[3] The new government had a governor and an 11-member executive council appointed by the President of the United States, a House of Representatives with 35 elected members, a judicial system with a Supreme Court and a United States District Court, and a non-voting Resident Commissioner in Congress.

The first civil governor of the island under the Foraker Act was Charles H. Allen, inaugurated on May 1, 1900, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This tariff was set to expire either upon the implementation of local taxation by the Legislature of Puerto Rico sufficient to "meet the necessities of the government" or on the first day of March 1902.

4 Provided that the tariff collected under section 2 would be placed into a fund and held in trust for the benefit of the people of Puerto Rico until the legislature was fully established.

14 Established that the statutes of the United States would apply if applicable to the citizens of Puerto Rico with the exception of internal revenue laws.

Provided that the legislative body may implement taxes for the general purposes of government, protecting the public credit, and reimbursing the United States government for funds expended out of the emergency fund of the War Department for relief of the industrial situation caused by the hurricane of August 8, 1899.

Prevented the government of Puerto Rico and all of its municipalities from entering into debt in excess of seven percent of the aggregate tax value of its property.

The commission was tasked to compile and revise the laws of Puerto Rico as well as the codes of procedure and systems of municipal government to provide for "a simple, harmonious, and economical government", establish justice and secure its prompt and efficient administration, inaugurate a general system of education and public instruction, provide buildings and funds therefore, equalize and simplify taxation and all the methods of raising revenue, and make all other provisions that may be necessary to secure and extend the benefits of a republican form of government to all the inhabitants of Puerto Rico.

The final report of this committee was to be presented to the United States Congress within a year of the passing of the act.