An Act to provide for the establishment of constitutions for the Virgin Islands and Guam.
PL 94-584 (H.R.9460), enacted 10/21/1976

PUBLIC LAW 94-584^0CT. 21, 1976 
90 STAT. 2899 
Public Law 94-584 
94th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for the establishment of constitutions for the Virgin Islands and 
Guam. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assernbled. That the Congress, 
recognizing the basic democratic principle of government by the con-
sent of the governed, authorizes the peoples of the Virgin Islands 
and of Guam, respectively, to organize governments pursuant to con-
stitutions of their own adoption as provided in this Act. 
SEC. 2. (a) The Le^slatures of the Virgin Islands and Guam, 
respectively, are authorized to call constitutional conventions to draft, 
within the existing territorial-Federal relationship, constitutions for 
the local self-government of the people of the Virgin Islands and 
Guam. 
(b) Such constitutions shall— 
(1) recognize, and be consistent with, the sovereignty of the 
United States over the Virgin Islands and Guam, respectively, 
and the supremacy of the provisions of the Constitution, treaties, 
and laws of the United States applicable to the Virgin Islands 
and Guam, respectively, including, but not limited to, those pro-
visions of the Organic Act and Revised Organic Act of the Virgin 
Islands and the Organic Act of Guam which do not relate to 
local self-government. 
(2) provide for a republican form of government, consisting of 
three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial; 
(3) contain a bill of rights; 
(4) deal with the subject matter of those provisions of the 
Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of 1954, as amended, 
and the Organic Act of Guam, as amended, respectively, which 
relate to local self-government; 
(5) with reference to Guam, provide that the voting franchise 
may be vested only in residents of Guam who are citizens of the 
United States; 
(6) provide for a system of local courts consistent with the 
provisions of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, as 
amended; and 
(7) provide for the establishment of a system of local courts 
the provisions of which shall become effective no sooner than 
upon the enactment of legislation regulating the relationship 
between the local courts of Guam with the Federal judicial system. 
SEC. 3, The members of such constitutional conventions shall be 
chosen as provided by the laws of the Virgin Islands and Guam, 
respectively (enacted after the date of enactment of this Act) : Pro-
vided^ however^ That no person shall be eligible to be a member of 
Oct. 21,1976 
[H.R. 9460] 
Virgin Islands 
and Guam. 
Constitutions. 
48 use 1391 
note. 
48 use 1391 
note. 
48 use 1406m, 
1541 note. 
48 use 1421 
note. 
48 use 1391 
note. 
'^: 
90 STAT. 2900 
PUBLIC LAW 94-584—OCT. 21, 1976 
Proposed 
constitutions, 
submittal to 
governors and 
President. 
48 u s e 1391 
note. 
Transmittal to 
Congress. 
48 u s e 1391 
note. 
Submittal to 
voters. 
the constitutional conventions, unless he is a citizen of the United 
States and qualified to vote in the Virgin Islands and Guam, 
respectively. 
SEC. 4. The conventions shall submit to the Governor of the Virgin 
Islands a proposed constitution for the Virgin Islands and to the 
Governor of Guam a proposed constitution for Guam which shall com-
ply with the requirements set forth in section 2(b) above. Such con-
stitutions shall be submitted to the President of the United States by 
the Governors of the Virgin Islands and Guam. 
SEC. 5. Within sixty c^endar days after the respective date on which 
he has received each constitution, the President shall transmit such 
constitution together with his comments to the Congress. The consti-
tution, in each case, shall be deemed to have been approved b^ the 
Congress within sixty days after its submission by the President, 
unless |)rior to that date the Congress has approved the constitution, 
or modified or amended it, in whole or in part, by joint resolution. 
As so approved or modified, the constitutions shall be submitted to 
the qualified voters of the Virgin Islands and Guam, respectively, for 
acceptance or rejection through islandwide referendums to be con-
ducted as provided under the laws of the Virgin Islands and Guam, 
respectively, (enacted after the date of enactment of this Act). Upon 
approval by not less than a majority of the voters (counting only the 
affirmative or negative votes) participating in such referendums, the 
constitutions shall become effective in accordance with their terms. 
Approved October 21, 1976. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 94-507 and No. 94-507 pt. 2 (Comm. on Interior and Insular 
Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-1033 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 121 (1975): Oct. 6, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 122 (1976): July 20, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Sept. 22« House concurred in Senate amendment with an 
amendment. 
Oct. 1, Senate agreed to House amendment.