp. 1523-1529. The House was less direct inproviding such rights to the 6

nds, Guam, and American Samoa during the 1970s. authority lapsed with the expiration of the 60 Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, the Philippine e Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, and lutions, and the Philippine Resident Commissioners were as became thefirst Commissioner to serve on reorganizing theoperations of the House and 7 This changed with the passage ofthe *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= th Cong. In the 61 st Cong., th

-= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= subsequent vote of the House. decisive committee vote in support of ameasure or an amendment could be overturned by a member ofthe Interior Committee onwhich Cor Committee of the Whole House is not a standing committee.” Representative Hugh Carey, a amendment which I have offered refers expressly tothe standing committees. I believe the claimed that it was not his intention to seek voting rights in Committee of the Whole. “The Although Representative Foley wasnot present to answer the inquiry, Commissioner Cordova parliamentary implications of permitti Sisk responded to the statements insupport of the Cordova amendment by clearly enunciating the respectto suchlegislation.... ” that he is not going tobe able to make any lawsthrough avote on the floor of the House with position. “It is true that if he [aDelegate orResident Commissioner] acts on matters in committee Congress which had assembled the recommendations contained in the bill, supported Foley’s Representative Robert McClory, amember a constitutional question: rights in committee was onlymatter a of the internal organization of the House, and didnot raise Representative Thomas S. Foley supported the amendment, arguing thatgiving Delegates voting of its standing committees a person who is not a Member of the House.” is not a Member of the House ofRepresentatives.... Manifestly, theHouse could not elect to one be equally unconstitutional for a Delegate to vote in committee. “... (A) Delegate from aterritory Siskclaimed be unconstitutionathat asitwould just implication, that of the Resident Commissioner) was created as a “courtesy” to the territories, a senior member ofthe House Rules Committee. Arguing that the office ofDelegate (and, by The amendment wasopposed by thebill’s floor manager, Representative B.F. Sisk, whowasalso within any committee. committee on which hewas elected to serve, toaccrue seniority, and to assume aleadership post The effect of the amendment was to give theResident Commissioner the right to vote inany = committees thesame powers privileges and as theother Members. on standingsamemanner committees in the Members of as the Houseshall and possess in ResidentThe Commissioner the from Rico United to shall States Puerto beelectedtoserve the House in acommittee same the sense that is acreature ofthe House. Whole certainly separate is andapartfrom House thesense the and same acreature in is of ofCommittee the the Union, as House theState ofthe the on in of Whole Committee the to entitled vote be would he that interpreted be would it if know to curious am I But moment. for the purpose of aquorum in committee. Idonotgentleman see the the flooratthe on counted hewill be words, other of aquorum—in aspart Commissioner) Resident him (the will accept or to wishes heif (Mr.Foley) from Washington gentleman the wanted ask I to of the electedMembers Congress of supported his position. Commissioner could doin a committee vote could become afinal decisionunless amajority House. onlyvotes canbecast MembersCongress. of by These Sonothingthat the Resident committee votes are,but onlywhich votes arecastthe in of Committee Whole the orthe full whichwhat standing is votes advisory touch not preliminary does issue constitutional at can They Representatives. beextinguished House of the of creatures are Representatives House of the of committees The ng Delegates to vote incommittee. of the Joint Committeeof Organizationon the of dova alsoserved,notedthat anyDelegate’s will and created at will....will createdat point and The isthat the l for aDelegate to vote in the House, it would *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= .= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 8 rulings at the U.S. district court and appeals court levels let the rule stand. The House Republican leadership filed suit, arguing that the rule was unconstitutional. Court vote. Commissioner and the Delegates were decisive in the outcome ofthe Committee of the Whole House (with only Members from thestates voting) if the combined votes of the Resident vote onamendments inCommittee of the Whole, but required an immediate second vote in the unconstitutional, the newHouse Rule permitted the Resident Commissioner and the Delegates to on alegislative item). Because granting this potential authority tothemmight beconsidered proposal by thefull House (thereby allowing non-voting Members todetermine the final outcome the Resident Commissioner against an amendment could succeed in blocking consideration of the vote inCommittee of the Whole. Some Members were concerned that the votes of Delegates and In 1993,theHouse amended its Rules to permit the Resident Commissioner and the Delegates to the Whole. (appropriations and revenue measures, as well as authorizing bills) be considered in Committee of Committee of the Whole. Additionally, HouseRule permit amendments tobe offered to ameasure, the measure will almost always be considered in there. Participation inCommittee of the Whole is unconstitutionally lownumber that would prohibit any final action on ameasure from being taken House Rules also set the quorum inCommittee of the Whole at 100 Members, an is not normally considered again in the House. be submitted to the full House for approval. An amendment defeated in Committee of the Whole Whole, however, are not final. Any amendment agreed to in Committee of the Whole must also the expeditious consideration ofamendments to bills. Actions taken by theCommittee of the operates under different rules that permit more Members to participate in debate and provide for member ofthe Committee of the Whole. Unlike the House, however, theCommittee of the Whole another form. Every HouseMember (including thenon-voting Members) is automatically a The Committee of the Whole is, in some respects, the House of Representatives meeting in same basis through which they were permitted to vote in House committees. Members could constitutionally bepermitted to vote in Committee of the Whole House on the because of their rising numbers. Suggestions were made asearly as1985 that the non-voting influence of degree greater a achieved have Members non-voting Together, the Samoa. American of non-voting Delegates from theDistrict of Columbia, Guam, theU.S. Virgin Islands, and attention was paid to the issue in subsequent years. In the1970s, Congress authorized theelection Commissioner to vote in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union,greater Although Commissioner Cordova denied any interest 422.99**=4+=9-*=-41*=49.3,=.,-98= effectivewith thestart of the92 on it was demanded when the bill was considered in the House. The Rules change became Cordova’s amendment wasagreed to by voice vote in Committee of the Whole. No separate vote 31847-31852. = The complete debate onthe Cordova amendment can be found in nd

Congress in1971. important because, if the House isgoing to s require that measures dealing withmoney 8

in expanding the authority of the Resident Congressional Record *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= ,vol. 116, Sept. 15,1970, pp. 9 At the beginning of /= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 9,419 House bills and resolutions introduced in the 110 On average, House Members introduce between 15 and 20measures per Congress. (There were adopted by Congress or ultimately enacted into law. number ofthese measures that have passed the House, and the number that have ultimately been At the beginning ofthe 110 Whole. again prevent the Resident Commissioner and the Delegates from voting inCommittee of the the House, they cannot have voted on the winning side and, therefore, do not qualify tooffer such a motion. have voted on the winning side during the earlier vote. Since the Resident Commissioner and Delegates cannot vote in vote again ona proposition which has already been settled. To qualify tooffermotion, the the Member offeringmust it 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 11 10 9 (...continued) the subcommittee. not, and in allocating staff resources to conduct investigations into matters within the purview of agenda of their subcommittee, in determining which measures will receive action and which will chairs or ranking members. Such subcommittee leaders play amajor role in determining the Commissioner were granted committee voting rights, a number ofhave served as subcommittee as astanding committee chair or ranking minority member since the Delegates and Resident committees on which he serves asavotingmember. Although nonon-voting Member has served The Resident Commissioner can also have substantial impact onlegislation considered by the measure. Delegates use cosponsorship asan implied substitute for avote on the floor in support of a a typical voting Member of theHouse. It may bethat the Resident Commissioner and the the Resident Commissioner andthe Delegates are often more active in cosponsoring bills than is the number of measures each endorses as a cosponsor. A partial survey ofthe data indicates that including thenon-voting Members.) There is much greater variation among HouseMembers in other parliamentarymotions. right to sponsor or cosponsor bills, to offer amendments to pending measures, and tooffer most territorial Delegates) the same parliamentary rights as any Member ofthe House, including the Although the Resident Commissioner has no vote *,.81&9.;*=41*=4+=9-*=*8.)*39= 422.88.43*7= the 104 resolutions sponsored or cosponsored by Resident Commissioners since the 93 Table 1 Table drafted. compromise versions of bills that have passed the House andSenate in different forms are on committees, they also are appointed to serve onconference committees, the panels at which Representatives in the Committee of the Whole. providing each Delegate and theResident Commi =

Michel v. Anderson v. Michel The non-voting Members are prohibited from offering a “motion to reconsider.” That motion calls upon the House to III, Rule cl.(3)(a). House th and Congress, however, under aRepublican majority, HouseRules were amended to once Table 2 Table , 817 F. Supp. 126 (D.D.C. 1993), 14 F.3d 623 (D.C.Cir. 1994). at the end of this report provide data on the number ofHouse bills and th Congress, under aDemocratic majority, the House adopted Rules 11 Notonly may theResident Commissioner and the Delegates serve

10

ssioner with the same powersand privileges as in the House, he possesses (along with the th Congress, or about 21 per Member, *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= rd Congress, the 0= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 committee markup by theResident Commissioner from Puerto Rico. Resources Committee after the committee had agreed to three amendments offered during the the United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act, was reported from theHouseNatural saying abouthis interactions with colleagues, “We are American citizens, and somebody hasto go Puerto Rico during their military service. As experience in Puerto Rico serving asPeace Corps volunteers in the Commonwealth, orserving in from these states. In addition, several Representatives and Senators have had first-hand outside the Commonwealth may, therefore, becomematters of importance toHouse Members form asignificant electoral base in a number ofstates. Matters of concern to Puerto Ricans living Rican origin or ancestry live in the continental United States, according to the 2000 Census, and many congressional districts onthe mainland. Nearly The Resident Commissioner can also benefit from the large presence of Puerto Rican voters in Caribbean National Forest Wilderness Act of 2002 the committee report. took theopportunity provided by HouseRules to Forest as wilderness areas. When the measure was reported from committee, the Commissioner Commissioner introduced H.R. 3955,abill to designate certain lands in the Caribbean National convey their specific views on pending legislation. For example, in 2002, the Resident The Resident Commissioner andDelegates can also use other parliamentary mechanisms to describe what life must be like at the bargaining table without avote.” Commissioner in seeking legislative action onameasure important to the island, “I cannot legislative process. As amainland Representative commented about the role of the Resident the role and influence that the Resident Commissioner or any of the Delegates may have inthe office. Notwithstanding these practices, the lack of These factors can help the Resident Commissioner in the legislative functions assigned tothe Resident Commissioner may notalways have th mutual interest. Nevertheless, there are subjects onwhich the Hispanic Caucus is divided, and the voting Members of the House, they canalso wo in the committees on which hedoes not serve. Since most of the Hispanic Caucus members are mutual concern provides somemeans by whic caucus, regardless of their political party affiliation. Acting together with others on matters of Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Commissioners since 1970, Resident Commissioner Cordova wasone The Resident Commissioner has often acted in concert with Hispanic Members of the House. In later become law. 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 14 107-409 (Washington: GPO, 2002), pp. 5-6. 13 12 often change thepending measures substantially. Forexample, in the 105 amendments or other parliamentarymotions during committee consideration of bills. These can As voting members ofcommittees, the Resident Commissioner andDelegates can offer = H.R. 856, 105 Robin Toner, “Working Profile: Jaime Fuster,” “Additional Views of Congressman Anibal Acevedo-Vila” in U.S. Congress, House Committee onResources, U.S.Congress, House Committee onResources, th Cong., 1 st sess., H.Rept. 105-131, pt. 1 (Washington: GPO, 1997), p. 2. 13 Such statements help guide federal agencies in implementing billswhich

New York Times New York , report to accompany H.R. 3955, 107 3955, H.R. accompany to , report United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act a former Resident Commissioner was quoted as h the Resident Commissioner can influence action rk with the Resident Commissioner onmatters of e support of colleagues in the caucus. caucus. the in colleagues of support e of the five founding members of the file written supplemental views for inclusion in a vote in the House has anobvious impact on three and one-half million people ofPuerto , May 8, 1986, p. B2. that time have beenactive members ofthe *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= 12 14

th th Cong., 2 Congress, H.R.856, , report to accompany accompany to , report nd sess., H.Rept. 1= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 15 95 94 93 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 [By doing so,]I’ve beenable to take care ofmy constituents’ interests.” out there [to the rest of the House of Representatives] and remind members that that is the case.... = Register, Doug J. Swanson, “Trouble in Paradise: Many Islands Chafe under Uncle Sam’sGuiding Hand,” Table 2. Measures Cosponsored by Resident Commissioner, 93 th th rd th th th th th th rd Congress th th th th th th rd th th nd st (1977-1978) (1975-1976) 289 5 12 2 86 7 17 02 1 1 1 1 8 16 18 19 30 13 (1985-1986) (1983-1984) (1981-1982) (1979-1980) (1977-1978) (1975-1976) (1973-1974) 3 3 0 57 12 (1973-1974) Table Commissioner, 1. by Resident Sponsored 93 Measures (9919) 2 2 2 (1989-1990) c. b. a. Source: (0720) 7 4 3 1 1 1 5 3 2 3 1 1 27 17 19 19 8 6 (2007-2008) 5 (2005-2006) (2003-2004) (2001-2002) (1999-2000) 8 (1997-1998) (1995-1996) (1987-1988) (9319) 1 1 3 (1993-1994) (9119) 5 (1991-1992)

Congress Measures Introduced Oct. 21, 1990, p. M6. Includes three measures enacted intolawandoneresolution. Measures enacted intolawunless otherwisenoted. Resolutions, Nominations, andTreaties:Characteristics,Requirements, Uses Includes resolutions,concurrentresolutionsbills, joint andsimple resolutions. See CRSReport98-728, Legislative Information System Cosponsored Measures

Passed House Measures a esrsPse os Enacted MeasuresPassedHouse Resolutions Adopted Simple *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= Concurrent Resolutions , by RichardS.Beth. Adopted 15 rd

rd -110 -110 th th Congresses Orange County Congresses Measures Enacted c

Bills, a

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2= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL31856 2008) 110 2006) 109 2004) 108 2002) 107 2000) 106 1998) 105 1996) 104 1994) 103 1992) 102 1990) 101 1988) 43,7*88.43&1=*8*&7(-=*7;.(*= who retired. has CRS, at Government American National in Specialist formerly a S.Rundquist, waswritten by Paul report This (034<1*),2*398= [email protected], 7-0643 AmericanAnalystGovernment in National Petersen R. Eric :9-47=439&(9=3+472&9.43= 100 99 98 97 96 = th th th th Congress th th th th th th rd th th nd st (1985-1986) (1983-1984) (1981-1982) 495 103 45 58 517 129 85 69 425 58 64 24 (1979-1980) 437 61 2 37 (1989- a. Source: (2007- (2005- (2003- (2001- (1999- (1997- (1995- (1987- (1993- (1991-

Includes bills andjointresolutions. Legislative Information System Cosponsored Measures 0 2 6 3 10 3 60 400 128 283 71 84 12 307 40 45 13 158 3 18 2 334 59 94 20 194 8 24 31 164 5 11 10 334 67 32 27 309 94 24 57 691 57 127 62 12 74 7 492 132 Passed House Measures

Resolutions Adopted Simple *8.)*39= 422.88.43*7=+742=:*794=.(4= Concurrent Resolutions Adopted Measures Enacted a

3=