[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 6, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2175-H2176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GUAM'S QUEST FOR COMMONWEALTH CONTINUES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from GUAM [Mr. Underwood] is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, next year marks the 100th anniversary of 
the end of the Spanish-American War, with the territory of Guam being 
one of the spoils of that conflict. It has been 100 years since Guam 
has been a colony of the United States. And before that, Guam was a 
colony of Spain for over 200 years.
  We are a people who can adapt and adjust to wars, typhoons and 
changes from outside forces. But we have been a colony of one Nation or 
another for far too long. We have taken steps to change our inability 
to make decisions for ourselves which govern our everyday lives. We 
have begun the journey for change in plebescite in 1982, and our 
journey for commonwealth status continues today.
  The people of Guam, American citizens in the Western Pacific, will 
not remain colonized for another century. We have been loyal citizens 
under the American flag. We have developed economically to the point 
where we have a booming tourist industry, the envy of many Asian 
Pacific nations. We could develop even further if we did not have so 
much Federal constraints imposed upon us as an unincorporated 
territory.
  To help us develop further, we are striving for an improved political 
relationship with the Federal Government through the Guam Commonwealth 
Act, H.R. 100. I introduced H.R. 100 on the first day of the 105th 
Congress. This important legislation embodies the aspirations of the 
people of Guam for more self-governance and signals to the American 
people that we are serious about changing from our current status under 
an organic act to a negotiated commonwealth status.
  We embarked on this journey in 1982 when the people of Guam voted for 
commonwealth in a plebescite. A draft commonwealth proposal was 
presented to the U.S. Government, both the executive branch and the 
legislative branch. The Congress, through the House Subcommittee on 
Insular and International Affairs, held a hearing in 1989 in Hawaii. At 
that time, the administration raised a number of objections and the 
chairman of the subcommittee asked the Guam officials at the hearing to 
meet with the executive branch officials to resolve or narrow their 
differences on how best to structure a new relationship.
  It has been 8 years since the executive branch has been meeting with 
the representatives of the Guam Commission on Self-Determination. 
Numerous meetings were held to discuss, debate and deliberate on a 
variety of issues embodied in the draft commonwealth proposal.
  We have had to deal with an interagency task force of individuals who 
resisted changes to the status quo in traditional Federal territorial 
relations. We have worked with four Presidentially-appointed special 
representatives who led the Federal negotiations with Guam officials. 
It has been a taxing, debilitating experience filled with a few minor 
breakthroughs and a few major agreements on structuring a commonwealth, 
but we still have not reached final agreement.
  After 8 years, we still do not have an official position from the 
administration; and this is true whether it was in the Bush 
administration or the current Clinton administration, whether they will 
support or oppose the Guam Commonwealth Act. I urge the administration 
to bring closure to this process so that Guam can assess its options on 
how best to proceed.
  I personally asked the President last month to complete this long 
delayed process, but we are not going to wait for the answer. We are 
ready to move on to another playing field; namely, the U.S. Congress.
  Last month, the Governor of Guam, bipartisan members of the Guam 
Commission on Self-Determination, and

[[Page H2176]]

legislature, and I met with House and Senate committee members who have 
jurisdiction over insular issues. We were energized with the 
understanding of the issues and especially the renewed commitment by 
Chairman Don Young to conduct a hearing on the Guam Commonwealth Act, 
perhaps this summer after the committee has concluded its consideration 
of Puerto Rico's political status legislation.
  We thank Chairman Young and the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Miller], the ranking member, and Members of the other body for their 
commitment to work with me and other elected officials from Guam to 
move the Guam commonwealth process along.
  As often is the case, congressional action on an issue is the driving 
force for change. By moving Guam commonwealth to the congressional 
level, it will force the administration to seriously decide whether to 
help Guam craft a new relationship or to oppose our quest for 
commonwealth. It is my hope that by the time we hold the hearings in 
Congress that the administration will conclude its review and 
consideration of Guam commonwealth.
  The people of Guam are relying on the Congress, the branch of 
government which represents all of the people of this Union, to be fair 
to us and to be receptive to our quest for an improved relationship. 
One hundred years is too long.

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