Home > 106th Congressional Bills > H.R. 755 (rh) To amend the Organic Act of Guam to provide restitution to the people of Guam who suffered atrocities such as personal injury, forced labor, forced marches, internment, and death during the occupation of Guam in World War II, and for other p...H.R. 755 (rh) To amend the Organic Act of Guam to provide restitution to the people of Guam who suffered atrocities such as personal injury, forced labor, forced marches, internment, and death during the occupation of Guam in World War II, and for other p...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 755
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 13, 2000
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To establish the Guam War Claims Review Commission.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Guam War Claims Review Commission
Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a commission to be
known as the ``Guam War Claims Review Commission'' (hereinafter
referred to as the ``Commission'').
(b) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of five members who
by virtue of their background and experience are particularly suited to
contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the Commission. The
members shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior not later
than 60 days after funds are made available for this Act. Two of the
members shall be selected as follows:
(1) One member appointed from a list of three names
submitted by the Governor of Guam.
(2) One member appointed from a list of three names
submitted by the Guam Delegate to the United States House of
Representatives.
(c) Chairperson.--The Commission shall select a Chairman from among
its members. The term of office shall be for the life of the
Commission.
(d) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall not be paid for
their service as members, but in the performance of their duties, shall
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the
same manner as the original appointment.
SEC. 3. STAFF.
The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of an executive director
and other staff as it may require. The executive director and other
staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in
the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter II of chapter 53 of such title,
relating to the classification and General Schedule pay rates, except
that the compensation of any employees of the Commission may not exceed
a rate equivalent to the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of
the General Schedule under section 5332(a) of such title.
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE.
The Secretary of the Interior shall provide the Commission, on a
reimbursable basis, such administrative support services as the
Commission may request.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall--
(1) review the facts and circumstances surrounding the
implementation and administration of the Guam Meritorious
Claims Act and the effectiveness of such Act in addressing the
war claims of American nationals residing on Guam between
December 8, 1941, and July 21, 1944;
(2) review all relevant Federal and Guam territorial laws,
records of oral testimony previously taken, and documents in
Guam and the Archives of the Federal Government regarding
Federal payments of war claims in Guam;
(3) receive oral testimony of persons who personally
experienced the taking and occupation of Guam by Japanese
military forces, noting especially the effects of infliction of
death, personal injury, forced labor, forced march, and
internment;
(4) determine whether there was parity of war claims paid
to the residents of Guam under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act
with war claims paid to United States citizens or nationals who
lived in or had holdings in foreign countries and other
possessions of the United States occupied by the Japanese
during World War II;
(5) estimate the total amount necessary to compensate the
people of Guam for death, personal injury, forced labor, forced
march, and internment; and
(6) not later than 9 months after the Commission is
established submit a report, including any comments or
recommendations for action, to the Secretary of the Interior,
the Committee on Resources and the Committee on the Judiciary
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources and the Committee on the Judiciary of the
Senate.
SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
Subject to general policies that the Commission may adopt, the
Chairman of the Commission--
(1) shall exercise the executive and administrative powers
of the Commission; and
(2) may delegate such powers to the staff of the
Commission.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.
The Commission shall terminate 30 days after submission of its
report.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 to carry out this
Act.
Passed the House of Representatives September 12, 2000.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
Pages: 1 Other Popular 106th Congressional Bills Documents:
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