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Text of Law Approved on Soviet Powers

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From Associated Press

Here is the text of the law passed Thursday in the Congress of People’s Deputies by a vote of 1,682 to 43. The text was provided by the Tass news agency and translated by the Associated Press:

Law of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the organs of state power and government of the U.S.S.R. in the transition period:

Article 1. The supreme representative organ of power of the U.S.S.R. in the transition period is the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet, which consists of two independent chambers: the Council of Republics and the Council of the Union.

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The Council of Republics consists of 20 deputies from each union republic (selected) from the members of the U.S.S.R. (Congress of) People’s Deputies and the deputies of union republics, who are delegated by the supreme organs of state power of those republics. Accounting for the federative structure of the R.S.F.S.R. (Russian Federation), it has 52 deputies in the Council of Republics. Other union republics that comprise republics and autonomous formations additionally delegate one deputy from each republic or autonomous formation into the Council of the Union. To ensure the equality of republics during the voting in the Council of Republics, each republic shall have one vote.

The Council of the Union is formed by factions of union republics out of the members of the U.S.S.R. Congress of People’s Deputies in accordance with current quotas and with the agreement of the supreme organs of state power of union republics.

Article 2. The Council of Republics and the Council of the Union of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet jointly decide to introduce changes into the U.S.S.R. constitution, to admit new states into the U.S.S.R., hear reports of the U.S.S.R. president on the most important questions of domestic and foreign policies, approve the union budget and the report on its execution, announce war and conclude peace.

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The Council of Republics adopts decisions on the organization and the order of work of union organs, ratifies and denounces international treaties of the U.S.S.R.

The Council of the Union considers the questions of ensuring the rights and freedoms of the U.S.S.R. citizens, adopts decisions on all issues in the jurisdiction of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet excluding those which are in the jurisdiction of republics. Laws adopted by the Council of the Union take effect after their approval by the Council of Republics.

The supreme organs of state power of republics have the right to suspend on the territory of the republic the laws adopted by the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet, only if they contradict the constitution of the union republic.

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Article 3. The U.S.S.R. State Council is established on inter-republic basis for coordinated solution of the questions of domestic and foreign policies which affect the common interests of republics. The U.S.S.R. State Council consists of the U.S.S.R. president and top officials of union republics named in the U.S.S.R. constitution. The U.S.S.R. president directs the work of the U.S.S.R. State Council. The U.S.S.R. State Council determines the order of its work. The decisions of the U.S.S.R. State Council have a mandatory character.

Article 4. The position of the U.S.S.R. vice president is annulled.

If for any reason the U.S.S.R. president is unable to continue to carry out his duties (including reasons of health, confirmed by an opinion of a state medical commission formed by the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet), the U.S.S.R. State council elects out of its members the chairman of the U.S.S.R. State Council who temporarily carries out the duties of the U.S.S.R. president. This decision must be confirmed by the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet within three days.

Article 5. Union republics form the Inter-Republic Economic Committee on the basis of parity to coordinate the government of the national economy (and) to harmonize the implementation of economic reforms and social policies. The chairman of the committee is appointed by the U.S.S.R. president with the agreement of the U.S.S.R. State Council. The U.S.S.R. president and the U.S.S.R. State Council direct the work of the union organs responsible for the questions of defense, security, law and order and international affairs.

The Inter-Republic Economic Committee and the leaders of union organs are responsible for their activities to the U.S.S.R. president, U.S.S.R. State Council and the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet.

Article 6. The status of U.S.S.R. People’s Deputies is preserved for the duration of their term of authority, including the right to participate in the work of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet and its organs.

Article 7. The first session of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet with the new membership shall be called by the U.S.S.R. president not later than Oct. 2, 1991.

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Signed,

M. Gorbachev

President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Moscow, Kremlin, Sept. 5, 1991

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