2017年，臺風瑪利亞橫掃波多黎各，美國的反應引發巨大爭議，美國與這塊遙遠領土之間的關系也經受了考驗。臺風過后美國總統特朗普曾前往視察，但波多黎各抱怨之聲未減，因為美國對待之前同受臺風襲擊的美國本土州明顯更關注，救援也更慷慨。出生于波多黎各和其他“島嶼地區”的居民比起出生本土的美國人，在政治影響和享受權利方面都不可同日而語。

1.類似于波多黎各的美國海外領土有多少？

目前共有14個。其中波多黎各人口最多，其后是關島、美屬維京群島、美屬薩摩亞和北馬里亞納群島。其他包括位于加勒比海的納維薩島、位于太平洋的貝克島、豪蘭島、賈維斯島、威克島和中途島，還有約翰斯頓島、帕邁拉和金曼礁等環礁，要么無人居住要么人煙罕至。這些領土有些是1898年美西戰爭后西班牙割讓（波多黎各和關島），有些出資購買而來（維京群島），有些得自吞并（威克島），還有主動歸屬美國（北馬里亞納群島）。

2.海外領地居民是不是美國人？

關島、北馬里亞納群島、波多黎各和美屬維京群島居民一出生便具有美國國籍。美屬薩摩亞則不一樣，父母至少有一人為美國人時才可獲美國國籍。之所以此處特殊，是因為1900年美國法律有規定，在美屬薩摩亞出生的人可獲“國民”待遇，而不是公民。

3.海外領地居民也繳納聯邦稅么？

繳納一部分。跟本土50州的居民一樣，海外領地居民工資收入也有一部分用來支持社會保障退休系統和老年醫療健康系統。除某些例外情況，他們也要繳納聯邦營業稅、贈與稅和遺產稅。個人所得稅也要繳納，但通常交給本地政府，不用上交國庫。

4.海外領地居民可享受聯邦福利項目么？

跟納稅類似，也是一部分。一般而言，海外領地的美國公民可享受社會保障和醫療保險。退伍軍人的利益也很重要，因為海外領地向來為美國軍隊貢獻了很多力量。其他聯邦福利則情況各有不同。五個有人常住的島上，只有北馬里亞納群島居民可獲得簡稱SSI的補充保障收入，為某些老年人、盲人和殘疾人提供現金補助。（除美屬薩摩亞外，其他地區居民也可獲得類似補助。）只有波多黎各和維京群島居民可獲得失業補償金。關島、波多黎各和維京群島參加了稱為貧困家庭臨時援助的聯邦福利計劃。美屬薩摩亞未參與，北馬里亞納群島則不具參與資格。

5.海外領地的美國公民有資格投票選舉總統么？

算是有。四年一次的大選中，波多黎各、關島、美屬維京群島、美屬薩摩亞和北馬里亞納群島的居民舉辦預選會、初選或代表大會，協助選舉共和黨和民主黨候選人，但隨后11月的大選中無權投票。之所以存在差異，因為美國法律雖然規定了大選投票權，但兩黨可選擇何時何地舉行初選和預選會議。

6.美國議會里，海外領地是否有代表？

波多黎各和其他地區跟哥倫比亞特區一樣，在美國眾議院各有一席位。代表可以在眾議院發言，提出法案，提出修正案并在委員會投票，但集體表決時無投票權。海外領地和哥倫比亞特區在參議院均無代表。

7.如此安排是否公平？

取決于看待的角度。總部位于華盛頓的團體We the People Project就曾提交訴訟，要求為偏遠領土和首都特區爭取同等的公民權和投票權。“不管公民在本土州、海外領地還是華盛頓特區生活，應該享受同樣的基本公民權。”該團體表示。但美國法院一直不愿賦予海外領地公民與本土公民同樣的政治權利。

8.這點重要么？

波多黎各確實可能在華盛頓爭取到更高地位。2017年9月的大選中，只有半數美國人知道波多黎各人出生便具有美國國籍。知道該點的人里，81%支持提供援助，而認為波多黎各不屬于美國的人里只有44%支持援助。

9.海外領地想變成美國的州么？

只有波多黎各存在該問題，颶風前其人口約為330萬，超過美國21個州。（不過颶風后成千上萬波多黎各人移民別處，人口數量出現下降。）但并非所有人都認為成為美國的州是好事。波多黎各曾舉行五次不具約束力的公民投票，討論是否應爭取變成美國的州。前三次贊成和反對票各一半，2017年6月的最新一次投票中反對黨占優。部分波多黎各人支持變成州，部分人希望維持現狀，還有一些人支持從美國獨立出去。

10.波多黎各會變成美國的一個州么？

最終要看美國國會的決定，估計波多黎各想成為美國第51個州的最大障礙就是美國國會。讓事情更復雜的是，波多黎各可能支持民主黨執掌議會并擔任總統，臺上的共和黨顯然不會樂意。（財富中文網）

譯者：Pessy

審校：夏林

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Hurricane Maria’s ravaging of Puerto Rico in 2017, and lingering controversy over Washington’s response, tested the quirky ties between the U.S. and its far-flung territories. A post-storm visit by President Donald Trump did little to calm complaints in Puerto Rico that Washington exhibited less urgency and generosity than it did toward U.S. states struck by earlier hurricanes. Those born in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, or “insular areas,” have less political input and representation than residents of U.S. states.

1. How many U.S. territories are there?

There are 14 currently. Puerto Rico is, by far, the most populated, followed by Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. The others, either uninhabited or barely populated, are Navessa Island, in the Caribbean Sea; and, in the Pacific Ocean, islands named Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Wake and Midway, atolls named Johnston and Palmyra, and Kingman Reef. The territories were ceded by Spain after the Spanish-American War in 1898 (Puerto Rico and Guam), purchased (Virgin Islands), annexed (Wake Island) or chose to associate with the U.S. (Northern Marianas).

2. Are residents of territories American citizens?

U.S. citizenship is granted automatically upon birth in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The rule is different in American Samoa, where citizenship is conveyed only to those who have at least one American citizen as a parent. That anomaly is the result of a 1900 U.S. law that says persons born in American Samoa will be considered “nationals,” not citizens.

3. Do U.S. territories pay federal taxes?

They pay some taxes, not all. Like residents of the 50 states, residents of U.S. territories have money withheld from their paychecks to support the Social Security retirement system and the Medicare program for elderly health care. They’re also, with some exceptions, subject to U.S. federal business, gift and estate taxes. They pay income tax, but generally only to the territory, not to the federal treasury.

4. Do they get the benefit of federal entitlement programs?

Again, some but not all. Social Security and Medicare are, generally speaking, available to American citizens in U.S. territories. So are veterans’ benefits, which are important because territories have a history of service in the U.S. military. The situation with other federal benefits is a hodgepodge. Of the five territories, only Northern Mariana Islands residents are eligible for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, which provides cash assistance to certain elderly, blind and disabled people. (The other territories, except for American Samoa, are eligible for U.S. grants to help them provide similar assistance.) Only Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands can access U.S. unemployment compensation benefits. And only Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands participate in the federal welfare program known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; American Samoa chooses not to, and the Northern Mariana Islands isn’t eligible.

5. Can American citizens in U.S. territories vote for president?

Sort of. In an electoral curiosity that reemerges every four years, the residents of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands hold caucuses, primaries or conventions to help choose the Republican and Democratic nominees — but then can’t vote in the general election in November. The discrepancy is explained by the fact that while U.S. law dictates who can vote in the general election, the two parties choose where and when to hold primaries and caucuses.

6. Are the territories represented in the U.S. Congress?

Puerto Rico and the other territories, like the District of Columbia, each get to send one delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. That delegate can speak on the House floor, introduce legislation, offer amendments and vote in committees — but can’t vote on matters that come to a full House vote. In the Senate, territories and the District of Columbia have no representation at all.

7. Is that really fair?

That depends on your point of view. A Washington-based group, We the People Project, filed lawsuits seeking to extend full citizenship and voting rights to all residents of U.S. territories and the nation’s capital. “Whether one lives in a state, a territory, or D.C., our basic rights as citizens should be the same,” the group says. But U.S. courts have consistently disagreed that U.S. citizens in territories automatically deserve the full rights of U.S. citizens in the 50 states.

8. Does this matter?

It might, in terms of Puerto Rico getting a fair deal in Washington. In a September 2017 poll, only about half of Americans knew that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens by birth. Of those aware, 81 percent said they support aid, compared with only 44 percent among those who think Puerto Ricans are foreigners.

9. Do the territories aspire to become U.S. states?

That’s really a question only in Puerto Rico, since its pre-hurricane population of roughly 3.3 million made it bigger than 21 U.S. states. (Though the post-hurricane migration of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans only accelerated the island’s ongoing net loss of people, however.) Not everybody there sees statehood as a good thing. Puerto Rico has held five non-binding referendums on whether to seek statehood; the first three showed residents evenly split, and the latest, in June 2017, was marred by a boycott by opposition political parties. While some in Puerto Rico support statehood, and others like the status quo, there are also some who support independence from the U.S.

10. Could Puerto Rico become a state?

Ultimately that’s up to the U.S. Congress, which would be expected to put a very high bar on creating a 51st U.S. state. One complication: Puerto Rico would likely support Democrats for Congress and the presidency, an unpalatable prospect for the Republicans now in control in Washington.