Page "Politics of Puerto Rico" Paragraph 43

In 2005 and 2007, two reports were issued by the U. S. President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status.

Both reports conclude that Puerto Rico continues to be a territory of U. S. under the plenary powers of the U. S. Congress.

Reactions from Puerto Rico's two major political parties were mixed.

The Popular Democratic Party ( PPD ) challenged the task force's report and committed to validating the current status in all international forums, including the United Nations.

It also rejects any " colonial or territorial status " as a status option, and vows to keep working for the enhanced Commonwealth status that was approved by the PPD in 1998 which included sovereignty, an association based on " respect and dignity between both nations ", and common citizenship.

The New Progressive Party ( PNP ) supported the White House Report's conclusions and supported bills to provide for a democratic referendum process among Puerto Rico voters.

It stated that the U. S. Justice Department in 1959 reiterated that Congress held power over Puerto Rico pursuant to the Territorial Clause of the U. S. Constitution.

In a 1996 report on a Puerto Rico status political bill, the " U. S. House Committee on Resources stated that PR's current status does not meet the criteria for any of the options for full self-government ".

It concluded that Puerto Rico is still an unincorporated territory of the U. S. under the territorial clause, that the establishment of local self-government with the consent of the people can be unilaterally revoked by the U. S. Congress, and that U. S. Congress can also withdraw the U. S. citizenship of Puerto Rican residents of Puerto Rico at any time, for a legitimate Federal purpose.

The application of the Constitution to Puerto Rico is limited by the Insular Cases.