Date: 1992-03-24
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. as the title of the resolution states. House Resolution 401 would recognize the development of the relationship between the United States and the territory that I am privileged to represent. the Virgin Islands. This recognition is particularly appropriate this year. which marks the 75th anniversary of the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States. As. you know Mr. Speaker. this anniversary will be marked next Tuesday with appropriate ceremonies and celebrations. I am honored that you have selected me to represent the Speaker on that occasion. Although the Virgin Islands became a United States territory in 1917. United States. interest in acquiring what were then the Danish West Indies dates to at least 1865. In that year. Secretary of State William Seward proposed the purchase of two of the three major islandsSt. Thomas and St. John. A treaty was signed in October 1867. ceding the islands to the United States "for $7.5. million But a growing mood of isolationism and a Congress reluctant to approve another "Sewards Polly" combined to thwart the effort. Following" the outbreak of World War I. United States interest in the islands was renewed because of concern that German occupation of Denmark could lead to German control of the Virgin Islands. That presented a strategic threat to the vital Panama Canal because of the location of the islands and their magnificent ports. JSE 1 1617 So in 1916.. the United States and Denmark entered into a convention to transfer the islands for $25 million It provided for cession to occur on January 17. 1917. and the islands to be formally transferred when payment was made. On March 31. 1917. the flag of Denmark was lowered for the last time over the Danish West Indies and the flag of the United States was raised for the first time over what became Lhe Virgin Islands. U.S. citizenship was conferred on the people of the islands a decade later. And in 1936. an Organic Act established the government of the territory. Under this law. the people of the Virgin Islands elected representatives to municipal councils in St. Croix. St. Thomas. and St. John. The Organic Act was revised in 1954 to provide increased local autonomy for the islands. It provided for a unified legislature for the territory.. as well as for rebate of taxes on locally produced products to fund capital improvements. The 1954 Revised Organic Act expanded the jurisdiction of the Federal district court for the territory. Incidently. authorization for a second Federal judge was added in 1970. Unfortunately and. I think. to the shame of our country. both judgeships remain vacant today. as they have been since In 1968. the people of the Virgin Islands were authorized to elect their Governor and a Lieutenant Governor in 1970. In 1972. the territory was authorized to elect a Delegate to this House in the general election of that year. a position which I have been privileged to have held in all but two of.the years since. In 1976. a law that I sponsored authorized the people of the Virgin Islands to adopt their own constitution. In 1984. another law that I sponsored authorized the territory to establish a court of last resort so that a judicial relationship similar to that which exists between the Federal Government and the States could go into effect. Mr. Speaker. the resolution would recognize these and other aspects of the islands political development. It would also recognize the Virgin Islands impressive social and economic development during its association with the United States. It would. further acknowledge the contributions that the people of the Virgin Islands have made to the United States. And it would recognize the continuing affection the people of the territory feel for the people. of Denmark. and the role that the Virgin Islands plays for our country in the eastern Caribbean region. It is. in short. a fitting. way for this House to express its appreciation for the development of the islands. the relationship between them and the rest of the American political family- and the contributions made by the loyal Americans of our territory to our Nation. And. although it has not been reported by the committee of jurisdictionInterior and Insular Affairsit has been sponsored by a majority of the committees members. Mr. Speaker. I urge the House to approve the resolution and I reserve the balance of my time.