Omnibus Territories Act of 1996

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Repeal the Requirement of Separate Ballots

Title II: American Samoa Study Commission Act

Title III: American Samoa Economic Development Act

Title IV: Insular Areas Consolidation Act

Title V: American Samoa Capital Infrastructure Fund

Title VI: Guam Land Return Act

Title VII: Amendments to the Revised Organic Act of the

Virgin Islands

Title VIII: Commission on the Economic Future of the Virgin

Islands

Omnibus Territories Act of 1996 - Title I: Repeal the Requirement of Separate Ballots - Amends Federal law to repeal the requirement that the Delegates to the Congress from Guam and from the Virgin Islands be elected by a separate ballot (thus allowing election on the same ballot with the territorial legislature).

Title II: American Samoa Study Commission Act - Establishes the American Samoa Study Commission to: (1) evaluate the history and nature of American Samoa's political relationship with the United States; (2) report on whether a single document is needed to express such relationship; (3) evaluate the relationship's economic and social effects on American Samoa; and (4) report on how the 1900 and 1904 Instruments of Cession are recognized under international law.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: American Samoa Economic Development Act of 1995(sic) - American Samoa Economic Development Act of 1996 - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior for the Government of American Samoa for FY 1998 through 2003, to be used for construction and repair of American Samoa capital assets.

Title IV: Insular Areas Consolidation Act - Insular Areas Consolidation Act of 1996 - Declares that the Territory of American Samoa shall include Baker Island, Jarvis Island, and Howland Island. Subjects such islands, appurtenant reefs, and territorial waters to existing rights of use, ownership, and operation by the U.S. Government. Conditions such inclusion upon acceptance by the Territory of American Samoa.

Title V: American Samoa Capital Infrastructure Fund - American Samoa Capital Infrastructure Fund Act - Amends Federal law to declare that certain Federal grant assistance to American Samoa shall be considered local revenues when used as the local share required to obtain Federal programs and services.

Title VI: Guam Land Return Act - Guam Land Return Act - Amends the Organic Act of Guam to direct the Administrator of General Services to notify the Government of Guam of any excess U.S. real property in Guam and to transfer to Guam all right, title, and interest of the United States in such property, if Guam notifies the Administrator of its intention to acquire it.

Amends other Federal law to repeal a specified condition on disposal by Guam of lands conveyed to it by the United States.

Title VII: Amendments to the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands - Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, amended - Amends the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide that: (1) the physical absence of the Governor from the territory while on official business shall not be construed as a "temporary absence" involving a surrender of authority and power; (2) Virgin Islands revenue bonds, instead of the current priority for payment, shall have a parity lien with every other subsequently issued obligation; and (3) specified advance refunding rules of the Internal Revenue Code shall not apply to advance refunding bonds issued by the Virgin Islands after specified dates.

Title VIII: Commission on the Economic Future of the Virgin Islands - Establishes the Commission on the Economic Future of the Virgin Islands to make recommendations to the President and the Congress on policies and programs for a secure and self-sustaining future for the local economy of the Virgin Islands through 2020, as well as on the Federal role in providing for that future.

Authorizes appropriations.