Joint resolution to approve the "Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union With the United States of America", and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-241 · H.J.Res. 549 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Mar 24, 1976 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Phillip Burton (D-CA-6)
Cosponsors (24): Rep. Patsy Mink, Rep. William Ketchum,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateRecorded vote: 66 yea, 23 nay66–23
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Provides that, subject to the approval by the United States, the Mariana Islands District Legislature, and the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, this covenant shall establish the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. States that the Commonwealth shall be in political union with, and under the sovereignty of, the United States of America.
States that the people of the Northern Mariana Islands will formulate and approve a Constitution, subject to United States approval. Requires that the Constitution provide for a republican form of government with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches, and that it contain a bill of rights.
Provides that all persons who are citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands shall become citizens of the United States entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States of the United States.
Establishes within the Commonwealth the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands. Defines the jurisdiction of the court.
Specifies those laws and provisions of the United States Constitution which shall apply to the Commonwealth.
Directs the President to appoint a seven-member Commission on Federal laws to make recommendations to the United States Congress as to which laws should be made applicable to the Commonwealth.
Provides that with limited exceptions the Northern Mariana Islands will be deemed to be a part of the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Makes the income tax laws in force in the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands as a local territorial income tax. Provides that references in the Internal Revenue Code to Guam will be deemed also to refer to the Northern Mariana Islands.
States that the Commonwealth shall not be included within the customs territory of the United States.
Directs that the Trust Territory Social Security Retirement Fund attributable to the Northern Mariana Islands be transferred to the Treasury of the United States, to be held in trust as a separate fund and to be known as the "Northern Mariana Islands Social Security Retirement Fund." Provides that the fund will be administered by the United States in accordance with the social security laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Exempts all bonds and other obligations issued by the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands from taxation by the United States.
Establishes a program of direct grant assistance by the Government of the United States to the Commonwealth in its efforts to achieve a higher standard of living. States that such assistance shall continue for seven fiscal years. Provides $8,250,000 for budgetary support, $4,000,000 for capital improvement projects and $1,750,000 for an economic development loan fund.
Makes available to the Commonwealth the full range of Federal programs and services available to the territories of the United States. Directs that the proceeds of all customs duties and Federal income taxes derived from the Northern Mariana Islands shall be paid into the Treasury of the Commonwealth, to be expended for the benefit of the people thereof.
Transfers all right, title and interest of the Government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in and to real property in the Northern Mariana Islands to the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Specifies property within the Commonwealth which shall be made available to the Government of the United States by lease for defense purposes. States that such lease shall be for a term of 50 years with an option to renew for an additional 50 years. Provides that the United States shall pay a total of $19,520,600 in full settlement of such lease.
Provides that the Commonwealth may regulate the alienation of permanent and long-term interests in real property so as to restrict the acquisition of such interests to persons of Northern Mariana Islands descent. Provides that such regulation is allowed for a period of 25 years after the termination of the Trusteeship Agreement.
Recognizes the importance and scarcity of land in the Northern Mariana Islands. States that the United States shall acquire additional land in the Commonwealth only to the extent necessary to accomplish a public purpose.
Authorizes the creation of the position of Resident Representative to the United States. Establishes requirements for such post.
Provides for consultations between the Governments of the United States and the Commonwealth. Directs that such consultations shall be held at the request of either Government but not less frequently than every 10 years.
Establishes procedures for acceptance of this covenant.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that special representatives should be designated to consider in good faith such issues affecting the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States, and to report any findings and recommendations with respect to those issues.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 68 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
68 yea25 nay7 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(31)
- Sen. William HathawayD-ME
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Walter MondaleD-MN
- Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
- Sen. Stuart SymingtonD-MO
- Sen. Thomas McIntyreD-NH
- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Frank MossD-UT
- Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
- Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
- Sen. John TunneyD-CA
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
- Sen. John GlennD-OH
- Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
- Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
- Sen. Joseph MontoyaD-NM
- Sen. Dick StoneD-FL
- Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
- Sen. Gale McGeeD-WY
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
Republicans who voted yea(36)
- Sen. Clifford CaseR-NJ
- Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
- Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
- Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
- Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
- Sen. James PearsonR-KS
- Sen. John BeallR-MD
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Hiram FongR-HI
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
- Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Robert TaftR-OH
- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Robert GriffinR-MI
- Sen. William BrockR-TN
- Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
- Sen. Roman HruskaR-NE
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. Clifford HansenR-WY
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. Carl CurtisR-NE
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Paul FanninR-AZ
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 655 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Mar 24, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-241.
- Mar 16, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Mar 11, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Feb 24, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #44 (66-23).Senate roll call 44
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jan 27, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Oct 22, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Jul 22, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 21, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jul 16, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 10, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.