Northern Mariana Islands Delegate Act

Bill: 108-hr-5135
Sponsor: Rep. Pombo, Richard W. [R-CA-11]
Introduced: 2004-09-23 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congress
Congressional delegations
Congressional elections
Congressional privileges and immunities
Federal-territorial relations
House of Representatives
Members of Congress
Northern Mariana Islands
Political representation
Primaries

Summary:
action_date: 2004-09-23
text: 
Northern Marianas Delegate Act - Prescribes a procedure for election to the House of Representatives as a nonvoting Delegate of the Resident Representative to the United States authorized under the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America. 

action_date: 2004-10-07
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Northern Mariana Islands Delegate Act - (Sec. 2) Declares that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall be represented in Congress by the Resident Representative to the United States (a nonvoting Delegate to the House of Representatives) authorized under the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America. 
 
(Sec. 3) Requires the Delegate to be elected: (1) by the people qualified to vote for the popularly elected officials of the Commonwealth; (2) at the Federal general election of 2006 and at such election every second year thereafter; and (3) at large and by a plurality of the votes cast for the office.
 
States that, if the Government of the Commonwealth provides for primary elections, the Delegate shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast in any general election for the office for which such primary elections were held.
 
Provides that, in the case of a permanent vacancy in the office, it shall remain vacant until a successor is elected and qualified.
 
Declares that the term of the Delegate shall commence on the third day of January following the date of the election.
 
(Sec. 4) Specifies the qualifications of the office.
 
(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Government to determine: (1) the order of names on the ballot; (2) the method of conducting a special election to fill a permanent vacancy in the office; (3) the method for resolving ties between candidates; and (4) all other matters of local application pertaining to the election and the office not otherwise expressly provided for in this Act.
 
(Sec. 6) Provides that, until the Rules of the House are amended to provide otherwise, the Delegate shall: (1) receive the same compensation, allowances, and benefits as a Member of the House; and (2) be entitled to whatever privileges and immunities are, or hereinafter may be, granted to any other nonvoting Delegate.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 473.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-761.
action_date: 2004-10-07
text: Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-761.
action_date: 2004-09-29
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-09-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2004-09-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-09-23
text: Introduced in House