Congress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Legislative body
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Congress of Micronesia was a bicameral legislature in Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1964 to 1979.
History
The Congress was established on 28 September 1964, when the US Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall issued order no. 2882.[1] It replaced the previous Council of Micronesia, which had been based outside the Trust Territory in Guam.[2] The first elections were held in January 1965.
The Congress was initially composed of a House of Delegates and General Assembly, which were later renamed the Senate and House of Representatives. The Congress building was burnt down in an arson attack on 20 February 1970.[3]
Composition
The Senate had 12 members, two from each of the six districts. The House of Representatives had 21 members, with seats apportioned to each district based on their population – five from Truk, four from the Marshall Islands and Ponape, three from the Mariana Islands and Palau and two from Yap.[4]
Elections were held every two years. Senators served four-year terms, with one Senator elected from each district at each election. All members of the House of Representatives were elected at each election.
Presidents of the upper chamber
The upper chamber of Congress of Micronesia was called House of Delegates, and later Senate.
| Name | Took office | Left office | District | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John O. Ngiraked | July 1965 | July 1965 | Palau | [5] |
| Tosiwo Nakayama | July 1965 | July 1967 | Truk | [6] |
| John O. Ngiraked | July 1967 | 1969 | Palau | [7][8] |
| Amata Kabua | 1969 | Jan 1973 | Marshall Islands | [9] |
| Tosiwo Nakayama | Jan 1973 | May 1979 | Truk | [10] |
Speakers of the lower chamber
The lower chamber of Congress of Micronesia was called House of Representatives.
| Name | Took office | Left office | District | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwight Heine | July 1965 | 1966 | Marshall Islands | [5] |
| Bethwel Henry | 1966 | May 1979 | Ponape | [11][10] |
Elections
- 1965 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1966 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1968 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1970 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1972 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1974 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
- 1976 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election
