[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 143 (Thursday, September 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H8943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       THE GUAM COMMONWEALTH ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Guam [Mr. Underwood] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, This afternoon I want to address the 
current situation regarding our effort to advance the cause of a new 
political status for Guam as envisioned in the Guam Commonwealth Act, 
H.R. 1056. I introduced H.R. 1056 on February 24, 1995, as my first 
bill of the 104th Congress.
  The Guam Commission on Self-Determination, a bipartisan commission of 
Government of Guam officials and citizen participants, is currently in 
discussions with the Clinton administration to resolve specific areas 
of disagreement on the specifics of the draft Guam Commonwealth Act. 
These discussions have been on hold for some time because of the 
resignation of the administration's Special Representative for Guam 
Commonwealth, Mr. I. Michael Heyman, earlier this year. After several 
months spent searching for a replacement for Mr. Heyman, the 
administration has appointed a very capable individual to complete the 
task at hand, Mr. Stanley Roth, an Assistant to the President and the 
Senior Director of Asian Affairs in the National Security Council. We 
are pleased with the selection of Mr. Roth, and we believe that he has 
the necessary understanding of Guam's issues and the skill to build on 
the progress that has been achieved by Mr. Heyman in the past year.
  The Guam Commonwealth Act, H.R. 1056, would redefine the way the 
Federal Government relates to Guam, and would give Guam the tools we 
need to succeed in the next century. Guam has a robust economy fueled 
by its visitor industry. This year Guam expects to attract over 1.3 
million visitors. Guam is relatively self-sufficient, and Guam is not 
seeking a new Commonwealth to get new Federal money--instead, Guam is a 
success story of the insular territories, and Guam's drive for a new 
status is motivated by a partnership that is good for America and good 
for Guam.
  As America's westernmost soil, 10,000 miles and 15 time zones away, 
Guam is America's front door to Asian trade. Guam is often thought of 
as being strategically important to the United States in military 
terms. But Guam is also strategically important in projecting American 
influence and American democracy in our part of the world.
  The new majority in Congress has undertaken to reshape the Federal 
relationship with the States, and has given national attention to this 
issue. However, there has not been very much thought given to how the 
new federalism would affect the insular territories. It is not an 
automatic assumption to say that power that is divested from the 
Federal Government would be given to the territories in the same way 
that it is given to the States. We have already seen examples in 
legislation affecting the territories where the empowerment of the 
States has not translated into an empowerment of the territories. I 
would point out, just as many conservative leaders have pointed out, 
that the 10th amendment restricts the power of the Federal Government, 
and reserves those powers not granted to the Federal Government to the 
States and the people. It may surprise some to learn that the 10th 
amendment does not apply to the territories. While we are not States, 
we are still people. But, all constitutional protections afforded to 
any American in any State are also afforded to the Americans in the 
territories.
  Guam's Commonwealth Act challenges this Congress to look at the 
Federal relationship in this era, and offers a new relationship within 
our constitutional framework. We have proposed a framework that gives 
Guam stake in the Federal system. We have proposed a framework that is 
based on the American concept that power drives from the consent of the 
governed. And we have proposed a framework that unleashes the economic 
potential of Guam within the American system.
  I hope that this Congress would deal with these issues in a serious 
and forthright manner, and that we can begin the process of shaping the 
new Commonwealth for Guam early in the next session. I look forward to 
the weeks and months ahead and to our work with Mr. Roth and the Guam 
Commission on Self-Determination. The Chairman of the Guam Commission, 
Governor Gutierrez, has signaled his eagerness to get on with the 
business of completing the Commonwealth discussions and bringing this 
issue to closure. Working together with Guam and the Federal 
Government, I have every confidence that the aspirations of the people 
of Guam for a new Commonwealth can be fulfilled.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1056, the Guam Commonwealth Act, 
and I challenge this Congress to find a role for the Americans in the 
territories as they redefine a new federalism.


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