48 U.S.C. § 2191: Rules of construction

Summary

It does not take away Congress’s power to make laws for U.S. territories under Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution. It does not let the subpoena rule in section 2124(f) apply to judges or staff of territorial courts. It also does not change the Covenant for the Northern Mariana Islands or the cession treaties for certain American Samoa islands.

Title 48, §2191

Territories and Insular Possessions, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Nothing in this chapter is intended, or may be construed—

(1)to limit the authority of Congress to exercise legislative authority over the territories pursuant to Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution of the United States;

(2)to authorize the application of section 2124(f) of this title (relating to issuance of subpoenas) to judicial officers or employees of territory courts;

(3)to alter, amend, or abrogate any provision of the Covenant To Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America (48 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.); or

(4)to alter, amend, or abrogate the treaties of cession regarding certain islands of American Samoa (48 U.S.C. 1661).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 114–187, June 30, 2016, 130 Stat. 549, known as the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act and also as PROMESA, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2101 of this title and Tables. The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, referred to in par. (3), is contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94–241, set out as a note under section 1801 of this title.

§2191 Rules of Construction