This resolution reaffirms that the founding principles of American democracy—that all people are created equal and governments derive power from the consent of the governed—should apply to the 3.6 million residents of U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. The resolution highlights that these residents pay over $5 billion annually in federal taxes, serve in the armed forces at high rates, but are largely denied voting rights in presidential elections and access to major federal programs like Medicaid and food assistance. The resolution rejects the "Insular Cases," a series of early 1900s Supreme Court decisions that the House characterizes as based on racist reasoning and that have historically allowed Congress to deny full constitutional rights to territorial residents. Rather than proposing specific legislation, the resolution expresses the House's support for democracy and self-determination in the territories while explicitly taking no position on whether they should pursue statehood, independence, or another political status.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.