[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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