Resident commissioner of Puerto Rico

Last updated

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
Seal of the United States House of Representatives.svg
Official portrait of Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez.jpg
since January 3, 2017
United States House of Representatives
Seat Puerto Rico
Term length Four years, renewable [1]
FormationJanuary 2, 1900
First holder Federico Degetau
Salary US$174,000
Website gonzalez-colon.house.gov
Puerto Rico's at-large congressional district
PR01 109.gif
Resident Commissioner
Area3,515 sq mi (9,100 km2)
Population (2019)3,193,694
Median household
income
14,412
Ethnicity
Occupation

The resident commissioner of Puerto Rico (Spanish : Comisionado Residente de Puerto Rico) is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years, [1] the only member of the House of Representatives who serves a four-year term. Because the commissioner represents the entire territory of Puerto Rico irrespective of its population, and is not subject to congressional apportionment like those House members representing the 50 states, Puerto Rico's at-large congressional district is the largest congressional district by population in all of the United States.

Contents

Commissioners function in every respect as a member of Congress, including sponsoring legislation and serving on congressional committees, where they can vote on legislation, [2] but they cannot vote on the final disposition of legislation on the House floor. [3] They receive a salary of $174,000 per year [4] and are identified as Member of Congress. [2]

The current commissioner is Jenniffer González-Colón of the New Progressive Party (PNP), the first woman to hold the post. [1] She is also affiliated with the Republican Party (R) at the national level.

Other U.S. territories have a similar representative position called a delegate .

History

The United States Congress had seated non-voting "delegates" from various territories since 1794 as the country expanded across North America; these territories were all eventually admitted as states. The position of delegate was a legislative position with a two-year term, just like a member of Congress. [5]

The United States acquired several overseas possessions as a result of the Spanish–American War. While the House of Representatives voted in 1900 for Puerto Rico to select a delegate, Congress instead devised a new form of territorial representative in the resident commissioner. United States Senator John Coit Spooner argued that granting a territory a delegate implied that it was on the path to statehood, which he asserted was not guaranteed for the new possessions acquired in the war, such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines. [5] In fact, more than a century later, neither has become a state. (Puerto Rico remains a U.S. territory, while the Philippines became an independent republic in 1946.)

The original resident commissioner positions served a two-year term, [6] though it was later extended to four years starting in 1920. [7] [5] [8] The position also had executive responsibility in addition to legislative ones. The term had been used as to parts of the British Empire (see resident commissioner), but in an almost opposite sense; sent or recognized as the Crown's representative to manage a territory. In the American sense, resident commissioner always refers to a representative of a territory to the national government. [5]

This representation has evolved over time. At first, the resident commissioner could not even be present on the floor of the House of Representatives; floor privileges were granted in 1902. [5] In 1904, the officeholder gained the right to speak during debate and serve on the Committee on Insular Affairs, which had responsibility for the territories gained in the Spanish-American War. [5]

In 1933, Resident Commissioner Santiago Iglesias was appointed to additional committees, and each of his successors has served on other committees also. [5] But only in 1970 did the resident commissioner gain the right to vote in committees, gain seniority, or hold leadership positions. [5]

The present-day resident commissioner, like the delegates from other territories and the District of Columbia, has almost all of the rights of other House members, including being able to sponsor bills and offer amendments and motions. [5] Territorial representatives remain unable to vote on matters before the full House.

Summary of commissioners

List of resident commissioners pre-Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Resident CommissionerPartyU.S.
affiliation
YearsCong–
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1901
Federico Degetau y Gonzalez.JPG
Federico Degetau y González
(San Juan)
Republican Republican March 4, 1901 –
March 3, 1905

3 years, 364 days

57th
58th
Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Retired.
Tulio Larrinaga.jpg
Tulio Larrínaga
(San Juan)
Unionist [ data missing ]March 4, 1905 –
March 3, 1911

5 years, 364 days

59th
60th
61st
Elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Retired.
Luis Munoz Rivera.jpg
Luis Muñoz Rivera
(San Juan)
Unionist [ data missing ]March 4, 1911 –
November 15, 1916

5 years, 256 days

62nd
63rd
64th
Elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Died.
VacantNovember 16, 1916 –
August 6, 1917
64th
65th
Felix Cordova Davila.jpg
Félix L. M. Córdova Dávila
(San Juan)
Unionist [ data missing ]August 7, 1917 –
April 11, 1932

14 years, 238 days

65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected to finish Rivera's term.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1928.
Resigned to become Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
VacantApril 12, 1932 –
April 14, 1932
72nd
Jose Lorenzo Pesquera.jpg
José Lorenzo Pesquera
(Bayamon)
Independent [ data missing ]April 15, 1932 –
March 3, 1933

322 days

72nd Elected to finish Dávila's term.
Retired.
Santiago Iglesias.jpg
Santiago Iglesias Pantín
(San Juan)
Socialist Socialist Party of America March 4, 1933 –
December 5, 1939

6 years, 276 days

73rd
74th
75th
76th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1936.
Died.
VacantDecember 5, 1939 –
December 26, 1939
76th
Bolivar Pagan.jpg
Bolívar Pagán
(San Juan)
Republican Union [ data missing ]December 26, 1939 –
January 3, 1945

5 years, 1 day

76th
77th
78th
Appointed to finish Pantín's term.
Elected in 1940.
Retired.
Jesus T. Pinero.jpg
Jesús T. Piñero Jiménez
(Canovanas)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 1945 –
September 2, 1946

1 year, 242 days

79th Elected in 1944.
Resigned to become Governor of Puerto Rico.

Resident commissioners under the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

   Popular Democratic Party (6)
   New Progressive Party (6)

U.S. party affiliation

   Democratic Party (10)
   Republican Party (2)

No.Resident CommissionerPartyAffiliation
within U.S. politics
YearsCong–
ress
Electoral history
1 Antonio Fernos-Isern.jpg
Antonio Fernós-Isern
(Santurce)
Popular Democratic Democratic September 11, 1946 –
January 3, 1965

18 years, 23 days

79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
Appointed to finish Piñero's term.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1960.
Retired.
2 Santiago Polanco Abreu.jpg
Santiago Polanco Abreu
(Isabela)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1969

4 years

89th
90th
Elected in 1964.
Lost re-election.
3 Jorge Luis Cordova Diaz.jpg
Jorge Luis Córdova
(San Juan)
New Progressive Democratic January 3, 1969 –
January 3, 1973

4 years

91st
92nd
Elected in 1968.
Lost re-election.
4 Jaime Benitez.jpg
Jaime Benítez
(Cayey)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1977

4 years

93rd
94th
Elected in 1972.
Lost re-election.
5 Corrada.jpg
Baltasar Corrada del Río
(Rio Piedras)
New Progressive Democratic January 3, 1977 –
January 3, 1985

8 years

95th
96th
97th
98th
Elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1980.
Retired to run for mayor of San Juan.
6 Fuster.jpg
Jaime Fuster
(Condado)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 1985 –
March 3, 1992

7 years, 60 days

99th
100th
101st
102nd
Elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1988.
Resigned to become Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
7 Antonio Colorado.jpg
Antonio Colorado
(San Juan)
Popular Democratic Democratic March 4, 1992 –
January 3, 1993

305 days

102nd Appointed to finish Fuster's term.
Lost election to full term.
8 Carlos Antonio Romero-Barcelo.jpg
Carlos Romero Barceló
(San Juan)
New Progressive Democratic January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 2001

8 years

103rd
104th
105th
106th
Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1996.
Lost re-election.
9 Anibal Acevedo Vila.jpg
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
(Hato Rey)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 2001 –
January 3, 2005

4 years

107th
108th
Elected in 2000.
Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
10 Fortuno main.jpg
Luis Fortuño
(San Juan)
New Progressive Republican January 3, 2005 –
January 3, 2009

4 years

109th
110th
Elected in 2004.
Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
11 Pedro-Pierluisi-cropped.jpg
Pedro Pierluisi
(San Juan)
New Progressive Democratic January 3, 2009 –
January 3, 2017

8 years

111th
112th
113th
114th
Elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2012.
Retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
12 Jenniffer Gonzalez (cropped).jpg
Jenniffer González-Colón
(Carolina)
New Progressive Republican January 3, 2017 –
present

7 years

115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2020.
Retiring to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
13 Pablo Hernández Rivera (elect)
(San Juan)
Popular Democratic Democratic January 3, 2025 Elected in 2024.

Recent elections

2000

2000 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Popular Democratic Aníbal Acevedo Vilá 983,488 49.34
New Progressive Carlos Romero Barceló (incumbent)905,69045.43
Independence Manuel Rodríguez Orellana 95,0674.77
Write-in 9,2380.46
Total votes1,993,483 100.00
Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive
Democratic hold

2004

2004 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Progressive Luis Fortuño 956,828 48.83
Popular Democratic Roberto Prats Palerm945,69148.26
Independence Edwin Irizarry Mora 56,5892.89
Write-in 4450.02
Total votes1,959,553 100.00
New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic
Republican gain from Democratic

2008

2008 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Progressive Pedro Pierluisi 996,997 52.70
Popular Democratic Alfredo Salazar 799,74642.27
Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Carlos Velazquez45,1542.39
Independence Jessica Martinez37,1291.96
Write-in 12,7730.68
Total votes1,891,799 100.00
New Progressive hold
Democratic gain from Republican

2012

2012 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Progressive Pedro Pierluisi (incumbent) 905,066 48.76
Popular Democratic Rafael Cox Alomar 881,18147.47
Independence Juan Manuel Mercado38,9412.10
Working People's Félix Córdova Iturregu13,1200.71
Sovereign Union Movement María de Lourdes Guzmán11,7640.63
Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Sadiasept Guillont5,6470.30
Write-in 6260.03
Total votes1,856,345 100.00
New Progressive hold
Democratic hold

2016

2016 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Progressive Jenniffer González-Colón 718,591 48.80
Popular Democratic Héctor Ferrer 695,07347.21
Independence Hugo Rodriguez39,7042.70
Working People's Mariana Nogales Molinelli19,0331.29
Total votes1,472,401 100.00
New Progressive hold
Republican gain from Democratic

2020

2020 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Progressive Jenniffer González-Colón (incumbent) 490,273 40.83
Popular Democratic Aníbal Acevedo Vilá 384,61932.03
Citizens' Victory Zayira Jordán Conde154,75112.89
Project Dignity Ada Norah Henriquez94,0597.83
Independence Luis Piñero González II76,3986.36
Write-in 7880.07
Total votes1,200,888 100.00
New Progressive hold
Republican hold

2024

2024 Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner election [9]
CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Pablo Hernández Rivera Democratic Popular Democratic Party 482,93844.55
William Villafañe Republican New Progressive Party 379,62435.02
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén Alianza de País Citizens' Victory Movement 107,8889.95
Viviana Ramírez Morales Republican Project Dignity 56,9745.26
Roberto Velázquez [b] Alianza de País Puerto Rican Independence Party 56,4985.21
Total1,083,922100.00
Valid votes1,083,92294.67
Invalid/blank votes60,9965.33
Total votes1,144,918100.00
Registered voters/turnout

See also

Notes

  1. González-Colón caucuses with the Republican Party.
  2. Paper candidate

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Puerto Rico</span>

The politics of Puerto Rico take place in the framework of a democratic republic form of government that is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States Congress as an organized unincorporated territory. Since the 1898 invasion of Puerto Rico by the United States during the Spanish–American War, politics in Puerto Rico have been significantly shaped by its status as territory of the United States. The nature of Puerto Rico's political relationship with the United States is the subject of ongoing debate in Puerto Rico, in the United States, the United Nations and the international community, with all major political parties in the archipelago calling it a colonial relationship.

The New Progressive Party is a political party in Puerto Rico that advocates for statehood. The PNP is one of the two major parties in Puerto Rico with significant political strength and currently holds both the seat of the governor and of the resident commissioner.

In the United States House of Representatives, a Committee of the Whole House is a congressional committee that includes all members of the House. In modern practice there is only one such committee, the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, which has original consideration of all bills on the Union Calendar. While assembled, the House may resolve itself temporarily into a Committee of the Whole House. Business can then proceed with various procedural requirements relaxed. At the conclusion of business, the committee resolves to "rise" and reports its conclusions or lack of conclusion to the speaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaime Fuster</span> Puerto Rican politician (1941–2007)

Jaime Benito Fuster Berlingeri was a politician who served as an Associate Justice to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Justice Fuster, along with Justice Liana Fiol Matta, was considered the leading liberal voice in the Puerto Rico Supreme Court.

Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives are representatives of their territory in the House of Representatives, who do not have a right to vote on legislation in the full House but nevertheless have floor privileges and are able to participate in certain other House functions. Non-voting members may introduce legislation. Non-voting members may vote in a House committee of which they are a member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenniffer González-Colón</span> Puerto Rican politician (born 1976)

Jenniffer Aydin González Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who is the governor-elect of Puerto Rico and currently serves as the 20th resident commissioner of Puerto Rico. González has served in leadership positions in the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) and in the Republican Party of the United States. These positions have included being the chairwoman of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, and vice-chair of the PNP. González is the second-youngest person to be elected Resident Commissioner and the first woman to hold the role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Pierluisi</span> Governor of Puerto Rico since 2021

Pedro Rafael Pierluisi Urrutia is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer currently serving as Governor of Puerto Rico since 2021, having previously been the de facto governor from August 2–7, 2019. A member of New Progressive and Democratic Parties, he previously served as acting Secretary of State of Puerto Rico in 2019, as Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 2009 to 2017, and as Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 1997. He was formerly a private attorney for Puerto Rico's fiscal oversight board under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act.

Francisco J. Domenech is a former director of the Office of Legislative Services of Puerto Rico (2005–2008), a lawyer, and a professional political campaign manager. Domenech spent part of his childhood and adolescent years, in Ocala, Florida, having attended Blessed Trinity Catholic School, and Forest High School.

Voting rights of United States citizens who live in Puerto Rico, like the voting rights of residents of other United States territories, differ from those of United States citizens in each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Residents of Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories do not have voting representation in the United States Congress, and are not entitled to electoral votes for president. The United States Constitution grants congressional voting representation to U.S. states, which Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories are not, specifying that members of Congress shall be elected by direct popular vote and that the president and the vice president shall be elected by electors chosen by the states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico statehood movement</span> Movement to grant Puerto Rico U.S. statehood

The Puerto Rico statehood movement aims to make Puerto Rico a state of the United States. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territorial possession of the United States acquired in 1898 following the Spanish–American War, making it "the oldest colony in the modern world". As of 2023, the population of Puerto Rico is 3.2 million, around half the average state population and higher than that of 19 U.S. states. Statehood is one of several competing options for the future political status of Puerto Rico, including: maintaining its current status, becoming fully independent, or becoming a freely associated state. Puerto Rico has held seven referendums on the topic since 1967, and four since 2012. They are non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the US Congress.

A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico was held in Puerto Rico on November 6, 2012. It was the fourth referendum on status to be held in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States since the Spanish–American War in 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proposed political status for Puerto Rico</span>

Proposed political status for Puerto Rico includes various ideas for the future of Puerto Rico, and there are differing points of view on whether Puerto Rico's political status as a territory of the United States should change. Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island that was a colony of the Spanish Empire for about four centuries until it was ceded in the Treaty of Paris to the United States in 1898. Over the 20th century, more rights were granted to the people, and especially important dates were in 1917, when U.S. citizenship was granted, and the 1950s and 60s, when it became a commonwealth of the United States. Referendums in the 1960s and 1990s supported this as the will of the people there, and they have their own elected officials and a non-voting representative in Congress. The U.S. has had many territories since its establishment, and it is a common practice, and currently there are 50 states and 5 inhabited territories. In the 21st century, the status quo was disrupted by a referendum in 2012 that tilted towards change, with one of the most favored options being statehood. Though questions have been asked about the referendums in 12 years, four referendums have all had statehood as the most favored option. The power to change its status lies in the United States Congress; a simple majority in both houses and the presidential signing into law makes it possible. However, the changes are dramatic, with Puerto Rico becoming fully integrated into the United States; it would gain two senators and several representatives and would vote in the presidential election. Most U.S. Presidents going back to Ronald Reagan have stated they support Puerto Rico's right to determine its fate. If it continues its current status, some changes are possible but difficult; for example, for Washington D.C. to vote in presidential elections, it took a constitutional amendment because it's not a state. Independence would have severe changes also; Puerto Rico would be on its own and would no longer participate in U.S. politics; the people there would cease to be U.S. citizens. Free association is the same as independence, but usually every two decades or so an agreement is negotiated for things like visas, aid, defense, or currency agreements. There are three nations that maintain Free Association with the United States: Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.

The Territories Clause of the United States Constitution allows for Congress to "dispose of" Puerto Rico and allow it to become independent of the U.S. or, under the authority of the Admissions Clause for it to be admitted as a state of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Puerto Rican general election</span>

General elections were held in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government to serve from January 2017 to January 2021, most notably the Governor of Puerto Rico. Ricardo Rosselló was elected governor and Jenniffer González-Colón was elected Resident Commissioner. The elections saw a 23 percentage point drop in turnout and was the lowest voter turnout in Puerto Rican history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republican Party of Puerto Rico</span> Local affiliate of the Republican Party in Puerto Rico

The Republican Party of Puerto Rico is the local affiliate of the national United States Republican Party in Puerto Rico. The affiliation started in 1903. The party does not participate in the November elections mandated by the Constitution of Puerto Rico for local registered political parties because it is not a registered party in Puerto Rico for local electoral purposes. Instead, the party holds its own elections to select the Puerto Rico delegates to the Republican National Convention and holds presidential primaries on the last Sunday of February.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Puerto Rican status referendum</span> Referendum on becoming a US state

A referendum of the status of Puerto Rico was held on November 3, 2020, concurrently with the general election. The Referendum was announced by Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced on May 16, 2020. This was the sixth referendum held on the status of Puerto Rico, with the previous one having taken place in 2017. This was the first referendum with a simple yes-or-no question, with voters having the option of voting for or against becoming a U.S. state. The New Progressive Party (PNP), of whom Vázquez is a member, supports statehood, while the opposition Popular Democratic Party (PDP) and Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) oppose it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Puerto Rican general election</span>

General elections were held in Puerto Rico on November 3, 2020, to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government who will serve from January 2021 to January 2025, most notably the position of Governor and Resident Commissioner. In addition, there was a non-binding status referendum to ask voters if Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of the Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico Status Act</span> United States bill

The Puerto Rico Status Act, H.R. 2757, was a bill introduced during the 116th United States Congress. The intention of the bill is to grant Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, admission into the Union as a state. The bill was originally introduced in the 116th Congress and was reintroduced as H.R. 1522, on March 2, 2021, in the 117th Congress. It was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources with last action taken on June 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election</span>

Gubernatorial elections were held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of Puerto Rico, concurrently with the election of the Resident Commissioner, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the mayors of the 78 municipalities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wines, Michael (July 26, 2019). "She's Puerto Rico's Only Link to Washington. She Could Be Its Future Governor". The New York Times .
  2. 1 2 James R. Fuster, Member of Congress from Puerto Rico (August 29, 1990). "Our 51st State?". Newsweek .
  3. "Commish. Jenniffer González-Colón, Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico's At-Large District, Republican". govtrack.us. January 3, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  4. Brudnick, Ida A. "Salaries of Members of Congress : Recent actions and Historical Tables". Senate.gov. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rundquist, Paul S. "Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico". congressionalresearch.com. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  6. Pub. L.   56–191, §39 (31  Stat.   86)
  7. Pub. L.   64–368, §36 (39  Stat.   963)
  8. "Delegates to the U.S. Congress: History and Current Status".
  9. "CEE Event". elecciones2024.ceepur.org. Retrieved November 9, 2024.[ verify ]