Territorial Representation in the Senate Act
Bill: H.R.6941 | Sponsor: Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. (D-GU)
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
Territorial Representation in the Senate Act
This bill allows each U.S. territory (American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) with local legislative approval to be represented in Congress by a nonvoting delegate to the Senate who shall be elected by the people qualified to vote for officials of the territory.
Further, the bill establishes qualifications for the office of delegate, authorizes the government of the territory to determine the election procedure, and provides that each delegate shall receive the same compensation, privileges, and immunities as any other member of the Senate.

To provide for a nonvoting delegate to the Senate to represent American 
 Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto 
   Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Territorial Representation in the 
Senate Act''.

SEC. 2. DELEGATE TO SENATE FROM EACH TERRITORY.

    (a) Nonvoting Delegate.--Subject to local legislative approval in 
accordance with subsection (b), each Territory shall be represented in 
the United States Congress by a Delegate to the United States Senate. 
The Delegate shall be a nonvoting Delegate in the Senate, elected as 
provided in this Act.
    (b) Local Legislative Approval.--The local legislature of each 
Territory shall--
            (1) determine whether the Territory will be represented by 
        a nonvoting delegate as authorized by this Act; and
            (2) establish such procedures as the legislature may deem 
        appropriate to modify the determination described in paragraph 
        (1).

SEC. 3. ELECTION OF DELEGATE.

    (a) Electors and Time of Election.--The Delegate for a Territory 
shall be elected--
            (1) by the people qualified to vote for the popularly 
        elected officials of the Territory;
            (2) at the first Federal general election occurring at 
        least one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
        at each Federal general election every 6 years thereafter; and
            (3) at a special election, if required due to a mid-term 
        permanent vacancy.
    (b) Manner of Election.--
            (1) In general.--The Delegate shall be elected at large and 
        by a plurality of the votes cast for the office of Delegate.
            (2) Effect of establishment of primary elections.--
        Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the Government of the 
        Territory, acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance 
        with the Constitution or Organic Act of the Territory, provides 
        for primary elections for the election of the Delegate, the 
        Delegate shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast in 
        any general election for the office of Delegate for which such 
        primary elections were held.
    (c) Vacancy.--In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of 
Delegate, the office of Delegate shall remain vacant until a successor 
is elected and qualified.
    (d) Commencement of Term.--The term of the Delegate shall commence 
on the 3rd day of January following the date of the election.

SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE OF DELEGATE.

    To be eligible for the office of Delegate a candidate shall--
            (1) be at least 30 years of age on the date of the 
        election;
            (2) have been a citizen of the United States for at least 9 
        years prior to the date of the election;
            (3) be a resident and domiciliary of the Territory prior to 
        the date of the election for a period to be determined by the 
        Government of the Territory;
            (4) be qualified to vote in the Territory on the date of 
        the election; and
            (5) not be, on the date of the election, a candidate for 
        any other office.

SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF ELECTION PROCEDURE.

    Acting pursuant to legislation enacted in accordance with the 
Constitution or Organic Act of the Territory, the Government of the 
Territory may determine--
            (1) the order of names on the ballot for election of 
        Delegate;
            (2) the method by which a special election to fill a 
        permanent vacancy in the office of Delegate shall be conducted;
            (3) the method by which ties between candidates for the 
        office of Delegate shall be resolved; and
            (4) all other matters of local application pertaining to 
        the election and the office of Delegate not otherwise expressly 
        provided for in this Act.

SEC. 6. COMPENSATION, PRIVILEGES, AND IMMUNITIES.

    Until the Rules of the Senate are amended to provide otherwise, the 
Delegate from the Territory shall receive the same compensation, 
allowances, and benefits as a Member of the Senate, and shall be 
entitled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or hereinafter may 
be, granted to any other member of the Senate, except that a Delegate 
shall be nonvoting on final Senate votes.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``Territory'' means, 
individually, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United 
States.
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