22 U.S. Code § 280h - Representation in Caribbean Commission; appointment of commissioners and alternates

The President is hereby authorized to accept membership for the United States in the Caribbean Commission, created by “An agreement for the establishment of the Caribbean Commission,” signed in Washington on October 30, 1946, by representatives of the Governments of the French Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, and to appoint the United States Commissioners, and their alternates, thereto.

(Mar. 4, 1948, ch. 97, § 1, 62 Stat. 66.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Purpose of Commission

Act Mar. 4, 1948, ch. 97, 62 Stat. 65, provided that:

“Whereas representatives of the Governments of the French Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America signed ‘An Agreement for the establishment of the Caribbean Commission’ in Washington on October 30, 1946, which agreement continued and extended the international cooperative arrangements initiated in 1942 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States; and

“Whereas the purpose of the Caribbean Commission is to encourage and strengthen international cooperation in promoting the economic and social welfare and advancement of the non-self-governing territories in the Caribbean area, whose economic and social development is of vital interest to the security of the United States, in accordance with the principles set forth in chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations: Therefore be it”.

Acceptance of Caribbean Organization Agreement

Pub. L. 87–73, June 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 194, provided:

“That the President is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the Government of the United States of America the ‘Agreement for the Establishment of the Caribbean Organization’ signed at Washington on June 21, 1960, by representatives of the Governments of the Republic of France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America; that the participation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States in the Caribbean Organization is hereby authorized; that the Caribbean Organization shall, upon promulgation by the President of an Executive order to this effect, be entitled to the privileges, exemptions, and immunities conferred by the International Organizations Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669; 22 U.S.C. 288); and that the Secretary of State is hereby authorized to appoint or designate a United States observer to the Caribbean Organization.”

Termination of Caribbean Commission

Article III of the Agreement of the Establishment of the Caribbean Organization provides that “On the termination of the Agreement for the establishment of the Caribbean Commission, signed at Washington on October 30, 1946, the assets of the Caribbean Commission shall be and are by virtue of this Agreement transferred to and vested in the Caribbean Organization. The Caribbean Organization is hereby authorized to assume at the same time the liabilities of the Caribbean Commission and shall be regarded as the successor body to the Caribbean Commission.”

Article IV of such Agreement provides that “The Agreement for the establishment of the Caribbean Commission shall terminate at the end of the first meeting of the Caribbean Council provided for in the Statute annexed to this Agreement.”

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 10609. Delegation of Authority To Appoint Alternate Commissioners

Ex. Ord. No. 10609, May 7, 1955, 20 F.R. 3147, provided:

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code (65 Stat. 713), and as President of the United States, it is ordered that the Secretary of State be, and he is hereby, designated and empowered to exercise, without the approval, ratification, or other action of the President, so much of the authority vested in the President by the first section of the Joint Resolution of March 4, 1948, entitled “Joint Resolution providing for membership and participation by the United States in the Caribbean Commission and authorizing an appropriation therefor” (62 Stat. 66; 22 U.S.C. 280h) as consists of authority to appoint alternate United States Commissioners to the Caribbean Commission.

Dwight D. Eisenhower.