[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 52 (Monday, April 13, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H2124-H2125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               EXPEDITED FUNDS AVAILABILITY ACT AMENDMENT

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1367) to amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act to 
clarify the application of that Act to American Samoa and the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1367

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. APPLICATION OF THE EXPEDITED FUNDS AVAILABILITY 
                   ACT.

       (a) In General.--The Expedited Funds Availability Act (12 
     U.S.C. 4001 et seq.) is amended--

[[Page H2125]]

       (1) in section 602(20) (12 U.S.C. 4001(20)) by inserting 
     ``, located in the United States,'' after ``ATM'';
       (2) in section 602(21) (12 U.S.C. 4001(21)) by inserting 
     ``American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands,'' after ``Puerto Rico,'';
       (3) in section 602(23) (12 U.S.C. 4001(23)) by inserting 
     ``American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands,'' after ``Puerto Rico,''; and
       (4) in section 603(d)(2)(A) (12 U.S.C. 4002(d)(2)(A)), by 
     inserting ``American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
     Mariana Islands,'' after ``Puerto Rico,''.
       (b) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on January 
     1, 2016.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Capuano) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             general leave

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and add extraneous materials on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial, bipartisan bill. It was 
carried by the Democratic Representative from American Samoa last 
Congress.
  This is a proconsumer measure that would improve the check clearing 
wait times in American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Other 
noncontiguous U.S. States and territories are already subject to this 
act. This bill provides parity and helps improve financial services in 
American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  This bill passed the House on suspension last Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this bill as well. Again, it is a simple, 
straightforward bill that simply says that American Samoa and the 
Northern Mariana Islands are part of America, as is every other part of 
America. They should be treated the same.
  This bill corrects a law that currently does not allow them to be 
treated the same in financial services matters. It should be passed 
immediately.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I will read a statement that Mrs. 
Radewagen of American Samoa submitted to me in reference to this. She 
is the primary sponsor.

       Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1367, to amend 
     the Expedited Funds Availability Act to clarify the 
     application of that act to American Samoa and the Northern 
     Mariana Islands.
       I would first like to thank Chairman Hensarling and Ranking 
     Member Waters, as well as the House Financial Services 
     Committee staff, who worked so hard to get this bill to the 
     floor. I appreciate their dedication, as do the people of 
     American Samoa and the CNMI.
       As you know, the isolation of American Samoa, both 
     geographically and economically, lends itself to difficulties 
     in financial transactions that take place between American 
     Samoa and those off island.
       Many times, our citizens and businesses must wait an 
     exorbitant amount of time before they can receive off-island 
     funds that have been sent to them. These delays often cause 
     hardships that are both unnecessary and unfounded.
       H.R. 1367 will eliminate the excessive delays that the 
     people of American Samoa must currently deal with in order to 
     receive funds sent to them from off-island.
       Again, I would like to thank Chairman Hensarling and 
     Ranking Member Waters for their consideration of this measure 
     that will greatly improve the lives of the people of American 
     Samoa.
       Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of the House of 
     Representatives to vote in favor of this bill that will bring 
     American Samoa and the CNMI into the fold financially in 
     regards to off-island transactions.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands 
deserve the same protections of federal law as other Americans. Making 
sure my people get equal treatment is one of the reasons I came to 
Congress and equivalent treatment brings me to the floor today in 
support of H.R. 1367.
   As we have heard, H.R. 1367 extends the protections of the Expedited 
Funds Availability Act to the people of the Northern Marianas and 
American Samoa. This would mean that account holders in the Northern 
Marianas and American Samoa would have timely access to their money 
when they deposit a check in their bank.
   The same banking rules would apply in the Northern Marianas and 
American Samoa as apply in Alaska, Hawai'i, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. 
Virgin Islands--the areas of our nation not directly connected to the 
contiguous forty-eight states.
   It may be that in 1987, when the Expedited Funds Availability Act 
was first adopted, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa seemed 
remote from the rest of America. Back then, paper checks may have been 
bundled up and sent through the mail. So delays were inevitable.
   But today banking is handled electronically. With a smart phone many 
banking customers can take a picture of a check and deposit it in their 
account without even going to the bank.
   I have checked with the major banks in my district; none has any 
problem with having this federal law apply to their operations--because 
they all do business electronically and make deposits quickly 
available.
   So, clearly, it is time to update federal banking laws with respect 
to the Northern Marianas and American Samoa and join the 21st century.
   I want to thank my friend, Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman 
Radewagen, for introducing H.R. 1367. And I want to congratulate her 
for getting her bill moved through the Financial Services Committee and 
brought to the floor quickly and early in the 114th Congress.
   This same language has passed the House before, but died in the 
Senate. But the quick start that Congresswoman Radewagen has given her 
bill will allow the Senate more time--and, we hope, enough time--to 
make this simple correction to the way federal law applies in two of 
our nation's insular areas.
   I would also like to thank Chairman Jeb Hensarling, Ranking Member 
Maxine Waters, and all the members of the Financial Services Committee 
for recognizing that creating a uniform application of federal banking 
law--at least with respect to how quickly depositors have access to 
their funds--is an area of bipartisan consensus.
   I ask all Members of the House to agree and vote today in favor of 
H.R. 1367.
  Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1367, to 
amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act to clarify the application 
of that Act to American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
  I would first like to thank Chairman Hensarling, and Ranking Member 
Waters as well as the House Financial Services Committee staff who 
worked so hard to get this bill to the floor. I appreciate their 
dedication as do the people of American Samoa and the CNMI.
  As you know, the isolation of American Samoa, both geographically and 
economically, lends itself to difficulties in financial transactions 
that take place between American Samoa and those off island.
  Many times, our citizens and businesses must wait an exorbitant 
amount of time before they can receive off-island funds that have been 
sent to them. These delays often cause hardships that are both 
unnecessary and unfounded.
  H.R. 1367, will eliminate the excessive delays that the people of 
American Samoa must currently deal with in order to receive funds sent 
to them from off-island.
  Again, I would like to thank Chairman Hensarling and Ranking Member 
Waters for their consideration of this measure that will greatly 
improve the lives of the people of American Samoa.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives 
to vote in favor of this bill that will bring American Samoa and the 
CNMI into the fold financially in regards to off island transactions.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1367.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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