1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Puerto Rico Admission Act of 2018 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States and came under this Nation’s sovereignty pursuant to the Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish-American War in 1898. Article IX of the Treaty of Paris recognized the authority of Congress to provide for the political status of the inhabitants of the territory. Puerto Rico remained under the direct control of United States military forces until Congress enacted the Foraker Act ( Public Law 56–191 ) on April 12, 1900, bringing a civilian government, appointed by the President of the United States, to the island. (2) Consistent with the establishment of United States nationality for the inhabitants of Puerto Rico under the Treaty of Paris, in 1917, Congress exercised its powers under the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution (article IV, section 3, clause 2) to provide for the United States citizenship status of persons born in Puerto Rico ( Public Law 64–368 ). (3) Under rulings of the United States Supreme Court, including Balzac v. People of Porto Rico, 258 U.S. 298 (1922), only ambiguous, inconsistent and indirect application of the United States Constitution has been established in the unincorporated territories of the United States including Puerto Rico. (4) In 1950, Congress prescribed a procedure for instituting limited internal self-government for Puerto Rico pursuant to statutory authorization for a local constitution ( Public Law 81–600 ). As a result, a local constitution was approved by the people of Puerto Rico, ratified by Congress, subject to conforming amendments enacted by Puerto Rico, and thereupon given effect in 1952. (5) The approved constitution established a republican form of government in conformity with the United States Constitution and the principles of the Declaration of Independence and is the functional equivalent of a State constitution, but did not restrict the authority of Congress under the Territorial