June 28, 1972
Page 22353
By Mr. MUSKIE
S. 3763. A bill to make the unemployment compensation benefits provided for Federal employees applicable to U.S. citizen employees of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission. Referred to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Roosevelt Campobello International Park, commemorating and preserving the summer home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and its surroundings, in New Brunswick, Canada, just off the eastern tip of the State of Maine, was created by a Canadian-American treaty approved by the Senate in 1964. By treaty agreement, the park employs both Canadian and U.S. citizens. The latter, because of their peculiar status as employees of an international organization, have had difficulty securing eligibility for social security benefits, even though they are U.S. residents.
To ameliorate the problem, during a meeting of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission, I agreed to introduce legislation on the subject. This took the form of S. 3704, which was introduced on April 9, 1970. But because these employees were brought under social security by administrative regulation, the bill received no action.
These park employees are now subject to U.S. social security taxes and are eligible for old age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits. However, the Social Security Act specifically excludes U.S. residents who are employed by international organizations from unemployment and workmen's compensation benefits under title III of the act. This has proved to be a problem in recruiting U.S., residents as employees of the park. It should be noted that Canadian employees are eligible for comparable Canadian benefits.
If the Park Commission were a U.S. commission, the Social Security Act's provision for unemployment and workmen's compensation would apply and would be administered by a State, which in turn would be fully reimbursed by the U.S. Government. Or, if the State had no reciprocal agreement with the Federal Government, the latter would assume the task of administration within the State.
Because the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission does not meet the above requirement, the Maine and the U.S. Government cannot provide unemployment and workmen's compensation for the employees of the RCIPC, who are U.S. residents. Also, since these employees pay no Canadian taxes, the Canadian Government does not provide those benefits, although article IV of the treaty establishing the park has been interpreted by some to require such coverage.
The best method to rectify the situation is with legislation which would deem park employees who are U.S. residents to be in the employ of the U.S. Government for the purposes of eligibility for Federal employee unemployment and workmen's compensation.
I propose to accomplish this with legislation which I introduce today to amend section VII of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission Act (16 U.S.C. 1106) by deeming the employees of the park who are U.S. residents to be in the employ of the U.S. Government for the purposes of title V, chapter 85, subchapter I, of the United States Code provision for unemployment and workmen's compensation of Federal employees.