[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 54 (Tuesday, May 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     GUAM'S ACTIVITIES COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS UNDER AMERICAN RULE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). 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. Madam Speaker, this week May 1 commemorates the strike 
of Admiral Dewey in the harbor of the Philippines in connection with 
the Spanish-American War.
  One of the great misunderstood events of American history has been 
the Spanish-American War, in which most people assumed that most of the 
activity occurred in the Caribbean, when in fact immediately after the 
declaration of war, the first strike took place in the Philippines; and 
the repercussions of the Spanish-American War were actually felt more 
in the Pacific part of the world than in the Caribbean.
  In commemoration of the 1898 Spanish-American War and Guam's role in 
that, I would like to inform my colleagues about the various activities 
my office will be hosting in conjunction with various organizations on 
Guam and in the continental United States. From exhibits to conferences 
to commemoration ceremonies, the centennial anniversary of the Spanish-
American War promises to be an exciting and educational year not only 
for Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, but also for those who wish 
to learn about America's political, economic, and social campaigns in 
the Caribbean and Pacific areas at the turn of the century and their 
repercussions today.
  I would like to invite my colleagues to view our upcoming exhibit at 
the Cannon Rotunda commencing May 18 and ending May 30. In conjunction 
with the Guam Museum, the Nieves Flores Public Library, the Guam 
Council on the Arts and Humanities, the Government of Guam, the 
University of Guam and dedicated individuals, my office will sponsor 
this event for the main purpose of educating congressional members and 
staff, as well as Capitol Hill visitors, on the importance of Guam's 
struggle, which continues today, to attain full membership into the 
American family.
  Each of the 8 panels will illustrate the courageous story of the 
Chamorros, the indigenous people of Guam, from Guam's pre-European 
contact days to Spanish rule to the historical and strategic role Guam 
plays today in the United States and the Asian theatre.
  On Guam, from June 18 to 20, my office and the University of Guam 
will be cosponsoring an academic conference tracing Guam's journey from 
Spanish to American governance. Participants from the United States, 
Guam, and Spain will present papers analyzing elements of the Spanish-
American War and the eventual colonial steps taken by the United States 
to acquire its first possessions in the Pacific. This discussion 
promises to increase our awareness of just how important the Asian-
Pacific region played then and, of course, its vital role today in 
international relations.
  I am also involved in helping plan Guam's commemorative activities 
with the Smithsonian Institution later on this year.
  I would also like to highlight Arizona State University's December 
conference entitled ``1848/1898 at 1998: Transhistoric Thresholds.'' 
This week-long conference will involve academic presentations, film 
viewings, and forums designed to elicit debate and discussion about the 
effects of the Spanish-American War not only on Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba 
and the Philippines, but on the overall American political agenda 
today.
  I emphasize to my colleagues the valuable insight into Asian-Pacific-
American affairs which can be obtained from the various events which I 
have outlined. Whether through print or visual mediums, these 
activities contain vital information which address issues currently 
being discussed in Congress today.
  For example, the Guam Centennial Cannon Rotunda exhibit in May and 
the Guam conference in June will not only clarify the Spanish legacy 
and the American role in Guam today, they will also assist us in 
understanding Guam's political struggle for self-determination.
  The centennial commemorations in 1998, whether they be sponsored by 
my office or other organizations, certainly deserve a great deal of 
attention from us. The American family in the Pacific reduced 
geographically in recent years. However, we must keep in mind that the 
American role in the Asian-Pacific region has not diminished. And Guam 
today place a very vital strategic role in the area, an important 
attribute not overlooked by American leaders at the turn of the century 
when they chose to acquire Guam.
  Again, I invite my colleagues to take advantage of this historic year 
and participate in the various centennial events with me. Increasing 
our awareness of the Spanish-American War legacy will only improve our 
understanding of political, economic, and cultural relations today in 
the Pacific.

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