Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Northeastern Caribbean Sea. The territory is comprised of the main island, and a strand of smaller islands which include Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. San Juan is the most populous city, and the official languages of Puerto Rico are Spanish and English.

The US acquired Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War, under the Treaty of Paris. It became a US territory on April 11, 1899. Those who are born in the island-country are in effect, US citizens, allowing them to freely move from the mainland and the US. The territory isn’t considered a US state, so doesn’t have the right to vote in Presidential Elections.

US Congress governs Puerto Rico’s political system under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950. The country’s judicial system also mimics that of the US, with the Puerto Rico Supreme Court and a United States District Court being appointed for the territory.

The US territory has been hit by many natural disasters throughout its history, including the latest, Hurricane Maria, in 2017. The category 4 storm greatly impacted the local communities, damaging most homes on the islands, and as of November 2017, only ⅔ of the home’s in the islands, had electric power fully restored. Over $95 billion in damages resulted on the island following the major storm, with FEMA having received over 1 million requests for aid by the end of 2017.

The country is subject to the plenary powers of the US under the territorial clause of Article IV in the US Constitutions. Natural born citizens are also considered US Citizens, which is governed by the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917. Several executive branches also have a strong presence in Puerto Rico, including the FBI, TSA, FEMA, SSA, and other agencies. The island-nation is also limited in its foreign relations under the Territorial Clause of the US Constitution.

Puerto Rico is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank, however the island-nation currently has a total debt of over $72 billion. Manufacturing is a primary driver of the economy. Textiles, pharmaceuticals, the service industry, real estate, and tourism, are also strong contributors to the territory’s economy. As a US territory, foreign policy, restricting shipping and trading with other nations, is governed by the US.

Hurricane damage and relief funds, the economy, trade, travel, and foreign relations, are some of the different forms of news coverage visitors to the National Law Review will find, as it relates to Puerto Rico and the United States. Environmental and energy news, equal pay and labor and employment law concerns, government aid, insurance claims, and tax-related news coverage, are all topics the National Law Review covers.