Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 91.djvu/1197

 PUBLIC LAW 95-134—OCT. 15, 1977

91 STAT. 1163

words "government of the V i r ^ n Islands", add a period after "Virgin Islands" and insert the following sentence: "Effective October 1, 1977, the salary and expenses of the Comptroller's office shall be paid from funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the Interior.". (b) Section 9(d) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands Legislative (68 Stat. 497; 48 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.) is amended by inserting immedi- procedure. ately before the period at the end thereof the following: ", unless the 48 USC 1575. legislature, after reconsideration upon motion of a member thereof, passes such items, parts, or portions so objected to by a vote of twothirds of all the members of the legislature." (c) Section 8 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48 U.S.C. 1574) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: "(f)(1) The Legislature of the Virgin Islands may impose on the Customs duty. importation of any article into the Virgin Islands for consumption therein a customs duty. The rate of any customs duty imposed on any Rate, limitation. article under this subsection may not exceed— "(A) if an ad valorem rate, 6 per centum ad valorem; or "(B) if a specific rate or a combination ad valorem'and specific rate, the equivalent or 6 per centum ad valorem. "(2) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the Legislature of Duty-free the Virgin Islands from permitting the duty-free importation of any importation. article. "(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as empowering the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to repeal or amend any provision in law in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this subsection which pertains to the customs valuation or customs classification of articles imported into the Virgin Islands.". TITLE IV SEC. 401. The Secretary of the Interior is directed to submit to the Congress not later than January 1, 1978, a report on Federal programs available to the territories of the United States indicating in such report what programs are available to each territory, what additional programs would be of benefit to such territory if made available, what changes or modifications to each program should be made to improve the operation and effectiveness of each program and the estimated costs of such program. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1978 $50,000 to assist the Secretary in the preparation of this report. SEC. 402. In order to compensate the territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands for xmexpected revenue losses occasioned by the Tax Reduction Act of 1975 and the Tax Reform Act of 1976 there is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for grants to the government of Guam not to exceed $15,000,000 and after October 1, 1977, for grants to the government of the Virgin Islands not to exceed $14,000,000, such sums being in addition to those previously authorized for such purposes. SEC. 403. Effective on the date of enactment of this Act, those laws, except for any laws administered by the Social Security Administration and except for medicaid which is now administered by the Health Care Financing Administration, which are referred to in section 502 (a)(1) (except for the reference to the Micronesian Claims Act of 1971 (85 Stat. 96)) 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,

Federal programs, availability to U.S. territories. Report to Congress. 43 USC 1457 note.

Guam and the Virgin Islands. 26 USC 7651 note. 26 USC 1 note.

48 USC 1681 note.

90 Stat. 268. 50 USC app. 2018.

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