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Union Calendar No. 427
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2370
[Report No. 105–742]
To amend the Organic Act of Guam for the purposes of clarifying the
local judicial structure and the office of Attorney General.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 31, 1997
Mr. UNDERWOOD (for himself, Mr. MILLER of California, and Mr. ABER-
CROMBIE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources
SEPTEMBER 24, 1998
Additional sponsors: Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN and Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO´
SEPTEMBER 24, 1998
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 31, 1997]
A BILL
To amend the Organic Act of Guam for the purposes of
clarifying the local judicial structure and the office of
Attorney General.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Guam Organic Act
Amendments of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF GUAM.
Section 29 of the Organic Act of Guam (48 U.S.C.
1421g) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(d)(1) The Attorney General of Guam shall be the
Chief Legal Officer of the Government of Guam. At such
time as the Office of the Attorney General of Guam shall
next become vacant, the Attorney General of Guam shall
be appointed by the Governor of Guam with the advice and
consent of the legislature, and shall serve at the pleasure
of the Governor of Guam.
‘‘(2) Instead of an appointed Attorney General, the leg-
islature may, by law, provide for the election of the Attorney
General of Guam by the qualified voters of Guam in general
elections after 1998 in which the Governor of Guam is elect-
ed. The term of an elected Attorney General shall be 4 years.
The Attorney General may be removed by the people of
Guam according to the procedures specified in section 9–
A of this Act or may be removed for cause in accordance
with procedures established by the legislature in law. A va-
cancy in the office of an elected Attorney General shall be
filled—
‘‘(A) by appointment by the Governor of Guam
if such vacancy occurs less than 6 months before a
general election for the Office of Attorney General of
Guam; or
‘‘(B) by a special election held no sooner than 3
months after such vacancy occurs and no later than
6 months before a general election for Attorney Gen-
eral of Guam, and by appointment by the Governor
of Guam pending a special election under this sub-
paragraph.’’.
SEC. 3. LEGISLATIVE QUORUM.
Section 12 of the Organic Act of Guam (48 U.S.C.
1423b) is amended by striking ‘‘eleven’’ and inserting ‘‘a
simple majority’’.
SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF LEGISLATIVE POWER.
The first sentence of section 11 of the Organic Act of
Guam (48 U.S.C. 1423a) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘rightful’’ before ‘‘subjects’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘legislation of local application’’
and inserting ‘‘legislation’’.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend the
Organic Act of Guam to clarify local executive and legis-
lative provisions in such Act, and for other purposes.’’.
Union Calendar No. 427
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2370
[Report No. 105–742]
A BILL
To amend the Organic Act of Guam for the pur-
poses of clarifying the local judicial structure and
the office of Attorney General.
SEPTEMBER 24, 1998
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed