Amending the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of the United States, approved June 22, 1936. December 10, 1941. -- Ordered to be printed;U.S. Congressional Serial Set No. 10546 - Senate Reports, Vol. 4
Calendar No. 919 77TH CONGRESS } SENATE ! Report 1st Session No. 884 AMENDING THE ORGANIC ACT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES, APPROVED JUNE 22, 1936 DecemBER 10, 1941,—Ordered to be printed Mr. Typings, from the Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2049] The Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2049) to amend the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of the United States, approved June 22, 1936, having consid- ered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. Under section 20 of the Organic Act, in its present form, the Governor of the Virgin Islands, or his representative, is required to attend meetings of the local legislative bodies. This measure would make attendance by the Governor or his representative at such sessions permissive rather than mandatory. …
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Calendar No. 919 77TH CONGRESS } SENATE ! Report 1st Session No. 884 AMENDING THE ORGANIC ACT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES, APPROVED JUNE 22, 1936 DecemBER 10, 1941,—Ordered to be printed Mr. Typings, from the Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2049] The Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2049) to amend the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of the United States, approved June 22, 1936, having consid- ered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. Under section 20 of the Organic Act, in its present form, the Governor of the Virgin Islands, or his representative, is required to attend meetings of the local legislative bodies. This measure would make attendance by the Governor or his representative at such sessions permissive rather than mandatory. The letter from the Acting Secretary of the Interior, addressed to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, approving passage of this measure, is incorporated herein and becomes a part of this report. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, November 27, 1941. Hon. MiLruarp E. Typinas, Chairman, Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs, United States Senate. My Dear SenaTorR Typinags: I have received your letter of November 15, requesting a report on S. 2049, a bill to amend the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of the United States, approved June 22, 1936. Under section 20 of the Organic Act in its present form, the Governor of the Virgin Islands or his representative is required to attend meetings of the local legislative bodies. This requirement is unique; to my knowledge, in no other State, Territory, or possession of the United States is it mandatory for the Execu- tive or his deputy to attend legislative sessions. It is undesirable in that it frequently necessitates hasty decisions and has the effect of committing the Gov- ernor on pending legislation as to the merits of which he has not had an oppor- tunity to give adequate consideration. Moreover, it tends to break down the 2 AMEND ORGANIC ACT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS separation of the Executive and legislative branches of the Virgin Islands Govern- ment and the system of checks and balances between those branches, which are essential aspects of our constitutional form of government. S. 2049 would make attendance by the Governor or his representative at legis- lative sessions permissive rather than mandatory. I approve of the bill and recommend that it receive the favorable consideration of your committee. The Director of the Bureau of the Budget has advised that there would be no objection to the submission of this report. Sincerely yours, E. K. BurLew, Acting Secretary of the Interior. Oo