
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 48USC1541]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                       CHAPTER 12--VIRGIN ISLANDS
 
                    SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Sec. 1541. Organization and status


(a) Composition and territorial designation

    The provisions of this chapter and the name ``Virgin Islands'' as 
used in this chapter, shall apply to and include the territorial domain, 
islands, cays, and waters acquired by the United States through cession 
of the Danish West Indian Islands by the convention between the United 
States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark entered into 
August 4, 1916, and ratified by the Senate on September 7, 1916 (39 
Stat. 1706). The Virgin Islands as above described are declared an 
unincorporated territory of the United States of America.

(b) Powers and legal status of government; capital and seat of 
        government

    The government of the Virgin Islands shall have the powers set forth 
in this chapter and shall have the right to sue by such name and in 
cases arising out of contract, to be sued: Provided, That no tort action 
shall be brought against the government of the Virgin Islands or against 
any officer or employee thereof in his official capacity without the 
consent of the legislature constituted by subchapter III of this 
chapter.
    The capital and seat of government of the Virgin Islands shall be 
located at the city of Charlotte Amalie, in the island of Saint Thomas.

(c) Administrative supervision by Secretary of the Interior

    The relations between such government and the Federal Government in 
all matters not the program responsibility of another Federal department 
or agency shall be under the general administrative supervision of the 
Secretary of the Interior.

(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, Sec. 2, 68 Stat. 497; Pub. L. 90-496, Sec. 13, 
Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 842.)

                       References in Text

    This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), was in the 
original ``this Act'', meaning act July 22, 1954, ch. 558, 68 Stat. 497, 
as amended, known as the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, 
which enacted this chapter, amended sections 104 and 111 of Title 21, 
Food and Drugs, and section 3350 of former Title 26, Internal Revenue 
Code (see section 7652(b)(3) of Title 26), and enacted provisions set 
out as notes under this section. For complete classification of this Act 
to the Code, see Short Title note below and Tables.


                               Amendments

    1968--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 90-496 added subsec. (c).


                    Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

    Amendment of provisions of section necessary to authorize the 
holding of an election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 3, 
1970, effective Jan. 1, 1970, and all other amendments of provisions of 
section, unless otherwise expressly provided by Pub. L. 90-496, 
effective Jan. 4, 1971, see section 16 of Pub. L. 90-496, set out as a 
note under section 1591 of this title.


                             Effective Date

    Section 34 of act July 22, 1954, provided: ``This Act [see Short 
Title note below] shall take effect upon its approval [July 22, 1954], 
but until its provisions shall severally become operative as herein 
provided, the corresponding legislative, executive, and judicial 
functions of the existing government shall continue to be exercised as 
now provided by law or ordinance, and the incumbents of all offices 
under the government of the Virgin Islands shall continue in office 
until their successors are appointed and have qualified unless sooner 
removed by competent authority. The enactment of this Act shall not 
affect the term of office of the judge of the District Court of the 
Virgin Islands in office on the date of its enactment [July 22, 1954].''


                      Short Title of 1968 Amendment

    Section 17 of Pub. L. 90-496 provided that: ``This Act [enacting 
section 336 of Title 10, Armed Forces, amending this section and 
sections 1561, 1572, 1573, 1574, 1575, 1591, 1593, 1595, 1597, 1599, and 
1641 of this title, repealing sections 1594, 1596, and 1632 of this 
title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1591 of 
this title] may be cited as the `Virgin Islands Elective Governor 
Act'.''


                      Short Title of 1959 Amendment

    Pub. L. 86-289, Sec. 1, Sept. 16, 1959, 73 Stat. 568, provided: 
``That this Act [amending sections 1573, 1597, and 1617 of this title] 
may be cited as the `Virgin Islands Organic Act Amendments of 1959'.''


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of act July 22, 1954, provided that: ``This Act [enacting 
this chapter, amending sections 104 and 111 of Title 21, Food and Drugs, 
and sections 3350 of former Title 26, Internal Revenue Code (see section 
7652(b)(3) of Title 26), and enacting provisions set out as notes under 
this section] may be cited as the `Revised Organic Act of the Virgin 
Islands'.''


                              Separability

    Section 36 of act July 22, 1954, provided: ``If any clause, 
sentence, paragraph, or part of this Act [see Short Title note above], 
or the application thereof to any person, or circumstances, is held 
invalid, the application thereof to other persons, or circumstances, and 
the remainder of the Act, shall not be affected thereby.''


Congressional Approval of Proposed Constitution for United States Virgin 
                                 Islands

    Pub. L. 97-21, July 9, 1981, 95 Stat. 105, set out the text of the 
Constitution for the United States Virgin Islands and provided that the 
Constitution is approved for submission to the people of the Virgin 
Islands in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 94-584, set out 
as a note preceding this section.


                Submerged Lands, Conveyance to Territory

    Conveyance of submerged lands to the government of the Virgin 
Islands, see section 1701 et seq. of this title.
