[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11241-H11243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REGARDING UNITED STATES MEMBERSHIP IN SOUTH PACIFIC ORGANIZATIONS

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 189) expressing the sense of the 
Congress regarding the importance of United States membership in 
regional South Pacific organizations, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 189

       Whereas the United States and the South Pacific region 
     enjoy a close and historic partnership built on a strong 
     foundation of shared values and an unshakable commitment to 
     democracy, development, and human rights;
       Whereas the Pacific Island Nations and Governments, 
     together with New Zealand and Australia, share many of the 
     global objectives of the United States, including the 
     nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, the protection of unique 
     ecosystems, and sustainable economic development consistent 
     with good resource management practices;
       Whereas the United States, through support of the East-West 
     Center in Hawaii, has facilitated establishment of the 
     Pacific Islands Conference, wherein the heads of Pacific 
     Island governments have met triennially to target critical 
     research in furtherance of the region's trade, environment, 
     and development; and
       Whereas the United States is a member of the regional 
     economic and social development body, the South Pacific 
     Commission, participates in and plans to become a party to 
     the regional environment body, the South Pacific Regional 
     Environment Program, as well as being a dialogue partner for 
     the regional political body, the South Pacific Forum: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the traditional and close ties between the 
     United States and the South Pacific region and reaffirms the 
     value of these ties;
       (2)(A) notes the need to continue to support the efforts of 
     the nations and governments of the region to enhance the 
     sustainable development of the more fragile island economies 
     and their integration into the regional economy, while 
     helping to ensure the protection of the unique ecosystems of 
     the region; and
       (B) recognizes the efforts of the East-West Center and 
     Pacific Islands Conference in furtherance of the efforts 
     described in subparagraph (A);
       (3) commands the South Pacific Commission for the process 
     of managerial and organizational reform currently being 
     undertaken, and recognizes the important role the United 
     States financial contribution to, and participation in, the 
     organization makes in assisting it to realize the gradual 
     economic self-sufficiency to all members of the organization; 
     and
       (4) reaffirms the commitment of the United States as a 
     member of the South Pacific Commission and a participant in 
     the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, and a 
     member of the post-Forum dialogue partnership of the United 
     States with the South Pacific Forum.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Gilman] and the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. 
Faleomavaega] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman].
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and ranking 
minority member of our Asia and Pacific Subcommittee for this support 
of House Concurrent Resolution 189, a resolution expressing the sense 
of the Congress regarding the importance of United States membership in 
regional South Pacific organizations.
  In the post colonial era, regional cooperation has become one of the 
key elements in the development of the South Pacific. While the 
programs that the South Pacific Commission, the South Pacific Regional 
Environment Program and other regional organizations undertake are 
small in scale, the impact on regional stability is critical. In short 
the small investment is for a high return.
  Nations in the South Pacific share our values and a commitment to the 
democratic process. These values are of course also shared by our 
friends in the North Pacific, many of whom such as the Federated States 
of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are also members 
of these important regional organizations. Their support has been 
important to the United States in the United Nations and other 
international fora. However, we cannot continue to take it for granted.
  In the post-cold-war era we need to ensure that we remain engaged in 
this key strategic region on the doorstep of Asia. In order to do this 
we must continue to support the work of regional organizations such as 
the South Pacific Commission, the South Pacific Regional Environment 
Program and the South Pacific Forum.
  Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Guam [Mr. Underwood], a distinguished colleague and friend of 
mine, a very valued member of the Committee on National Security.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  I want to extend my personal congratulations to the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. Gilman], the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], the 
gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. Faleomavaega], and the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Berman], for cosponsoring this resolution. This 
resolution draws attention to some very important islands and a very 
important ocean in this world and it is perhaps a mark of the changing 
world dynamics that we have to seek through a resolution to bring 
attention to this. I also want to personally thank the chairman of the 
subcommittee, Mr. Bereuter, for his hearing yesterday in which he drew 
attention to the condition of the freely associated States in the North 
Pacific.
  I have to make the point that as a former social studies teacher, 
although this resolution refers to areas in the South Pacific, that it 
includes the Northern Pacific as well, as indicated by Mr. Gilman. 
Those of us who live in the Northern Pacific are sometimes lumped as 
part of the South Pacific, and it is an important item at least to 
those us who live north of the equator.

[[Page H11242]]

  The objectives of this legislation are excellent. They help bring 
attention to a very crucial part of the world. Many issues, strategic 
issues of importance, continue to be manifested in this part of the 
world. Nuclear issues. There are island issues regarding economic 
development and some very unique ecosystems. But most of all there are 
people issues. These people, the Pacific islanders, of which I am proud 
to say that there are two Pacific islanders in this body, Mr. 
Faleomavaega and myself, represent some very unique cultural traditions 
and we also represent the American part of the Pacific. So it is quite 
natural that we stand in strong support of this resolution.
  We should encourage American participation in regional organizations, 
but I believe that we have to raise another issue and our work should 
not end there. America has distinct historical, cultural, and political 
ties, ties which have been established and strengthened by American 
citizens of U.S. territories of the Pacific, Guam, American Samoa, and 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. The U.S. territories 
of the Pacific could play an important part in America's economic 
strategy in that region, and the Federal Government should appreciate 
the potential advantage it has because of the people of these 
territories.

  The Federal Government should support the inclusion of territories in 
these regional forums as they participate themselves. These forums 
should also serve as opportunities to promote the territories of the 
North and South Pacific as America's economic and cultural bridge to 
Asia and the Pacific rim. This would be in the interests of both the 
territories and the Federal Government.
  Our link to the Pacific is vital to the future of America's economy 
and foreign trade opportunity, but we should not forget that our 
ultimate interest in the Pacific region is people and, most 
importantly, our fellow American citizens who reside there.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], distinguished chairman of our 
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this 
time.
  As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I rise 
in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 189, which expresses 
the sense of Congress regarding the importance of U.S. membership in 
regional South Pacific organizations. This web would congratulate the 
resolution's author, chairman of the Committee on International 
Relations, Mr. Gilman, for his excellent leadership on this issue. This 
Member is also pleased to join as a cosponsor of this important 
measure. I thank the gentleman from Guam for his very kind remarks, and 
I was very pleased that he joined us in a joint subcommittee hearing 
between the Committee on International Relations as a member of the 
Committee on Resources yesterday. He joined the gentleman from American 
Samoa and myself and other members of our two subcommittees to examine 
those parts of the Pacific that were once part of the trust territories 
assigned to the United States, now called freely associated states, 
and, of course, the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas. And the 
gentleman is right to recall that all the trust territories that we 
were assigned are a part of the Northern Pacific.
  I think that the gentleman from American Samoa represents the only 
American territory in the southern hemisphere. He is shaking his head 
in affirmation. House Concurrent Resolution 189 is indeed a bipartisan 
resolution with the gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. Faleomavaega] 
and the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] making very important 
contributions.
  Mr. Speaker, the South Pacific is a vast region where the United 
States has a myriad of commercial and strategic interests. 
Unfortunately this important region does not receive the attention it 
deserves. Perhaps, understandably, this body tends to focus on civil 
war, natural disasters, and nations in crisis. But in the process, many 
of our friends, those nations which are not experiencing societal 
upheaval, seem to be overlooked.
  This body seldom hears about the Pacific Island nations, in part 
because we have some good bilateral and multilateral relations, even 
though sometimes I think we neglect them. The United States 
productively contributes in a number of regional bodies, such as the 
South Pacific Regional Environmental Program and the South Pacific 
Forum and the East-West Center in Hawaii which serves as a major center 
of South Pacific policy studies as well as study on other parts of the 
Pacific and the Asian part of the Pacific rim.
  This Member would say that this sort of resolution where this body 
takes the time, makes a small amount of effort, very well conceived, 
commending the efforts of our long-time friends and allies, serves a 
very important function; people do pay attention. This resolution tells 
our Pacific Island friends that we do not take them for granted and 
that we value their friendship.
  When I was a member of the 42d General Assembly of the United 
Nations, a legislative delegate appointed, we took the time to meet 
with our South Pacific and Northern Pacific friends, and in fact we 
found that those were the countries that were voting with us the most 
often even though we sometimes, I am afraid, neglected them.
  So I think this resolution tells the nations of the region that the 
United States intends to continue working with them in the future. It 
says we are interested in their views on regional, environmental, and 
development matters.
  Mr. Speaker, these are important things to say, and this Member 
commends Chairman Gilman for saying them so eloquently. I urge my 
colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to commend my good friend, the gentleman from Guam, for his 
earlier comments. He certainly is quite modest by saying that he is 
just a social studies teacher. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, 
he holds a doctorate in education from the University of Southern 
California. Some of my friends have described this university as the 
university of solid connections. My preference is that he should have 
attended the University of California at Berkeley where I matriculated, 
but I certainly want to commend my friend from Guam for his excellent 
comments. And I commend the gentleman from Nebraska, the chairman of 
the House Asia-Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, for his leadership as a 
chief sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I deeply commend the chairman of our committee Mr. 
Gilman, for his strong leadership and introduction of this thoughtful 
measure which fosters positive relations between America and this 
important region of the world; important enough, Mr. Speaker, to note 
that the Pacific covers one-third of the earth's surface. I think we 
have to keep that in mind. I am proud to join Asia-Pacific Affairs 
Subcommittee Chairman Doug Bereuter and the subcommittee's ranking 
Democrat, Howard Berman, as an original cosponsor of House Concurrent 
Resolution 189.
  Mr. Speaker, America has had a long and extraordinarily deep 
relationship with our friends and allies in the Pacific region. Before 
and since World War II, we have fought alongside our allies to preserve 
peace and nurture democracy in the Pacific.
  Today, America continues this commitment through support of and 
participation with the region's most important organizations--the South 
Pacific Commission [SPC], the South Pacific Forum, and the South 
Pacific Regional Environmental Program [SPREP].
  United States involvement with these leading regional organizations 
reflects the fact that America has substantial interests in the South 
Pacific--whether that be in the areas of investment and trade, 
strategic security and nuclear nonproliferation, democratic government 
and human rights, or protection of the Pacific marine environment which 
encompasses one-third of the Earth.
  The resolution before our colleagues underscores that the concerns of 
the South Pacific governments often dovetail with America's interests, 
and it is vital that the United States continue to participate in these 
regional organizations and to support the important work of the South 
Pacific Commission, the South Pacific Forum, and the South Pacific 
Regional Environmental Program.

[[Page H11243]]

  The resolution further recognizes the significant contributions of 
two other important institutions in the South Pacific region--the East-
West Center in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands Conference.
  In 1960, the U.S. Congress established and funded the East-West 
Center to foster mutual understanding and cooperation among the 
governments and peoples of the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Speaker, the 
East-West Center has done an outstanding job with this mission, and in 
particular has significantly promoted positive and deeper relations 
between the United States and the South Pacific nations.
  In 1980, the East-West Center facilitated the establishment of the 
Pacific Islands Conference, the only regional organization to bring 
together all heads of government in the South Pacific without regard to 
political status.
  Meeting every 3 years, the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders 
identifies and targets critical areas of research in furtherance of the 
region's trade, environment, and development. This research is 
subsequently conducted by the East-West Center's Pacific Islands 
Development Program.
  With U.S. support, the efforts of the East-West Center and the 
Pacific Islands Conference have contributed to progress for responsible 
and sustained economic development in the South Pacific region.
  Mr. Speaker, I would ask our colleagues to join us in adopting this 
worthy legislation which reaffirms the value of the historically close 
ties between the United States and the Pacific Island nations, and 
calls for continued U.S. engagement in the affairs of the South Pacific 
region.
  I would urge passage by the House of House Concurrent Resolution 189.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the delegate from American 
Samoa for his supportive remarks and for his continued hard work on 
behalf of the Pacific communities. I want to thank our distinguished 
chairman of our Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Bereuter, for 
his supportive work on this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further request for time, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this resolution, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 
189, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule 
I, and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this 
motion will be postponed.

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