[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HATCH:
  S. 1333. A bill to clarify the application of certain Federal 
criminal laws to territories, possessions, and commonwealths, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.


 THE POSSESSIONS AND TERRITORIES CRIMINAL LAW CLARIFICATION ACT OF 1995

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Possessions 
and Territories Criminal Law Clarification Act.
  This law, which is purely technical in nature, is needed to clarify 
an ambiguity in a number of Federal statutes as to their coverage of 
crimes occurring in the territories, possessions, and commonwealths of 
the United States. This ambiguity arises because these statutes contain 
references to State law, without any indication of whether they are to 
be applied to territories or other entities which are not States.
  My bill would clarify that these ambiguous Federal criminal statutes 
apply to the territories, possessions, and commonwealths of the United 
States, as well as to the 50 States. I ask my colleagues to support 
this legislation, and urge its swift approval.
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