Article I — General Provisions
19 sections · 0 paragraphs in this article.
Guam has not adopted a constitution of its own — the federal Organic Act of 1950 serves as its founding charter, establishing the three branches of the territorial government and a bill of rights. Codified at 48 U.S.C. ch. 8A.
48 U.S.C. § 1421 § 1421. Territory included under name Guam
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The territory ceded to the United States in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Peace between the United States and Spain, signed at Paris, December 10, 1898, and proclaimed April 11, 1899, and known as the island of Guam in the Marianas Islands, shall continue to be …
48 U.S.C. § 1421a § 1421a. Unincorporated territory; capital; powers of government; suits against government; type of government; supervision
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Guam is declared to be an unincorporated territory of the United States and the capital and seat of government thereof shall be located at the city of Agana, Guam. The government of Guam shall have the powers set forth in this chapter, shall have power to sue by such name, and, w…
48 U.S.C. § 1421b § 1421b. Bill of rights
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(a) No law shall be enacted in Guam respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of their grieva…
48 U.S.C. § 1421c § 1421c. Certain laws continued in force; modification or repeal of laws
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(a) The laws of Guam in force on August 1, 1950, except as amended by this chapter, are continued in force, subject to modification or repeal by the Congress of the United States or the Legislature of Guam, and all laws of Guam inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter are…
48 U.S.C. § 1421d § 1421d. Salaries and allowances of officers and employees
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The salaries and travel allowances of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the heads of the executive departments, other officers and employees of the government of Guam, and the members of the legislature, shall be paid by the government of Guam at rates prescribed by the laws of …
48 U.S.C. § 1421e § 1421e. Duty on articles
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All articles coming into the United States from Guam shall be subject to or exempt from duty as provided for in section 1301a 1 of title 19.
48 U.S.C. § 1421f § 1421f. Title to property transferred
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(a) Property employed by naval government of Guam The title to all property, real and personal, owned by the United States and employed by the naval government of Guam in the administration of the civil affairs of the inhabitants of Guam, including automotive and other equipment,…
48 U.S.C. § 1421f–1 § 1421f–1. Acknowledgment of deeds
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Deeds and other instruments affecting land situate in the District of Columbia or any Territory of the United States may be acknowledged in the islands of Guam and Samoa or in the Canal Zone before any notary public or judge appointed therein by proper authority, or by any office…
48 U.S.C. § 1421g § 1421g. Establishment and maintenance of public bodies and offices
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(a) Public health services Subject to the laws of Guam, the Governor shall establish, maintain, and operate public-health services in Guam, including hospitals, dispensaries, and quarantine stations, at such places in Guam as may be necessary, and he shall promulgate quarantine a…
48 U.S.C. § 1421h § 1421h. Duties, taxes, and fees; proceeds collected to constitute fund for benefit of Guam; prerequisites, amount, etc., remitted prior to commencement of next fiscal year
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All customs duties and Federal income taxes derived from Guam, the proceeds of all taxes collected under the internal-revenue laws of the United States on articles produced in Guam and transported to the United States, its Territories, or possessions, or consumed in Guam, and the…
48 U.S.C. § 1421i § 1421i. Income tax
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(a) Applicability of Federal laws; separate tax The income-tax laws in force in the United States of America and those which may hereafter be enacted shall be held to be likewise in force in Guam: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Legislature of Guam …
48 U.S.C. § 1421j § 1421j. Authorization of appropriations
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There are authorized to be appropriated annually by the Congress of the United States such sums as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions and purposes of this chapter.
48 U.S.C. § 1421k § 1421k. Designation of naval or military reservations; closed port
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Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as limiting the authority of the President to designate parts of Guam as naval or military reservations, nor to restrict his authority to treat Guam as a closed port with respect to the vessels and aircraft of foreign nations.
48 U.S.C. § 1421n § 1421n. Applicability of Federal copyright laws
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The laws of the United States relating to copyrights, and to the enforcement of rights arising thereunder, shall have the same force and effect in Guam as in the continental United States.
48 U.S.C. § 1421o § 1421o. Federal assistance for fire control, watershed protection, and reforestation
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The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide financial and technical assistance to Guam for improving fire control, watershed protection and reforestation, consistent with existing laws, administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, which are applicable to the continenta…
48 U.S.C. § 1421p § 1421p. Authorization of appropriations
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There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of section 1421o of this title. Sums appropriated in pursuance of sections 1421o and 1421p of this title may be allocated to such agencies of the Department as are concerned wit…
48 U.S.C. § 1421q § 1421q. Applicability of Federal laws
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The laws of the United States which are made applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands by the provisions of section 502(a)(1) of H.J. Res. 549,1 as approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, except for section 228 of title II [42 U.S.C. 428] and title XVI of the So…
48 U.S.C. § 1421q–1 § 1421q–1. Applicability of laws referred to in section 502(a)(1) of Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
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Effective on the date when section 502 of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America, approved by joint resolution approved on March 24, 1976 (90 Stat. 263) goes into force those laws which are ref…
48 U.S.C. § 1421r § 1421r. Port of Guam Improvement Enterprise Program
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(a) In general The Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Maritime Administration (in this section referred to as the "Administrator"), may establish a Port of Guam Improvement Enterprise Program (in this section referred to as the "Program") to prov…