The House Resources Committee Wednesday unanimously passed a bill seeking to clarify the process for the Virgin Islands and Guam to adopt a local constitution.
HR 3999 was sponsored by Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and contains concerns raised by Gov. Charles Turnbull and other witnesses from the Virgin Islands that testified at the hearing on the bill last week.
"I am pleased that Chairman Young responded to our concern that his original bill eliminated the requirement that Congress had to act within 60 days of a proposed constitution that was submitted for approval," said V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen.
Congress passed legislation in 1976, sponsored by then-Delegate Ron de Lugo, authorizing the people of the Virgin Islands and Guam to adopt local constitutions, however neither territory has succeeded in adopting a constitution. Young introduced HR 3999 to both eliminate the need for Congress to have to pass legislation to make changes to the Organic Acts for Guam and the Virgin Islands for non-federal matters as well as possible legal and perceived problems with the existing law that authorized the adoption of a constitution.
Christensen said that if Young’s legislation is approved by Congress her bill seeking to reduce the number of members in the V.I. Legislature would not be needed. Her bill is expected to come up for a vote in the Resources Committee after the Memorial Day congressional recess.