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107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1977

To provide for a nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives to

represent the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 23, 2001

Mr. UNDERWOOD (for himself and Mr. SCHAFFER) introduced the following

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

A BILL

To provide for a nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives to represent the Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northern Marianas

5 Delegate Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. DELEGATE TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM

7 COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MAR8 IANA ISLANDS.

9 The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

10 shall be represented in the United States Congress by the
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1 Resident Representative to the United States authorized

2 by section 901 of the Covenant to Establish a Common3 wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union

4 with the United States of America (approved by Public

5 Law 94–241 (48 U.S.C. 1681 note)). The Resident Rep6 resentative shall be a nonvoting Delegate to the House of

7 Representatives, elected as provided in this Act.

8 SEC. 3. ELECTION OF DELEGATE.

9 (a) ELECTORS AND TIME OF ELECTION.—The Dele10 gate shall be elected—

11 (1) by the people qualified to vote for the popu12 larly elected officials of the Commonwealth of the

13 Northern Mariana Islands; and

14 (2) at the general election of 2002, on the day

15 and month set by Article VIII, section 1, of the Con16 stitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mar17 iana Islands, and at such general election every 2d

18 year thereafter.

19 (b) MANNER OF ELECTION.—The Delegate shall be

20 elected at large, by separate ballot, and by a majority of

21 the votes cast for the office of Delegate. If no candidate

22 receives such majority, on the 14th day following such

23 election a runoff election shall be held between the can24 didates receiving the highest and the 2d highest number

25 of votes cast for the office of Delegate.
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1 (c) VACANCY.—In case of a permanent vacancy in the

2 office of Delegate, by reason of death, resignation, or per3 manent disability, the office of Delegate shall remain va4 cant until a successor is elected and qualified.

5 (d) COMMENCEMENT OF TERM.—The term of the

6 Delegate shall commence on the 3d day of January fol7 lowing the date of the election.

8 SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE OF DELEGATE.

9 To be eligible for the office of Delegate a candidate

10 shall—

11 (1) be at least 25 years of age on the date of

12 the election;

13 (2) have been a citizen of the United States for

14 at least 7 years prior to the date of the election;

15 (3) be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth of

16 the Northern Mariana Islands; and

17 (4) not be, on the date of the election, a can18 didate for any other office.

19 SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF ELECTION PROCEDURE.

20 Acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance

21 with the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the North22 ern Mariana Islands, the Government of the Common23 wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands may determine

24 the order of names on the ballot for election of Delegate,

25 the method by which a special election to fill a vacancy
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1 in the office of Delegate shall be conducted, the method

2 by which ties between candidates for the office of Delegate

3 shall be resolved, and all other matters of local application

4 pertaining to the election and the office of Delegate not

5 otherwise expressly provided for in this Act.

6 SEC. 6. COMPENSATION, PRIVILEGES, AND IMMUNITIES.

7 Until the Rules of the House of Representatives are

8 amended to provide otherwise, the Delegate from the Com9 monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall receive

10 the same compensation, allowances, and benefits as a

11 Member of the House of Representatives, and shall be en12 titled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or herein13 after may be, granted to any other nonvoting Delegate to

14 the House of Representatives.

15 SEC. 7. LACK OF EFFECT ON COVENANT.

16 No provision of this Act shall be construed to alter,

17 amend, or abrogate any provision of the covenant referred

18 to in section 2 except section 901 of the covenant.

19 SEC. 8. DEFINITION.

20 For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘Delegate’’ means

21 the Resident Representative referred to in section 2.

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