US House passes bill for vote on Puerto Rico's status

Washington, Dec 16

The US House of Representatives passed legislation that would set a vote on Puerto Rico's political status.

The bill -- titled the Puerto Rico Status Act -- went through the House in a 233-191 vote on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The measure, if enacted, would schedule a vote on a binding referendum for Puerto Ricans to choose among statehood, independence, and independence with free association.

The legislation faces unlikely odds in the US Senate where at least 60 votes are needed to have it approved.

A Caribbean island, Puerto Rico is an unincorporated US territory with more than 3 million residents.