[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 119 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6201-H6202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXTENDING VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4446) to amend the Virgin Islands of the United States
Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the
Commission, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
[[Page H6202]]
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4446
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SEC. 1. AMENDMENT.
The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial
Commission Act (Public Law 114-224) is amended--
(1) in section 7(b), by striking ``January 31, 2018'' and
inserting ``January 31, 2019''; and
(2) in section 10, by striking ``September 30, 2018'' and
inserting ``September 30, 2019''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands
(Ms. Plaskett) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4446, introduced by the
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).
H.R. 4446 would extend the Virgin Islands Centennial Commission by a
period of 1 year.
Congress established the Virgin Islands of the United States
Centennial Commission to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States. The
Commission was delayed in convening. As a result, no events have been
planned or carried out, and there is no final report available
detailing the Commission's recommended activities.
This bill extends the life of the Commission by 1 year to give it
more time to plan events celebrating this important moment in American
history. The bill also delays the deadline for submitting the final
report by 1 year.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on my bill, H.R. 4446, to extend the
Virgin Islands Centennial Commission.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Gowdy and Ranking Member Cummings,
House leadership, and staff for their work to bring this bill to the
House floor.
The Virgin Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act was
signed into law in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
Virgin Islands of the United States becoming an unincorporated
territory of the United States and to facilitate discussions and events
on its relations with the territory.
Since its creation, the Commission has seen the appointments of
Senators Lisa Murkowski, Bill Nelson, and Marco Rubio, Representatives
Tom MacArthur and Mia Love, and Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas
Douglas Domenech.
The Commission expires September 30, 2018, without the extension of
such time.
The Commission has been formed to plan, develop, and carry out such
activities as the Commission considers fitting and proper to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands of the United
States becoming part of the United States. The Commission also will
provide advice and assistance to the Federal, State, and local
governmental agencies, as well as civic groups, to carry out activities
to commemorate this milestone in the movement of the Virgin Islands in
its relationship with the United States.
Passage of this bill would allow the Commission additional time to
accomplish its mission to study specific issues related to the Virgin
Islands of the United States by extending the final report termination
deadlines by a year to January 31, 2019, and September 30, 2019,
respectively.
In June, the Centennial Commission met and selected a chair and
interim executive director. We are currently in the process of
collaborating with the National Museum of African American History and
Culture on public programs as well as hearings here and in the Virgin
Islands. The Commission is also in the process of engaging stakeholders
to become involved in developing future projects to meet its goals and
objectives.
Last September, as we all know, the Virgin Islands faced catastrophic
damage from two unprecedented back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes. The
recovering American citizens residing on the islands would benefit
greatly from continued congressional recognition, as well as the work
of the Commission not only in commemorating our past, but, more
importantly, talking about our future and our continued relationship
with the country.
This Commission has received national and international support, and
an extended lifespan of the Commission would allow it to better benefit
from this support and further examine the often inadequate relationship
between the territory and the rest of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4446, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4446, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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