[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Con. Res. 75 Introduced in Senate (IS)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session S. CON. RES. 75 Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the commonwealth option presented in the Puerto Rican plebecite of November 14, 1993. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 30 (legislative day, September 12), 1994 Mr. Simon submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the commonwealth option presented in the Puerto Rican plebecite of November 14, 1993. Whereas the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico enacted legislation to allow the people of Puerto Rico to express, through a plebiscite, their preference regarding the nature of the future relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States; Whereas the plebiscite ballot contained the status options of statehood, commonwealth, and independence, as defined by the three principal political parties of Puerto Rico; Whereas, in the plebiscite of November 14, 1993, 48.6 percent of the people of Puerto Rico voted for commonwealth status, 46.3 percent voted for statehood status, and 4.4 percent voted for independence; Whereas the commonwealth status option presented to the Puerto Rican electorate on November 14, 1993, proposed significant changes to the current relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States, including-- (1) the execution of a bilateral pact between Puerto Rico and the United States that would be unalterable, except by mutual consent; (2) permanent union between Puerto Rico and the United States; (3) the extension of supplemental security income (SSI) under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) to citizens of Puerto Rico; and (4) equality between Puerto Rico and the States regarding food stamp allocations under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); Whereas the commonwealth status option presented to the Puerto Rican electorate on November 14, 1993, stated that commonwealth status would guarantee-- (1) irrevocable United States citizenship; (2) Puerto Rican fiscal autonomy; and (3) a common market, common currency, and common defense with the United States; Whereas the legislature of Puerto Rico passed a concurrent resolution asking that the Congress make a statement concerning the viability of the commonwealth ballot formula presented to the people of Puerto Rico in the plebiscite of November 14, 1993; Whereas the Congress holds great respect for Puerto Ricans as citizens of the United States; and Whereas it is incumbent upon the Congress to express the sense of the Congress concerning the viability of the elements of the commonwealth formula proposed in the November 14, 1993, plebiscite: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that-- (1) the changes to the political relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States that are described in the option of the Puerto Rico plebiscite of November 14, 1993, known as the commonwealth option would provide to United States citizens who are residents of Puerto Rico the Federal benefits of United States citizens living in the States without the concomitant responsibilities; (2) the commonwealth formula presented in the Puerto Rican plebiscite of November 14, 1993, is not an economically or politically viable alternative to the current self-governing, unincorporated territorial status of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and (3) the unalterable bilateral pact that such commonwealth formula proposes as the vehicle for the permanent union of Puerto Rico with the United States is not a constitutionally viable alternative to the current self-governing, unincorporated territorial status of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. <all>