# Public Law 96-205

Note: This is the original legislation as it was initially enacted. Any subsequent amendments hosted on Wikisource may be listed using What Links Here.
An Act To authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes.
​Public Law 96-205 96th Congress
An Act
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
United States insular areas. Appropriation authorization.TITLE I—TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
Sec. 101. Section 2 of the Act of June 30, 1954 (68 Stat. 330),48 USC 1681 note. is amended by inserting after “for fiscal year 1980, $112,000,000;” the following: “for fiscal years after fiscal year 1980, such sums as may be necessary, including, but not limited to, sums needed for completion of the capital improvement program, for a basic communications system, and for a feasibility study and construction of a hydroelectric project on Ponape;”.
Sec. 102. The Act entitled “An Act to authorize certain appropriations for the territories of the United States, to amend certain Acts relating thereto, and for other purposes” (91 Stat. 1159; Public Law 95-134) is amended by inserting after section 105, the following new section:
“Sec. 106.Radiation exposure, compensation, research, and medical care. 48 USC 1681 note. (a) In addition to any other payments or benefits provided by law to compensate inhabitants of the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirik, in the Marshall Islands, for radiation exposure or other losses sustained by them as a result of the United States nuclear weapons testing program at or near their atolls during the period 1946 to 1958, the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) shall provide for the people of the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirik and for the people of such other atolls as may be found to be or to have been exposed to radiation from the nuclear weapons testing program, a program of medical care and treatment and environmental research and monitoring for any injury, illness, or condition which may be the result directly or indirectly of such nuclear weapons testing program. The program shall be implemented according to a plan developed by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense, Energy, and Health, Education, and Welfare and with the direct involvement of representatives from the people of each of the affected atolls and from the government of the Marshall Islands. The plan shall set forth, as appropriate to the situation, condition, and needs of the individual atoll peoples:
    “(1) an integrated, comprehensive health care program including primary, secondary, and tertiary care with special emphasis upon the biological effects of ionizing radiation;
    “(2) a schedule for the periodic comprehensive survey and analysis of the radiological status of the atolls to and at appropriate intervals, but not less frequently than once every five years, the development of an updated radiation dose assessment, together with an estimate of the risks associated with the predicted human exposure, for each such atoll; and ​
    “(3) an education and information program to enable the people of such atolls to more fully understand nuclear radiation and its effects;
“(b)(1)Plan, submittal to Congress. The Secretary shall submit the plan to the Congress no later than January 1, 1981, together with his recommendations, if any, for further legislation. The plan shall set forth the specific agencies responsible for implementing the various elements of the plan. With respect to general health care the Secretary shall consider, and shall include in his recommendations, the feasibility of using the Public Health Service. Scientific advisory committee.After consultation with the Chairman of the National Academy of Sciences, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Secretary shall establish a scientific advisory committee to review and evaluate the implementation of the plan and to make such recommendations for its improvement as such committee deems advisable.
“(2)Assistance from Federal agencies. At the request of the Secretary, any Federal agency shall provide such information, personnel, facilities, logistical support, or other assistance as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out the functions of this program; the costs of all such assistance shall be reimbursed to the provider thereof out of the sums appropriated pursuant to this section.
“(3)Development and implementation costs. All costs associated with the development and implementation of the plan shall be assumed by the Secretary of Energy and effective October 1, 1980, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy such sums as may be necessary to achieve the purposes of this section.
“(c)Report to congressional committees. The Secretary shall report to the appropriate committees of the Congress, and to the people of the affected atolls annually, or more frequently if necessary, on the implementation of the plan. Each such report shall include a description of the health status of the individuals examined and treated under the plan, an evaluation by the scientific advisory committee, and any recommendations for improvement of the plan. The first such report shall be submitted not later than January 1, 1982.”.
Sec. 103. Paragraph 104(a)(3) of Public Law 95-134 (91 Stat. 1159) is hereby amended by deleting all after the word “cause” and inserting in lieu thereof the following words, “, even if such an individual has been compensated under paragraph (1) of this section.”.
Sec. 104.Federal education and health care programs. 48 USC 1695. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except in cases in which the Federal program is terminated with respect to all recipients under the program, Federal programs in the fields of education and health care shall not cease to apply to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or any successor government or governments, nor shall participation in any applicable Federal programs in the fields of education and health care by the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or any successor government or governments be denied, decreased or ended, either before or after the termination of the trusteeship, without the express approval of the United States Congress.
TITLE II—NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Sec. 201.Government comptroller, salary. 48 USC 1681c. (a) The salary and expenses of the government comptroller for the Northern Mariana Islands shall be paid from funds appropriated to the Department of the Interior.
(b)48 USC 1681b. Section 4 of the Act of June 30, 1954, as amended by section 2 of Public Law 93-111 (87 Stat. 354) is further amended as follows:
    (1) strike the words “government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands” wherever they appear and insert in lieu thereof the words “governments of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or the Northern Mariana Islands,”;
    (2) after the words “High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands” insert the words “or Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, as the case may be,”;
    (3) wherever the words “High Commissioner” appear and are not followed by the words “of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands” insert the words “or Governor, as the case may be,”; and
    (4) after the words “District Court of Guam” insert the words “or District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, as the case may be”.
Sec. 202.Health care services grant, effective date. Effective October 1, 1980, there are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior $24,400,000 plus or minus such amounts, if any, as may be justified by reason of ordinary fluctuations in construction costs from October 1979 price levels as indicated by engineering cost indexes applicable to the types of construction involved, for a grant to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to provide for health care services. No grant may be made by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to this section without the prior approval of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Sec. 203. Subsection (g) of section 5 of the Act entitled “An Act to authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes”, approved August 18, 1978 (92 Stat. 492), is amended by changing “not to exceed $3,000,000” to “such sums as may be necessary, but not to exceed $3,000,000 for development,”.
Sec. 204. (a) Section 3(d) of the Act entitled “An Act to authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes” (Public Law 95-348; 92 Stat. 487)48 USC 1681 note. is amended by inserting “(1)” after “(d)” and by inserting “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 it appears, and by adding at the end of “(d)” the following new paragraphs:
“(2)Administration and enforcement duties. 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 the date of enactment.
“(3)Taxpayers information service. 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.”.
(b)Taxes. 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)48 USC 1681 note. 90 Stat. 269. are covered directly upon collection into the treasury of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Sec. 205. (a) Except as provided in subsection (c),48 USC 1681 note. 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, and before January 1, 1981. 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) Except as provided in subsection (c), 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)“Rebate.” 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.
TITLE III—GUAM
Sec. 301. (a) Subsection (c) of section 204 of Public Law 95-134 (91 Stat. 1159, 1162)48 USC 1424c. is amended by deleting the second sentence of said subsection.
(b) Any civil action under section 204 of the Omnibus Territories Act of 1977 (91 Stat. 1162)48 USC 1424c note. shall be barred unless it is commenced not later than April 1, 1982.
​Sec. 302. The Act of November 4, 1963 (77 Stat. 302), to provide for the rehabilitation of Guam, and for other purposes, is hereby amended as follows:
    (1) in the first sentence of section 3, delete the comma after “United States” and delete the words “with interest as set forth below,” and
    (2) after paragraph (c) of section 3, delete the last paragraph before section 4 and insert in lieu thereof:
“All amounts heretofore withheld from sums collected pursuant to section 30 of the said Organic Act48 USC 1421h. as interest on the amounts made available to the government of Guam pursuant to this Act shall be credited as reimbursement payments by Guam on the principal amount advanced by the United States under this Act.”.
Sec. 303. Section 11 of the Organic Act of Guam (64 Stat. 387; 48 U.S.C. 1423a), as amended, is hereby amended by deleting all after the words “December 31, 1980.”, and substituting the following language:
“Guam Power Authority, refinancing obligations.The Secretary, upon determining that the Guam Power Authority is unable to refinance on reasonable terms the obligations purchased by the Federal Financing Bank under the fifth sentence of this section by December 31, 1980, may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of the Treasury, guarantee for purchase by the Federal Financing Bank; and such bank is authorized to purchase, obligations of the Guam Power Authority issued to refinance the principal amount of the obligations guaranteed under the fifth sentence of this section. The obligations that refinance such principal amount shall mature not later than December 31, 1990, and shall bear interest at a rate determined in accordance with section 6 of the Federal Financing Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 2285). Should the Guam Power Authority fail to pay in full any installment of interest or principal when due on the bonds or other obligations guaranteed under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury, upon notice from the Secretary shall deduct and pay to the Federal Financing Bank or the Secretary, according to their respective interests, such unpaid amounts from sums collected and payable pursuant to section 30 of this Act (48 U.S.C. 1421h). Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Acts making appropriations may provide for the withholding of any payments from the United States to the government of Guam which may be or may become due pursuant to any law and offset the amount of such withheld payments against any claim the United States may have against the government of Guam or the Guam Power Authority pursuant to this guarantee. “Person.”For the purpose of this Act, under section 3466 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 191) the term ‘person’ includes the government of Guam and the Guam Power Authority. The Secretary may place such stipulations as he deems appropriate on the bonds or other obligations he guarantees.”.
TITLE IV—VIRGIN ISLANDS
Sec. 401. (a) Subsection (b) of section 31 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48 U.S.C. 1545(b)), as amended, is further amended by numbering the existing paragraph “(1)” and by the addition thereto of the following new paragraph:
“(2)Property transfer. Subject to valid existing rights, title to all property in the Virgin Islands which may have been acquired by the United States from Denmark under the Convention entered into August 16, 1916,39 Stat. 1706. not reserved or retained by the United States in accordance with the ​provisions of Public Law 93-435 (88 Stat. 1210)48 USC 1705 et seq. is hereby transferred to the Virgin Islands government.”.
(b) The General Services Administration shall release from the mortgage dated January 26, 1972, given by the government of the Virgin Islands to the Administrator of the General Services Administration, approximately ten acres of such mortgaged land for construction of the proposed Saint Croix armory upon payment by the government of the Virgin Islands of the outstanding principal due on such ten acres.
Sec. 402.Water Island property. No extension, renewal, or renegotiation of the lease of real property on Water Island in the Virgin Islands to which the United States is a party may be entered into before 1992 unless such extension, renewal, or renegotiation is specifically approved by Act of Congress.
Sec. 403. (a) Subsection 28(a) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands48 USC 1642. is amended by inserting after the words “and naturalization fees collected in the Virgin Islands,” the following: “(less the cost of collecting such duties, taxes and fees as may be directly attributable (as certified by the Comptroller of the Virgin Islands) to the importation of petroleum products until January 1, 1982: Provided, That any other retained costs not heretofore remitted pursuant to the Act of August 18, 1978,92 Stat. 487. shall be immediately remitted to the Treasury of the Virgin Islands notwithstanding any other provision of law).”
(b)Repeal. The paragraph entitled “U.S. Customs Service” involving the collection of customs duties in the Virgin Islands in the Act of July 25, 1979,93 Stat. 122. 48 USC 1642a. is hereby repealed.
Sec. 404. Subsection (d) of section 4 of Public Law 95-348 (92 Stat. 487, 491)48 USC 1641 note. is hereby repealed.
Sec. 405.Excise taxes. 48 USC 1574 note. Any excise taxes levied by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands may be levied and collected as the Legislature of the Virgin Islands may direct as soon as the articles, goods, merchandise, and commodities subject to said tax are brought into the Virgin Islands.
Sec. 406.District Court Building property, transfer. Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall convey, without consideration, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the property known as the former District Court Building (including the parcel of land upon which said building is located), 48 B Norre Gade, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, to the Government of the Virgin Islands.
Sec. 407.Bonds, insurance. Subsection (f) of section 2 of the Act entitled “An Act to authorize the government of the Virgin Islands to issue bonds in anticipation of revenue receipts and to authorize the guarantee of such bonds by the United States under specified conditions, and for other purposes” (90 Stat. 1193; Public Law 94-392; 48 U.S.C. 1574b) is amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in lieu thereof the following language: “No commitment to guarantee may be issued by the Secretary, and no guaranteed but unobligated funds may be obligated by the government of the Virgin Islands after October 1, 1984. After October 1, 1984, any unobligated proceeds of bonds or other obligations issued by the government of the Virgin Islands pursuant to this section shall be repaid immediately by the government of the Virgin Islands to the lenders with the agreed upon interest. Should there be any delay in the government of the Virgin Islands’ making such repayment, the Secretary shall deduct the requisite amounts from moneys under his control that would otherwise be paid to the government of the Virgin Islands under section 28(b) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands.26 USC 7652.”.
TITLE V—AMERICAN SAMOA
Sec. 501.Government comptroller, salary. 48 USC 1668. The salary and expenses of the government comptroller for American Samoa shall be paid from funds appropriated to the Department of the Interior.
Sec. 502.Customs duties collection. 48 USC 1669. The Secretary of the Treasury shall, upon the request of the Governor of American Samoa, administer and enforce the collection of all customs duties derived from American Samoa, without cost to the government of American Samoa. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Governor of American Samoa, shall make every effort to employ and train the residents of American Samoa to carry out the provisions of this section. The administration and enforcement of this section shall commence October 1, 1980.
TITLE VI—MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 601. Title V of the Act of October 15, 1977,48 USC 1469a. entitled “An Act to authorize certain appropriations for the territories of the United States, to amend certain Acts relating thereto, and for other purposes” (91 Stat. 1159) shall be applied with respect to the Department of the Interior by substituting “shall” for “may” in the last sentence of subsection (d), and adding the following sentence at the end of subsection (d): “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands any department or agency shall waive any requirement for local matching funds under $100,000 (including in-kind contributions) required by law to be provided by American Samoa or the Northern Mariana Islands.”.
Sec. 602. (a) Any amount authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year by this Act or an amendment made by this Act but not appropriated for such fiscal year is authorized to be appropriated in succeeding fiscal years.
(b) Any amount appropriated pursuant to this Act or an amendment made by this Act for a fiscal year but not expended during such fiscal year shall remain available for expenditure in succeeding fiscal years.
Sec. 603.U.S. Government services, facilities, and equipment. 48 USC 1469c. To the extent practicable, services, facilities, and equipment of agencies and instrumentalities of the United States Government may be made available, on a reimbursable basis, to the governments of the territories and possessions of the United States and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Reimbursements may be credited to the appropriation or fund of the agency or instrumentality through which the services, facilities, and equipment are provided. If otherwise authorized by law, such services, facilities, and equipment may be made available without reimbursement.
Sec. 604. Any new borrowing authority provided in this Act or authority to make payments under this Act shall be effective only to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.
Sec. 605.Nuclear fuel or radioactive waste, transportation and storage. Report to Congress. 48 USC 1491. (a) Prior to the granting of any license, permit, or other authorization or permission by any agency or instrumentality of the United States to any person for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste for interim, long-term, or permanent storage to or for the storage of such fuel or waste on any territory or possession of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior is directed to transmit to the Congress a detailed report on the proposed transportation or storage plan, and no such license, permit, or other authorization or permission may be granted nor may ​any such transportation or storage occur unless the proposed transportation or storage plan has been specifically authorized by Act of Congress: Provided, That the provisions of this section shall not apply to the cleanup and rehabilitation of Bikini and Enewetak Atolls.
(b)“Territory or possession.”For the purpose of this section the words “territory or possession” include the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and any area not within the boundaries of the several States over which the United States claims or exercises sovereignty.
Sec. 606.Definitions. (a) Section 8 of the Act of March 2, 1917 (“Jones Act”), as amended (48 U.S.C. 749), is amended by adding the following after the last sentence thereof: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as used in this section (1) ‘submerged lands underlying navigable bodies of water’ include lands permanently or periodically covered by tidal waters up to but not above the line of mean high tide, all lands underlying the navigable bodies of water in and around the island of Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands, and all artificially made, filled in, or reclaimed lands which formerly were lands beneath navigable bodies of water; (2) ‘navigable bodies of water and submerged lands underlying the same in and around the island of Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands and waters’ extend from the coastline of the island of Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands as heretofore or hereafter modified by accretion, erosion, or reliction, seaward to a distance of three marine leagues; (3) ‘control’ includes all right, title, and interest in and to and jurisdiction and authority over the submerged lands underlying the harbor areas and navigable streams and bodies of water in and around the island of Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands and waters, and the natural resources underlying such submerged lands and waters, and includes proprietary rights of ownership, and the rights of management, administration, leasing, use, and development of such natural resources and submerged lands beneath such waters.”.
(b) Section 7 of the Act of March 2, 1917 (“Jones Act”), as amended (48 U.S.C. 747), is amended by adding the following after the last sentence thereof: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as used in this section ‘control’ includes all right, title, and interest in and to and jurisdiction and authority over the aforesaid property and includes proprietary rights of ownership, and the rights of management, administration, leasing, use, and development of such property.”.
Sec. 607. (a) The first section of the Act entitled “An Act to place certain submerged lands within the jurisdiction of the governments of Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, and for other purposes”, approved October 5, 1974 (48 U.S.C. 1705), is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
“(d)(1)Mineral deposits, conveyance of U.S. rights, title, and interest. The Secretary of the Interior shall, not later than sixty days after the date of enactment of this subsection, convey to the governments of Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, as the case may be, all right, title, and interest of the United States in deposits of oil, gas, and other minerals in the submerged lands conveyed to the government of such territory by subsection (a) of this section.
“(2) The conveyance of mineral deposits under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be subject to any existing lease, permit, or other interest granted by the United States prior to the date of such conveyance. All rentals, royalties, or fees which accrue after such date of conveyance in connection with any such lease, permit, or other interest shall be payable to the government of the territory to which such mineral deposits are conveyed.”.
​(b) Subsection (c) of the first section of such Act (48 U.S.C. 1705(c)) is amended by inserting “subsection (a) or (b) of” after “pursuant to”.
Sec. 608. The following Acts are hereby amended as follows:
(a) In the Act of October 15, 1966 (80 Stat. 915), as amended (16 U.S.C. 470a-t):
    (1) amend subsection 101(a)16 USC 470a. in paragraph (2) by deleting “and” at the end thereof and, in paragraph (3) by deleting “Trust.” and inserting in lieu thereof “Trust; and”.
    (2) amend subsection 101(b) by deleting “and” after “American Samoa,” and by changing the period at the end of the paragraph to a comma and inserting “and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”.
    (3) amend subsection 212(b)16 USC 470t. by changing “Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.” to “Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.”.
(b) In the Act of June 27, 1960 (74 Stat. 220), as amended (16 U.S.C. 469):
    (1) amend subsection 5(c)16 USC 469a-3. by deleting “Interior and Insular Affairs Committee of the United States Congress” and by inserting in lieu thereof “Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives and Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate”.
    (2) after section 7, add the following new section:
“Sec. 8.“State.” 16 USC 469c-1. As used in this Act, the term ‘State’ includes the several States of the Union, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”.
(c) In the Act of May 28, 1963 (77 Stat. 49; 16 U.S.C. 4601-3)16 USC 460l-3. amend section 4 by deleting “and American Samoa.” and by inserting in lieu thereof “American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”.
Approved March 12, 1980.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: HOUSE REPORT No. 96-120 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). SENATE REPORT No. 96-467 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
       Vol. 125 (1979): May 7, considered and passed House.
       Vol. 126 (1980): Feb. 7, considered and passed Senate, amended.
       Vol. 126 (1980): Feb. 25, House concurred in Senate amendment with amendments.
       Vol. 126 (1980): Feb. 28, Senate concurred in House amendments.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS:
       Vol. 16, No. 11 (1980): Mar. 12, Presidential statement.
This work is in the public domain in the U.S. because it is an edict of a government, local or foreign. See § 313.6(C)(2) of the Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices. Such documents include "legislative enactments, judicial decisions, administrative rulings, public ordinances, or similar types of official legal materials" as well as "any translation prepared by a government employee acting within the course of his or her official duties."
These do not include works of the Organization of American States, United Nations, or any of the UN specialized agencies. See Compendium III § 313.6(C)(2) and 17 U.S.C. 104(b)(5).
A non-American governmental edict may still be copyrighted outside the U.S. Similar to {{PD-in-USGov}}, the above U.S. Copyright Office Practice does not prevent U.S. states or localities from holding copyright abroad, depending on foreign copyright laws and regulations.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse