FORAKER ACT APRIL 1900 FORAKER ACT REGION CARIBBEAN U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION GLOBAL RELATIONS IN APRIL 1900 CONGRESS PASSED THE FORAKER ACT WHICH OFFICIALLY PLACED PUERTO RICO UNDER U.S CONTROL FOLLOWING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR THE ACT ALLOWED THE UNITED STATES TO ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT APPOINT THE GOVERNOR AND CHOOSE THE 11 MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD SERVE AS THE UPPER HOUSE OF THE PUERTO RICAN LEGISLATURE AT LEAST FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAD TO BE NATIVE PUERTO RICANS THE ACT ALSO ALLOWED PUERTO RICANS TO ELECT MEMBERS TO THE LOWER HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND TO CHOOSE A RESIDENT COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD SPEAK FOR THEM IN THE U.S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THE COMMISSIONER COULD NOT VOTE ON LEGISLATION IN THE HOUSE BUT COULD PARTICIPATE IN COMMITTEES THAT PREPARED LEGISLATION THE FORAKER ACT ALSO REDUCED U.S TARIFFS ON PUERTO RICAN PRODUCTS AND EXEMPTED PUERTO RICANS FROM U.S INCOME TAXES ALTHOUGH PUERTO RICO WAS UNDER U.S CONTROL PUERTO RICANS DID NOT GAIN U.S CITIZENSHIP UNTIL THE PASSAGE OF THE JONES ACT OF 1917
