[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 110 (Monday, July 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H6701-H6702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           COMPACT-IMPACT AID

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Guam [Mr. Underwood] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to again call attention to 
an issue which combines all of the worst elements of a failed Federal 
policy in immigration which has resulted in huge unfunded mandates and 
stands as an example of how to make and break a promise. Mr. Speaker, I 
am speaking of the Federal Government's failure to compensate the 
people of Guam for expenses incurred as a result of a treaty we on Guam 
had no part in shaping.
  Mr. Speaker, do Members of this body or the citizens of this country 
know that there are countries in this world, independent nations which 
have free and unrestricted access to the United States?
  Mr. Speaker, do Members of this body or the citizens of this country 
know that there are nationals of other countries who can walk through 
immigration checkpoints with only an identification card; with no visa 
requirement, with no passport, with no restriction on their movement or 
time of stay?
  Mr. Speaker, do Members of this body or the citizens of this country 
know that there are citizens of other countries who can come into the 
United States and work, receive public assistance and other benefits 
available to citizens and permanent residents apparently without 
restrictions?
  It is true that citizens of the newly independent countries of the 
former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, under a treaty 
relationship between their countries and the United States, can come 
and have come to the United States, primarily to the State of Hawaii 
and the Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern
 Marianas. And many have come to work and be productive participants in 
the economy.

  But there is the matter of the Federal Government making a commitment 
to unrestricted access by foreign nationals via a treaty which falls 
disproportionately on local governments like that of Guam. This is not 
new to many areas of the country where a similar situation has resulted 
in ``unfunded mandates.'' Bear in mind that this is legal immigration 
with no restrictions--no paperwork and no documentation, and all that 
is required for entry is an identification card from their own 
country--not even Canada, which has open borders with the United 
States, has such favorable immigration treatment.
  This is a serious enough situation, but in the case of Guam--it is 
far more egregious in its negative impact because of our small size and 
limited population. And in terms of the issue of the unfunded mandates, 
the commitment was not made verbally or through exchanges of letters by 
the Federal Government--it was authorized in statute passed by this 
body in Public Law 99-239.
  Public Law 99-239, section 104(e)(6) states:

       There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal 
     years beginning after September 30, 1985, such sums as may be 
     necessary to cover the costs, if any, incurred by the State 
     of Hawaii, the territories of Guam and American Samoa, and 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands resulting 
     from any increased demands placed on educational and social 
     services by immigrants from the Marshall Islands and the 
     Federated States of Micronesia.

  We call this reimbursement compact-impact-aid--the assistance due 
local governments for the financial impact of the Compact of Free 
Association. Guam, due to its proximity, has received the greatest 
share of this immigration. Since the treaties went into effect, we now 
estimate that 6 percent of the total population of Guam is from these 
freely associated states. If the same percentage of immigrants were 
applied to the United States, there would be 15 million immigrants. And 
what is more startling is that this unrestricted immigration is 
entirely legal.
  The total cost to the Government of Guam since the inception of this 
immigration is in excess of $70 million. The Guam Memorial Hospital 
estimates an impact of $750,000 in costs in fiscal year 1994, and $2.55 
million since 1986 to the Medically Indigent Program due to compact 
immigrants. Public housing assistance cost Guam $2 million in fiscal 
year 1994 and $7.5 million since 1986. 

[[Page H 6702]]
I have also heard reports from one elementary school principal who must 
devote three classrooms, with teachers and aides, just to teach English 
and reading skills to immigrants.
  The total reimbursement given to Guam based on the law has been $2.5 
million.
  This is all that has been given to Guam in reimbursement for this 
dramatic impact on our society and economy. Mr. Speaker, given this 
legacy of the Federal Government's inability to make good on its 
promises, we should ask the question, What is Guam asking for in the 
Interior appropriations and what is Guam getting in the Interior 
appropriations?
  These are easy questions. Guam is asking only that the Federal 
Government start living up to its commitment by putting in $4.58 
million that the administration requested for fiscal year 1996. Guam is 
not asking for Government assistance; Guam is not asking for special 
projects; Guam is only asking for a down payment of a long overdue 
bill.
  And what is Guam getting? Well, the answer is simple. Currently, the 
Interior budget is giving Guam zero, zilch, zip, nothing, nada, taya--
no money, however you want to say it. It is time to begin paying the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, this week I intend to offer an amendment to H.R. 1977, 
the Interior appropriations bill, to restore the funding requested by 
the administration for the cost of this immigration. The Federal 
Government cannot have a free ride at Guam's expense, on a policy Guam 
had no part in shaping. The Federal Government cannot open Guam to 
unrestricted immigration and then stick us with the bill. The Federal 
Government cannot pass on this unfunded mandate to Guam while leaving 
us alone to deal with the impact of this immigration. I urge my 
colleagues to support Guam's compact-impact reimbursement.


                          ____________________