United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Jun 09, 2025
§ 1931.
Approval of Compact of Free Association
(a)
Approval
The Compact of Free Association set forth in title II of this joint resolution between the United States and the Government of Palau is hereby approved, and Congress hereby consents to the agreements as set forth on pages 154 through 405 of House Document 99–193 of
(b)
Reference to Compact
Any reference in this joint resolution to the “Compact” shall be treated as a reference to the Compact of Free Association set forth in title II of this joint resolution.
(c)
Amendment, change, or termination of Compact and certain agreements
(1)
Mutual agreement by the Government of the United States as provided in the Compact which results in amendment, change, or termination of all or any part thereof shall be affected only by Act of Congress and no unilateral action by the Government of the United States provided for in the Compact, and having such result, may be effected other than by Act of Congress.
(2)
The provisions of paragraph (1) shall apply—
(A)
to all actions of the Government of the United States under the Compact including, but not limited to, actions taken pursuant to sections 431, 432, 441, or 442;
(B)
to any amendment, change, or termination in any agreement that may be concluded at any time between the Government of the United States and the Government of Palau regarding friendship, cooperation and mutual security concluded pursuant to sections 321 and 323 of the Compact referred to in section 462(h);
(C)
to any amendment, change, or termination of the agreements concluded pursuant to Compact sections 175 and 221(a)(4), the terms of which are incorporated by reference into the Compact; and
(D)
to the following subsidiary agreements, or portions thereof:
(i)
Article II of the agreement referred to in section 462(a) of the Compact;
(ii)
Article II of the agreement referred to in section 462(b) of the Compact;
(iii)
Article II and Section 7 of Article X of the agreement referred to in section 462(f) of the Compact;
(iv)
the agreement referred to in section 462(g) of the Compact;
(v)
Articles II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII of the agreement referred to in section 462(h) of the Compact; and
(vi)
Articles VI, XV, and XVII of the agreement referred to in section 462(i) of the Compact.
(d)
Effective date
(1)
The authority of the President to agree to an effective date for the Compact of Free Association between the United States and Palau concurrently with termination of the Trusteeship shall be carried out in accordance with this section, and the Compact shall not take effect until after—
(A)
The President has certified to the Congress that the Compact has been approved in accordance with Section 411(a) and (b) of the Compact, and that there exists no legal impediment to the ability of the United States to carry out fully its responsibilities and to exercise its rights under Title Three of the Compact, as set forth in this Act, and
(B)
enactment of a joint resolution which has been reported by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs and Foreign Affairs and other appropriate Committees of the House of Representatives authorizing entry into force of the Compact, and
(C)
agreements have been concluded with Palau which satisfy the requirements of section 1902 of this title. For the purpose of this subsection the word “Palau” shall be substituted for “Federated States of Micronesia” whenever it appears in section 1902 of this title.
(2)
Any agreement concluded with Palau pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) and any agreement which would amend, change, or terminate any subsidiary agreement or related agreement, or portion thereof, as set forth in paragraph (4) of this subsection shall be submitted to the Congress. No such agreement shall take effect until after the expiration of 30 days after the date such agreement is so submitted (excluding days on which either House of Congress is not in session).
(3)
No agreement described in paragraph (2) shall take effect if a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted during the period specified in paragraph (2). For the purpose of expediting the consideration of such a joint resolution, a motion to proceed to the consideration of any such joint resolution after it has been reported by an appropriate committee shall be treated as highly privileged in the House of Representatives. Any such joint resolution shall be considered in the Senate in accordance with the provisions of section 601(b) of Public Law 94–329.
(4)
The subsidiary agreement of 1 portions thereof referred to in paragraph (2) are as follows:
1
So in original. Probably should be “or”.(A)
Articles III and IV of the agreement referred to in section 462(b) of the Compact.
(B)
Articles III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X (except for section 7 thereof) of the agreement referred to in section 462(f) of the Compact.
(C)
Articles IV, V, X, XIV, XVI, and XVIII of the agreement referred to in section 462(i) of the Compact.
(D)
Articles II, V, VI, VII, and VIII of the agreement referred to in section 462(h) of the Compact.
(E)
The agreement referred to in section 462(j) of the Compact.
(5)
No agreement between the United States and the Government of Palau which would amend, change, or terminate any subsidiary or related agreement, or portion thereof, other than those set forth in subsection (d) 2 of this section or paragraph (4) of this subsection, shall take effect until the President has transmitted such an agreement to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, together with an explanation of the agreement and the reasons therefor.
2
So in original. Probably should be subsection “(c)”.
cite as: 48 USC 1931
