This report provides policy and historical background about Puerto Rico's political status--a term of art referring to the relationship between the federal government and a territorial one. It emphasizes recent developments that are likely to be most relevant for Congress. Congress has not altered the island's status since 1952, when it approved a territorial constitution.

This report provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Puerto Rico's health care system.

This report discusses multiple challenges the government of Puerto Rico faces in the fall of 2015. Concerns regarding the sustainability of Puerto Rico's public finances have intensified over the past year, despite several measures taken by the island's government to reduce spending, increase revenues, and restructure its obligations. The Puerto Rican government outlined a medium-term strategy to address those challenges in a fiscal plan put forth in mid-September 2015.

This report provides a foundation for understanding Puerto Rico’s status, why those on the island and in Washington continue to be interested in the issue, and how the 2012 plebiscite and its aftermath provides an opportunity to revisit status. This report is designed to emphasize brief, accessible answers to selected key questions and issues about Puerto Rico’s political status and the plebiscite. The discussion is organized around selected key policy questions, followed by brief answers and additional analysis.

This report discusses the issues involved with determining whether the Arecib Ionospheric Observatory is more cost-effective than replacing it with newer, available technology. The Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory is a radio and radar telescope located in Barrio Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico. In 2005-2006, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST) conducted a Senior Review of its portfolio of facilities and reported that the scientific value of the Arecibo was modest when compared to other existing and proposed projects and recommended decreasing the telescope's annual $12.0 million budget to $9.0 million in FY2009, and securing partnerships for the remaining necessary funding.

This report discusses the current U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship, the history of said relationship, and the current political state of Puerto Rico, as well as relevant pieces of U.S. Congressional legislation concerning Puerto Rico.

Executive Correspondence - Letter from Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila, from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to Chairman Principi, regarding BRAC recommendations for the Island.

Disregard Restriction Header and Footer - RC Transformation in Puerto Rico - Impacted Sites: AFRC Ceiba; AFRC Fort Allen; AFRC Mayaguez; AFRC Fort Buchanan

Executive Correspondence – Letter to all Commissioners from Guillermo Gonzalez community leader and President of the U.S.A.V.R. discussing Fort Buchanan

Letter from Manuel Sanchez-Rivera from the Retired Enlisted Association of Puerto Rico Chapter 64 to Chairman Pricipi regarding Fort Buchanan's BRAC realigment recommendations and stating a resolution in favor of the base.

Letter from the 65th Infantry Retirees and US Armed Forces Veterans Association, Inc. to Chairman Principi regarding BRAC recommendations for Fort Buchanan in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Executive Correspondence - Letter from the Secretary Republican party of Puerto Rico Carlos Chardon to Chairman Principi requesting that the Commission take Fort Buchanan off the list to be realigned.

This report outlines the chronology of the political status of Puerto Rico. In 1952, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory since 1898, became a commonwealth. Since then at least three significantly different political status options have been offered by the three major political parties in Puerto Rico. On March 4, 1998, the House passed H.R. 856, a bill to address the political status of Puerto Rico, by a vote of 209-208. On June 23, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on issues raised by separate sovereignty and independence.

This report used "annual peak-discharge records at fifty sites with five or more years of record" to determine individual site frequency curves. It includes several maps.

Photograph of a scene from the Hocker Family's vacation to Cataño, PR.

Photograph of a scene from the Hocker Family's vacation to Cataño, PR.

Photograph of a scene from the Hocker Family's vacation to Cataño, PR.

Photograph of a scene from the Hocker Family's vacation to Cataño, PR.

Photograph of the Bacardi Rum Distillery, in Cataño, PR.

Photograph of a scene at a fort, from the Hocker Family's vacation to Cataño, PR.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about number 12 in Cowboy program's who will be quarterbacking the pokes for a few more years.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about some late fireworks for the Rangers who trailed Detroit 4- 0 in the last of the 9th.

Close-up photograph of the fruits, flower buds, and leaves of an unidentified plant growing in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. The plant's more developed fruits are red, and green undeveloped fruits appear on the same branch below. Yellow-white buds are featured on the bottom right.

Close-up photograph of a cross-section of the stem of Danaea nodosa. This photograph was taken in the Maricao Forest of Puerto Rico.