Resident commissioner of Puerto Rico

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.

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

US Party Affiliation

   Democratic Party (10)
   Republican Party (2)

No.	Resident Commissioner	Party	Affiliation within U.S. politics	Years	Cong– ress	Electoral history
1	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 (Isabela)	Popular Democratic	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1969 4 years	89th 90th	Elected in 1964. Lost re-election.
3	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 Benítez (Cayey)	Popular Democratic	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977 4 years	93rd 94th	Elected in 1972. Lost re-election.
5	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	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 (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 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	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	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 (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 González (San Juan)	New Progressive	Republican	January 3, 2017 – present	115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2020. Retiring to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.

• List of United States congressional districts
• Resident Commissioner of the Philippines