[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 99 (Friday, June 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 15, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1530) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1996 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 1996, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to speak to a number of 
issues related to the fiscal year 1996 DoD authorization bill.
  First, I want to thank Chairman Spence, Hefley, Dornan, Bateman, 
Weldon, and Hunter for their work with me on issues of particular 
interest to Guam in the committee. I also appreciate the efforts of the 
ranking member Ronald Dellums for his work with me on my priorities in 
the committee, and the hard work of the staff of the National Security 
Committee.
  I am pleased that the committee helped to ensure that seven out of 
eight of my priorities were included either in legislative or report 
language. As a result of legislative language put in the bill at my 
request, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas will now be afforded 
a nomination for the military service academies and Guam will be 
included in the definition of the United States for the purposes of 
repairs on Navy homeported ships. I am also pleased that the committee 
included report language on the Naval Hospital-Guam, the Guam Air 
National Guard, the Piti Power Plant and the placement of the Navy SEAL 
facilities.
  The only item that the committee did not include was funding for an 
armory for the Guam National Guard. I understand the constraints under 
which Chairman Hefley was operating, and hope that the message he was 
trying to send to the Army resonates within the Department. Next year, 
perhaps the Army will include a request for construction of an armory 
in Guam in their budget.
  The National Guard on Guam is the only guard unit in the United 
States that does not have an armory, which seriously hampers their 
ability to complete their mission. Within the last few years, Guam has 
experienced over a hundred typhoons, tropical storms, and several 
earthquakes, including one measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale. The Guam 
National Guard is under more demand for their services than most other 
Guard units in the States, but, without an armory, they simply cannot 
adequately respond to these natural disasters.
  Many of my colleagues have spoken about priorities in this bill and 
the need to support the readiness of our troops. The proposed Army 
Museum, which would require $15 million for land purchases, has 
attracted attention due to budget constraints. I hope that the Army 
puts as much effort into developing plans to meet the construction 
needs of armories at National Guard units as they do in pursuing 
funding for the museum.
  Therefore, before the Army begins construction of their museum, I 
challenge them to present a plan to Congress for how they are going to 
meet the need to construct National Guard armories. The plan that I am 
requesting will outline how the Army plans to fit this funding in their 
budget requests in the tight fiscal environment they face. With the 
decision in Congress to reject any Member add-ons for armories that are 
not requested by the Army, it is now time for the Army to rethink their 
budgets and request funds for armories in next year's budget. I look 
forward to working with Secretary of the Army Togo West and Assistant 
Secretary for Installations, Logistics and Environment Robert Michael 
Walker in the next year on this funding request.
  I also want to note my support for an amendment that was proposed by 
Representative Ronald Dellums. This amendment earmarked $61 million, of 
the $10.7 billion provided in the bill for defensewide operation and 
maintenance activities, for the Defense Department's Office of Economic 
Adjustment.
  The Dellums proposal would ensure that the Office of Economic 
Adjustment continues to have the tools to assist communities where 
military bases are being closed. As my constituents in Guam can 
testify, the functions of the Office of Economic Adjustment are 
critical to the ability of local communities to reuse bases which are 
closing. Without assistance, local reuse committees will be left 
without the ability to convert these facilities quickly into productive 
use.
  I commend Ranking Member Dellums for raising this issue and for his 
leadership to secure funding for reuse at closed bases. I am hopeful 
that, in the environment of downsizing and budget cuts, Congress will 
not forget the obstacles and challenges that local communities face in 
developing reuse plans for closed military facilities. With the 
leadership of Congressman Dellums, I have no doubt that the problems 
faced by local reuse committees will remain on Congress's agenda.
  Again, I want to thank Chairman Spence, Ranking Member Dellums and 
each of the subcommittee chairman for their willingness to work with me 
on issues of particular importance to Guam. I look forward to 
continuing this close working relationship next year as we follow 
through on the commitments made in this year's bill.

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