Lapas attēli
PDF
ePub

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. The dilemma is that the right of self-determination is the issue that is still pending among these non-selfgoverning territories.

Mr. STAYMEN. Again, I'll have to take your questions back and have Mr. Garamendi in writing.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I would appreciate a clarification of that issue.

Mr. STAYMEN. Certainly.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. On your testimony on Senate bill 210, can you explain a little more about section 8 of the bill that provides the current responsibility of the President to report to Congress on the impact of the Compact of Free Association? Are we having any problems with the compact provisions? What is this for?

Mr. STAYMEN. The reason for this is that under the terms of the compact, the administration has to submit a report to Congress annually with respect to the impact which the compacts have had on the U.S. territories and on Hawaii. The procedure for developing and submitting those reports has been, I think it's fair to say, very contentious and difficult. The administration has to develop information about the impact of Micronesians in the islands, and necessarily must go into the islands and conduct censuses and develop data. It's been very difficult to obtain that data.

We generally believe that the islands themselves are in a much better position to evaluate and report on what the impact of Micronesians coming into the community is than is the Department of the Interior back here in Washington. Our hope is to work closely with them and continue to financially support-and if necessary with Federal technical assistance-support them in developing that information, then we would pass that on to Congress.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. And I don't want to put you in a situation where you have to say something on behalf of Mr. Garamendi, but I just wanted to know about-where are we in our current negotiations with the Commission on Guam, as far as H.R. 100 is concerned? Are we about 10 percent into the process? I said earlier that we haven't even moved an inch, and correct me if I'm wrong in my humble opinion of where we are right now, but are we about 30 percent complete in our current negotiations with the leaders of Guam? Can you

Mr. STAYMEN. I'm sorry; again, I'm going to have to refer to him. Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. OK.

Mr. STAYMEN. I'm not a part of that process.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. You mentioned there were two sections in Senate bill 210 that the administration does not support? Mr. STAYMEN. Right; those are the two sections

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Which sections are those, again?

Mr. STAYMEN. I believe it's 7 and 10, which establish two Presidential commissions, one with respect to the Virgin Islands, one with respect to Samoa, to study their future economic development. The administration supports the notion that we should have studies and that both Samoa and the Virgin Islands are confronted with serious economic development challenges, but we think that can be done through existing authorizations, and the Presidential commission is not the appropriate institution.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I know we discussed the issue on this earlier, Mr. Staymen, saying that the administration does not like a proliferation of Presidential commissions, but it's OK to have a Presidential commission on the study of gaming-gambling, but when it comes to territories, the administration does not feel that we should have the same status in looking into the serious, serious economic issues facing both the Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Mr. STAYMEN. That's correct.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I'd like to ask unanimous consent, Mr. Chairman, for my statement to made part of the record.

Mr. PETERSON. Without objection.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Thank you.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Faleomavaega follows:]

STATEMENT OF HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, A DELEGATE IN CONGRESS FROM THE TERRITORY OF AMERICAN SAMOA

Mr. Chairman:

Thank you for calling this hearing on three bills which will have a direct impact on our U.S. territories. Before I begin my testimony, I want to welcome our distinguished guests to the hearing room today. To Senator Akaka and my colleagues in the House, I say thank you for taking the time to testify this morning. To Deputy Secretary Garamendi, I understand that you have a plane to catch this morning, and I appreciate your willingness to appear before us today given the time constraints.

To those who have travelled for days to get here from Guam, I welcome you to Washington, DC. I know it is expensive to come here and I appreciate the commitment in time you have made to testify today. I wish we could provide more time for each of you to speak, but with 20 witnesses scheduled to testify this will be a lengthy hearing, and I trust you understand our reasons for limiting the time afforded each person to testify.

Mr. Chairman, I do not want to use a lot of our time with a statement this morning. We are considering three bills which together address many of the pending problems in our territories. Perhaps the most controversial of the legislation is H.R. 100, the Guam Commonwealth Act.

I commend my friends in Guam who have been working on their political self-development. Like the people of Puerto Rico, trying to define a new relationship with the United States is a difficult and time-consuming undertaking. In Puerto Rico, the key topic of discussion is which of three statuses to choose. Guam appears to be moving toward that discussion also, and while I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 100 and support many of its provisions, I also know there are many controversial provisions which will need to be addressed before this bill can move forward.

The Guam Judicial Empowerment Act, H.R. 2379 is almost a technical correction, and I hope we can incorporate that provision into legislation containing portions of S. 210 which fall within the Committee's jurisdiction, and move them all forward early next year.

S. 210 contains a provision to create a Presidential Commission to assist with the economic development of American Samoa. As I am sure Deputy Secretary Garamendi is aware, I have been exploring alternatives with officials of the Department of the Interior to move this project forward, and I hope the Department remains committed to providing this assistance.

Thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to hearing the testimony this morning.

Mr. PETERSON. Any further questions for Mr. Staymen? Mr. Underwood.

Mr. UNDERWOOD. I know we discussed this earlier, Mr. Staymen. I have a number of questions that I'd like to ask for the record for S. 210, and I would like to ask you to stay, but I really want to get an opportunity for the three Governors to speak. Right now it's 2:20 in the morning on Guam, and the first panel from Guam are

actually the people that certainly the committee is most interested, I think, in hearing, as well as the people back home. So, I would request that you stay and we could bring you back up and ask some questions.

Mr. STAYMEN. That's fine by me, Congressman.

Mr. UNDERWOOD. Thank you.

Mr. PETERSON. We thank the gentleman. Any other further questions for Mr. Staymen?

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. PETERSON. Yes.

Mr. ORTIZ. I would like to include my statement for the record with unanimous consent.

Mr. PETERSON. Without objection.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Ortiz follows:]

STATEMENT OF HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS

I want to thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Miller for holding this hearing today on legislation to establish the Commonwealth of Guam.

This is a significant step in the process for Congressional review of Guam Commonwealth, and I want to commend my friend from Guam, Congressman Robert Underwood, for his work in bringing this legislation before us today.

It is obvious that the people of Guam and their political leadership remain committed to pursuing Guam Commonwealth status.

After years of work, they endorsed Commonwealth in 1982, and the Draft Guam Commonwealth Act in 1987. Since then, they have been in negotiations with the United States to change their political status.

This is a step which will have an absolute impact on their relationship with the Federal Government. The people of Guam should be commended for their committment to what has been a long and demanding process.

I am looking forward to hearing the perspectives of our participants and their accounting of the progress toward Commonwealth.

It is important to assert Congressional oversight of this process and resolve the issue of Guam's history, as well as it's future.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Chairman?

Mr. PETERSON. Donna.

Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. I'd also ask that my statement be inIcluded for the record.

Mr. PETERSON. Without objection.

[The prepared statement of Ms. Christian-Green follows:]

STATEMENT OF HON. DONNA M. CHRISTIAN-GREEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF VIRGIN ISLANDS

Thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to make these opening remarks. Mr. Chairman and my colleagues, this is a day for all Americans to be proud. More than 10 years after overwhelmingly voting to become a U.S. Commonwealth, the people of Guam are finally getting a hearing on what blueprint they have chosen for their future relationship with the United States.

Let us join then in celebration of this first step of self-determination and pledge to continue to support their efforts to see the completion of this process before the 100 anniversary of the Guam joining the American family.

I want to welcome my fellow islanders from Guam who, by your numbers and presence here today after traveling from so far away, demonstrates your strong support for your Guam Commonwealth Act.

I thank you for your commitment and say that I will do all I can, as a member of this Committee, to support you in getting the Guam Commonwealth Act enacted into law.

I am pleased to see that three of Guam's Governors have joined together in a bipartisan show of support for their island's future political status to be here today. Welcome Governors. We are pleased to have you with us today.

I am also very pleased to welcome my colleagues from the House and the Senate, along with the former Representative from Guam, a previous long time member of this Committee, the Honorable Ben Blaz.

Mr. Chairman, the people of Guam have been a territory of the United States since 1898. They have been seeking to become a U.S. Commonwealth for almost 10 years. In my view, this has been more than enough time for this body and the Administration to have come to some agreement in getting this process completed.

To my colleagues and the representatives from the Administration who may be concerned about our ability to grant Guam control over immigration, input into the application of Federal laws, or the authority to enter into international agreements, I say don't let your concerns prevent you from doing what is right. I believe we have a responsibility to do all that we can to provide Guam these articles of respectful political rights and full self government.

Nothing less than these rights should be afforded to Guam or any of the other insular areas should they choose to remain part of the U.S. family-like Guam has-without the opportunity for statehood.

In conclusion Mr. Chairman, I want to say a few words about the third bill that is on the agenda of today's hearing, S. 210.

S. 210, as it came to the House from the Senate, contains four provisions pertaining to my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands. Because of their urgency importance to the economy of the V.I., two of the provisions were added on to another bill which I hope will very shortly be signed into law by the President. The remaining two Virgin Islands provisions in the bill do not currently enjoy the level of support that makes their consideration in order at this time.

I want to once again thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Miller for their assistance in moving the two economic provisions of S. 210 that are so very important to the Virgin Islands.

While S. 210 encompasses almost all of the U.S. Insular Areas, this hearing and this day belongs to the people of Guam and their quest for Commonwealth.

Mr. Chairman the Congress is empowered under the U.S. Constitution to make all decisions on the future political status of the U.S. territories. To this end, the people of Guam have made their choice. We should respect Guam's decision and exercise our constitutional authority to make their choice a reality as expeditiously as possible.

It is time that we act. The people of Guam deserve no less.

Mr. PETERSON. We thank you, and we'll call upon you a little later then.

Mr. STAYMEN. Thank you.

Mr. PETERSON. Before we bring the next panel up, I'd like to recognize former Delegate, Ron DeLugo, from the Virgin Islands. We welcome you here today. If you could stand so you could be recognized.

[Applause.]

We are very thankful you could come, and we hear you were subcommittee chair prior and did a fine job.

At this time I will call upon Mr. Underwood, the Delegate from Guam, to introduce our next panel of very esteemed witnesses.

Mr. UNDERWOOD. I thank you, Mr. Chairman, and before I do that I would certainly like to add my own words of welcome to Congressman DeLugo. For the time that he was here, he certainly helped me a lot in terms of understanding the operations of this committee, and has always been a long and steadfast friend of Guam. And we certainly appreciate his interest, his continuing interest, and continuing leadership on issues pertaining to the insular areas.

I also have and would like to add a statement from Senator Inouye and Representative Patrick Kennedy, and also Bob Smith. They've asked me if I could enter their statements into the record on behalf of this legislation.

Mr. PETERSON. Without objection.

[The prepared statement of Senator Inouye follows:]

STATEMENT OF HON. DANIEL K. INOUYE, A SENATOR IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE

OF HAWAII

I appreciate this opportunity to share my thoughts with you on H.R. 100 and the very important issue of Guam's interest in achieving commonwealth Status. The people of Guam have stated their desire and goal, and it is my hope that the Congress and the Executive branch can work with Guam's representatives to achieve that goal.

The relationship between Guam and the United States is one that stretches back nearly 100 years. During this period, we have witnessed two world wars and several regional conflicts. The United States as a whole and Guam in particular experienced tremendous losses during these periods. However, together, we have always been able to endure difficult times and overcome adversity. Through our shared experiences, Guam and the United States have forged an important relationship based on trust and mutual cooperation. Like any longstanding relationship, periodically changes must be made to ensure the health of both of both parties involved. It is the prospect of political change that brings us here today.

Naturally, the political status of one's homeland is an area of concern and importance. In 1987, after years of deliberation and public discussion, the people of Guam, in two separate plebiscites, voted in favor of making Guam a commonwealth of the United States. In February 1988, this document, the Guam Commonwealth Act, was submitted to Congress for consideration and has been introduced in four consecutive Congresses since the 100th through the 104th.

The 1987 plebiscites have made clear the preference of the Guamanian people that Guam become a commonwealth of the United States. However, the fact that here in the 105th Congress we are once again considering the political status of Guam illustrates the difficulty and complexity of the issues involved. While self-determination is the right of all people, greater union with the United States requires greater adherence to our Constitution. It is at this juncture that there have been disagreements between the Administration, both past and present, and the terms of commonwealth as stipulated by the Guam Commonwealth Act. While some of these issues are still unresolved, I am hopeful that continued discussion between the people of Guam and the U.S. Government will produce a mutually agreeable settlement.

The Guamanian people have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a greater union with the United States. It is a great compliment and honor to America that the people of Guam would desire their future to be inseparably tied to our own. I am confident that the Federal Government and the government of Guam will continue to move forward and resolve any differences that prevent Guam from becoming a commonwealth of the United States. Let us continue to build on the foundations of trust and cooperation that have already been established and move forward into the future.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Kennedy follows:]

STATEMENT OF HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Mr. Chairman,

I want to thank you for holding this important hearing to determine the political status of Guam.

I want to welcome Governor Gutierrez and all the witnesses from Guam who have travelled a long way to be here with us. To me your participation sent this government a signal that the people of Guam are serious about resolving their political

status.

For 100 years the people of Guam have been a part of United States. Its citizens have shared in our times of national triumph and struggle.

During the World War II the people of Guam endured the atrocities of military occupation and many people still bear those scars today. Despite their pain, the people of Guam heroically assisted the Marines in retaking the Island and once again raising the flag of Democracy within its borders.

Today, Guam is asking to continue the process of determining its permanent political status. They have waited long enough and it is high time our government got down to the business of letting this process go forward.

To be sure, Guam's political status as an unincorporated territory is in Congressman Underwood's terms "unsatisfactory." Clearly, the current situation leaves the Island's inhabitants disfranchised and in political limbo.

I recognize that there is a complicated history with regard to the Island's political status. I hope that some of the most common questions can be answered here. But

« iepriekšējāTurpināt »