Formation November 22, 1907 Abolished July 4, 1946 | Final holder Carlos P. Romulo | |
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Inaugural holder Benito Legarda
Pablo Ocampo | ||
The Resident Commissioner of the Philippines was a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives sent by the Philippines from 1907 until its internationally recognized independence in 1946. It was similar to current non-voting members of Congress such as Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico and delegates from Washington, D.C., Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and other United States territories.
Like current non-voting members, Resident Commissioners could speak and otherwise participate in the business of the House, but did not have full voting rights. Two were sent until 1937 when after the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the number was changed to one.
History
The Philippines was a United States territory from 13 August 1898 until Philippine independence was internationally recognized on 4 July 1946.
The office was first created by the Philippine Organic Act (1902) section 8 and re-authorized on its subsequent replacements—the Jones Law of 1916 (known as the Philippine Autonomy Act) section 20, and the Tydings–McDuffie Act of 1934 (known as the Philippine Independence Act) section 7(5).
The procedures for appointment of the Resident Commissioners were ambiguous and a source of friction. Under the Insular Government, they were appointed by the American government-appointed Philippine Commission with agreement of the fully elected, fully Filipino Philippine Assembly. This conflict ended when the Tydings-McDuffle Act dissolved the Commission and replaced it with the Philippine Senate, the upper house of the new Philippine Commonwealth legislature.