[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H3640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DOJ CONDEMNING INSULAR CASES

  (Ms. PLASKETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the decision by 
the U.S. Department of Justice to condemn the use of the Insular Cases.
  Last month, I co-led a bipartisan, bicameral letter signed by 43 
Members of Congress, from both the House and the Senate, urging the 
U.S. Department of Justice to condemn and cease relying on the racist 
rulings of the Insular Cases that continue to negatively impact 
Americans living in U.S. territories.
  The Department of Justice has finally agreed that the language is, in 
fact, racist and that the logic of the Insular Cases deserves no place 
in the law of the United States.
  Residents of U.S. territories deserve fair treatment and the 
opportunity to determine their own political future. I am proud to see 
that our efforts have come to some fruition and have the Department of 
Justice clarify and denounce their position on those cases.
  We are one step closer. We still have so much work to go to be 
equitable, to be treated fairly. I am asking all Virgin Islanders and 
all members of U.S. territories to continue the fight.
  I will also continue to advocate for the reversal of the Insular 
Cases at the Supreme Court level and ensure the fair treatment of all 
residents living in U.S. territories.

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