resident commissioner

American  

noun

1. a representative from a dependency, as Guam or Puerto Rico, who is entitled to speak, but not to vote, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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resident commissioner British  

noun

1. the representative of Puerto Rico in the US House of Representatives. He or she may speak but has no vote

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Etymology

Origin of resident commissioner

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

She was elected chair of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico in 2015 and two years later became resident commissioner, a role similar to a U.S. representative but with limited voting power in Congress.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

Mr. Hernandez, a Democrat, is resident commissioner of Puerto Rico.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Attorney Pablo José Hernández is running unopposed to be the party’s candidate for resident commissioner, the first person in 20 years to seek that nomination.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2024

Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon, who as Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner is the territory’s nonvoting member, ranked 23rd out of 222 among House Republicans.

From Washington Times • Mar. 27, 2023

Resident Commissioner at Washington.—The interests of the island are looked after at Washington by a resident commissioner who is elected by the qualified voters for a term of four years.

From Government in the United States National, State and Local by Garner, James Wilford