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S. 2009: Insular Areas Act of 2011

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S. 2009: Insular Areas Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-12-16 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Became Public Law No: 112-149.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-12-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 470 (2012): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, S2009 (2012-07-17), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 112-149. (final step reached)
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Insular Areas Act of 2011

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it passed the Senate on December 16, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Insular Areas Act of 2011 - Amends the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 to direct the Secretary of Energy (DOE), beginning on January 1, 2012, to periodically conduct (not less frequently than every four years): (1) a visual study of the concrete exterior of the Cactus Crater containment structure on Runit Island, and (2) a radiochemical analysis of the groundwater surrounding and in such structure. Requires the Secretary to submit to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a report containing a description of the results of the study and analysis and a determination of any significant change in the health risks to the people of Enewetak (atoll in Marshall Islands) from the contaminants within such structure. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to make funds available to DOE to conduct such analyses. Amends the federal judicial code to allow the temporary assignment of a magistrate or territorial judge as a judge of any duly constituted court of the freely associated compact states. Amends the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 to: (1) require increases in the minimum wage in American Samoa to be made on a triennial basis (currently, increases are made annually); (2) disallow any increase in 2012, 2013, and 2014; and (3) delay the subsequent reports of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the impact of minimum wage increases until April 1, 2014, and every three years thereafter (currently, April 1, 2013, and every two years thereafter).

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Insular Areas Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Recorded votes

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-s2009 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112