| Year | Pres. | House | Senate | Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | R | R | R | we denounce the Porto Rican law, enacted by a Republican Congress against the protest and opposition of the Democratic minority, as a bold and open violation of the nation’s organic law and a flagrant breach of the national good faith. It imposes upon the people of Porto Rico a government without their consent and taxation without representation. | ||
| 1904 | R | R | R | |||
| 1908 | R | R | R | We demand for the people of Alaska and Porto Rico the full enjoyment of the rights and privileges of a territorial form of government, and that the officials appointed to administer the government of all our territories and the District of Columbia should be thoroughly qualified by previous bona-fide residence. | We believe that the native inhabitants of Porto Rico should be at once collectively made citizens of the United States, and that all others properly qualified under existing laws residing in said island should have the privilege of becoming naturalized. | |
| 1912 | R | D | R | We retify [ratify] in all its parts the platform of 1908 respecting citizenship for the people of Porto Rico. |
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| 1916 | D | D | D | We favor granting to the people of Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico the traditional territorial government accorded to the territories of the United States since the beginning of our government, and we believe that the officials appointed to administer the government of those several territories should be qualified by previous bona-fide residence. | ||
| 1920 | D | R | R | We favor granting to the people of Porto Rico the traditional territorial form of government, with a view to ultimate statehood, accorded to all territories of the United States since the beginning of our government | ||
| 1924 | R | R | R | |||
| 1928 | R | R | R | We favor granting to Puerto Rico such territorial form of government as would meet the present economic conditions of the island, and provide for the aspirations of her people, with the view to ultimate statehood accorded to all territories of the United States since the beginning of our government | ||
| 1932 | R | R | R | Independence for the Philippines; ultimate statehood for Puerto Rico. | Puerto Rico being a part of the United States and its inhabitants American citizens, we believe that they are entitled to a good-faith recognition of the spirit and purposes of their organic act. |
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| 1936 | D | D | D | |||
| 1940 | D | D | D | We favor a larger measure of self-government leading to statehood, for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. | Statehood is a logical aspiration of the people of Puerto Rico who were made citizens of the United States by Congress in 1917 |
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| 1944 | D | D | D | We favor enactment of legislation granting the fullest measure of self-government for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and eventual statehood for Alaska and Hawaii. | Statehood is a logical aspiration of the people of Puerto Rico who were made citizens of the United States by Congress in 1917; legislation affecting Puerto Rico, in so far as feasible, should be in harmony with the realization of that aspiration. | |
| 1948 | D | R | R | We urge immediate statehood for Hawaii and Alaska; immediate determination by the people of Puerto Rico as to their form of government and their ultimate status with respect to the United States | We favor eventual statehood for Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. | |
| 1952 | D | D | D | We welcome the dignity of the new Puerto Rican Commonwealth and pledge our support of the Commonwealth, its continued development and growth. | We favor eventual statehood for Puerto Rico. | |
| 1954 | R | R | R | |||
| 1956 | R | D | D | We pledge, once again, our continued support of the Commonwealth and its development and growth along lines of increasing responsibility and authority | We shall continue to encourage the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in its political growth and economic development in accordance with the wishes of its people and the fundamental principle of self-determination. |
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| 1960 | R | D | D | Puerto Rico has become a show place of world-wide interest, a tribute to the benefits of the principles of self- determination. | We support the right of the Puerto Rican people to achieve statehood, whenever they freely so determine. | |
| 1964 | D | D | D | We look forward to the report on that relationship by a commission composed of members from Puerto Rico and the United States, and we are confident that it will contribute to the further enhancement of Puerto Rico and the benefit that flows from the principles of self- determination. | ||
| 1968 | D | D | D | In accordance with the democratic principle of self- determination the people of Puerto Rico have expressed their will to continue in permanent union with the United States through commonwealth status. | We will support the efforts of the Puerto Rican people to achieve statehood when they freely request such status by a general election | |
| 1972 | R | D | D | The Democratic Party respects and supports the frequently expressed desire of the people of Puerto Rico to freely associate in permanent union with the United States, as an autonomous commonwealth. | The Republican Party adheres to the principle of self- determination for Puerto Rico. We will welcome and support statehood for Puerto Rico if that status should be the free choice of its people in a referendum vote. |
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| 1976 | R | D | D | We are committed to Puerto Rico’s right to enjoy full self- determination and a relationship that can evolve in ways that will most benefit U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico. The Democratic Party respects and supports the present desire of the people of Puerto Rico to freely associate in permanent union with the United States, as an autonomous commonwealth or as a State. | We again support statehood for Puerto Rico, if that is the people’s choice in a referendum, with full recognition within the concept of a multicultural society of the citizens’ right to retain their Spanish language and traditions | |
| 1980 | D | D | D | The Democratic Party respects and supports the desire of the people of Puerto Rico to associate, by their own will freely expressed in a peaceful and democratic process, in permanent union with the United States either as a commonwealth or as a state, or to become an independent nation. | The Republican Party vigorously supports the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted into the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. We believe that the statehood alternative is the only logical solution to the problem of inequality of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico within the framework of the federal Constitution, with full recognition within the concept of a multicultural society of the citizens’ right to retain their Spanish language and traditions. |
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| 1984 | R | D | R | We continue to favor whatever legislation may be necessary to permit American citizens residing in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico to vote for president and vice president in national elections. . . The Republican Party reaffirms its support of the right of Puerto Rico to be admitted into the Union after it freely so determines, through the passage of an admission bill which will provide for a smooth fiscal transition, recognize the concept of a multicultural society for its citizens, and secure the opportunity to retain their Spanish language and traditions. |
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| 1988 | R | D | D | respecting their right to decide their future in their relationship with the United States; by empowering the commonwealth of Puerto Rico with greater autonomy within its relationship with the United States to achieve the economic, social and political goals of its people, and by giving it just and fair participation in federal programs | The Republican Party vigorously supports the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted into the Union as a fully sovereign State after they freely so determine. Therefore, we support the establishment of a presidential task force to prepare the necessary legislation to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have the opportunity to exercise at the earliest possible date their right to apply for admission into the Union. |
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| 1992 | R | D | D | We pledge to support the right of the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to choose freely, and in concert with the U.S. Congress, their relationship with the United States, either as an enhanced commonwealth, a state or an independent nation. | The Republican Party supports the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign State after they freely so determine. | |
| 1996 | D | R | R | We pledge to support the right of the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to choose freely, and in concert with the U.S. Congress, their relationship with the United States, either as an enhanced commonwealth, a state, or an independent nation. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. . . We endorse initiatives of the congressional Republican leadership to provide for Puerto Rico’s smooth transition to statehood if its citizens choose to alter their current status, or to set them on their own path to become an independent nation. |
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| 2000 | R | R | R | Puerto Rico has been under U.S. sovereignty for over a century and Puerto Ricans have been U.S. Citizens since 1917, but the island’s ultimate status still has not been determined and its 3.9 million residents still do not have voting representation in their national government. These disenfranchised Citizens – who have contributed greatly to our country in war and peace – are entitled to the permanent and fully democratic status of their choice. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. | |
| 2004 | R | R | R | We believe that four million disenfranchised American citizens residing in Puerto Rico have the right to the permanent and fully democratic status of their choice. The White House and Congress will clarify the realistic status options for Puerto Rico and enable Puerto Ricans to choose among them. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. We recognize that Congress has the final authority to define the Constitutionally valid options for Puerto Rico to achieve a permanent non-territorial status with government by consent and full enfranchisement. | |
| 2008 | R | D | D | We believe that the people of Puerto Rico have the right to the political status of their choice, obtained through a fair, neutral, and democratic process of self-determination. The White House and Congress will work with all groups in Puerto Rico to enable the question of Puerto Rico’s status to be resolved during the next four years. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. We recognize that Congress has the final authority to define the constitutionally valid options for Puerto Rico to achieve a permanent non-territorial status with government by consent and full enfranchisement. | |
| 2012 | D | R | D | The political status of Puerto Rico remains an issue of overwhelming importance, but lack of resolution about status has held the island back. It is time for Puerto Rico to take the next step in the history of its status and its relationship to the rest of the United States. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state if they freely so determine. We recognize that Congress has the final authority to define the constitutionally valid options for Puerto Rico to achieve a permanent non-territorial status with government by consent and full enfranchisement. | |
| 2016 | D | R | R | Democrats believe that the people of Puerto Rico should determine their ultimate political status from permanent options that do not conflict with the Constitution, laws, and policies of the United States. | We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state. . . Once the 2012 local vote for statehood is ratified, Congress should approve an enabling act with terms for Puerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state of the Union. | |
| 2020 | R | D | R | The people of Puerto Rico deserve self-determination on the issue of status. | ||
| 2024 | D | R | D | Democrats recognize that the people of Puerto Rico have earned and deserve to resolve the political status questions. For this reason, Democrats support the enactment of the Puerto Rico Status Act/H.R. 2757, and promote full civic and political representation for Puerto Ricans. | ||