(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Northern Mariana Islands Delegate Act - (Sec. 2) Declares that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be represented in Congress by the Resident Representative to the United States (a nonvoting Delegate to the House of Representatives) authorized under the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America.
(Sec. 3) Prescribes general requirements for the federal election of 2006 and subsequent elections (including primaries, if the Government of the Commonwealth provides for them).
(Sec. 4) Specifies the qualifications of the office.
(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Government of the Commonwealth to determine: (1) the order of names on the ballot; (2) the method of conducting a special election to fill a permanent vacancy in the office; (3) the method for resolving ties between candidates; and (4) all other matters of local application pertaining to the election and the office not otherwise expressly provided for in this Act.
(Sec. 6) Provides that, until the Rules of the House are amended to provide otherwise, the Delegate shall: (1) receive the same compensation, allowances, and benefits as a Member of the House; and (2) be entitled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or hereinafter may be, granted to any other nonvoting Delegate.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 873 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 873
To provide for a nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives to
represent the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 17, 2005
Mr. Pombo (for himself, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Flake, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr.
Burton of Indiana, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mrs. Christensen,
Mr. Case, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Cardoza,
Mr. Walden of Oregon, Mr. Fortuno, Mr. Rehberg, Mr. Radanovich, Mr.
Cole of Oklahoma, Mr. Gilchrest, and Mr. Cantor) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives to
represent the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Mariana Islands Delegate
Act''.
SEC. 2. DELEGATE TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMONWEALTH OF THE
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be
represented in the United States Congress by the Resident
Representative to the United States authorized by section 901 of the
Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
Political Union with the United States of America (approved by Public
Law 94-241 (48 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)). The Resident Representative shall
be a nonvoting Delegate to the House of Representatives, elected as
provided in this Act.
SEC. 3. ELECTION OF DELEGATE.
(a) Electors and Time of Election.--The Delegate shall be elected--
(1) by the people qualified to vote for the popularly
elected officials of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands; and
(2) at the Federal general election of 2006 and at such
Federal general election every 2d year thereafter.
(b) Manner of Election.--
(1) In general.--The Delegate shall be elected at large and
by a plurality of the votes cast for the office of Delegate.
(2) Effect of establishment of primary elections.--
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the Government of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, acting pursuant
to legislation enacted in accordance with the Constitution of
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, provides for
primary elections for the election of the Delegate, the
Delegate shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast in
any general election for the office of Delegate for which such
primary elections were held.
(c) Vacancy.--In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of
Delegate, the office of Delegate shall remain vacant until a successor
is elected and qualified.
(d) Commencement of Term.--The term of the Delegate shall commence
on the 3d day of January following the date of the election.
SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE OF DELEGATE.
To be eligible for the office of Delegate a candidate shall--
(1) be at least 25 years of age on the date of the
election;
(2) have been a citizen of the United States for at least 7
years prior to the date of the election;
(3) be a resident and domiciliary of the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands for at least 7 years prior to the
date of the election;
(4) be qualified to vote in the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands on the date of the election; and
(5) not be, on the date of the election, a candidate for
any other office.
SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF ELECTION PROCEDURE.
Acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance with the
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the
Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands may
determine the order of names on the ballot for election of Delegate,
the method by which a special election to fill a permanent vacancy in
the office of Delegate shall be conducted, the method by which ties
between candidates for the office of Delegate shall be resolved, and
all other matters of local application pertaining to the election and
the office of Delegate not otherwise expressly provided for in this
Act.
SEC. 6. COMPENSATION, PRIVILEGES, AND IMMUNITIES.
Until the Rules of the House of Representatives are amended to
provide otherwise, the Delegate from the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands shall receive the same compensation, allowances, and
benefits as a Member of the House of Representatives, and shall be
entitled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or hereinafter may
be, granted to any other nonvoting Delegate to the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 7. LACK OF EFFECT ON COVENANT.
No provision of this Act shall be construed to alter, amend, or
abrogate any provision of the covenant referred to in section 2 except
section 901 of the covenant.
SEC. 8. DEFINITION.
For purposes of this Act, the term ``Delegate'' means the Resident
Representative referred to in section 2.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 109-110.
Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 109-110.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 62.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line