-CITE-
    48 USC CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS                01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

-HEAD-
                   CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS               


-MISC1-
      SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS  
    Sec.                                                     
    1801.       Approval of Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of
                 the Northern Mariana Islands.                        
    1802.       Consideration of issues affecting relations with
                 United States.                                       
    1803.       Financial assistance to Government of Northern Mariana
                 Islands.                                             
    1804.       Direct grant assistance.                              
                  (a)  Composite price index adjustments not
                        applicable.                                   
                  (b)  Additional years of assistance.                
                  (c)  Specific allocations for capital infrastructure
                        projects.                                     
                  (d)  Resettlement of Rongelap Atoll.                
    1805.       Failure to meet performance standards; resolution of
                 issues; withholding of funds.                        

                     SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS                 
    1821.       District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.      
                  (a)  Establishment; judicial circuit; terms of
                        court.                                        
                  (b)  Appointment, tenure, removal, compensation,
                        etc., of District Court judge; appointment of
                        United States attorney and United States
                        marshal.                                      
                  (c)  Applicability of Federal rules and statutory
                        requirements.                                 
    1822.       Jurisdiction of District Court; original jurisdiction;
                 procedural requirements.                             
    1823.       Appellate jurisdiction of District Court; procedure;
                 review by United States Court of Appeals for Ninth
                 Circuit; rules.                                      
                  (a)  Appellate jurisdiction of District Court.      
                  (b)  Appellate division of District Court; quorum;
                        presiding judge; designation of judges;
                        decisions.                                    
                  (c)  United States Court of Appeals for Ninth
                        Circuit; jurisdiction; appeals; rules.        
    1824.       Relations between courts of United States and courts
                 of Northern Mariana Islands; applicability of
                 statutory provisions.                                
    1825.       Effective date.                                       
    1826.       Authorization of appropriations.                      

                      SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS                  
    1841.       Funds and services.                                   
                  (a)  Acquisition and construction of powerplant and
                        distribution facilities.                      
                  (b)  Services and facilities of Federal agencies;
                        grants-in-aid; availability of appropriations
                        in succeeding fiscal years.                   
                  (c)  Food stamps and distribution of donated foods. 
                  (d)  Administration and enforcement of revenue and
                        taxation provisions of Covenant.              
    1842.       Covering into Commonwealth treasury of tax proceeds
                 collected pursuant to Covenant.                      
    1843.       Exemption from taxation for income derived from
                 sources within Commonwealth.                         
                  (a)  Taxable years beginning after December 31,
                        1978, but not after January 1, 1985.          
                  (b)  Taxable years beginning after December 31,
                        1980, and before January 1, 1982.             
                  (c)  Tax rebates.                                   
    1844.       Political union between Territory of Guam and
                 Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.            
    1845.       Plans for development, utilization, and conservation
                 of water and related land resources.                 
    1846.       Exemption from assessment and taxation of real
                 property owned by Commonwealth in United States
                 capital.                                             

-End-


-CITE-
    48 USC SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND
           SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS                         01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
      SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS  

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1801                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1801. Approval of Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the
      Northern Mariana Islands

-STATUTE-
      The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, the
    text of which is as follows, is hereby approved.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 94-241, Sec. 1, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union with the United States of America,
    referred to in text, which was contained in this section (section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241), is set out as a note below.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.


-TRANS-
           TERMINATION OF TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS       
      For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see
    note set out preceding section 1681 of this title.


-MISC1-
       APPLICABILITY OF REQUIREMENT OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP OR
        NATIONALITY AS PREREQUISITE OF ANY BENEFIT, RIGHT, ETC., TO
                   CITIZENS OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
      Pub. L. 98-213, Secs. 17-25, Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1463-1466,
    exempted citizens of Northern Mariana Islands from laws prohibiting
    United States Government from compensating or employing noncitizens
    and from requirement of United States citizenship in certain
    Federal laws providing Federal services or financial assistance to
    Northern Mariana Islands, authorized President to issue
    proclamations exempting citizens of Northern Mariana Islands from
    United States citizenship or nationality requirements of certain
    statutes, provided that if President failed to timely issue a
    proclamation, the requirement of United States citizenship or
    nationality as a prerequisite of any benefit, right, privilege, or
    immunity in any statute made applicable to the Northern Mariana
    Islands would not apply to citizens of the Northern Mariana
    Islands, provided that Pub. L. 98-213 did not extend to Northern
    Mariana Islands any statutory provision or regulation, particularly
    statutes relating to immigration and nationality, not otherwise
    applicable to or within Northern Mariana Islands, provided for
    termination of President's authority to issue proclamations upon
    establishment of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
    defined terms, and provided for merger of benefits acquired under
    Pub. L. 98-213 into those acquired by virtue of United States
    citizenship unless recipient exercised his privilege to become a
    national but not a citizen of United States.

     AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR TRANSITION OF MARIANA ISLANDS
                      DISTRICT TO COMMONWEALTH STATUS
      Pub. L. 94-27, Sec. 2, May 28, 1975, 89 Stat. 95, authorized
    appropriation of $1,500,000 to aid in transition of Mariana Islands
    District to a new Commonwealth status as a territory of United
    States and provided that no part could be obligated or expended
    until Congress approved final agreement between Marianas Political
    Status Commission and United States.

                              RECITAL CLAUSES                          
      Pub. L. 94-241 which enacted this subchapter contained several
    "Whereas" clauses reading as follows:
      "Whereas the United States is the administering authority of the
    Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under the terms of the
    trusteeship agreement for the former Japanese-mandated islands
    entered into by the United States with the Security Council of the
    United Nations on April 2, 1947, and approved by the United States
    on July 18, 1947; and
      "Whereas the United States, in accordance with the trusteeship
    agreement and the Charter of the United Nations, has assumed the
    obligation to promote the development of the peoples of the trust
    territory toward self-government or independence as may be
    appropriate to the particular circumstances of the trust territory
    and its peoples and the freely expressed wishes of the peoples
    concerned; and
      "Whereas the United States, in response to the desires of the
    people of the Northern Mariana Islands clearly expressed over the
    past twenty years through public petition and referendum, and in
    response to its own obligations under the trusteeship agreement to
    promote self-determination, entered into political status
    negotiations with representatives of the people of the Northern
    Mariana Islands; and
      "Whereas, on February 15, 1975, a 'Covenant to Establish A
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America' [set out below] was signed by
    the Marianas Political Status Commission for the people of the
    Northern Mariana Islands and by the President's Personal
    Representative, Ambassador F. Haydn Williams for the United States
    of America, following which the covenant was approved by the
    unanimous vote of the Mariana Islands District Legislature on
    February 20, 1975 and by 78.8 per centum of the people of the
    Northern Mariana Islands voting in a plebiscite held on June 17,
    1975".

                             TEXT OF COVENANT                         
      Section 1 of Pub. L. 94-241, as amended by Pub. L. 98-213, Sec.
    9, Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1461; Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I,
    Sec. 101(d) [title I], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-181, 3009-
    196, contained the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States
    of America as follows:

       "COVENANT TO ESTABLISH A COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA
       ISLANDS IN POLITICAL UNION WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
      "Whereas, the Charter of the United Nations and the Trusteeship
    Agreement between the Security Council of the United Nations and
    the United States of America guarantee to the people of the
    Northern Mariana Islands the right freely to express their wishes
    for self-government or independence; and
      "Whereas, the United States supports the desire of the people of
    the Northern Mariana Islands to exercise their inalienable right of
    self-determination; and
      "Whereas, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands and the
    people of the United States share the goals and values found in the
    American system of government based upon the principles of
    government by the consent of the governed, individual freedom and
    democracy; and
      "Whereas, for over twenty years, the people of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, through public petition and referendum, have
    clearly expressed their desire for political union with the United
    States;
      "Now, therefore, the Marianas Political Status Commission, being
    the duly appointed representative of the people of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, and the Personal Representative of the President
    of the United States have entered into this Covenant in order to
    establish a self-governing commonwealth for the Northern Mariana
    Islands within the American political system and to define the
    future relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the
    United States. This Covenant will be mutually binding when it is
    approved by the United States, by the Mariana Islands District
    Legislature and by the people of the Northern Mariana Islands in a
    plebiscite, constituting on their part a sovereign act of self-
    determination.

                                "ARTICLE I                            

                          "POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP                      
      "Section 101. The Northern Mariana Islands upon termination of
    the Trusteeship Agreement will become a self-governing commonwealth
    to be known as the 'Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands',
    in political union with and under the sovereignty of the United
    States of America.
      "Section 102. The relations between the Northern Mariana Islands
    and the United States will be governed by this Covenant which,
    together with those provisions of the Constitution, treaties and
    laws of the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana
    Islands, will be the supreme law of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 103. The people of the Northern Mariana Islands will
    have the right of local self-government and will govern themselves
    with respect to internal affairs in accordance with a Constitution
    of their own adoption.
      "Section 104. The United States will have complete responsibility
    for and authority with respect to matters relating to foreign
    affairs and defense affecting the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 105. The United States may enact legislation in
    accordance with its constitutional processes which will be
    applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands, but if such legislation
    cannot also be made applicable to the several States the Northern
    Mariana Islands must be specifically named therein for it to become
    effective in the Northern Mariana Islands. In order to respect the
    right of self-government guaranteed by this Covenant the United
    States agrees to limit the exercise of that authority so that the
    fundamental provisions of this Covenant, namely Articles I, II and
    III and Sections 501 and 805, may be modified only with the consent
    of the Government of the United States and the Government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands.

                                "ARTICLE II                            

               "CONSTITUTION OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS           
      "Section 201. The people of the Northern Mariana Islands will
    formulate and approve a Constitution and may amend their
    Constitution pursuant to the procedures provided therein.
      "Section 202. The Constitution will be submitted to the
    Government of the United States for approval on the basis of its
    consistency with this Covenant and those provisions of the
    Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States to be
    applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands. The Constitution will
    be deemed to have been approved six months after its submission to
    the President on behalf of the Government of the United States
    unless earlier approved or disapproved. If disapproved the
    Constitution will be returned and will be resubmitted in accordance
    with this Section. Amendments to the Constitution may be made by
    the people of the Northern Mariana Islands without approval by the
    Government of the United States, but the courts established by the
    Constitution or laws of the United States will be competent to
    determine whether the Constitution and subsequent amendments
    thereto are consistent with this Covenant and with those provisions
    of the Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States
    applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 203. (a) The Constitution will provide for a republican
    form of government with separate executive, legislative and
    judicial branches, and will contain a bill of rights.
      "(b) The executive power of the Northern Mariana Islands will be
    vested in a popularly elected Governor and such other officials as
    the Constitution or laws of the Northern Mariana Islands may
    provide.
      "(c) The legislative power of the Northern Mariana Islands will
    be vested in a popularly elected legislature and will extend to all
    rightful subjects of legislation. The Constitution of the Northern
    Mariana Islands will provide for equal representation for each of
    the chartered municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands in one
    house of a bicameral legislature, notwithstanding other provisions
    of this Covenant or those provisions of the Constitution or laws of
    the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "(d) The judicial power of the Northern Mariana Islands will be
    vested in such courts as the Constitution or laws of the Northern
    Mariana Islands may provide. The Constitution or laws of the
    Northern Mariana Islands may vest in such courts jurisdiction over
    all causes in the Northern Mariana Islands over which any court
    established by the Constitution or laws of the United States does
    not have exclusive jurisdiction.
      "Section 204. All members of the legislature of the Northern
    Mariana Islands and all officers and employees of the Government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands will take an oath or affirmation to
    support this Covenant, those provisions of the Constitution,
    treaties and laws of the United States applicable to the Northern
    Mariana Islands, and the Constitution and laws of the Northern
    Mariana Islands.

                               "ARTICLE III                           

                       "CITIZENSHIP AND NATIONALITY                   
      "Section 301. The following persons and their children under the
    age of 18 years on the effective date of this Section, who are not
    citizens or nationals of the United States under any other
    provision of law, and who on that date do not owe allegiance to any
    foreign state, are declared to be citizens of the United States,
    except as otherwise provided in Section 302:
        "(a) all persons born in the Northern Mariana Islands who are
      citizens of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands on the day
      preceding the effective date of this Section, and who on that
      date are domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands or in the
      United States or any territory or possession thereof;
        "(b) all persons who are citizens of the Trust Territory of the
      Pacific Islands on the day preceding the effective date of this
      Section, who have been domiciled continuously in the Northern
      Mariana Islands for at least five years immediately prior to that
      date, and who, unless under age, registered to vote in elections
      for the Marianas Islands District Legislature or for any
      municipal election in the Northern Mariana Islands prior to
      January 1, 1975; and
        "(c) all persons domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands on
      the day preceding the effective date of this Section, who,
      although not citizens of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
      Islands, on that date have been domiciled continuously in the
      Northern Mariana Islands beginning prior to January 1, 1974.
      "Section 302. Any person who becomes a citizen of the United
    States solely by virtue of the provisions of Section 301 may within
    six months after the effective date of that Section or within six
    months after reaching the age of 18 years, whichever date is the
    later, become a national but not a citizen of the United States by
    making a declaration under oath before any court established by the
    Constitution or laws of the United States or any court of record in
    the Commonwealth in the form as follows:
      " 'I ________ being duly sworn, hereby declare my intention to be
    a national but not a citizen of the United States.'
      "Section 303. All persons born in the Commonwealth on or after
    the effective date of this Section and subject to the jurisdiction
    of the United States will be citizens of the United States at
    birth.
      "Section 304. Citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands will be
    entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the
    several States of the United States.

                                "ARTICLE IV                            

                            "JUDICIAL AUTHORITY                        
      "Section 401. The United States will establish for and within the
    Northern Mariana Islands a court of record to be known as the
    'District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands'. The Northern
    Mariana Islands will constitute a part of the same judicial circuit
    of the United States as Guam.
      "Section 402. (a) The District Court for the Northern Mariana
    Islands will have the jurisdiction of a district court of the
    United States, except that in all causes arising under the
    Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States it will have
    jurisdiction regardless of the sum or value of the matter in
    controversy.
      "(b) The District Court will have original jurisdiction in all
    causes in the Northern Mariana Islands not described in Subsection
    (a) jurisdiction over which is not vested by the Constitution or
    laws of the Northern Mariana Islands in a court or courts of the
    Northern Mariana Islands. In causes brought in the District Court
    solely on the basis of this subsection, the District Court will be
    considered a court of the Northern Mariana Islands for the purposes
    of determining the requirements of indictment by grand jury or
    trial by jury.
      "(c) The District Court will have such appellate jurisdiction as
    the Constitution or laws of the Northern Mariana Islands may
    provide. When it sits as an appellate court, the District Court
    will consist of three judges, at least one of whom will be a judge
    of a court of record of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 403. (a) The relations between the courts established by
    the Constitution or laws of the United States and the courts of the
    Northern Mariana Islands with respect to appeals, certiorari,
    removal of causes, the issuance of writs of habeas corpus and other
    matters or proceedings will be governed by the laws of the United
    States pertaining to the relations between the courts of the United
    States and the courts of the several States in such matters and
    proceedings, except as otherwise provided in this Article; provided
    that for the first fifteen years following the establishment of an
    appellate court of the Northern Mariana Islands the United States
    Court of Appeals for the judicial circuit which includes the
    Northern Mariana Islands will have jurisdiction of appeals from all
    final decisions of the highest court of the Northern Mariana
    Islands from which a decision could be had in all cases involving
    the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States, or any
    authority exercised thereunder, unless those cases are reviewable
    in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to
    Subsection 402(c).
      "(b) Those portions of Title 28 of the United States Code which
    apply to Guam or the District Court of Guam will be applicable to
    the Northern Mariana Islands or the District Court for the Northern
    Mariana Islands, respectively, except as otherwise provided in this
    Article.

                                "ARTICLE V                            

                          "APPLICABILITY OF LAWS                      
      "Section 501. (a) To the extent that they are not applicable of
    their own force, the following provisions of the Constitution of
    the United States will be applicable within the Northern Mariana
    Islands as if the Northern Mariana Islands were one of the several
    States: Article I, Section 9, Clauses 2, 3, and 8; Article I,
    Section 10, Clauses 1 and 3; Article IV, Section 1 and Section 2,
    Clauses 1 and 2; Amendments 1 through 9, inclusive; Amendment 13;
    Amendment 14, Section 1; Amendment 15; Amendment 19; and Amendment
    26; provided, however, that neither trial by jury nor indictment by
    grand jury shall be required in any civil action or criminal
    prosecution based on local law, except where required by local law.
    Other provisions of or amendments to the Constitution of the United
    States, which do not apply of their own force within the Northern
    Mariana Islands, will be applicable within the Northern Mariana
    Islands only with approval of the Government of the Northern
    Mariana Islands and of the Government of the United States.
      "(b) The applicability of certain provisions of the Constitution
    of the United States to the Northern Mariana Islands will be
    without prejudice to the validity of and the power of the Congress
    of the United States to consent to Sections 203, 506 and 805 and
    the proviso in Subsection (a) of this Section.
      "Section 502. (a) The following laws of the United States in
    existence on the effective date of this Section and subsequent
    amendments to such laws will apply to the Northern Mariana Islands,
    except as otherwise provided in this Covenant:
        "(1) those laws which provide federal services and financial
      assistance programs and the federal banking laws as they apply to
      Guam; Section 228 of Title II and Title XVI of the Social
      Security Act as it applies to the several States; the Public
      Health Service Act as it applies to the Virgin Islands; and the
      Micronesian Claims Act as it applies to the Trust Territory of
      the Pacific Islands;
        "(2) those laws not described in paragraph (1) which are
      applicable to Guam and which are of general application to the
      several States as they are applicable to the several States; and
        "(3) those laws not described in paragraph (1) or (2) which are
      applicable to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but not
      their subsequent amendments unless specifically made applicable
      to the Northern Mariana Islands, as they apply to the Trust
      Territory of the Pacific Islands until termination of the
      Trusteeship Agreement, and will thereafter be inapplicable.
      "(b) The laws of the United States regarding coastal shipments
    and the conditions of employment, including the wages and hours of
    employees, will apply to the activities of the United States
    Government and its contractors in the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 503. The following laws of the United States, presently
    inapplicable to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, will
    not apply to the Northern Mariana Islands except in the manner and
    to the extent made applicable to them by the Congress by law after
    termination of the Trusteeship Agreement:
        "(a) except as otherwise provided in Section 506, the
      immigration and naturalization laws of the United States;
        "(b) except as otherwise provided in Subsection (b) of Section
      502, the coastwise laws of the United States and any prohibition
      in the laws of the United States against foreign vessels landing
      fish or unfinished fish products in the United States; and
        "(c) the minimum wage provisions of Section 6, Act of June 25,
      1938, 52 Stat. 1062, as amended.
      "Section 504. The President will appoint a Commission on Federal
    Laws to survey the laws of the United States and to make
    recommendations to the United States Congress as to which laws of
    the United States not applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands
    should be made applicable and to what extent and in what manner,
    and which applicable laws should be made inapplicable and to what
    extent and in what manner. The Commission will consist of seven
    persons (at least four of whom will be citizens of the Trust
    Territory of the Pacific Islands who are and have been for at least
    five years domiciled continuously in the Northern Mariana Islands
    at the time of their appointments) who will be representative of
    the federal, local, private and public interests in the
    applicability of laws of the United States to the Northern Mariana
    Islands. The Commission will make its final report and
    recommendations to the Congress within one year after the
    termination of the Trusteeship Agreement, and before that time will
    make such interim reports and recommendations to the Congress as it
    considers appropriate to facilitate the transition of the Northern
    Mariana Islands to its new political status. In formulating its
    recommendations the Commission will take into consideration the
    potential effect of each law on local conditions within the
    Northern Mariana Islands, the policies embodied in the law and the
    provisions and purposes of this Covenant. The United States will
    bear the cost of the work of the Commission.
      "Section 505. The laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
    Islands, of the Mariana Islands District and its local
    municipalities, and all other Executive and District orders of a
    local nature applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands on the
    effective date of this Section and not inconsistent with this
    Covenant or with those provisions of the Constitution, treaties or
    laws of the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana
    Islands will remain in force and effect until and unless altered by
    the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 506. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection
    503(a), upon the effective date of this Section the Northern
    Mariana Islands will be deemed to be a part of the United States
    under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended for the
    following purposes only, and the said Act will apply to the
    Northern Mariana Islands to the extent indicated in each of the
    following Subsections of this Section.
      "(b) With respect to children born abroad to United States
    citizen or non-citizen national parents permanently residing in the
    Northern Mariana Islands the provisions of Sections 301 and 308 of
    the said Act will apply.
      "(c) With respect to aliens who are 'immediate relatives' (as
    defined in Subsection 201(b) of the said Act) of United States
    citizens who are permanently residing in the Northern Mariana
    Islands all the provisions of the said Act will apply, commencing
    when a claim is made to entitlement to 'immediate relative' status.
    A person who is certified by the Government of the Northern Mariana
    Islands both to have been a lawful permanent resident of the
    Northern Mariana Islands and to have had the 'immediate relative'
    relationship denoted herein on the effective date of this Section
    will be presumed to have been admitted to the United States for
    lawful permanent residence as of that date without the requirement
    of any of the usual procedures set forth in the said Act. For the
    purpose of the requirements of judicial naturalization, the
    Northern Mariana Islands will be deemed to constitute a State as
    defined in Subsection 101(a) paragraph (36) of the said Act. The
    Courts of record of the Northern Mariana Islands and the District
    Court for the Northern Mariana Islands will be included among the
    courts specified in Subsection 310(a) of the said Act and will have
    jurisdiction to naturalize persons who become eligible under this
    Section and who reside within their respective jurisdictions.
      "(d) With respect to persons who will become citizens or
    nationals of the United States under Article III of this Covenant
    or under this Section the loss of nationality provisions of the
    said Act will apply.

                                "ARTICLE VI                            

                           "REVENUE AND TAXATION                       
      "Section 601. (a) The income tax laws in force in the United
    States will come into force in the Northern Mariana Islands as a
    local territorial income tax on the first day of January following
    the effective date of this Section, in the same manner as those
    laws are in force in Guam.
      "(b) Any individual who is a citizen or a resident of the United
    States, of Guam, or of the Northern Mariana Islands (including a
    national of the United States who is not a citizen), will file only
    one income tax return with respect to his income, in a manner
    similar to the provisions of Section 935 of Title 26, United States
    Code.
      "(c) References in the Internal Revenue Code to Guam will be
    deemed also to refer to the Northern Mariana Islands, where not
    otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the
    intent thereof or of this Covenant.
      "Section 602. The Government of the Northern Mariana Islands may
    by local law impose such taxes, in addition to those imposed under
    Section 601, as it deems appropriate and provide for the rebate of
    any taxes received by it, except that the power of the Government
    of the Northern Mariana Islands to rebate collections of the local
    territorial income tax received by it will be limited to taxes on
    income derived from sources within the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 603. (a) The Northern Mariana Islands will not be
    included within the customs territory of the United States.
      "(b) The Government of the Northern Mariana Islands may, in a
    manner consistent with the international obligations of the United
    States, levy duties on goods imported into its territory from any
    area outside the customs territory of the United States and impose
    duties on exports from its territory.
      "(c) Imports from the Northern Mariana Islands into the customs
    territory of the United States will be subject to the same
    treatment as imports from Guam into the customs territory of the
    United States.
      "(d) The Government of the United States will seek to obtain from
    foreign countries favorable treatment for exports from the Northern
    Mariana Islands and will encourage other countries to consider the
    Northern Mariana Islands a developing territory.
      "Section 604. (a) The Government of the United States may levy
    excise taxes on goods manufactured, sold or used or services
    rendered in the Northern Mariana Islands in the same manner and to
    the same extent as such taxes are applicable within Guam.
      "(b) The Government of the Northern Mariana Islands will have the
    authority to impose excise taxes upon goods manufactured, sold or
    used or services rendered within its territory or upon goods
    imported into its territory, provided that such excise taxes
    imposed on goods imported into its territory will be consistent
    with the international obligations of the United States.
      "Section 605. Nothing in this Article will be deemed to authorize
    the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands to impose any
    customs duties on the property of the United States or on the
    personal property of military or civilian personnel of the United
    States Government or their dependents entering or leaving the
    Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to their contract of employment
    or orders assigning them to or from the Northern Mariana Islands or
    to impose any taxes on the property, activities or
    instrumentalities of the United States which one of the several
    States could not impose; nor will any provision of this Article be
    deemed to affect the operation of the Soldiers and Sailors Civil
    Relief Act of 1940, as amended, which will be applicable to the
    Northern Mariana Islands as it is applicable to Guam.
      "Section 606. (a) Not later than at the time this Covenant is
    approved, that portion of the Trust Territory Social Security
    Retirement Fund attributable to the Northern Mariana Islands will
    be transferred to the Treasury of the United States, to be held in
    trust as a separate fund to be known as the 'Northern Mariana
    Islands Social Security Retirement Fund'. This fund will be
    administered by the United States in accordance with the social
    security laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in
    effect at the time of such transfer, which may be modified by the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands only in a manner which
    does not create any additional differences between the social
    security laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and the
    laws described in Subsection (b). The United States will supplement
    such fund if necessary to assure that persons receive benefits
    therefrom comparable to those they would have received from the
    Trust Territory Social Security Retirement Fund under the laws
    applicable thereto on the day preceding the establishment of the
    Northern Mariana Islands Social Security Retirement Fund, so long
    as the rate of contributions thereto also remains comparable.
      "(b) Those laws of the United States which impose excise and self-
    employment taxes to support or which provide benefits from the
    United States Social Security System will on January 1 of the first
    calendar year following the termination of the Trusteeship
    Agreement or upon such earlier date as may be agreed to by the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Government of
    the United States become applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands
    as they apply to Guam. (As amended Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 9, Dec. 8,
    1983, 97 Stat. 1461.)
      "(c) At such time as the laws described in Subsection (b) become
    applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands:
        "(1) the Northern Mariana Islands Social Security Retirement
      Fund will be transferred into the appropriate Federal Social
      Security Trust Funds;
        "(2) prior contributions by or on behalf of persons domiciled
      in the Northern Mariana Islands to the Trust Territory Social
      Security Retirement Fund or the Northern Mariana Islands Social
      Security Retirement Fund will be considered to have been made to
      the appropriate Federal Social Security Trust Funds for the
      purpose of determining eligibility of those persons in the
      Northern Mariana Islands for benefits under those laws; and
        "(3) persons domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands who are
      eligible for or entitled to social security benefits under the
      laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or of the
      Northern Mariana Islands will not lose their entitlement and will
      be eligible for or entitled to benefits under the laws described
      in Subsection (b).
      "Section 607. (a) All bonds or other obligations issued by the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands or by its authority will
    be exempt, as to principal and interest, from taxation by the
    United States, or by any State, territory or possession of the
    United States, or any political subdivision of any of them.
      "(b) During the initial seven year period of financial assistance
    provided for in Section 702, and during such subsequent periods of
    financial assistance as may be agreed, the Government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands will authorize no public indebtedness
    (other than bonds or other obligations of the Government payable
    solely from revenues derived from any public improvement or
    undertaking) in excess of ten percentum of the aggregate assessed
    valuation of the property within the Northern Mariana Islands.

                               "ARTICLE VII                           

                    "UNITED STATES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE                
      "Section 701. The Government of the United States will assist the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands in its efforts to
    achieve a progressively higher standard of living for its people as
    part of the American economic community and to develop the economic
    resources needed to meet the financial responsibilities of local
    self-government. To this end, the United States will provide direct
    multi-year financial support to the Government of the Northern
    Mariana Islands for local government operations, for capital
    improvement programs and for economic development. The initial
    period of such support will be seven years, as provided in Section
    702.
      "Section 702. Approval of this Covenant by the United States will
    constitute a commitment and pledge of the full faith and credit of
    the United States for the payment, as well as an authorization for
    the appropriation, of the following guaranteed annual levels of
    direct grant assistance to the Government of the Northern Mariana
    Islands for each of the seven fiscal years following the effective
    date of this Section:
        "(a) $8.25 million for budgetary support for government
      operations, of which $250,000 each year will be reserved for a
      special education training fund connected with the change in the
      political status of the Northern Mariana Islands;
        "(b) $4 million for capital improvement projects, of which
      $500,000 each year will be reserved for such projects on the
      Island of Tinian and $500,000 each year will be reserved for such
      projects on the Island of Rota; and
        "(c) $1.75 million for an economic development loan fund, of
      which $500,000 each year will be reserved for small loans to
      farmers and fishermen and to agricultural and marine
      cooperatives, and of which $250,000 each year will be reserved
      for a special program of low interest housing loans for low
      income families.
      "Section 703. (a) The United States will make available to the
    Northern Mariana Islands the full range of federal programs and
    services available to the territories of the United States. Funds
    provided under Section 702 will be considered to be local revenues
    when used as the local share required to obtain federal programs
    and services. (As amended Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I, Sec.
    101(d) [title I], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-181, 3009-196.)
      "(b) There will be paid into the Treasury of the Government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands, to be expended to the benefit of the
    people thereof as that Government may by law prescribe, the
    proceeds of all customs duties and federal income taxes derived
    from the Northern Mariana Islands, the proceeds of all taxes
    collected under the internal revenue laws of the United States on
    articles produced in the Northern Mariana Islands and transported
    to the United States, its territories or possessions, or consumed
    in the Northern Mariana Islands, the proceeds of any other taxes
    which may be levied by the Congress on the inhabitants of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, and all quarantine, passport, immigration
    and naturalization fees collected in the Northern Mariana Islands,
    except that nothing in this Section shall be construed to apply to
    any tax imposed by Chapters 2 or 21 of Title 26, United States
    Code.
      "Section 704. (a) Funds provided under Section 702 not obligated
    or expended by the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands
    during any fiscal year will remain available for obligation or
    expenditure by that Government in subsequent fiscal years for the
    purposes for which the funds were appropriated.
      "(b) Approval of this Covenant by the United States will
    constitute an authorization for the appropriation of a pro-rata
    share of the funds provided under Section 702 for the period
    between the effective date of this Section and the beginning of the
    next succeeding fiscal year.
      "(c) The amounts stated in Section 702 will be adjusted for each
    fiscal year by a percentage which will be the same as the
    percentage change in the United States Department of Commerce
    composite price index using the beginning of Fiscal Year 1975 as
    the base.
      "(d) Upon expiration of the seven year period of guaranteed
    annual direct grant assistance provided by Section 702, the annual
    level of payments in each category listed in Section 702 will
    continue until Congress appropriates a different amount or
    otherwise provides by law.

                               "ARTICLE VIII                           

                                 "PROPERTY                             
      "Section 801. All right, title and interest of the Government of
    the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in and to real property
    in the Northern Mariana Islands on the date of the signing of this
    Covenant or thereafter acquired in any manner whatsoever will, no
    later than upon the termination of the Trusteeship Agreement, be
    transferred to the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands. All
    right, title and interest of the Government of the Trust Territory
    of the Pacific Islands in and to all personal property on the date
    of the signing of this Covenant or thereafter acquired in any
    manner whatsoever will, no later than upon the termination of the
    Trusteeship Agreement, be distributed equitably in a manner to be
    determined by the Government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
    Islands in consultation with those concerned, including the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 802. (a) The following property will be made available
    to the Government of the United States by lease to enable it to
    carry out its defense responsibilities:
        "(1) on Tinian Island, approximately 17,799 acres (7,203
      hectares) and the waters immediately adjacent thereto;
        "(2) on Saipan Island, approximately 177 acres (72 hectares) at
      Tanapag Harbor; and
        "(3) on Farallon de Medinilla Island, approximately 206 acres
      (83 hectares) encompassing the entire island, and the waters
      immediately adjacent thereto.
      "(b) The United States affirms that it has no present need for or
    present intention to acquire any greater interest in property
    listed above than that which is granted to it under Subsection
    803(a), or to acquire any property in addition to that listed in
    Subsection (a), above, in order to carry out its defense
    responsibilities.
      "Section 803. (a) The Government of the Northern Mariana Islands
    will lease the property described in Subsection 802(a) to the
    Government of the United States for a term of fifty years, and the
    Government of the United States will have the option of renewing
    this lease for all or part of such property for an additional term
    of fifty years if it so desires at the end of the first term.
      "(b) The Government of the United States will pay to the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands in full settlement of
    this lease, including the second fifty year term of the lease if
    extended under the renewal option, the total sum of $19,520,600,
    determined as follows:
        "(1) for that property on Tinian Island, $17.5 million;
        "(2) for that property at Tanapag Harbor on Saipan Island, $2
      million; and
        "(3) for that property known as Farallon de Medinilla, $20,600.
    The sum stated in this Subsection will be adjusted by a percentage
    which will be the same as the percentage change in the United
    States Department of Commerce composite price index from the date
    of signing the Covenant.
      "(c) A separate Technical Agreement Regarding Use of Land To Be
    Leased by the United States in the Northern Mariana Islands will be
    executed simultaneously with this Covenant. The terms of the lease
    to the United States will be in accordance with this Section and
    with the terms of the Technical Agreement. The Technical Agreement
    will also contain terms relating to the leaseback of property, to
    the joint use arrangements for San Jose Harbor and West Field on
    Tinian Island, and to the principles which will govern the social
    structure relations between the United States military and the
    Northern Mariana Islands civil authorities.
      "(d) From the property to be leased to it in accordance with this
    Covenant the Government of the United States will lease back to the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands, in accordance with the
    Technical Agreement, for the sum of one dollar per acre per year,
    approximately 6,458 acres (2,614 hectares) on Tinian Island and
    approximately 44 acres (18 hectares) at Tanapag Harbor on Saipan
    Island, which will be used for purposes compatible with their
    intended military use.
      "(e) From the property to be leased to it at Tanapag Harbor on
    Saipan Island the Government of the United States will make
    available to the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands 133
    acres (54 hectares) at no cost. This property will be set aside for
    public use as an American memorial park to honor the American and
    Marianas dead in the World War II Marianas Campaign. The $2 million
    received from the Government of the United States for the lease of
    this property will be placed into a trust fund, and used for the
    development and maintenance of the park in accordance with the
    Technical Agreement.
      "Section 804. (a) The Government of the United States will cause
    all agreements between it and the Government of the Trust Territory
    of the Pacific Islands which grant to the Government of the United
    States use or other rights in real property in the Northern Mariana
    Islands to be terminated upon or before the effective date of the
    Section. All right, title and interest of the Government of the
    Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in and to any real property
    with respect to which the Government of the United States enjoys
    such use or other rights will be transferred to the Government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands at the time of such termination. From
    the time such right, title and interest is so transferred the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands will assure the
    Government of the United States the continued use of the real
    property then actively used by the Government of the United States
    for civilian governmental purposes on terms comparable to those
    enjoyed by the Government of the United States under its
    arrangements with the Government of the Trust Territory of the
    Pacific Islands on the date of the signature of this Covenant.
      "(b) All facilities at Isely Field developed with federal aid and
    all facilities at that field usable for the landing and take-off of
    aircraft will be available to the United States for use by military
    and naval aircraft, in common with other aircraft, at all times
    without charge, except, if the use by military and naval aircraft
    shall be substantial, a reasonable share, proportional to such use,
    of the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities so used may
    be charged at a rate established by agreement between the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Government of
    the United States.
      "Section 805. Except as otherwise provided in this Article, and
    notwithstanding the other provisions of this Covenant, or those
    provisions of the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United
    States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands, the Government
    of the Northern Mariana Islands, in view of the importance of the
    ownership of land for the culture and traditions of the people of
    the Northern Mariana Islands, and in order to protect them against
    exploitation and to promote their economic advancement and self-
    sufficiency:
        "(a) will until twenty-five years after the termination of the
      Trusteeship Agreement, and may thereafter, regulate the
      alienation of permanent and long-term interests in real property
      so as to restrict the acquisition of such interests to persons of
      Northern Mariana Islands descent; and
        "(b) may regulate the extent to which a person may own or hold
      land which is now public land.
      "Section 806. (a) The United States will continue to recognize
    and respect the scarcity and special importance of land in the
    Northern Mariana Islands. If the United States must acquire any
    interest in real property not transferred to it under this
    Covenant, it will follow the policy of seeking to acquire only the
    minimum area necessary to accomplish the public purpose for which
    the real property is required, of seeking only the minimum interest
    in real property necessary to support such public purpose,
    acquiring title only if the public purpose cannot be accomplished
    if a lesser interest is obtained, and of seeking first to satisfy
    its requirement by acquiring an interest in public rather than
    private real property.
      "(b) The United States may, upon prior written notice to the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands, acquire for public
    purposes in accordance with federal laws and procedures any
    interest in real property in the Northern Mariana Islands by
    purchase, lease, exchange, gift or otherwise under such terms and
    conditions as may be negotiated by the parties. The United States
    will in all cases attempt to acquire any interest in real property
    for public purposes by voluntary means under this Subsection before
    exercising the power of eminent domain. No interest in real
    property will be acquired unless duly authorized by the Congress of
    the United States and appropriations are available therefor.
      "(c) In the event it is not possible for the United States to
    obtain an interest in real property for public purposes by
    voluntary means, it may exercise within the Commonwealth the power
    of eminent domain to the same extent and in the same manner as it
    has and can exercise the power of eminent domain in a State of the
    Union. The power of eminent domain will be exercised within the
    Commonwealth only to the extent necessary and in compliance with
    applicable United States laws, and with full recognition of the due
    process required by the United States Constitution.

                                "ARTICLE IX                            

         "NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS REPRESENTATIVE AND CONSULTATION     
      "Section 901. The Constitution or laws of the Northern Mariana
    Islands may provide for the appointment or election of a Resident
    Representative to the United States, whose term of office will be
    two years, unless otherwise determined by local law, and who will
    be entitled to receive official recognition as such Representative
    by all of the departments and agencies of the Government of the
    United States upon presentation through the Department of State of
    a certificate of selection from the Governor. The Representative
    must be a citizen and resident of the Northern Mariana Islands, at
    least twenty-five years of age, and, after termination of the
    Trusteeship Agreement, a citizen of the United States.
      "Section 902. The Government of the United States and the
    Government of the Northern Mariana Islands will consult regularly
    on all matters affecting the relationship between them. At the
    request of either Government, and not less frequently than every
    ten years, the President of the United States and the Governor of
    the Northern Mariana Islands will designate special representatives
    to meet and to consider in good faith such issues affecting the
    relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United
    States as may be designated by either Government and to make a
    report and recommendations with respect thereto. Special
    representatives will be appointed in any event to consider and to
    make recommendations regarding future multi-year financial
    assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to Section 701,
    to meet at least one year prior to the expiration of every period
    of such financial assistance.
      "Section 903. Nothing herein shall prevent the presentation of
    cases or controversies arising under this Covenant to courts
    established by the Constitution or laws of the United States. It is
    intended that any such cases or controversies will be justifiable
    in such courts and that the undertakings by the Government of the
    United States and by the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands
    provided for in this Covenant will be enforceable in such courts.
      "Section 904. (a) The Government of the United States will give
    sympathetic consideration to the views of the Government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands on international matters directly
    affecting the Northern Mariana Islands and will provide
    opportunities for the effective presentation of such views to no
    less extent than such opportunities are provided to any other
    territory or possession under comparable circumstances.
      "(b) The United States will assist and facilitate the
    establishment by the Northern Mariana Islands of offices in the
    United States and abroad to promote local tourism and other
    economic or cultural interests of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "(c) On its request the Northern Mariana Islands may participate
    in regional and other international organizations concerned with
    social, economic, educational, scientific, technical and cultural
    matters when similar participation is authorized for any other
    territory or possession of the United States under comparable
    circumstances.

                                "ARTICLE X                            

                "APPROVAL, EFFECTIVE DATES, AND DEFINITIONS            
      "Section 1001. (a) This Covenant will be submitted to the Mariana
    Islands District Legislature for its approval. After its approval
    by the Mariana Islands District Legislature, this Covenant will be
    submitted to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands for
    approval in a plebiscite to be called by the United States. Only
    persons who are domiciled exclusively in the Northern Mariana
    Islands and who meet such other qualifications, including timely
    registration, as are promulgated by the United States as
    administering authority will be eligible to vote in the plebiscite.
    Approval must be by a majority of at least 55% of the valid votes
    cast in the plebiscite. The results of the plebiscite will be
    certified to the President of the United States.
      "(b) This Covenant will be approved by the United States in
    accordance with its constitutional processes and will thereupon
    become law.
      "Section 1002. The President of the United States will issue a
    proclamation announcing the termination of the Trusteeship
    Agreement, or the date on which the Trusteeship Agreement will
    terminate, and the establishment of the Commonwealth in accordance
    with this Covenant. Any determination by the President that the
    Trusteeship Agreement has been terminated or will be terminated on
    a day certain will be final and will not be subject to review by
    any authority, judicial or otherwise, of the Trust Territory of the
    Pacific Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands or the United States.
      "Section 1003. The provisions of this Covenant will become
    effective as follows, unless otherwise specifically provided:
        "(a) Sections 105, 201-203, 503, 504, 606, 801, 903 and Article
      X will become effective on approval of this Covenant;
        "(b) Sections 102, 103, 204, 304, Article IV, Sections 501,
      502, 505, 601-605, 607, Article VII, Sections 802-805, 901 and
      902 will become effective on a date to be determined and
      proclaimed by the President of the United States which will be
      not more than 180 days after this Covenant and the Constitution
      of the Northern Mariana Islands have both been approved; and
        "(c) The remainder of this Covenant will become effective upon
      the termination of the Trusteeship Agreement and the
      establishment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
      Islands.
      "Section 1004. (a) The application of any provision of the
    Constitution or laws of the United States which would otherwise
    apply to the Northern Mariana Islands may be suspended until
    termination of the Trusteeship Agreement if the President finds and
    declares that the application of such provision prior to
    termination would be inconsistent with the Trusteeship Agreement.
      "(b) The Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands will become
    effective in accordance with its terms on the same day that the
    provisions of this Covenant specified in Subsection 1003(b) become
    effective, provided that if the President finds and declares that
    the effectiveness of any provision of the Constitution of the
    Northern Mariana Islands prior to termination of the Trusteeship
    Agreement would be inconsistent with the Trusteeship Agreement such
    provision will be ineffective until termination of the Trusteeship
    Agreement. Upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands the Constitution will become effective in
    its entirety in accordance with its terms as the Constitution of
    the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
      "Section 1005. As used in this Covenant:
        "(a) 'Trusteeship Agreement' means the Trusteeship Agreement
      for the former Japanese Mandated Islands concluded between the
      Security Council of the United Nations and the United States of
      America, which entered into force on July 18, 1947;
        "(b) 'Northern Mariana Islands' means the area now known as the
      Mariana Islands District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific
      Islands, which lies within the area north of 14&#186;<!--
      degrees --> north latitude, south of 21&#186;<!-- degrees -->
      north latitude, west of 150&#186;<!-- degrees --> east
      longitude and east of 144&#186;<!-- degrees --> east
      longitude;
        "(c) 'Government of the Northern Mariana Islands' includes, as
      appropriate, the Government of the Mariana Islands District of
      the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands at the time this
      Covenant is signed, its agencies and instrumentalities, and its
      successors, including the Government of the Commonwealth of the
      Northern Mariana Islands;
        "(d) 'Territory or possession' with respect to the United
      States includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
      Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa;
        "(e) 'Domicile' means that place where a person maintains a
      residence with the intention of continuing such residence for an
      unlimited or indefinite period, and to which such person has the
      intention of returning whenever he is absent, even for an
      extended period.
      "Signed at Saipan, Mariana Islands on the fifteenth day of
    February, 1975.
      "For the people of the Northern Mariana Islands:
                                               Edward DLG. Pangelinan,  
                                                     Chairman, Marianas 
                                            Political Status Commission.
                                                    Vicente N. Santos.  
                                                Vice Chairman, Marianas 
                                            Political Status Commission.

      "For the United States of America:
                                         Ambassador F. Haydn Williams,  
                                         Personal Representative of the 
                                         President of the United States.

      "Members of the Marianas Political Status Commission:

                 Juan LG. Cabrera.
                 Vicente T. Camacho.
                 Jose R. Cruz.
                 Bernard V. Hofschneider.
                 Benjamin T. Manglona.
                 Daniel T. Muna.
                 Dr. Francisco T. Palacios.
                 Joaquin I. Pangelinan.
                 Manuel A. Sablan.
                 Joannes B. Taimanao.
                 Pedro A. Tenorio."


-EXEC-
         PROC. NO. 4534. CONSTITUTION OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS     
      Proc. No. 4534, Oct. 24, 1977, 42 F.R. 56593, provided:
      On February 15, 1975, the Marianas Political Status Commission,
    the duly appointed representative of the people of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, and the Personal Representative of the President
    of the United States signed a Covenant, the purpose of which is to
    provide for the eventual establishment of a Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands in political union with the United States
    of America [set out above]. This Covenant was subsequently approved
    by the Mariana Islands District Legislature and by the people of
    the Northern Mariana Islands voting in a plebiscite. The Covenant
    was approved by the Congress of the United States by joint
    resolution approved March 24, 1976 (Public Law 94-241; 90 Stat.
    263) [48 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.].
      In accordance with the provisions of Article II of the Covenant,
    the people of the Northern Mariana Islands have formulated and
    approved a Constitution which was submitted to me on behalf of the
    Government of the United States on April 21, 1977, for approval on
    the basis of its consistency with the Covenant and those provisions
    of the Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States to be
    applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands. Pursuant to the
    provisions of Section 202 of the Covenant, the Constitution of the
    Northern Mariana Islands will be deemed to have been approved by
    the Government of the United States six months after the date of
    submission to the President unless sooner approved or disapproved.
      The six-month period of Section 202 of the Covenant having
    expired on October 22, 1977, I am pleased to announce that the
    Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands is hereby deemed
    approved.
      I am satisfied that the Constitution of the Northern Mariana
    Islands complies with the requirements of Article II of the
    Covenant. I have also received advice from the Senate Committee on
    Energy and Natural Resources and the Subcommittee on National Parks
    and Insular Affairs of the House Committee on Interior and Insular
    Affairs that the Constitution complies with those requirements.
      Sections 1003(b) and 1004(b) of the Covenant provide that the
    Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands and the provisions
    specified in Section 1003(b) of the Covenant shall become effective
    on a date proclaimed by the President which will be not more than
    180 days after the Covenant and the Constitution of the Northern
    Mariana Islands have both been approved.
      NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States
    of America, do hereby proclaim as follows:
      Section 1. The Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands shall
    come into full force and effect at eleven o'clock on the morning of
    January 9, 1978, Northern Mariana Islands local time.
      Sec. 2. Sections 102, 103, 204, 304, Article IV, Sections 501,
    502, 505, 601-605, 607, Article VII, Sections 802-805, 901 and 902
    of the Covenant shall come into full force and effect on the date
    and at the time specified in Section 1 of this Proclamation.
      Sec. 3. The authority of the President under Section 1004 of the
    Covenant to suspend the application of any provision of law to or
    in the Northern Mariana Islands until the termination of the
    Trusteeship Agreement is hereby reserved.
      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-
    fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred
    seventy-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of
    America the two hundred and second.
                                                           Jimmy Carter.

                           PROCLAMATION NO. 4568                       
      Proc. No. 4568, May 9, 1978, 43 F.R. 19999, related to
    application of certain United States laws to the Northern Mariana
    Islands until termination of Trusteeship Agreement.

                           PROCLAMATION NO. 4726                       
      Proc. No. 4726, Feb. 21, 1980, 45 F.R. 12369, related to
    application of certain United States laws to the Northern Mariana
    Islands until termination of Trusteeship Agreement.

                           PROCLAMATION NO. 4938                       
      Proc. No. 4938, May 3, 1982, 47 F.R. 19307, related to
    application of certain United States laws to the Northern Mariana
    Islands until termination of Trusteeship Agreement.

                           PROCLAMATION NO. 5207                       
      Proc. No. 5207, June 7, 1984, 49 F.R. 24365, related to
    application of certain laws of the United States to citizens of the
    Northern Mariana Islands until establishment of Commonwealth of
    Northern Mariana Islands.

    PROC. NO. 5564. COVENANT WITH COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA
    ISLANDS, AND COMPACTS OF FREE ASSOCIATION WITH FEDERATED STATES OF
     MICRONESIA AND REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS; EFFECTIVE DATES
      Proc. No. 5564, Nov. 3, 1986, 51 F.R. 40399, provided:
      Since July 18, 1947, the United States has administered the
    United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands ("Trust
    Territory"), which includes the Northern Mariana Islands, the
    Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.
      On February 15, 1975, after extensive status negotiations, the
    United States and the Marianas Political Status Commission
    concluded a Covenant to establish a Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States
    ("Covenant") [set out above]. Sections 101, 1002, and 1003(c) of
    the Covenant provide that the Northern Mariana Islands will become
    a self-governing Commonwealth in political union with and under the
    sovereignty of the United States. This Covenant was approved by the
    Congress by Public Law 94-241 of March 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263 [48
    U.S.C. 1801 et seq.]. Although many sections of the Covenant became
    effective in 1976 and 1978, certain sections have not previously
    entered into force.
      On October 1, 1982, the Government of the United States and the
    Government of the Federated States of Micronesia concluded a
    Compact of Free Association, establishing a relationship of Free
    Association between the two Governments [see Compact of Free
    Association, 48 U.S.C. 1901 note]. On June 25, 1983, the Government
    of the United States and the Government of the Marshall Islands
    concluded a Compact of Free Association, establishing a
    relationship of Free Association between the two Governments [see
    Compact of Free Association, 48 U.S.C. 1901 note]. Pursuant to
    Sections 111 and 121 of the Compacts, the Federated States of
    Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands become self-
    governing and have the right to conduct foreign affairs in their
    own name and right upon the effective date of their respective
    Compacts. Each Compact comes into effect upon (1) mutual agreement
    between the Government of the United States, acting in fulfillment
    of its responsibilities as Administering Authority of the Trust
    Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the other Government; (2) the
    approval of the Compact by the two Governments, in accordance with
    their constitutional processes; and (3) the conduct of a plebiscite
    in that jurisdiction. In the Federated States of Micronesia, the
    Compact has been approved by the Government in accordance with its
    constitutional processes, and in a United Nations-observed
    plebiscite on June 21, 1983, a sovereign act of self-determination.
    In the Marshall Islands, the Compact has been approved by the
    Government in accordance with its constitutional processes, and in
    a United Nations-observed plebiscite on September 7, 1983, a
    sovereign act of self-determination. In the United States the
    Compacts have been approved by Public Law 99-239 of January 14,
    1986, 99 Stat. 1770 [48 U.S.C. 1901 et seq., 2001 et seq.].
      On January 10, 1986, the Government of the United States and the
    Government of the Republic of Palau concluded a Compact of Free
    Association, establishing a similar relationship of Free
    Association between the two Governments [48 U.S.C. 1931 note]. On
    October 16, 1986, the Congress of the United States approved the
    Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau. In the
    Republic of Palau, the Compact approval process has not yet been
    completed. Until the future political status of Palau is resolved,
    the United States will continue to discharge its responsibilities
    in Palau as Administering Authority under the Trusteeship
    Agreement.
      On May 28, 1986, the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations
    concluded that the Government of the United States had
    satisfactorily discharged its obligations as the Administering
    Authority under the terms of the Trusteeship Agreement and that the
    people of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of
    Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands had freely
    exercised their right to self-determination, and considered that it
    was appropriate for that Agreement to be terminated. The Council
    asked the United States to consult with the governments concerned
    to agree on a date for entry into force of their respective new
    status agreements.
      On October 15, 1986, the Government of the United States and the
    Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands agreed, pursuant
    to Section 411 of the Compact of Free Association, that as between
    the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the
    effective date of the Compact shall be October 21, 1986.
      On October 24, 1986, the Government of the United States and the
    Government of the Federated States of Micronesia agreed, pursuant
    to Section 411 of the Compact of Free Association, that as between
    the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia, the
    effective date of the Compact shall be November 3, 1986.
      On October 24, 1986, the United States advised the Secretary
    General of the United Nations that, as a consequence of
    consultations held between the United States Government and the
    Government of the Marshall Islands, agreement had been reached that
    the Compact of Free Association with the Marshall Islands entered
    fully into force on October 21, 1986. The United States further
    advised the Secretary General that, as a result of consultations
    with their governments, agreement had been reached that the Compact
    of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the
    Covenant with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
    would enter into force on November 3, 1986.
      As of this day, November 3, 1986, the United States has fulfilled
    its obligations under the Trusteeship Agreement with respect to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the
    Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, and they
    are self-governing and no longer subject to the Trusteeship. In
    taking these actions, the United States is implementing the freely
    expressed wishes of the peoples of the Northern Mariana Islands,
    the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.
      NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, by the authority vested in me
    as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of
    America, including Section 1002 of the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, and Sections 101 and 102 of the
    Joint Resolution to approve the "Compact of Free Association", and
    for other purposes, approved on January 14, 1986 (Public Law 99-
    239) [48 U.S.C. 1901 et seq., 2001 et seq.], do hereby find,
    declare, and proclaim as follows:
      Section 1. I determine that the Trusteeship Agreement for the
    Pacific Islands is no longer in effect as of October 21, 1986, with
    respect to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as of November 3,
    1986, with respect to the Federated States of Micronesia, and as of
    November 3, 1986, with respect to the Northern Mariana Islands.
    This constitutes the determination referred to in Section 1002 of
    the Covenant.
      Sec. 2. (a) Sections 101, 104, 301, 302, 303, 506, 806, and 904
    of the Covenant are effective as of 12:01 a.m., November 4, 1986,
    Northern Mariana Islands local time.
      (b) The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in political
    union with and under the sovereignty of the United States of
    America is fully established on the date and at the time specified
    in Section 2(a) of this Proclamation.
      (c) The domiciliaries of the Northern Mariana Islands are
    citizens of the United States to the extent provided for in
    Sections 301 through 303 of the Covenant on the date and at the
    time specified in this Proclamation.
      (d) I welcome the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
    into the American family and congratulate our new fellow citizens.
      Sec. 3. (a) The Compact of Free Association with the Republic of
    the Marshall Islands is in full force and effect as of October 21,
    1986, and the Compact of Free Association with the Federated States
    of Micronesia is in full force and effect as of November 3, 1986.
      (b) I am gratified that the people of the Federated States of
    Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, after nearly
    forty years of Trusteeship, have freely chosen to establish a
    relationship of Free Association with the United States.
      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of
    November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-six,
    and of the Independence of the United States of America the two
    hundred and eleventh.
                                                          Ronald Reagan.

        EX. ORD. NO. 12572. RELATIONS WITH NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS    
      Ex. Ord. No. 12572, Nov. 3, 1986, 51 F.R. 40401, provided:
      By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
    and laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered
    that, consistent with the Joint Resolution to approve the "Covenant
    To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
    Political Union with the United States of America," approved March
    24, 1976 (Public Law 94-241; 90 Stat. 263) [48 U.S.C. 1801 et
    seq.], the relations of the United States with the Government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands shall, in all matters not the program
    responsibility of another Federal department or agency, be under
    the general administrative supervision of the Secretary of the
    Interior.
                                                          Ronald Reagan.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1802                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1802. Consideration of issues affecting relations with United
      States

-STATUTE-
      It is the sense of the Congress that pursuant to section 902 of
    the foregoing Covenant, and in any case within ten years from March
    24, 1976, the President of the United States should request, on
    behalf of the United States, the designation of special
    representatives to meet and to consider in good faith such issues
    affecting the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and
    the United States as may be designated by either Government and to
    make a report and recommendations with respect thereto.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 94-241, Sec. 2, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 279.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in text, is the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, which is contained in section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this
    title.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1803                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1803. Financial assistance to Government of Northern Mariana
      Islands

-STATUTE-
      Pursuant to section 701 of the foregoing Covenant, enactment of
    this section shall constitute a commitment and pledge of the full
    faith and credit of the United States for the payment of $228
    million at guaranteed annual amounts of direct grant assistance for
    the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands for an additional
    period of seven fiscal years after the expiration of the initial
    seven-year period specified in section 702 of said Covenant, which
    assistance shall be provided according to the schedule of payments
    contained in the Agreement of the Special Representatives on Future
    United States Financial Assistance for the Government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, executed July 10, 1985, between the
    special representative of the President of the United States and
    the special representatives of the Governor of the Northern Mariana
    Islands. The islands of Rota and Tinian shall each receive no less
    than a  1/8  share and the island of Saipan shall receive no less
    than a  1/4  share of annualized capital improvement project funds,
    which shall be no less than 80 per centum of the capital
    development funds identified in the schedule of payments in
    paragraph 2 of part II of the Agreement of the Special
    Representatives. Funds shall be granted according to such
    regulations as are applicable to such grants.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 94-241, Sec. 3, as added Pub. L. 99-396, Sec. 10, Aug. 27,
    1986, 100 Stat. 840.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in text, is the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, which is contained in section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this
    title.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.


-MISC1-
      USE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUNDS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
                                 PROJECTS
      Pub. L. 99-396, Sec. 2, Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 838, authorized
    use of up to $4,000,000 of funds reserved for use by the economic
    development loan fund, as established under section 702(c) of the
    Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, 48
    U.S.C. 1801 note, for capital improvement projects, if such funds
    became available for use by the economic development loan fund, and
    were not obligated for economic development loans.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1804                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1804. Direct grant assistance

-STATUTE-
    (a) Composite price index adjustments not applicable
      Section 704(c) of the foregoing Covenant shall not apply to the
    Federal financial assistance which is provided to the Government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to section 1803 of this
    title.
    (b) Additional years of assistance
      Upon the expiration of the period of Federal financial assistance
    which is provided to the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands
    pursuant to section 1803 of this title, payments of direct grant
    assistance shall continue at the annual level provided for the last
    fiscal year of the additional period of seven fiscal years except
    that, for fiscal years 1996 through 1999, payments to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to the multi-
    year funding agreements contemplated under the Covenant shall be
    $11,000,000 annually and for fiscal year 2000, payments to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be $5,580,000,
    but shall return to the level of $11,000,000 annually for fiscal
    years 2001 and 2002. In fiscal year 2003, the payment to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be $5,420,000.
    Such payments shall be subject to an equal local match and all
    other requirements set forth in the Agreement of the Special
    Representatives on Future Federal Financial Assistance of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, executed on December 17, 1992 between the
    special representative of the President of the United States and
    special representatives of the Governor of the Northern Mariana
    Islands with any additional amounts otherwise made available under
    this section in any fiscal year and not required to meet the
    schedule of payments in this subsection to be provided as set forth
    in subsection (c) of this section until Congress otherwise provides
    by law.
    (c) Specific allocations for capital infrastructure projects
      The additional amounts referred to in subsection (b) of this
    section shall be made available to the Secretary for obligation as
    follows:
        (1) for fiscal years 1996 through 2001, $4,580,000 annually for
      capital infrastructure projects as Impact Aid for Guam under
      section 1904(e)(6) (!1) of this title;

        (2) for fiscal year 1996, $7,700,000 shall be provided for
      capital infrastructure projects in American Samoa; $4,420,000 for
      resettlement of Rongelap Atoll; and (!2)

        (3) for fiscal years 1997 and thereafter, all such amounts
      shall be available solely for capital infrastructure projects in
      Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
      Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated
      States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands:
      Provided, That, in fiscal year 1997, $3,000,000 of such amounts
      shall be made available to the College of the Northern Marianas
      and beginning in fiscal year 1997, and in each year thereafter,
      not to exceed $3,000,000 may be allocated, as provided in
      appropriations Acts, to the Secretary of the Interior for use by
      Federal agencies or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
      Islands to address immigration, labor, and law enforcement issues
      in the Northern Mariana Islands. The specific projects to be
      funded in American Samoa shall be set forth in a five-year plan
      for infrastructure assistance developed by the Secretary of the
      Interior in consultation with the American Samoa Government and
      updated annually and submitted to the Congress concurrent with
      the budget justifications for the Department of the Interior. In
      developing budget recommendations for capital infrastructure
      funding, the Secretary shall indicate the highest priority
      projects, consider the extent to which particular projects are
      part of an overall master plan, whether such project has been
      reviewed by the Corps of Engineers and any recommendations made
      as a result of such review, the extent to which a set-aside for
      maintenance would enhance the life of the project, the degree to
      which a local cost-share requirement would be consistent with
      local economic and fiscal capabilities, and may propose an
      incremental set-aside, not to exceed $2,000,000 per year, to
      remain available without fiscal year limitation, as an emergency
      fund in the event of natural or other disasters to supplement
      other assistance in the repair, replacement, or hardening of
      essential facilities: Provided further, That the cumulative
      amount set aside for such emergency fund may not exceed
      $10,000,000 at any time.(!3)

        (4) for fiscal year 2000, $5,420,000 shall be provided to the
      Virgin Islands for correctional facilities and other projects
      mandated by Federal law.
    (d) Resettlement of Rongelap Atoll
      Within the amounts allocated for infrastructure pursuant to this
    section, and subject to the specific allocations made in subsection
    (c) of this section, additional contributions may be made, as set
    forth in appropriations Acts, to assist in the resettlement of
    Rongelap Atoll: Provided, That the total of all contributions from
    any Federal source after April 26, 1996, may not exceed $32,000,000
    and shall be contingent upon an agreement, satisfactory to the
    President, that such contributions are a full and final settlement
    of all obligations of the United States to assist in the
    resettlement of Rongelop (!4) Atoll and that such funds will be
    expended solely on resettlement activities and will be properly
    audited and accounted for. In order to provide such contributions
    in a timely manner, each Federal agency providing assistance or
    services, or conducting activities, in the Republic of the Marshall
    Islands, is authorized to make funds available through the
    Secretary of the Interior, to assist in the resettlement of
    Rongelap. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit
    the provision of ex gratia assistance pursuant to section
    1905(c)(2) of this title including for individuals choosing not to
    resettle at Rongelap, except that no such assistance for such
    individuals may be provided until the Secretary notifies the
    Congress that the full amount of all funds necessary for
    resettlement at Rongelap has been provided.


-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 94-241, Sec. 4, as added Pub. L. 99-396, Sec. 10, Aug. 27,
    1986, 100 Stat. 841; amended Pub. L. 104-134, title I, Sec. 101(c)
    [title I, Sec. 118], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321-156, 1321-178;
    renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104-140, Sec. 1(a), May 2, 1996, 110
    Stat. 1327; Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(3) [title I],
    Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A-152.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in subsec. (a), is the Covenant to
    Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
    Political Union with the United States of America, which is
    contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under
    section 1801 of this title.
      Section 1904(e)(6) of this title, referred to in subsec. (c)(1),
    was in the original "section 104(c)(6) of Public Law 99-239", which
    was translated as meaning section 104(e)(6) of Pub. L. 99-239 to
    reflect the probable intent of Congress, because section 1904(c)
    does not contain pars. and section 1904(e)(6) relates to impact
    aid.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.
      April 26, 1996, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original
    "enactment of this Act", which was translated as meaning the date
    of enactment of Pub. L. 104-134, which added subsec. (d) of this
    section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1999 - Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106-113 substituted "fiscal years
    1996 through 1999" for "fiscal years 1996 through 2002" and
    "$11,000,000 annually and for fiscal year 2000, payments to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be $5,580,000,
    but shall return to the level of $11,000,000 annually for fiscal
    years 2001 and 2002. In fiscal year 2003, the payment to the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be $5,420,000.
    Such payments shall be" for "$11,000,000 annually,".
      Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 106-113 added par. (4).
      1996 - Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104-134 substituted "except that, for
    fiscal years 1996 through 2002, payments to the Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to the multi-year funding
    agreements contemplated under the Covenant shall be $11,000,000
    annually, subject to an equal local match and all other
    requirements set forth in the Agreement of the Special
    Representatives on Future Federal Financial Assistance of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, executed on December 17, 1992 between the
    special representative of the President of the United States and
    special representatives of the Governor of the Northern Mariana
    Islands with any additional amounts otherwise made available under
    this section in any fiscal year and not required to meet the
    schedule of payments in this subsection to be provided as set forth
    in subsection (c) of this section until Congress otherwise provides
    by law." for "until Congress otherwise provides by law."
      Subsec. (c), (d). Pub. L. 104-134 added subsecs. (c) and (d).

-FOOTNOTE-
    (!1) See References in Text note below.

               

    (!2) So in original. The word "and" probably should not appear.

               

    (!3) So in original. The period probably should be "; and".

    (!4) So in original. Probably should be "Rongelap".


-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1805                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER I - APPROVAL OF COVENANT AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1805. Failure to meet performance standards; resolution of
      issues; withholding of funds

-STATUTE-
      Should the Secretary of the Interior believe that the performance
    standards of the agreement identified in section 1803 of this title
    are not being met, he shall notify the Government of the Northern
    Mariana Islands in writing with the intent to resolve such issue in
    a mutually agreeable and expeditious manner and notify the
    Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of
    Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
    of the Senate. Should the issue not be resolved within thirty days
    after the notification is received by the Government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, the Secretary of the Interior may request
    authority from Congress to withhold payment of an appropriate
    amount of the operations funds identified in the schedule of
    payments in paragraph 2 of part II of the Agreement of the Special
    Representatives for a period of less than one year but no funds
    shall be withheld except by Act of Congress.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 94-241, Sec. 5, as added Pub. L. 99-396, Sec. 10, Aug. 27,
    1986, 100 Stat. 841.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.

-CHANGE-
                              CHANGE OF NAME                          
      Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of House of
    Representatives changed to Committee on Natural Resources of House
    of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Third
    Congress, Jan. 5, 1993. Committee on Natural Resources of House of
    Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Resources of
    House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104-14, set out
    as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress.

-End-


-CITE-
    48 USC SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS                     01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
                     SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS                 

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1821                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1821. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

-STATUTE-
    (a) Establishment; judicial circuit; terms of court
      There is established for and within the Northern Mariana Islands
    a court of record to be known as the District Court for the
    Northern Mariana Islands. The Northern Mariana Islands shall
    constitute a part of the same judicial circuit of the United States
    as Guam. Terms of court shall be held on Saipan and at such other
    places and at such times as the court may designate by rule or
    order.
    (b) Appointment, tenure, removal, compensation, etc., of District
      Court judge; appointment of United States attorney and United
      States marshal
      (1) The President shall, by and with the advice and consent of
    the Senate, appoint a judge for the District Court for the Northern
    Mariana Islands who shall hold office for the term of ten years and
    until his successor is chosen and qualified, unless sooner removed
    by the President for cause. The judge shall receive a salary
    payable by the United States which shall be at the rate prescribed
    for judges of the United States district courts.
      (2) The Chief Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit of the United
    States may assign justices of the High Court of the Trust Territory
    of the Pacific Islands or judges of courts of record of the
    Northern Mariana Islands who are licensed attorneys in good
    standing or a circuit or district judge of the ninth circuit,
    including a judge of the District Court of Guam who is appointed by
    the President or a recalled senior judge of the District Court of
    Guam or of the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or
    the Chief Justice of the United States may assign any other United
    States circuit or district judge with the consent of the judge so
    assigned and of the chief judge of his circuit to serve temporarily
    as a judge in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands
    whenever such an assignment is necessary for the proper dispatch of
    the business of the court. Such judges shall have all the powers of
    a judge of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands,
    including the power to appoint any person to a statutory position,
    or to designate a depository of funds or a newspaper for
    publication of legal notices.
      (3) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and
    consent of the Senate, a United States attorney and United States
    marshal for the Northern Mariana Islands to whose offices the
    provisions of chapters 35 and 37 of title 28, respectively, shall
    apply.
      (4) If the President appoints a judge for the District Court for
    the Northern Mariana Islands or a United States attorney or a
    United States marshal for the Northern Mariana Islands who at that
    time is serving in the same capacity in another district, the
    appointment shall, without prejudice to a subsequent appointment,
    be for the unexpired term of such judge or officer.
    (c) Applicability of Federal rules and statutory requirements
      Where appropriate, and except as otherwise provided in articles
    IV and V of the Covenant approved by the Act of March 24, 1976 (90
    Stat. 263), the provisions of part II of title 18 and of titles
    (!1) 28, the rules of practice and procedure heretofore or
    hereafter promulgated and made effective by the Congress or the
    Supreme Court of the United States pursuant to titles 11, 18, and
    28 shall apply to the District Court for the Northern Mariana
    Islands and appeals therefrom; except that the terms "Attorney for
    the government" and "United States attorney", as used in the
    Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall, when applicable to
    cases arising under the laws of the Northern Mariana Islands,
    include the Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands or
    such other person or persons as may be authorized by the laws of
    the Northern Mariana Islands to act therein.


-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 1, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1265; Pub. L. 98-
    454, title IX, Sec. 901, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1744.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in subsec. (c), is the Covenant to
    Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
    Political Union with the United States of America, which is
    contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under
    section 1801 of this title.
      Act of March 24, 1976, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 94-
    241, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, as amended, which is classified
    generally to subchapter I (Sec. 1801 et seq.) of this chapter. For
    complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
      The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in subsec.
    (c), are set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal
    Procedure.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694 of this title.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1984 - Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 98-454, Sec. 901(a), substituted
    "for a term of ten years" for "for a term of eight years".
      Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 98-454, Sec. 901(b), inserted "or a
    recalled senior judge of the District Court of Guam or of the
    District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands" after "President"
    in first sentence.
      Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-454, Sec. 901(c), amended subsec. (c)
    generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "The
    provisions of chapters 43 and 49 of title 28, and the rules
    heretofore or hereafter promulgated and made effective by the
    Congress or the Supreme Court of the United States pursuant to
    titles 11, 18, and 28 shall apply to the District Court for the
    Northern Mariana Islands and appeals therefrom where appropriate,
    except as otherwise provided in articles IV and V of the covenant
    provided by the Act of March 24, 1976 (90 Stat. 263). The terms
    'attorney for the government' and 'United States attorney' as used
    in the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (rule 54(c)) shall, when
    applicable to cases arising under the laws of the Northern Mariana
    Islands, include the attorney general of the Northern Mariana
    Islands or any other person or persons as may be authorized by the
    laws of the Northern Marianas to act therein."

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 98-454 effective on ninetieth day following
    Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98-454, set out as a note
    under section 1424 of this title.

                              EFFECTIVE DATE                          
      For effective date of this section, see section 1825 of this
    title and Effective Date of Constitution note thereunder.


-TRANS-
           TERMINATION OF TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS       
      For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see
    note set out preceding section 1681 of this title.


-MISC2-
                   EXTENSION OF TERM OF DISTRICT JUDGES               
      Extension of term of district court judges to ten years
    applicable to judges holding office on Oct. 5, 1984, see section
    1004 of Pub. L. 98-454, set out as a note under section 1424b of
    this title.

-FOOTNOTE-
    (!1) So in original.


-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1822                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1822. Jurisdiction of District Court; original jurisdiction;
      procedural requirements

-STATUTE-
      (a) The District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands shall
    have the jurisdiction of a District Court of the United States,
    including, but not limited to, the diversity jurisdiction provided
    for in section 1332 of title 28 and that of a bankruptcy court of
    the United States.
      (b) The district court shall have original jurisdiction in all
    causes in the Northern Mariana Islands not described in subsection
    (a) of this section jurisdiction over which is not vested by the
    Constitution or laws of the Northern Mariana Islands in a court or
    courts of the Northern Mariana Islands. In causes brought in the
    district court solely on the basis of this subsection, the district
    court shall be considered a court of the Northern Mariana Islands
    for the purposes of determining the requirements of indictment by
    grand jury or trial by jury.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 2, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1266; Pub. L. 98-
    454, title IX, Sec. 902, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1744.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694a of this title.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1984 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98-454 amended subsec. (a) generally,
    substituting ", including, but not limited to, the diversity
    jurisdiction provided for in section 1332 of title 28 and that of a
    bankruptcy court of the United States" for ", except that in all
    causes arising under the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the
    United States, it shall have jurisdiction regardless of the sum or
    value of the matter in controversy".

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 98-454 effective on ninetieth day following
    Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98-454, set out as a note
    under section 1424 of this title.

                              EFFECTIVE DATE                          
      For effective date of this section, see section 1825 of this
    title and Effective Date of Constitution note thereunder.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1823                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1823. Appellate jurisdiction of District Court; procedure;
      review by United States Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit; rules

-STATUTE-
    (a) Appellate jurisdiction of District Court
      Prior to the establishment of an appellate court for the Northern
    Mariana Islands the district court shall have such appellate
    jurisdiction over the courts established by the Constitution or
    laws of the Northern Mariana Islands as the Constitution and laws
    of the Northern Mariana Islands provide, except that such
    Constitution and laws may not preclude the review of any judgment
    or order which involves the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the
    United States, including the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth
    of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United
    States of America (90 Stat. 263) (hereinafter referred to as
    "Covenant"), or any authority exercised thereunder by an officer or
    agency of the Government of the United States, or the conformity of
    any law enacted by the legislature of the Northern Mariana Islands
    or of any orders or regulations issued or actions taken by the
    executive branch of the government of the Northern Mariana Islands
    with the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the United States,
    including the Covenant or with any authority exercised thereunder
    by an officer or agency of the United States.
    (b) Appellate division of District Court; quorum; presiding judge;
      designation of judges; decisions
      Appeals to the district court shall be heard and determined by an
    appellate division of the court consisting of three judges, of whom
    two shall constitute a quorum. The judge appointed for the court by
    the President shall be the presiding judge of the appellate
    division and shall preside therein unless disqualified or otherwise
    unable to act. The other judges who are to sit in the appellate
    division at any session shall be designated by the presiding judge
    from among the judges assigned to the court from time to time
    pursuant to section 1821(b)(2) of this title: Provided, That no
    more than one of them may be a judge of a court of record of the
    Northern Mariana Islands. The concurrence of two judges shall be
    necessary to any decision by the appellate division of the district
    court on the merits of an appeal but the presiding judge alone may
    make any appropriate orders with respect to an appeal prior to the
    hearing and determination thereof on the merits and may dismiss an
    appeal for want of jurisdiction or failure to take or prosecute it
    in accordance with the applicable law or rules of procedure.
    (c) United States Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit; jurisdiction;
      appeals; rules
      The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit shall
    have jurisdiction of appeals from all final decisions of the
    appellate division of the district court. The United States Court
    of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit shall have jurisdiction to
    promulgate rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this
    subsection.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 3, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1266; Pub. L. 98-
    454, title IX, Sec. 903, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1744.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union with the United States of America,
    referred to in subsec. (a), is contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94-
    241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this title.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694b of this title.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1984 - Pub. L. 98-454 designated existing provisions as subsec.
    (a), substituted provisions governing the appellate jurisdiction of
    the District Court prior to the establishment of the appellate
    court for former provisions which related to the appellate
    jurisdiction of the court and certain procedural matters which are
    covered under subsec. (b), and added subsecs. (b) and (c).

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 98-454 effective on ninetieth day following
    Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98-454, set out as a note
    under section 1424 of this title.

                              EFFECTIVE DATE                          
      For effective date of this section, see section 1825 of this
    title and Effective Date of Constitution note thereunder.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1824                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1824. Relations between courts of United States and courts of
      Northern Mariana Islands; applicability of statutory provisions

-STATUTE-
      (a) The relations between the courts established by the
    Constitution or laws of the United States and the courts of the
    Northern Mariana Islands with respect to appeals, certiorari,
    removal of causes, the issuance of writs of habeas corpus, and
    other matters or proceedings shall be governed by the laws of the
    United States pertaining to the relations between the courts of the
    United States including the Supreme Court of the United States, and
    the courts of the several States in such matters and proceedings,
    except as otherwise provided in article IV of the covenant:
    Provided, That for the first fifteen years following the
    establishment of an appellate court of the Northern Mariana Islands
    the United States court of appeals for the judicial circuit which
    includes the Northern Mariana Islands shall have jurisdiction of
    appeals from all final decisions of the highest court of the
    Northern Mariana Islands from which a decision could be had in all
    cases involving the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the United
    States, or any authority exercised thereunder, unless those cases
    are reviewable in the District Court for the Northern Mariana
    Islands pursuant to section 1823 of this title.
      (b) Those portions of title 28 which apply to Guam or the
    District Court of Guam shall be applicable to the Northern Mariana
    Islands or the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands,
    respectively, except as otherwise provided in article IV of the
    covenant. The district court established by this subchapter shall
    be a district court as that term is used in section 3006A of title
    18.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 4, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1266; Pub. L. 98-
    454, title IX, Sec. 904, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1745.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The covenant, referred to in text, is the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, which is contained in section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this
    title.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694c of this title.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1984 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98-454 inserted "including the
    Supreme Court of the United States," after "courts of the United
    States" in first sentence.

                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT                 
      Amendment by Pub. L. 98-454 effective on ninetieth day following
    Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98-454, set out as a note
    under section 1424 of this title.

                              EFFECTIVE DATE                          
      For effective date of this section, see section 1825 of this
    title and Effective Date of Constitution note thereunder.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1825                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1825. Effective date

-STATUTE-
      This subchapter shall come into force upon its approval or at the
    time proclaimed by the President for the Constitution of the
    Northern Mariana Islands to become effective, whichever is the
    later date.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 5, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1267.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694d of this title.


-MISC1-
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF CONSTITUTION                  
      For provisions of proclamation of President relating to effective
    date for Constitution of Northern Mariana Islands, see Proc. No.
    4534, Oct. 24, 1977, 42 F.R. 56593, set out as a note under section
    1801 of this title.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1826                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER II - JUDICIAL MATTERS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1826. Authorization of appropriations

-STATUTE-
      There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
    necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-157, Sec. 6, Nov. 8, 1977, 91 Stat. 1267.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly classified to section 1694e of this title.


-MISC1-
                              EFFECTIVE DATE                          
      For effective date of this section, see section 1825 of this
    title and Effective Date of Constitution note thereunder.

-End-


-CITE-
    48 USC SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS                       01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
                      SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS                  

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1841                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1841. Funds and services

-STATUTE-
    (a) Acquisition and construction of powerplant and distribution
      facilities
      There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for expenditure
    after October 1, 1978, not more than $12,000,000 plus or minus such
    amounts, if any, as may be justified by reason of ordinary
    fluctuations in construction costs from October 1978 price levels
    as indicated by engineering cost indexes applicable to the types of
    construction involved, to assist in the acquisition and
    construction of a powerplant for the Northern Mariana Islands
    together with upgrading, rehabilitation, or replacement of
    distribution facilities.
    (b) Services and facilities of Federal agencies; grants-in-aid;
      availability of appropriations in succeeding fiscal years
      (1) The government of the Northern Marianas in carrying out the
    purposes of this Act, Public Law 95-134, or Public Law 94-241 [48
    U.S.C. 1801 et seq.], may utilize, to the extent practicable, the
    available services and facilities of agencies and instrumentalities
    of the Federal Government on a reimbursable basis. Such amounts may
    be credited to the appropriation or fund which provided the
    services and facilities. Agencies and instrumentalities of the
    Federal Government may, when practicable, make available to the
    government of the Northern Marianas, upon request of the Secretary,
    such services and facilities as they are equipped to render or
    furnish, and they may do so without reimbursement if otherwise
    authorized by law.
      (2) Any funds made available to the Northern Mariana Islands
    under grant-in-aid programs by section 502 of the Covenant To
    Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
    Political Union With the United States of America (Public Law 94-
    241), or pursuant to any other Act of Congress enacted after March
    24, 1976, are hereby authorized to remain available until expended.
      (3) Any amount authorized by the Covenant described in paragraph
    (2) or by any other Act of Congress enacted after March 24, 1976,
    which authorizes appropriations for the Northern Mariana Islands,
    but not appropriated for a fiscal year is authorized to be
    available for appropriation in succeeding fiscal years.
    (c) Food stamps and distribution of donated foods
      Notwithstanding the provisions of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 [7
    U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized,
    upon the request of the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands,
    acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance with section 5
    and 7 of article II of the Constitution of the Northern Mariana
    Islands, and for the period during which such legislation is
    effective, (1) to implement a food stamp program in part or all of
    the Northern Mariana Islands with such income and household
    standards of eligibility, deductions, and allotment values as the
    Secretary determines, after consultation with the Governor, to be
    suited to the economic and social circumstances of such islands:
    Provided, That in no event shall such income standards of
    eligibility exceed those in the forty-eight contiguous States, and
    (2) to distribute or permit a distribution of federally donated
    foods in any part of the Northern Mariana Islands for which the
    Governor has not requested that the food stamp program be
    implemented. This authority shall remain in effect through
    September 30, 1981, and shall not apply to section 1421q-1 or 1574-
    1 (!1) of this title.

    (d) Administration and enforcement of revenue and taxation
      provisions of Covenant
      (1) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed,
    upon the request of the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands,
    acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance with sections
    5 and 7 of article II of the Constitution of the Northern Mariana
    Islands, or upon receipt of a resolution adopted by both houses of
    the legislature of the Northern Mariana Islands accompanied by a
    letter of request from either the Governor or the Lieutenant
    Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, without reimbursement or
    other cost to the government of the Northern Mariana Islands, to
    administer and enforce the provisions of section 601, 603, or 604
    of the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union With the United States of America
    (Public Law 94-241; 90 Stat. 263, 269) and in order to administer
    and enforce the collection of any payroll tax or other tax measured
    by income which may be in force in the Northern Mariana Islands
    pursuant to section 602 of such Covenant. This authority shall
    continue until such time as the Governor of the Northern Mariana
    Islands, acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance with
    sections 5 and 7 of article II of the Constitution of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, requests the Secretary of the Treasury to
    discontinue the administration and enforcement of such taxes. The
    administration and enforcement of such taxes by the government of
    the Northern Mariana Islands shall begin on January 1 of the year
    following the year in which such Northern Mariana Islands law is
    enacted.
      (2) For purposes of carrying out any administration and
    enforcement required by this subsection, the Secretary of the
    Treasury (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the
    "Secretary"), or his delegate, at no cost to the Northern Marianas
    government, may (A) employ citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands
    (as defined by Article III of the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States (approved, Public Law 94-241; 90 Stat. 265),
    or (B) use the services of employees of the government of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, upon agreement to pay such government for
    the use of such services. In addition, the Secretary, or his
    delegate, shall make every effort to assure that citizens of the
    Northern Mariana Islands (as so defined) are trained to ultimately
    assume the administration and enforcement duties required of the
    Secretary or his delegate under this section. Notwithstanding any
    other provision of law, the Secretary or his delegate is authorized
    to the maximum extent feasible in administering and enforcing the
    requested sections of the Covenant, to employ and train Northern
    Mariana Islands' citizens without regard to United States Civil
    Service hiring or job classification laws or any employment
    ceilings imposed upon the Secretary. The preceding sentence shall
    not exempt such Northern Mariana Islands' citizens so hired from
    any other laws affecting Federal or Internal Revenue Service
    employees and shall remain in effect until the end of the third
    full fiscal year following March 12, 1980.
      (3) As part of the administration of taxes required by this
    subsection, the Secretary or his delegate shall establish, at no
    cost to the Northern Marianas government, a taxpayers information
    service to provide such information and assistance to citizens of
    the Northern Mariana Islands (as so defined) as may be necessary
    for the filing of returns and the payment of such taxes.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 95-348, Sec. 3, Aug. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 489; Pub. L. 96-
    205, title II, Sec. 204(a), Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 86.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      This Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 95-348, Aug.
    18, 1978, 92 Stat. 487. For complete classification of this Act to
    the Code, see Tables.
      Public Law 95-134, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 95-
    134, Oct. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 1159, as amended, popularly known as
    the Omnibus Territories Act of 1977. For complete classification of
    this Act to the Code, see Tables.
      Public Law 94-241, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1), (2) and
    (d)(1), (2), is Pub. L. 94-241, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, as
    amended, which is classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 1801
    et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of this Act
    to the Code, see Tables.
      The Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union With the United States of America,
    referred to in subsecs. (b)(2), (3) and (d), is contained in
    section 1 of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801
    of this title.
      The Food Stamp Act of 1977, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub.
    L. 88-525, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 703, as amended, which is
    classified generally to chapter 51 (Sec. 2011 et seq.) of Title 7,
    Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code,
    see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of Title 7 and
    Tables.
      Section 1421q-1 or 1574-1 of this title, referred to in subsec.
    (c), was in the original "section 403 of Public Law 95-135", and
    was translated as reading "section 403 of Public Law 95-134", to
    reflect the probable intent of Congress, because Public Law 95-135
    does not contain a section 403.
      The United States Civil Service hiring or job classification
    laws, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), are set out generally in Title
    5, Government Organization and Employees. For civil service laws,
    see particularly section 3301 et seq. of Title 5. For
    classification laws, see chapter 51 (Sec. 5101 et seq.) and
    subchapter III of chapter 53 (Sec. 5331 et seq.) of Title 5.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Subsecs. (b)(2), (3), (c), and (d) of this section were formerly
    set out as notes under section 1681 of this title.
      March 12, 1980, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), was in the
    original "the date of enactment", and was translated as meaning the
    date of enactment of Pub. L. 96-205, which enacted pars. (2) and
    (3) of subsec. (d) of this section, to reflect the probable intent
    of Congress.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1980 - Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96-205 designated existing provisions
    as par. (1), inserted "or upon receipt of a resolution adopted by
    both houses of the legislature of the Northern Mariana Islands
    accompanied by a letter of request from either the Governor or the
    Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands," after
    "Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands," the first place
    appearing, and added pars. (2) and (3).

-FOOTNOTE-
    (!1) See References in Text note below.


-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1842                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1842. Covering into Commonwealth treasury of tax proceeds
      collected pursuant to Covenant

-STATUTE-
      The Secretary shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure
    that the proceeds of taxes collected under the provisions of
    sections 601, 602, 603, and 604 of the Covenant (Public Law 94-241)
    are covered directly upon collection into the treasury of the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 96-205, title II, Sec. 204(b), Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat.
    87.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in text, is the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, which is contained in section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this
    title.
      Public Law 94-241, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 94-241, Mar.
    24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, as amended, which is classified generally
    to subchapter I (Sec. 1801 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete
    classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.


-MISC1-
    AUTHORITY OF GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
                           TO ENACT REVENUE LAWS
      See section 1271 of Pub. L. 99-514, set out as a note under
    section 931 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1843                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1843. Exemption from taxation for income derived from sources
      within Commonwealth

-STATUTE-
    (a) Taxable years beginning after December 31, 1978, but not after
      January 1, 1985
      Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any person,
    including an individual, trust, estate, partnership, association,
    company, or corporation, which is a resident of or which is
    organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands and which is subject to the provisions of section
    601 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States (Public
    Law 94-241), shall be exempted from the requirements of such
    section with respect to income derived from sources within the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for taxable years
    beginning after December 31, 1978, until, but not after, January 1,
    1985. Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving such
    person from the obligation to comply with the requirements of
    section 601 with respect to income derived from sources outside of
    the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    (b) Taxable years beginning after December 31, 1980, and before
      January 1, 1982
      Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any person,
    including an individual, trust, estate, partnership, association,
    company, or corporation, which is a resident of or which is
    organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands and which is subject to the provisions of section
    601 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands (Public Law 94-241), shall be exempt from the
    requirements of such section with respect to income from sources
    within the Northern Mariana Islands for its taxable year beginning
    after December 31, 1980, and before January 1, 1982: Provided, That
    the Secretary receives written notice from the Governor of the
    Northern Mariana Islands not later than September 30, 1980, that
    sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of chapter 2 of Public Law 1-30 of the
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or its successor, have
    been repealed in their entirety, effective December 31, 1981.
    (c) Tax rebates
      As provided in section 602 (!1) of Public Law 94-241 (90 Stat.
    263, 270) the term "rebate of any taxes" shall, effective January
    1, 1985, apply only to the extent taxes have actually been paid
    pursuant to section 601 (!1) of said Act, shall not exceed the
    amount of tax actually paid for any tax year, and may only be paid
    following the close of the tax year involved. Notwithstanding any
    other provision of law, effective January 1, 1985, the Commonwealth
    of the Northern Mariana Islands shall maintain, as a matter of
    public record, the name and address of each person receiving such a
    rebate, together with the amount of the rebate, and the year for
    which such rebate was made.


-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 96-205, title II, Sec. 205, Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 87;
    Pub. L. 96-597, title III, Sec. 303(a), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat.
    3478; Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 3(a), (b), Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1459.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is the
    Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, which
    is contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note
    under section 1801 of this title.
      Public Law 94-241, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is Pub.
    L. 94-241, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, as amended, which is
    classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 1801 et seq.) of this
    chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
    Tables.
      Sections 601 and 602 of Public Law 94-241, referred to in subsec.
    (c), probably mean sections 601 and 602 of the Covenant, because
    Pub. L. 94-241 does not contain a section 601 or 602.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.


-MISC1-
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1983 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 3(a), substituted "1985"
    for "1983".
      Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 3(b), amended subsec. (c)
    generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "It is
    the sense of Congress that the term 'rebate' as used in section 602
    of Public Law 94-241 does not permit the abatement of taxes."
      1980 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96-597 substituted "until, but not
    after, January 1, 1983." for "and before January 1, 1981.".

    SUSPENSION OF PROHIBITION OF ABATEMENT OF TAXATION IN COMMONWEALTH
                        OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
      Pub. L. 96-597, title III, Sec. 303(b), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat.
    3478, provided that provisions of subsec. (c) of this section were
    suspended and were of no force or effect until Jan. 1, 1983.

-FOOTNOTE-
    (!1) See References in Text note below.


-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1844                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1844. Political union between Territory of Guam and
      Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands

-STATUTE-
      In the event that a political union is effected at a future time
    between the Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, the Federal Government and each of its agencies is
    authorized and directed to assure that - 
        (i) there will be no diminution of any rights or entitlements
      otherwise eligible to said territory and Commonwealth in effect
      on the effective date of such union,
        (ii) there will be no adverse effect on any funds which have
      been or may hereafter be authorized or appropriated for said
      territory or Commonwealth, as of the effective date of such
      union, or
        (iii) no action is taken that would in any manner discourage
      such unification.

    Whenever any discrepancy exists or arises between the benefits
    available for either said territory or Commonwealth under any
    policies or programs authorized by law (including, but not limited
    to, any formulas for matching grants-in-aid or comparable programs
    or benefits), the most favorable terms available to either said
    territory or Commonwealth shall be deemed applicable to said
    unified area after the effective date of unification.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 96-597, title VI, Sec. 602, Dec. 24, 1981, 94 Stat. 3480.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1845                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1845. Plans for development, utilization, and conservation of
      water and related land resources

-STATUTE-
      (a) The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of
    Engineers and in cooperation with the Commonwealth of the Northern
    Mariana Islands, is hereby authorized and directed to study and
    draft plans for development, utilization, and conservation of water
    and related land resources of the Commonwealth. To carry out the
    purposes of this section there are authorized to be appropriated
    effective October 1, 1983, such sums as may be necessary.
      (b) Such studies shall include appropriate consideration of the
    needs for flood protection; wise use of flood plain lands;
    navigation facilities; hydroelectric power generation; regional
    water supply and waste water management facilities systems; general
    recreational facilities; enhancement and control of water quality;
    enhancement and conservation of fish and wildlife; and other
    measures for environment improvement and economic and human
    resources development. Such studies shall also be compatible with
    comprehensive development plans formulated by local planning
    agencies and other interested Federal agencies.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 13, Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1462.)

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.

-End-



-CITE-
    48 USC Sec. 1846                                            01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
    CHAPTER 17 - NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS

-HEAD-
    Sec. 1846. Exemption from assessment and taxation of real property
      owned by Commonwealth in United States capital

-STATUTE-
      Real property owned by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
    Islands in the capital of the United States and used by the
    Resident Representative thereof in the discharge of his
    representative duties under the Covenant shall be exempt from
    assessment and taxation.

-SOURCE-
    (Pub. L. 101-219, title II, Sec. 208, Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat.
    1875.)

-REFTEXT-
                            REFERENCES IN TEXT                        
      The Covenant, referred to in text, is the Covenant to Establish a
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union
    with the United States of America, which is contained in section 1
    of Pub. L. 94-241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this
    title.

-COD-
                               CODIFICATION                           
      Section was formerly set out as a note under section 1681 of this
    title.

-End-