Guam Organic Act of 1950 - The Act's Provisions

The Act's Provisions

The Organic Act (as it became known on Guam) provided for:

1. an executive branch headed by a governor appointed by the President of the United States. It was not until the Elective Governor Act of 1968 that the residents of Guam were given the right to vote for their own governor;
2. a unicameral (single-body) legislature of up to 21 members (which was reduced to 15 members in 1996), elected by the residents of Guam. This was the first time Guam residents were given the right to vote for the body that created the laws that governed them, for the most part. The ultimate laws that govern Guam are still those of the U.S. Congress, a body in which Guam residents still have no vote;
3. a court system with judges appointed by the Governor of Guam and re-elected by Guam voters;
4. United States citizenship for the residents of Guam. Prior to this, Guam residents were citizens of no country, except those who were naturalized in the U.S. mainland or who had served in the U.S. military; and
5. a limited Bill of Rights.

Guam was later granted a non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Guam delegate is a member of Congress, and can serve on committees, but cannot vote on legislation. See: Delegate (United States Congress)

The first bill providing for an Organic Act and U.S. citizenship was introduced on July 15, 1946 by U.S. Representative Robert A. Grant of Indiana in the form of H.R. 7044. This provided that Guam be accorded the semi-autonomous status of an Organized territory, with the privilege of sending a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, however, was never even reported out of committee, as was the fate of all the bills introduced during the 79th United States Congress.