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STATEMENT OF MRS. RUTH G. VAN CLEVE, DIRECTOR,
OFFICE OF TERRITORIAL AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF
THE INTERIOR, ON H.R. 3756, BEFORE THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
OCTOBER 10, 1979.
Dear Mr. Chairman:
We are pleased to have the opportunity to appear before your
Committee in order to express the Administration's views on
H.R. 3756, an omnibus territories bill dealing with a number
of different issues.
The Department of the Interior has submitted a rather lengthy
report on H.R. 3756; it contains our definitive statement on
the individual provisions of the bill. Today, I will endeavor
to summarize our views on the bill by referring to those
provisions ot which we approve, those provisions of which
we disapprove, and those provisions of which we would approve,
if amended.
The Administration approves of the following provisions:
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Section 101 would provide an open-ended authorization
eof funds for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands after 1980, both as to time and amount. The
‘open-ended language gives recognition to the need
for budget flexibility in light of the rapid
changes taking place in Micronesia.
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Section 104 states ". . . Federal programs shall not
cease to apply to the Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands either before or after the termination of
the trusteeship, without the express approval of
Congress.“ We approve of this section, assuming that
it is construed to mean that “legal eligibility for"
rather than “participation in" Federal programs by
the Trust Territory shall not cease without Congress-
ional approval.
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Section 204 would extend the date of initial appliecability of the Federal income tax to the Northern
Mariana Islands from January 1, 1979, to January
1, 1982. We have no objection to such a provision;
however, the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
prefers Section 3 (d) of Public Law 95-348 to Section
204.
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Section 205 would provide an open-ended authorization
for maintenance and operation, and up to $3 million
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