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I 111TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2659 To convey certain submerged lands to the Government of the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 2, 2009 Mrs. CHRISTENSEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To convey certain submerged lands to the Government of the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF SUBMERGED LANDS TO THE 3 GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 5 all of the right, title, and interest of the United States 6 in and to submerged lands in the area between the island 7 of Saint Croix and the islands of Saint Thomas and Saint 8 John is conveyed to the Government of the Virgin Islands 9 VerDate Nov 24 2008 06:17 Jun 03, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2659.IH H2659 smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS 2 •HR 2659 IH to be administered in trust for the benefit of the people 1 thereof. 2 (b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 3 (1) AREA BETWEEN THE ISLAND OF SAINT 4 CROIX AND THE ISLANDS OF SAINT THOMAS AND 5 SAINT JOHN.—The term ‘‘area between the island of 6 Saint Croix and the islands of Saint Thomas and 7 Saint John’’ means the area that is— 8 (A) outside of the area conveyed to the 9 Virgin Islands by section 1 of Public Law 93– 10 435 (48 U.S.C. 1705); 11 (B) north of Saint Croix; 12 (C) south of Saint Thomas and Saint 13 John; 14 (D) east of the line running from the west- 15 ernmost point on the coastline of Saint Croix at 16 mean high tide to the westernmost point on the 17 coastline of Saint Thomas at mean high tide; 18 and 19 (E) west of the line running from the east- 20 ernmost point on the coastline of Saint Croix at 21 mean high tide to the easternmost point on the 22 coastline of Saint John at mean high tide. 23 (2) SAINT CROIX, SAINT THOMAS, SAINT 24 JOHN.—The terms ‘‘Saint Croix’’, ‘‘Saint Thomas’’, 25 VerDate Nov 24 2008 06:17 Jun 03, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2659.IH H2659 smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS 3 •HR 2659 IH and ‘‘Saint John’’ mean the islands of Saint Croix, 1 Saint Thomas, and Saint John, respectively, in the 2 United States Virgin Islands. 3 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE 4 VIRGIN ISLANDS. 5 For purposes of the laws of the United States, and 6 except as otherwise provided by international law or any 7 international agreement in force for the United States, the 8 territorial waters of the United States Virgin Islands shall 9 consist of all waters in the belt of the seas measured from 10 the line of ordinary low water along that portion of the 11 coast which is in direct contact with the open sea and the 12 line marking the seaward limit of inland waters, and ex- 13 tending seaward a distance of 9 miles. 14 Æ VerDate Nov 24 2008 06:17 Jun 03, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2659.IH H2659 smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS