In Layman's Terms: H. RES. 314

This bill, introduced in the House of Representatives, aims to reject a legal doctrine called the "Insular Cases" and the "territorial incorporation doctrine" that have been used to govern and apply the United States Constitution in its territories. The bill argues that these legal doctrines are contrary to the Constitution itself, as well as to the principles of equality and democracy that the nation stands for.

The bill points out that the Insular Cases and the territorial incorporation doctrine were based on racial views and stereotypes from the time of the Plessy v. Ferguson case, which promoted segregation and discrimination and have since been discredited. The bill argues that these doctrines have no place in the modern interpretation of the Constitution.

The bill also highlights that the United States has several territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, which have been a part of the country for many years. The territories have populations made up mostly of racial and ethnic minorities. The bill asserts that the application of these legal doctrines has resulted in unequal treatment of people living in the territories, in terms of citizenship, voting rights, and access to federal benefits.

Several Supreme Court justices, including Neil Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor, have already criticized the Insular Cases and suggested that they should be overturned. The bill calls for the rejection of these cases and their application to any present or future cases relating to the territories, in order to uphold the Constitution and ensure equal treatment for all Americans.

Rep. Gregorio Sablan

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