U.S. House passes bill for vote on Puerto Rico's status

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday 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.

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 U.S. Senate where at least 60 votes are needed to have it approved.

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