To repeal certain sections of the Act of May 26, 1936, pertaining to the Virgin Islands.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 57) to repeal certain sections of the Act of May 26, 1936, pertaining to the Virgin Islands.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 57, legislation to repeal an outdated Federal law which limits the authority of the Virgin Islands to assess and collect property taxes. Both the U.S. Senate and the House passed identical legislation in the waning hours of the last Congress but ran out of time before completing the process.

Mr. Speaker, it remains critical that we pass this bill and have it enacted into law as soon as possible in order to prevent some of my constituents from facing the very real risk of losing their homes because the Virgin Islands Government could not provide them protections from sky-high property tax bills because of that 1936 statute. It was enacted to address the tax policies of the Danish era in the Virgin Islands. It was generally thought to have been repealed by the enactment of the Revised Organic Act of 1954, which created a comprehensive system of local government with sufficient legislative powers to resolve local property tax issues without the need for Federal intervention.

The bill before us became necessary because 3 years ago the Third Circuit Court of Appeals revived the 1936 statute and struck down a local statute capping the amount of any increase in the assessment of residential real property and, therefore, any increase in the property tax owed in any assessment period.

If the 1936 law is not now repealed by the Congress, the government of the Virgin Islands will not have the authority to limit such increases by capping assessments or similar methods commonly used by other jurisdictions. Indeed, the revived 1936 statute may have the anomalous result of pricing land and homeownership beyond the reach of many Virgin Islanders. That statute has long outlived its usefulness and now interferes with the Virgin Islands' ability to perform an essential governmental function.

The assessment and collection of real property taxes is fundamentally a local government issue with no Federal impact. No other State, territorial, or local government is subject to such Federal restrictions. The Revised Organic Act of 1954, as amended, confers upon the people of the Virgin Islands full powers of self-government; the 1936 statute is an anachronism that needs to be repealed.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleague, the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico (Mr. Fortuno), for his support, and to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young for helping us to bring this bill to the floor so quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to respond that I look forward to working with Mr. Fortuno once we organize the committee as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 57, to repeal certain provisions of the Federal law passed 70 years ago limiting the Virgin Islands' authority to assess and collect its property taxes. I thank the Delegate from the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Christensen, for bringing this legislation to the attention of the House.

This outdated law, enacted in 1936, results in the imposition of high property taxes that could cause many residents of the Virgin Islands to lose their homes. The local government does not have the capacity to protect them from these federally imposed taxes, nor should it have to. The policies which the statute was originally designed to address are no longer an issue; it is now entirely unnecessary.

In fact, the Revised Organic Act of 1954, which was enacted to grant the government of the Virgin Islands the power to assess, administer and collect real property taxes, was thought to have repealed the statute. However, the 1936 statute remained in effect, putting at risk our long-standing policies to support and protect economic development, social welfare, and homeownership in the Virgin Islands. No other State or territory in the United States is subject to such Federal restrictions.

I look forward to seeing H.R. 57 passed to provide relief to the good people of the Virgin Islands from this outdated law. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of H.R. 57,

sponsored by my colleague and friend representing the U.S. Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen).

From our perspective, it is noncontroversial legislation. It allows the local government of the Virgin Islands to set their own property taxes. This is consistent with the philosophical stand of the Republicans who believe in letting local governments create their own laws without Federal intervention.

Without this bill, the Virgin Islands would be forced to adhere to an outdated and unworkable Federal Property Tax Code. I urge my colleagues to correct the problem.

I also want to take this moment and congratulate my colleague Congresswoman Christensen not only for seeing H.R. 57 pass today, but for her pending rise to the chairmanship of the Insular Affairs Subcommittee. I look forward to serving as the subcommittee's ranking member and addressing the many issues facing the U.S. territories and possessions.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 44, H.R. 57.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.