Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 1237 / Reported in Senate
II
Calendar No. 352
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1237
[Report No. 113–146]
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 27, 2013Mr. Wyden (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
April 8, 2014Reported by Ms. Landrieu, with an amendmentStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
A BILL
To improve the administration of programs in the insular areas, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Omnibus Territories Act of 2013.
2.
Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.Sec. 2. Table of contents.Sec. 3. Territorial Sea.Sec. 4. Adjustment of scheduled wage increases in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.Sec. 5. Amendments to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act.Sec. 6. Study of electric rates in the insular areas.Sec. 7. Chief financial officer of the Virgin Islands.Sec. 8. Reports on estimates of revenues.Sec. 9. Low-income home energy assistance program.Sec. 10. Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment.Sec. 11. St. Croix National Heritage Area.Sec. 12. Guam War Claims Review Commission.Sec. 13. Use of certain expenditures as in-kind contributions.Sec. 14. Improvements in HUD assisted programs.Sec. 15. Benefit to cost ratio study for projects in American Samoa.Sec. 16. Waiver of local matching requirements.Sec. 17. Fishery endorsements.Sec. 18. Effects of minimum wage differentials in American Samoa.Sec. 19. American Samoa Citizenship Plebiscite Act.Sec. 20. Eligibility for marine turtle conservation assistance.
3.
Territorial Sea
(a)
In general
The first section and section 2 of Public Law 93–435 (48 U.S.C. 1705, 1706) are amended by
inserting the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, after Guam, each place it appears.
(b)
References to date of enactment
For the purposes of the amendment made by subsection (a), each reference in Public Law 93–435 to
the date of enactment shall be considered to be a reference to the date of the enactment of this section.
4.
Adjustment of scheduled wage increases in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Section 8103(b)(1)(B) of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (29 U.S.C. 206 note; Public Law 110–28)
is amended by striking 2011 and inserting 2011, 2013, and 2015.
5.
Amendments to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act
Section 6 of the Joint Resolution entitled A Joint Resolution to approve the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the
United States of America, and for other purposes, approved March 24, 1976 (Public Law 94–241; 90 Stat. 263), is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting after subsections (b) the following: , (c),; and
(B) by striking paragraph (6), and inserting the following:
(6)
Certain Education Funding
(A)
In general
In addition to fees charged pursuant to section 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1356 (m)) to recover the full costs of providing adjudication
services, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall charge an annual
supplemental fee of $150 per nonimmigrant worker to each prospective
employer who is issued a permit under subsection (d) of this section
during the transition program. Such supplemental fee shall be paid into
the Treasury of the Commonwealth government for the purpose of funding
ongoing vocational educational curricula and program development by
Commonwealth educational entities.
(B)
Plan for the expenditure of funds
At the beginning of each fiscal year, and prior to the payment of the supplemental fee into the
Treasury of the Commonwealth government in that fiscal year, the
Commonwealth government must provide to the Secretary of Homeland
Security, a plan for the expenditure of funds, a projection of the
effectiveness of these expenditures in the placement of United States
workers into jobs, and a report on the changes in employment of United
States workers attributable to prior year expenditures.
(C)
DHS report
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the Congress every 2 years on the effectiveness
of meeting the goals set out by the Commonwealth government in its annual
plan for the expenditure of funds.
;
(2) in subsection (c)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking during the transition period,; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
(3)
Duration
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may classify aliens pursuant to
paragraph (1) until the date on which the transition program terminates.
If the transition period is extended, the Secretary may continue to
classify aliens pursuant to paragraph (1) until the date on which all
extensions are terminated.
; and
(3) in subsection (d)(2), by striking December 31, 2014 and inserting December 31, 2019.
6.
Study of electric rates in the insular areas
(a)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Comprehensive energy plan
The term comprehensive energy plan means a comprehensive energy plan prepared and updated under subsections (c) and (e) of section
604 of the Act entitled An Act to authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other
purposes, approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1492).
(2)
Energy action plan
The term energy action plan means the plan required by subsection (d).
(3)
Freely associated states
The term Freely Associated States means the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic
of Palau.
(4)
Insular areas
The term insular areas means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands.
(5)
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(6)
Team
The term team means the team established by the Secretary under subsection (b).
(b)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, within the
Empowering Insular Communities activity, establish a team of technical,
policy, and financial experts—
(1) to develop an energy action plan addressing the energy needs of each of the insular areas and
Freely Associated States; and
(2) to assist each of the insular areas and Freely Associated States in implementing such plan.
(c)
Participation of regional utility organizations
In establishing the team, the Secretary shall consider including regional utility organizations.
(d)
Energy action plan
In accordance with subsection (b), the energy action plan shall include—
(1) recommendations, based on the comprehensive energy plan where applicable, to—
(A) reduce reliance and expenditures on imported fossil fuels;
(B) develop indigenous, nonfossil fuel energy sources; and
(C) improve performance of energy infrastructure and overall energy efficiency;
(2) a schedule for implementation of such recommendations and identification and prioritization of
specific projects;
(3) a financial and engineering plan for implementing and sustaining projects; and
(4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward implementation.
(e)
Reports to secretary
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Secretary establishes the team and annually
thereafter, the team shall submit to the Secretary a report detailing
progress made in fulfilling its charge and in implementing the energy
action plan.
(f)
Annual reports to congress
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary receives a report submitted by the
team under subsection (e), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a summary of the report of the team.
7.
Chief financial officer of the Virgin Islands
(a)
Referendum
As part of the next regularly scheduled, islands-wide election in the Virgin Islands after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Board of Elections of the Virgin Islands
shall hold a referendum to seek the approval of the people of the Virgin
Islands regarding whether the position of Chief Financial Officer of the
Government of the Virgin Islands shall be established as a part of the
executive branch of the Government of the Virgin Islands. The referendum
shall be binding and conducted according to the laws of the Virgin
Islands, except that the results shall be determined by a majority of the
ballots cast.
(b)
Chief Financial Officer of the Virgin Islands
(1)
Appointment of Chief Financial Officer
(A)
In general
If the majority of ballots cast in a referendum under subsection (a) approve the establishment of
the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Government of the Virgin
Islands, the Governor of the Virgin Islands shall appoint a Chief
Financial Officer, with the advice and consent of the Legislature of the
Virgin Islands, from the names on the list required under subsection
(b)(4). If the Governor has nominated a person for Chief Financial Officer
but the Legislature of the Virgin Islands has not confirmed a nominee
within 90 days after receiving the list pursuant to subsection (b)(4), the
Governor shall appoint from such list a Chief Financial Officer on an
acting basis until the Legislature consents to a Chief Financial Officer.
(B)
Acting Chief Financial Officer
If a Chief Financial Officer has not been appointed under subparagraph (A) within 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Virgin Islands Chief Financial
Officer Search Commission, by majority vote, shall appoint from the names
on the list submitted under subsection (b)(4), an Acting Chief Financial
Officer to serve in that capacity until a Chief Financial Officer is
appointed under the first sentence of subparagraph (A). In either case, if
the Acting Chief Financial Officer serves in an acting capacity for 180
consecutive days, without further action the Acting Chief Financial
Officer shall become the Chief Financial Officer.
(2)
Duties of Chief Financial Officer
The duties of the Chief Financial Officer shall include the following:
(A) Develop and report on the financial status of the Government of the Virgin Islands not later than 6
months after appointment and quarterly thereafter. Such reports shall be
available to the public.
(B) Each year prepare and certify spending limits of the annual budget, including annual estimates of
all revenues of the territory without regard to sources, and whether or
not the annual budget is balanced.
(C) Revise and update standards for financial management, including inventory and contracting, for the
Government of the Virgin Islands in general and for each agency in
conjunction with the agency head.
(3)
Documents provided
The heads of each department of the Government of the Virgin Islands, in particular the head of the
Department of Finance of the Virgin Islands and the head of the Internal
Revenue Bureau of the Virgin Islands shall provide all documents and
information under the jurisdiction of that head that the Chief Financial
Officer considers required to carry out his or her functions to the Chief
Financial Officer.
(4)
Conditions related to Chief Financial Officer
(A)
Term
The Chief Financial Officer shall be appointed for a term of 5 years.
(B)
Removal
The Chief Financial Officer shall not be removed except for cause. An Acting Chief Financial
Officer may be removed for cause or by a Chief Financial Officer appointed
with the advice and consent of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.
(C)
Replacement
If the Chief Financial Officer is unable to continue acting in that capacity due to removal,
illness, death, or otherwise, another Chief Financial Officer shall be
selected in accordance with paragraph (1).
(D)
Salary
The Chief Financial Officer shall be paid at a salary to be determined by the Governor of the
Virgin Islands, except such rate may not be less than the highest rate of
pay for a cabinet officer of the Government of the Virgin Islands or a
Chief Financial Officer serving in any government or semiautonomous
agency.
(c)
Establishment of commission
(1)
Establishment
There is established a commission to be known as the Virgin Islands Chief Financial Officer Search Commission.
(2)
Duty of commission
The Commission shall recommend to the Governor not less than 3 candidates for nomination as Chief
Financial Officer of the Virgin Islands. Each candidate must have
demonstrated ability in general management of, knowledge of, and extensive
practical experience at the highest levels of financial management in
governmental or business entities and must have experience in the
development, implementation, and operation of financial management
systems.
(3)
Membership
(A)
Number and appointment
The Commission shall be composed of 8 members appointed not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act. Persons appointed as members must have
recognized business, government, or financial expertise and experience and
shall be appointed as follows:
(i) 1 individual appointed by the Governor of the Virgin Islands.
(ii) 1 individual appointed by the President of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.
(iii) 1 individual, who is an employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands, appointed by the Central
Labor Council of the Virgin Islands.
(iv) 1 individual appointed by the Chamber of Commerce of St. Thomas-St. John.
(v) 1 individual appointed by the Chamber of Commerce of St. Croix.
(vi) 1 individual appointed by the President of the University of the Virgin Islands.
(vii) 1 individual, who is a resident of St. John, appointed by the At-Large Member of the Legislature of
the Virgin Islands.
(viii) 1 individual appointed by the President of AARP Virgin islands.
(B)
Terms
(i)
In general
Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
(ii)
Vacancies
A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was
made. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the
remainder of that term.
(C)
Basic pay
Members shall serve without pay.
(D)
Quorum
Five members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.
(E)
Chairperson
The Chairperson of the Commission shall be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States Virgin Islands or the designee of the Chief Justice. The
Chairperson shall serve as an ex officio member of the Commission and
shall vote only in the case of a tie.
(F)
Meetings
The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson. The Commission shall meet for the first
time not later than 15 days after all members have been appointed under
this subsection.
(G)
Government employment
Members may not be current government employees, except for the member appointed under subparagraph
(A)(iii).
(4)
Report; recommendations
The Commission shall transmit a report to the Governor, the Committee on Natural Resources of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate not later than 60 days after its first meeting. The report
shall name the Commission’s recommendations for candidates for nomination
as Chief Financial Officer of the Virgin Islands.
(5)
Termination
The Commission shall terminate upon the nomination and confirmation of the Chief Financial Officer.
(d)
Definitions
For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)
Chief Financial Officer
In subsections (a) and (b), the term Chief Financial Officer means a Chief Financial Officer or Acting Chief Financial Officer, as the case may be, appointed
under subsection (a)(1).
(2)
Commission
The term Commission means the Virgin Islands Chief Financial Officer Search Commission established pursuant to
subsection (b).
(3)
Governor
The term Governor means the Governor of the Virgin Islands.
(4)
Removal for cause
The term removal for cause means removal based upon misconduct, failure to meet job requirements, or any grounds that a
reasonable person would find grounds for discharge.
8.
Reports on estimates of revenues
The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
a report that—
(1) evaluates whether the annual estimates or forecasts of revenue and expenditure of American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and
the Virgin Islands are reasonable; and
(2) as the Comptroller General of the United States determines to be necessary, makes recommendations
for improving the process for developing estimates or forecasts.
9.
Low-income home energy assistance program
With respect to fiscal years 2014 through 2017, the percentage described in section
2605(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42
U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)(B)(i)) shall be 300 percent when applied to households
located in the Virgin Islands.
10.
Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment
(a)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Historic site
The term historic site means the Castle Nugent National Historic Site established in subsection (b).
(2)
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(b)
Castle nugent national historic site
(1)
Establishment
There is established as a unit of the National Park System the Castle Nugent National Historic Site
on the Island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in order to preserve,
protect, and interpret, for the benefit of present and future generations,
a Caribbean cultural landscape that spans more than 300 years of
agricultural use, significant archeological resources, mangrove forests,
endangered sea turtle nesting beaches, an extensive barrier coral reef
system, and other outstanding natural features.
(2)
Boundaries
The historic site consists of the approximately 2,900 acres of land extending from Lowrys Hill and
Laprey Valley to the Caribbean Sea and from Manchenil Bay to Great Pond,
along with associated submerged lands to the three-mile territorial limit,
as generally depicted on the map titled Castle Nugent National Historic Site Proposed Boundary Map, numbered T22/100,447, and dated October 2009.
(3)
Map availability
The map referred to in paragraph (2) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the
appropriate offices of the National Park Service, Department of the
Interior.
(4)
Acquisition of land
(A)
In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary is authorized to acquire lands and interests
in lands within the boundaries of the historic site by donation, purchase
with donated funds, or exchange.
(B)
U.S. virgin island lands
The Secretary is authorized to acquire lands and interests in lands owned by the U.S. Virgin
Islands or any political subdivision thereof only by donation or exchange.
(c)
Administration
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall administer the historic site in accordance with this Act and with laws
generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
(A) the National Park Service Organic Act (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and
(B) the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).
(2)
Shared resources
To the greatest extent practicable, the Secretary shall use the resources of other sites
administered by the National Park Service or other Federal assets on the
Island of St. Croix to administer the historic site.
(3)
Continued use
In order to maintain an important feature of the cultural landscape of the historic site, the
Secretary may lease to the University of the Virgin Islands certain lands
within the boundary of the historic site for the purpose of continuing the
university’s operation breeding Senepol cattle, a breed developed on St.
Croix. A lease under this subsection shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Secretary considers appropriate, including those
necessary to protect the values of the historic site.
(4)
Management plan
Not later than three years after funds are made available for this subsection, the Secretary shall
prepare a general management plan for the historic site.
11.
St. Croix National Heritage Area
(a)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Heritage area
The term Heritage Area means the St. Croix National Heritage Area established by subsection (b)(1).
(2)
Local coordinating entity
The term local coordinating entity means the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area designated by subsection (b)(4).
(3)
Management plan
The term management plan means the management plan for the Heritage Area required under subsection (d).
(4)
Map
The term map means the map entitled Proposed St. Croix National Heritage Area and dated [ ___________ ].
(5)
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(6)
State
The term State means St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
(b)
St. Croix National Heritage Area
(1)
Establishment
There is established in the State the St. Croix National Heritage Area.
(2)
Conceptual boundaries
The Heritage Area shall consist of the entire island.
(3)
Map
A map of the Heritage Area shall be—
(A) included in the management plan; and
(B) on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service.
(4)
Local coordinating entity
(A)
In general
The local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area shall be known as St. Croix United for
Community, Culture, Environment, and Economic Development (SUCCEED) Inc.
(B)
Membership requirements
Membership in SUCCEED, Inc. shall be open to a broad cross-section of public, private, and
non-governmental sectors including businesses, individuals, agencies, and
organizations that were involved in the planning and development of the
Heritage Area prior to the enactment of this Act.
(c)
Administration
(1)
Authorities
For purposes of carrying out the management plan, the Secretary, acting through the local
coordinating entity, may use amounts made available under this section to—
(A) make grants to the State or a political subdivision of the State, nonprofit organizations, and
other persons;
(B) enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide technical assistance to, the State or a
political subdivision of the State, nonprofit organizations, and other
interested parties;
(C) hire and compensate staff, which shall include individuals with expertise in natural, cultural, and
historical resources protection, and heritage programming;
(D) obtain money or services from any source including any that are provided under any other Federal
law or program;
(E) contract for goods or services; and
(F) undertake to be a catalyst for any other activity that furthers the Heritage Area and is consistent
with the approved management plan.
(2)
Duties
The local coordinating entity shall—
(A) in accordance with subsection (d), prepare and submit a management plan for the Heritage Area to
the Secretary;
(B) assist units of local government, regional planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations in
carrying out the approved management plan by—
(i) carrying out programs and projects that recognize, protect, and enhance important resource values
in the Heritage Area;
(ii) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits and programs in the Heritage Area;
(iii) developing recreational and educational opportunities in the Heritage Area;
(iv) increasing public awareness of, and appreciation for, natural, historical, scenic, and cultural
resources of the Heritage Area;
(v) protecting and restoring historic sites and buildings in the Heritage Area that are consistent with
Heritage Area themes;
(vi) ensuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying points of public access, and
sites of interest are posted throughout the Heritage Area; and
(vii) promoting a wide range of partnerships among governments, organizations, and individuals to further
the Heritage Area;
(C) consider the interests of diverse units of government, businesses, organizations, and individuals
in the Heritage Area in the preparation and implementation of the
management plan;
(D) conduct meetings open to the public at least semiannually regarding the development and
implementation of the management plan;
(E) for any year that Federal funds have been received under this section—
(i) submit an annual report to the Secretary that describes the activities, expenses, and income of the
local coordinating entity (including grants to any other entities during
the year that the report is made);
(ii) make available to the Secretary for audit all records relating to the expenditure of the funds and
any matching funds; and
(iii) require, with respect to all agreements authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by other
organizations, that the organizations receiving the funds make available
to the Secretary for audit all records concerning the expenditure of the
funds; and
(F) encourage by appropriate means economic viability that is consistent with the Heritage Area.
(3)
Prohibition on the acquisition of real property
The local coordinating entity shall not use Federal funds to acquire real property or any interest
in real property.
(d)
Management plan
(1)
In general
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity shall
submit to the Secretary for approval a proposed management plan for the
Heritage Area.
(2)
Requirements
The management plan shall—
(A) incorporate an integrated and cooperative approach for the protection, enhancement, and
interpretation of the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, and
recreational resources of the Heritage Area;
(B) take into consideration State and local plans;
(C) include—
(i) an inventory of—
(I) the resources located in the core area described in subsection (b)(2); and
(II) any other property in the core area that—
(aa) is related to the themes of the Heritage Area; and
(bb) should be preserved, restored, managed, or maintained because of the significance of the property;
(ii) describe comprehensive policies, goals, strategies and recommendations for telling the story of the
heritage of the area covered by the designation and encouraging long-term
resource protection, enhancement, interpretation, funding, management, and
development;
(iii) a description of actions that governments, private organizations, and individuals have agreed to
take to protect the natural, historical and cultural resources of the
Heritage Area;
(iv) a program of implementation for the management plan by the local coordinating entity that includes
a description of—
(I) actions to facilitate ongoing collaboration among partners to promote plans for resource
protection, restoration, and construction; and
(II) specific commitments for implementation that have been made by the local coordinating entity or any
government, organization, or individual for the first 5 years of
operation;
(v) the identification of sources of funding for carrying out the management plan;
(vi) analysis and recommendations for means by which local, State, and Federal programs, may best be
coordinated to carry out this section; and
(vii) a business plan that describes the role, operation, financing, and functions of the local
coordinating entity and of each of the major activities contained in the
management plan and provides adequate assurances that the local
coordinating entity has the partnerships and financial and other resources
necessary to implement the management plan for the National Heritage Area;
and
(D) recommend policies and strategies for resource management that consider and detail the application
of appropriate land and water management techniques, including the
development of intergovernmental and interagency cooperative agreements to
protect the natural, historical, cultural, educational, scenic, and
recreational resources of the Heritage Area.
(3)
Deadline
If a proposed management plan is not submitted to the Secretary by the date that is 3 years after
the date of enactment of this Act, the local coordinating entity shall be
ineligible to receive additional funding under this section until the date
that the Secretary receives and approves the management plan.
(4)
Approval or disapproval of management plan
(A)
In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of the management plan under paragraph (1), the
Secretary, in consultation with the State, shall approve or disapprove the
management plan.
(B)
Criteria for approval
In determining whether to approve the management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether—
(i) the local coordinating entity is representative of the diverse interests of the Heritage Area,
including governments, natural and historic resource protection
organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and recreational
organizations;
(ii) the local coordinating entity has afforded adequate opportunity, including public hearings, for
public and governmental involvement in the preparation of the management
plan; and
(iii) the resource protection and interpretation strategies contained in the management plan, if
implemented, would adequately protect the natural, historical, and
cultural resources of the Heritage Area.
(C)
Action following disapproval
If the Secretary disapproves the management plan under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—
(i) advise the local coordinating entity in writing of the reasons for the disapproval;
(ii) make recommendations for revisions to the management plan; and
(iii) not later than 180 days after the receipt of any proposed revision of the management plan from the
local coordinating entity, approve or disapprove the proposed revision.
(D)
Amendments
(i)
In general
The Secretary shall approve or disapprove each amendment to the management plan that the Secretary
determines make a substantial change to the management plan.
(ii)
Use of funds
The local coordinating entity shall not use Federal funds authorized by this section to carry out
any amendments to the management plan until the Secretary has approved the
amendments.
(e)
Relationship to other federal agencies
(1)
In general
Nothing in this section affects the authority of a Federal agency to provide technical or financial
assistance under any other law.
(2)
Consultation and coordination
The head of any Federal agency planning to conduct activities that may have an impact on the
Heritage Area is encouraged to consult and coordinate the activities with
the Secretary and the local coordinating entity to the maximum extent
practicable.
(3)
Other federal agencies
Nothing in this section—
(A) modifies, alters, or amends any law or regulation authorizing a Federal agency to manage Federal
land under the jurisdiction of the Federal agency;
(B) limits the discretion of a Federal land manager to implement an approved land use plan within the
boundaries of the Heritage Area; or
(C) modifies, alters, or amends any authorized use of Federal land under the jurisdiction of a Federal
agency.
(f)
Private property and regulatory protections
Nothing in this section—
(1) abridges the rights of any property owner (whether public or private), including the right to
refrain from participating in any plan, project, program, or activity
conducted within the Heritage Area;
(2) requires any property owner to permit public access (including access by Federal, State, or local
agencies) to the property of the property owner, or to modify public
access or use of property of the property owner under any other Federal,
State, or local law;
(3) alters any duly adopted land use regulation, approved land use plan, or other regulatory authority
of any Federal, State, or local agency, or conveys any land use or other
regulatory authority to the local coordinating entity;
(4) authorizes or implies the reservation or appropriation of water or water rights;
(5) diminishes the authority of the State to manage fish and wildlife, including the regulation of
fishing and hunting within the Heritage Area; or
(6) creates any liability, or affects any liability under any other law, of any private property owner
with respect to any person injured on the private property.
(g)
Evaluation; report
(1)
In general
Not later than 3 years before the date on which authority for Federal funding terminates for the
Heritage Area, the Secretary shall—
(A) conduct an evaluation of the accomplishments of the Heritage Area; and
(B) prepare a report in accordance with paragraph (3).
(2)
Evaluation
An evaluation conducted under paragraph (1)(A) shall—
(A) assess the progress of the local coordinating entity with respect to—
(i) accomplishing the purposes of this section for the Heritage Area; and
(ii) achieving the goals and objectives of the approved management plan for the Heritage Area;
(B) analyze the Federal, State, local, and private investments in the Heritage Area to determine the
leverage and impact of the investments; and
(C) review the management structure, partnership relationships, and funding of the Heritage Area for
purposes of identifying the critical components for sustainability of the
Heritage Area.
(3)
Report
(A)
In general
Based on the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall prepare a report that
includes recommendations for the future role of the National Park Service,
if any, with respect to the Heritage Area.
(B)
Required analysis
If the report prepared under subparagraph (A) recommends that Federal funding for the Heritage Area
be reauthorized, the report shall include an analysis of—
(i) ways in which Federal funding for the Heritage Area may be reduced or eliminated; and
(ii) the appropriate time period necessary to achieve the recommended reduction or elimination.
(C)
Submission to congress
On completion of the report, the Secretary shall submit the report to—
(i) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
(ii) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
(h)
Termination of authority
The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance under this section terminates on the date that
is 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
12.
Guam War Claims Review Commission
(a)
Recognition of the suffering and loyalty of the residents of Guam
(1)
Recognition of the Suffering of the Residents of Guam
The United States recognizes that, as described by the Guam War Claims Review Commission, the
residents of Guam, on account of their United States nationality, suffered
unspeakable harm as a result of the occupation of Guam by Imperial
Japanese military forces during World War II, by being subjected to death,
rape, severe personal injury, personal injury, forced labor, forced march,
or internment.
(2)
Recognition of the Loyalty of the Residents of Guam
The United States forever will be grateful to the residents of Guam for their steadfast loyalty to
the United States, as demonstrated by the countless acts of courage they
performed despite the threat of death or great bodily harm they faced at
the hands of the Imperial Japanese military forces that occupied Guam
during World War II.
(b)
Guam World War II Claims Fund
(1)
Establishment of fund
The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish in the Treasury of the United States a special fund
(in this Act referred to as the Claims Fund) for the payment of claims submitted by compensable Guam victims and survivors of compensable Guam
decedents in accordance with subsections (c) and (d).
(2)
Composition of fund
The Claims Fund established under paragraph (1) shall be composed of amounts deposited into the
Claims Fund under paragraph (3) and any other amounts made available for
the payment of claims under this Act.
(3)
Payment of certain duties, taxes, and fees collected from Guam deposited into fund
(A)
In general
Notwithstanding section 30 of the Organic Act of Guam (48 U.S.C. 1421h), the excess of—
(i) any amount of duties, taxes, and fees collected under such subsection after fiscal year 2012, over
(ii) the amount of duties, taxes, and fees collected under such subsection during fiscal year 2012,
shall be deposited into the Claims Fund.
(B)
Application
Subparagraph (A) shall not apply after the date for which the Secretary of the Treasury determines
that all payments required to be made under subsection (c) have been made.
(4)
Limitation on payments made from fund
(A)
In general
No payment may be made in a fiscal year under subsection (c) until funds are deposited into the
Claims Fund in such fiscal year under paragraph (3).
(B)
Amounts
For each fiscal year in which funds are deposited into the Claims Fund under paragraph (3), the
total amount of payments made in a fiscal year under subsection (c) may
not exceed the amount of funds available in the Claims Fund for such
fiscal year.
(5)
Deductions from fund for administrative expenses
The Secretary of the Treasury shall deduct from any amounts deposited into the Claims Fund an
amount equal to 5 per cent of such amounts as reimbursement to the Federal
Government for expenses incurred by the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission and by the Department of the Treasury in the administration of
this Act. The amounts so deducted shall be covered into the Treasury as
miscellaneous receipts.
(c)
Payments for Guam World War II claims
(1)
Payments for Death, Personal Injury, Forced Labor, Forced March, and Internment
After the Secretary of the Treasury receives the certification from the Chairman of the Foreign
Claims Settlement Commission as required under subsection (d)(2)(H), the
Secretary of the Treasury shall make payments to compensable Guam victims
and survivors of a compensable Guam decedents as follows:
(A)
Compensable Guam victim
Before making any payments under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make payments to compensable
Guam victims as follows:
(i) In the case of a victim who has suffered an injury described in paragraph (3)(B)(i), $15,000.
(ii) In the case of a victim who is not described in clause (i), but who has suffered an injury
described in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), $12,000.
(iii) In the case of a victim who is not described in clause (i) or (ii), but who has suffered an injury
described in paragraph (3)(B)(iii), $10,000.
(B)
Survivors of compensable Guam decedents
In the case of a compensable Guam decedent, the Secretary shall pay $25,000 for distribution to
survivors of the decedent in accordance with paragraph (2). The Secretary
shall make payments under this paragraph only after all payments are made
under subparagraph (A).
(2)
Distribution of Survivor Payments
A payment made under paragraph (1)(B) to the survivors of a compensable Guam decedent shall be
distributed as follows:
(A) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is living as of the date of the enactment of this Act, but
who had no living children as of such date, the payment shall be made to
such spouse.
(B) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is living as of the date of the enactment of this Act and
who had one or more living children as of such date, 50 percent of the
payment shall be made to the spouse and 50 percent shall be made to such
children, to be divided among such children to the greatest extent
possible into equal shares.
(C) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act
and who had one or more living children as of such date, the payment shall
be made to such children, to be divided among such children to the
greatest extent possible into equal shares.
(D) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act
and who had no living children as of such date, but who—
(i) had a parent who is living as of such date, the payment shall be made to the parent; or
(ii) had two parents who are living as of such date, the payment shall be divided equally between the
parents.
(E) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act,
who had no living children as of such date, and who had no parents who are
living as of such date, no payment shall be made.
(3)
Definitions
For purposes of this Act:
(A)
Compensable Guam decedent
The term compensable Guam decedent means an individual determined under subsection (d) to have been a resident of Guam who died as a
result of the attack and occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese military
forces during World War II, or incident to the liberation of Guam by
United States military forces, and whose death would have been compensable
under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–224) if a
timely claim had been filed under the terms of such Act.
(B)
Compensable Guam victim
The term compensable Guam victim means an individual who is not deceased as of the date of the enactment of this Act and who is
determined under subsection (d) to have suffered, as a result of the
attack and occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese military forces during
World War II, or incident to the liberation of Guam by United States
military forces, any of the following:
(i) Rape or severe personal injury (such as loss of a limb, dismemberment, or paralysis).
(ii) Forced labor or a personal injury not under subparagraph (A) (such as disfigurement, scarring, or
burns).
(iii) Forced march, internment, or hiding to evade internment.
(C)
Definitions of severe personal injuries and personal injuries
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission shall promulgate regulations to specify the injuries that
constitute a severe personal injury or a personal injury for purposes of
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of paragraph (2).
(d)
Adjudication
(1)
Authority of Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
(A)
In general
The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall adjudicate claims and determine the eligibility of
individuals for payments under subsection (c).
(B)
Rules and regulations
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the Foreign
Claims Settlement Commission shall publish in the Federal Register such
rules and regulations as may be necessary to enable the Commission to
carry out the functions of the Commission under this Act.
(2)
Claims Submitted for Payments
(A)
Submittal of claim
For purposes of paragraph (1)(A) and subject to subparagraph (B), the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission may not determine an individual is eligible for a payment under
subsection (c) unless the individual submits to the Commission a claim in
such manner and form and containing such information as the Commission
specifies.
(B)
Filing period for claims and notice
(i)
Filing period
An individual filing a claim for a payment under subsection (c) shall file such claim not later
than one year after the date on which the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission publishes the notice described in clause (ii).
(ii)
Notice of filing period
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission shall publish a notice of the deadline for filing a claim
described in clause (i)—
(I) in the Federal Register; and
(II) in newspaper, radio, and television media in Guam.
(C)
Adjudicatory decisions
The decision of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission on each claim filed under this Act shall—
(i) be by majority vote;
(ii) be in writing;
(iii) state the reasons for the approval or denial of the claim; and
(iv) if approved, state the amount of the payment awarded and the distribution, if any, to be made of
the payment.
(D)
Deductions in payment
The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall deduct, from a payment made to a compensable Guam
victim or survivors of a compensable Guam decedent under this subsection,
amounts paid to such victim or survivors under the Guam Meritorious Claims
Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–224) before the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(E)
Interest
No interest shall be paid on payments made by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission under
subsection (c).
(F)
Limited compensation for provision of representational services
(i)
Limit on compensation
Any agreement under which an individual who provided representational services to an individual who
filed a claim for a payment under this Act that provides for compensation
to the individual who provided such services in an amount that is more
than one percent of the total amount of such payment shall be unlawful and
void.
(ii)
Penalties
Whoever demands or receives any compensation in excess of the amount allowed under subparagraph (A)
shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year,
or both.
(G)
Appeals and finality
Objections and appeals of decisions of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall be to the
Commission, and upon rehearing, the decision in each claim shall be final,
and not subject to further review by any court or agency.
(H)
Certifications for payment
After a decision approving a claim becomes final, the Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission shall certify such decision to the Secretary of the Treasury
for authorization of a payment under subsection (c).
(I)
Treatment of affidavits
For purposes of subsection (c) and subject to subparagraph (B), the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission shall treat a claim that is accompanied by an affidavit of an
individual that attests to all of the material facts required for
establishing the eligibility of such individual for payment under such
subsection as establishing a prima facie case of the eligibility of the
individual for such payment without the need for further documentation,
except as the Commission may otherwise require. Such material facts shall
include, with respect to a claim for a payment made under subsection
(c)(1), a detailed description of the injury or other circumstance
supporting the claim involved, including the level of payment sought.
(J)
Release of related claims
Acceptance of a payment under subsection (c) by an individual for a claim related to a compensable
Guam decedent or a compensable Guam victim shall be in full satisfaction
of all claims related to such decedent or victim, respectively, arising
under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–224), the
implementing regulations issued by the United States Navy pursuant to such
Act (Public Law 79–224), or this Act.
13.
Use of certain expenditures as in-kind contributions
(a)
In General
Except as provided under subsection (c), local matching requirements required of an affected
jurisdiction for Federal programs may be paid in cash or in-kind services
provided by the affected jurisdiction pursuant to the following:
(1) Section 311 of the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the
Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, approved in the Compact
of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–188; 117 Stat.
2781).
(2) Section 311 of the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the
Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, approved in the
Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–188;
117 Stat. 2781).
(3) The Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Government of
the Republic of Palau, approved in the Palau Compact of Free Association
Act (Public Law 99–658; 100 Stat. 3672).
(b)
Determination of Amounts To Be Considered In-Kind Contributions
The Secretary of the Interior shall determine the amounts that may be considered in-kind
contributions for an affected jurisdiction under this section based on a
reasonable estimate of the amount of impact expenditures for the Freely
Associated States.
(c)
Competitive Grants
Local matching requirements required of an affected jurisdiction for Federal competitive grant
programs may not be paid with in-kind services under this section.
(d)
Affected Jurisdictions
The term affected jurisdiction shall have the meaning given that term in section 104(e) of Public Law 108–188 (117 Stat. 2739).
14.
Improvements in HUD assisted programs
Section 214(a)(7) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 1436a(a)(7)) is
amended by striking such alien and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting any citizen or national of the United States shall be entitled to a preference or priority in
receiving assistance before any such alien who is otherwise eligible for
such assistance..
15.
Benefit to cost ratio study for projects in American Samoa
(a)
Study
The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study regarding the use of
benefit-to-cost ratio formulas by Federal departments and agencies for
purposes of evaluating projects in American Samoa.
(b)
Contents
In conducting the study, the Comptroller General shall—
(1) assess whether the benefit-to-cost ratio formulas described in subsection (a) take into
consideration—
(A) the remote locations in, and the cost of transportation to and from, American Samoa; and
(B) other significant factors that are not comparable to locations within the 48 contiguous States; and
(2) assess, in particular, the use of benefit-to-cost ratio formulas by—
(A) the Secretary of Transportation with respect to airport traffic control tower programs; and
(B) the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, with respect to a harbor project
or other water resources development project.
(3)
Report to Congress
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit
to Congress a report on the results of the study.
16.
Waiver of local matching requirements
(a)
Waiver of certain matching requirements
Section 501 of the Act entitled An Act to authorize certain appropriations for the territories of the United States, to amend
certain Acts relating thereto, and for other purposes, approved October 15, 1977 (48 U.S.C. 1469a; 91 Stat. 1164) is amended—
(1) in the last sentence of subsection (d), by striking by law; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin
Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, each department or agency of
the United States shall waive any requirement for local matching funds
(including in-kind contributions) that the insular area would otherwise be
required to provide for any non-competitive grant as follows:
(1) For a grant requiring matching funds (including in-kind contributions) of $500,000 or less, the
entire matching requirement shall be waived.
(2) For a grant requiring matching funds (including in-kind contributions) of more than $500,000,
$500,000 of the matching requirement shall be waived.
.
(b)
Conforming amendment
Section 601 of the Act entitled An Act to authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other
purposes, approved March 12, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1469a note; 94 Stat. 90), is amended by striking , and adding the following sentence and all that follows through Islands’..
17.
Fishery endorsements
Section 12113 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(j)
Certain exemption
Paragraph (3) of subsection (a) shall not apply to any vessel—
(1) the catch of which, pursuant to the fishery endorsement, is offloaded and processed in American
Samoa; and
(2) that was rebuilt outside of the United States before January 1, 2011.
.
18.
Effects of minimum wage differentials in American Samoa
Section 8104 of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (29 U.S.C. 206 note) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
(c)
Effects of Minimum Wage differentials in American Samoa
The reports required under this section shall include an analysis of the economic effects on
employees and employers of the differentials in minimum wage rates among
industries and classifications in American Samoa under section 697 of
title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, including the potential effects of
eliminating such differentials prior to the time when such rates are
scheduled to be equal to the minimum wage set forth in section 6(a)(1) of
the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)).
.
19.
American Samoa Citizenship Plebiscite Act
(a)
Short title
This section may be cited as the American Samoa Citizenship Plebiscite Act.
(b)
Findings and purpose
(1)
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(A) Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, persons born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States
Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are
citizens of the United States at birth. Persons born in the United States
territory of American Samoa are nationals of the United States, but not
citizens, at birth.
(B) The term national of the United States is defined under the Immigration and Nationality Act to include persons who, though not citizens
of the United States, owe permanent allegiance to the United States.
(C) For more than 100 years, American Samoans who are United States nationals have demonstrated their
loyalty and allegiance to the United States. On April 17, 1900, the
village chiefs of Tutuila and Aunu’u ceded their islands to the United
States. On July 16, 1904, his Majesty King Tuimanu’a of the Manu’a Islands
and his village chiefs did the same. On February 20, 1929, the United
States Congress officially ratified the Treaty of Cession of Tutuila and
Aunu’u and the Treaty of Cession of Manu’a. On March 4, 1925, by Joint
Resolution of the United States Congress, American sovereignty was
officially extended over Swains Island and it was placed under the
jurisdiction of the government of American Samoa.
(D) Since ratification of the Treaties of Cession, many American Samoans who are United States
nationals have joined the United States Armed Forces and fought for the
United States during World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf
wars, and most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(E) It is the responsibility of the Secretary of Interior to advance the economic, social and political
development of the territories of the United States.
(2)
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to provide for a federally authorized vote in American Samoa on the
question of citizenship and if a majority of voters vote for citizenship,
to describe the steps that the President and Congress shall take to enable
American Samoans to be granted citizenship.
(c)
Citizenship vote
The Secretary of Interior shall direct the American Samoa Election Office to conduct a plebiscite
on the issue of whether persons born in American Samoa desire United
States citizenship.
As United States Citizens:
(A) Individuals born in American Samoa would be United States citizens by Federal law.
(B) All persons living in American Samoa who are United States nationals will become United States
citizens. Persons born in American Samoa will no longer be United States
nationals.
Do you want persons born in American Samoa to become United States citizens? Yes __ No__?
.
20.
Eligibility for marine turtle conservation assistance
The Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 is amended—
(1) in each of sections 2(b) and 3(2) (16 U.S.C. 6601(b), 6602(2)), by inserting and territories of the United States after foreign countries each place it appears;
(2) in section 3 (16 U.S.C. 6602), by adding at the end the following:
(7)
Territory of the United States
The term territory of the United States means each of the several States of the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any
other territory or possession of the United States.
; and
(3) in section 4(b)(1)(A) (16 U.S.C. 6603(b)(1)(A)), by inserting or territory of the United States after foreign country.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Omnibus Territories Act of
2013.
2.
Table of
contents
The table of contents
for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.Sec. 2. Table of contents.Sec. 3. Amendments to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act.Sec. 4. Study of electric rates in the insular areas.Sec. 5. Reports on estimates of revenues.Sec. 6. Low-income home energy assistance program.Sec. 7. Guam War Claims Review Commission.Sec. 8. Improvements in HUD assisted programs.Sec. 9. Benefit to cost ratio study for projects in American Samoa.Sec. 10. Waiver of local matching requirements.Sec. 11. Fishery endorsements.Sec. 12. Effects of Minimum Wage differentials in American Samoa.Sec. 13. Office of National Drug Control Policy.Sec. 14. Drivers' licenses and personal identification cards.
3.
Amendments to the
Consolidated Natural Resources Act
Section 6 of the Joint Resolution entitled
A Joint Resolution to approve the Covenant To Establish a
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United
States of America, and for other purposes, approved March 24,
1976 (Public Law 94–241; 90 Stat. 263, 122 Stat. 854), is amended—
(1) in
subsection (a)—
(A) in
paragraph (2), by striking December 31, 2014, except as provided in subsections (b) and (d) and inserting December 31, 2019; and
(B) by
striking paragraph (6), and inserting the following:
(6)
Certain
Education Funding
(A)
In
general
In addition to fees
charged pursuant to section 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1356 (m)) to recover the full costs of providing adjudication services,
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall charge an annual supplemental fee of
$150 per nonimmigrant worker to each prospective employer who is issued a
permit under subsection (d) of this section during the transition program. Such
supplemental fee shall be paid into the Treasury of the Commonwealth government
for the purpose of funding ongoing vocational educational curricula and program
development by Commonwealth educational entities.
(B)
Plan for the
expenditure of funds
At the
beginning of each fiscal year, and prior to the payment of the supplemental fee
into the Treasury of the Commonwealth government in that fiscal year, the
Commonwealth government must provide to the Secretary of Labor, a
plan for the expenditure of funds received under this paragraph, a projection of
the effectiveness of these
expenditures in the placement of United States workers into jobs, and a report
on the changes in employment of United States workers attributable to prior
year expenditures.
(C)
Report
The Secretary of Labor shall report to the Congress every 2 years on the
effectiveness of meeting the goals set out by the Commonwealth government in
its annual plan for the expenditure of
funds.
; and
(2) in
subsection (d)—
(A) in the third sentence of paragraph (2), by striking not to extend beyond December 31, 2014, unless extended pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection and inserting
ending on December 31, 2019;
(B) by striking paragraph (5); and
(C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).
4.
Study
of electric rates in the insular areas
(a)
Definitions
In
this section:
(1)
Comprehensive
energy plan
The term comprehensive energy plan means
a comprehensive energy plan prepared and updated under subsections (c) and (e)
of section 604 of the Act entitled An Act to authorize appropriations
for certain insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes,
approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1492).
(2)
Energy action
plan
The term energy action plan means the plan
required by subsection (d).
(3)
Freely
associated states
The term Freely Associated States
means the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
and the Republic of Palau.
(4)
Insular
areas
The term insular areas means American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands.
(5)
Secretary
The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(6)
Team
The
term team means the team established by the Secretary under
subsection (b).
(b)
Establishment
Not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall, within the Empowering Insular Communities activity, establish a team of
technical, policy, and financial experts—
(1) to
develop an energy action plan addressing the energy needs of each of the
insular areas and Freely Associated States; and
(2) to
assist each of the insular areas and Freely Associated States in implementing
such plan.
(c)
Participation of
regional utility organizations
In establishing the team, the
Secretary shall consider including regional utility organizations.
(d)
Energy action
plan
In accordance with subsection (b), the energy action plan
shall include—
(1) recommendations,
based on the comprehensive energy plan where applicable, to—
(A) reduce reliance
and expenditures on fuel shipped to the insular areas and Freely Associated States
from ports outside the United States;
(B) develop and utilize domestic
fuel energy sources; and
(C) improve
performance of energy infrastructure and overall energy efficiency;
(2) a
schedule for implementation of such recommendations and identification and
prioritization of specific projects;
(3) a
financial and engineering plan for implementing and sustaining projects;
and
(4) benchmarks for
measuring progress toward implementation.
(e)
Reports to
secretary
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the
Secretary establishes the team and annually thereafter, the team shall submit
to the Secretary a report detailing progress made in fulfilling its charge and
in implementing the energy action plan.
(f)
Annual reports
to congress
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the
Secretary receives a report submitted by the team under subsection (e), the
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a summary of
the report of the team.
(g)
Approval of Secretary required
The energy action plan shall not be implemented until the Secretary approves the energy action
plan.
5.
Reports on
estimates of revenues
The
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report that—
(1) evaluates whether
the annual estimates or forecasts of revenue and expenditure of American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands are reasonable; and
(2) as
the Comptroller General of the United States determines to be necessary, makes
recommendations for improving the process for developing estimates or
forecasts.
6.
Low-income home
energy assistance program
With
respect to fiscal years 2014 through 2017, the percentage described in section
2605(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42
U.S.C. 8624(b)(2)(B)(i)) shall be 300 percent when applied to households
located in the Virgin Islands.
7.
Guam
War Claims Review Commission
(a)
Recognition of
the suffering and loyalty of the residents of Guam
(1)
Recognition of
the Suffering of the Residents of Guam
The United States
recognizes that, as described by the Guam War Claims Review Commission, the
residents of Guam, on account of their United States nationality, suffered
unspeakable harm as a result of the occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese
military forces during World War II, by being subjected to death, rape, severe
personal injury, personal injury, forced labor, forced march, or
internment.
(2)
Recognition of
the Loyalty of the Residents of Guam
The United States forever
will be grateful to the residents of Guam for their steadfast loyalty to the
United States, as demonstrated by the countless acts of courage they performed
despite the threat of death or great bodily harm they faced at the hands of the
Imperial Japanese military forces that occupied Guam during World War
II.
(b)
Guam World War
II Claims Fund
(1)
Establishment of
fund
The Secretary of the
Treasury shall establish in the Treasury of the United States a special fund
(in this Act referred to as the Claims Fund) for the payment of
claims submitted by compensable Guam victims and survivors of compensable Guam
decedents in accordance with subsections (c) and (d).
(2)
Composition of
fund
The Claims Fund
established under paragraph (1) shall be composed of amounts deposited into the
Claims Fund under paragraph (3) and any other amounts made available for the
payment of claims under this Act.
(3)
Payment of
certain duties, taxes, and fees collected from Guam deposited into
fund
(A)
In
general
Notwithstanding section 30 of the Organic Act of Guam (48
U.S.C. 1421h), the excess of—
(i) any
amount of duties, taxes, and fees collected under such subsection after fiscal
year 2012, over
(ii) the
amount of duties, taxes, and fees collected under such subsection during fiscal
year 2012,
shall be
deposited into the Claims Fund.
(B)
Application
Subparagraph
(A) shall not apply after the date for which the Secretary of the Treasury
determines that all payments required to be made under subsection (c) have been
made.
(4)
Limitation on
payments made from fund
(A)
In
general
No payment may be made in a fiscal year under subsection
(c) until funds are deposited into the Claims Fund in such fiscal year under
paragraph (3).
(B)
Amounts
For
each fiscal year in which funds are deposited into the Claims Fund under
paragraph (3), the total amount of payments made in a fiscal year under
subsection (c) may not exceed the amount of funds available in the Claims Fund
for such fiscal year.
(5)
Deductions from
fund for administrative expenses
The Secretary of the Treasury shall deduct
from any amounts deposited into the Claims Fund an amount equal to 5 per cent
of such amounts as reimbursement to the Federal Government for expenses
incurred by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission and by the Department of
the Treasury in the administration of this Act. The amounts so deducted shall
be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
(c)
Payments for
Guam World War II claims
(1)
Payments for
Death, Personal Injury, Forced Labor, Forced March, and
Internment
After the
Secretary of the Treasury receives the certification from the Chairman of the
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission as required under subsection (d)(2)(H),
the Secretary of the Treasury shall make payments to compensable Guam victims
and survivors of a compensable Guam decedents as follows:
(A)
Compensable Guam
victim
Before making any
payments under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make payments to
compensable Guam victims as follows:
(i) In the
case of a victim who has suffered an injury described in paragraph (3)(B)(i),
$15,000.
(ii) In the
case of a victim who is not described in clause (i), but who has suffered an
injury described in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), $12,000.
(iii) In the case of a victim who is not
described in clause (i) or (ii), but who has suffered an injury described in
paragraph (3)(B)(iii), $10,000.
(B)
Survivors of
compensable Guam decedents
In the case of a compensable Guam
decedent, the Secretary shall pay $25,000 for distribution to survivors of the
decedent in accordance with paragraph (2). The Secretary shall make payments
under this paragraph only after all payments are made under subparagraph
(A).
(2)
Distribution of
Survivor Payments
A payment made under paragraph (1)(B) to the
survivors of a compensable Guam decedent shall be distributed as
follows:
(A) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is
living as of the date of the enactment of this Act, but who had no living
children as of such date, the payment shall be made to such spouse.
(B) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is
living as of the date of the enactment of this Act and who had one or more
living children as of such date, 50 percent of the payment shall be made to the
spouse and 50 percent shall be made to such children, to be divided among such
children to the greatest extent possible into equal shares.
(C) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is
not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act and who had one or more
living children as of such date, the payment shall be made to such children, to
be divided among such children to the greatest extent possible into equal
shares.
(D) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is
not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act and who had no living
children as of such date, but who—
(i) had a parent who is living as of such date,
the payment shall be made to the parent; or
(ii) had two parents who are living as of such
date, the payment shall be divided equally between the parents.
(E) In the case of a decedent whose spouse is
not living as of the date of the enactment of this Act, who had no living
children as of such date, and who had no parents who are living as of such
date, no payment shall be made.
(3)
Definitions
For
purposes of this Act:
(A)
Compensable Guam
decedent
The term
compensable Guam decedent means an individual determined under
subsection (d) to have been a resident of Guam who died as a result of the
attack and occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese military forces during World
War II, or incident to the liberation of Guam by United States military forces,
and whose death would have been compensable under the Guam Meritorious Claims
Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–224) if a timely claim
had been filed under the terms of such Act.
(B)
Compensable Guam
victim
The term compensable Guam victim means an
individual who is not deceased as of the date of the enactment of this Act and
who is determined under subsection (d) to have suffered, as a result of the
attack and occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese military forces during World
War II, or incident to the liberation of Guam by United States military forces,
any of the following:
(i) Rape or
severe personal injury (such as loss of a limb, dismemberment, or
paralysis).
(ii) Forced
labor or a personal injury not under subparagraph (A) (such as disfigurement,
scarring, or burns).
(iii) Forced
march, internment, or hiding to evade internment.
(C)
Definitions of
severe personal injuries and personal injuries
Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission shall promulgate regulations to specify the injuries that constitute
a severe personal injury or a personal injury for purposes of subparagraphs (A)
and (B), respectively, of paragraph (2).
(d)
Adjudication
(1)
Authority of
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
(A)
In
general
The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall adjudicate
claims and determine the eligibility of individuals for payments under
subsection (c).
(B)
Rules and
regulations
Not later than
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall publish in the Federal Register such
rules and regulations as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out
the functions of the Commission under this Act.
(2)
Claims Submitted
for Payments
(A)
Submittal of
claim
For purposes of paragraph (1)(A) and subject to
subparagraph (B), the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission may not determine an
individual is eligible for a payment under subsection (c) unless the individual
submits to the Commission a claim in such manner and form and containing such
information as the Commission specifies.
(B)
Filing period
for claims and notice
(i)
Filing
period
An individual filing a
claim for a payment under subsection (c) shall file such claim not later than
one year after the date on which the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
publishes the notice described in clause (ii).
(ii)
Notice of
filing period
Not later than
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Foreign Claims
Settlement Commission shall publish a notice of the deadline for filing a claim
described in clause (i)—
(I) in
the Federal Register; and
(II) in
newspaper, radio, and television media in Guam.
(C)
Adjudicatory
decisions
The decision of the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission on each claim filed under this Act shall—
(i) be by
majority vote;
(ii) be in
writing;
(iii) state
the reasons for the approval or denial of the claim; and
(iv) if
approved, state the amount of the payment awarded and the distribution, if any,
to be made of the payment.
(D)
Deductions in
payment
The Foreign Claims
Settlement Commission shall deduct, from a payment made to a compensable Guam
victim or survivors of a compensable Guam decedent under this subsection,
amounts paid to such victim or survivors under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act
of 1945 (Public
Law 79–224) before the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(E)
Interest
No
interest shall be paid on payments made by the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission under subsection (c).
(F)
Limited
compensation for provision of representational services
(i)
Limit
on compensation
Any agreement
under which an individual who provided representational services to an
individual who filed a claim for a payment under this Act that provides for
compensation to the individual who provided such services in an amount that is
more than one percent of the total amount of such payment shall be unlawful and
void.
(ii)
Penalties
Whoever
demands or receives any compensation in excess of the amount allowed under
subparagraph (A) shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more
than one year, or both.
(G)
Appeals and
finality
Objections and appeals of decisions of the Foreign
Claims Settlement Commission shall be to the Commission, and upon rehearing,
the decision in each claim shall be final, and not subject to further review by
any court or agency.
(H)
Certifications
for payment
After a decision approving a claim becomes final, the
Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall certify such
decision to the Secretary of the Treasury for authorization of a payment under
subsection (c).
(I)
Treatment of
affidavits
For purposes of subsection (c) and subject to
subparagraph (B), the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission shall treat a claim
that is accompanied by an affidavit of an individual that attests to all of the
material facts required for establishing the eligibility of such individual for
payment under such subsection as establishing a prima facie case of the
eligibility of the individual for such payment without the need for further
documentation, except as the Commission may otherwise require. Such material
facts shall include, with respect to a claim for a payment made under
subsection (c)(1), a detailed description of the injury or other circumstance
supporting the claim involved, including the level of payment sought.
(J)
Release of
related claims
Acceptance of
a payment under subsection (c) by an individual for a claim related to a
compensable Guam decedent or a compensable Guam victim shall be in full
satisfaction of all claims related to such decedent or victim, respectively,
arising under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–224), the implementing
regulations issued by the United States Navy pursuant to such Act (Public Law
79–224), or this Act.
8.
Improvements in HUD
assisted programs
Section
214(a)(7) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C.
1436a(a)(7)) is amended by striking such alien and all that
follows through the period at the end and inserting citizen or
national of the United States shall be entitled to a preference or priority in
receiving assistance before any such alien who is otherwise eligible for such
assistance..
9.
Benefit to cost
ratio study for projects in American Samoa
(a)
Study
The
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study regarding the
use of benefit-to-cost ratio formulas by Federal departments and agencies for
purposes of evaluating projects in American Samoa.
(b)
Contents
In
conducting the study, the Comptroller General shall—
(1) assess whether the
benefit-to-cost ratio formulas described in subsection (a) take into
consideration—
(A) the remote
locations in, and the cost of transportation to and from, American Samoa;
and
(B) other significant
factors that are not comparable to locations within the 48 contiguous States;
and
(2) assess, in
particular, the use of benefit-to-cost ratio formulas by—
(A) the Secretary of
Transportation with respect to airport traffic control tower programs;
and
(B) the Secretary of
the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, with respect to a harbor
project or other water resources development project.
(3)
Report to
Congress
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the
results of the study.
10.
Waiver of local
matching requirements
(a)
Waiver of
certain matching requirements
Section 501 of the Act entitled
An Act to authorize certain appropriations for the territories of the
United States, to amend certain Acts relating thereto, and for other
purposes, approved October 15, 1977 (48 U.S.C. 1469a; 91 Stat. 1164) is
amended—
(1) in
the last sentence of subsection (d), by striking by law;
and
(2) by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, in the case of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin
Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, each department or agency of the
United States shall waive any requirement for local matching funds (including
in-kind contributions) that the insular area would otherwise be required to
provide for any non-competitive grant as follows:
(1) For
a grant requiring matching funds (including in-kind contributions) of $500,000
or less, the entire matching requirement shall be waived.
(2) For
a grant requiring matching funds (including in-kind contributions) of more than
$500,000, $500,000 of the matching requirement shall be
waived.
.
(b)
Conforming
amendment
Section 601 of the Act entitled An Act to
authorize appropriations for certain insular areas of the United States, and
for other purposes, approved March 12, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1469a note; 94
Stat. 90), is amended by striking , and adding the following
sentence and all that follows through Islands’..
11.
Fishery
endorsements
Section 12113 of
title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
(j)
Certain
exemption
Paragraph (3) of
subsection (a) shall not apply to any vessel—
(1) that offloads its catch in part or full in American Samoa; and
(2) that was rebuilt
outside of the United States before January 1,
2011.
.
12.
Effects of
Minimum Wage differentials in American Samoa
Section 8104 of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of
2007 (29 U.S.C. 206 note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(c)
Effects of
Minimum Wage differentials in American Samoa
The reports required under this section
shall include an analysis of the economic effects on employees and employers of
the differentials in minimum wage rates among industries and classifications in
American Samoa under section 697 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations,
including the potential effects of eliminating such differentials prior to the
time when such rates are scheduled to be equal to the minimum wage set forth in
section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C.
206(a)(1)).
.
13.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
(a)
Caribbean border counternarcotics strategy
The Office of National Drug Control Policy shall develop a biennial Caribbean Border
Counternarcotics Strategy, that is made available to the public, with
emphasis on the borders of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the
United States, on terms substantially equivalent to the existing Southwest
Border Counternarcotics Strategy and the Northern Border Counternarcotics
Strategy.
(b)
Amendment
Section 704(b)(13)(B) of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21
U.S.C. 1703(b)(13)(B)) is amended by inserting the borders of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States and after in particular.
14.
Drivers' licenses and personal identification cards
(a)
Definition of State
Section 201(5) of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C. 30301 note; Public Law 109–13) is amended by
striking the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,.
(b)
Evidence of lawful status
Section 202(c)(2)(B) of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C. 30301 note; Public Law 109–13) is
amended—
(1) in clause (viii), by striking or after the semicolon at the end;
(2) in clause (ix), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
(x) is a citizen of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the
Republic of Palau who has been admitted to the United States as a
nonimmigrant pursuant to a Compact of Free Association between the United
States and the Republic or Federated States.
.
April 8, 2014Reported with an amendment