[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 125 (Monday, September 24, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H5932-H5933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GUAM STANDS READY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2001, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, it is in this time of national crisis and 
in this time of national need that I am proud to stand here in the 
House to reflect upon it and also to report that Guam stands ready to 
do its part. In fact, it is doing so as we speak and as we deliberate.
  Guam's strategic location on the other side of the international date 
line, its very extensive military infrastructure, means that American 
resources and personnel, some of our strongest assets, are moving 
through Guam as we speak, through that part of America, on their way to 
South Asia and on their way to eventual victory.
  The people of Guam have had a long experience with the military and, 
in fact, are very closely aligned with the military not only 
economically but socially and also politically. We have

[[Page H5933]]

over 2,000 people in uniform, on active duty, which amounts to about 
three times the national average. The people of Guam are in every 
branch and in every special operations unit and in every corner of the 
world today.

                              {time}  1245

  The people of Guam extend their condolences and their support to all 
of our fellow Americans, and have done so through resolution by the 
Guam legislature, Resolution Number 125, which I include for the 
Record.

                        Resolution No. 125 (LS)

       Relative to expressing the shock, repugnance and horror of 
     the People of Guam at the hijacking of American commercial 
     passenger airliners, the terrorist attacks upon the World 
     Trade Center and Pentagon, and extending the condolences, 
     sympathy and prayers of the People of Guam to those injured 
     and the families of those who did not survive these acts of 
     cowardice and inhumanity.
       Be it resolved by I LIHESLATURAN GUAHAN:
       Whereas, I Mina'Bente Sais Na Liheslaturan Guahan (the 
     Twenty-Sixth Guam Legislature) on behalf of the People of 
     Guam, having experienced the horrors of war during the 
     bombing of their island on December 8, 1941 and having 
     experienced the horrors, cruelty and human suffering of war, 
     understand, comprehend and relate to the frightening terror 
     resulting from the murderous attacks upon the World Trade 
     Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; 
     and
       Whereas, the People of Guam, though situated more than 
     10,000 miles from New York and Washington, D.C., through 
     advances in modern communications technology, watched, in 
     horror and disbelief, the events beginning with the first 
     aircraft attack upon the World Trade Center, and have 
     continuously followed all news reports on these tragedies; 
     and
       Whereas, the People of Guam, being extremely loyal and 
     patriotic Americans, agree, and are in consonance, with the 
     words of President George W. Bush that these acts have 
     inflamed ``a yielding anger'' in all Americans; have created 
     a firm resolve that America ``will not rest until justice has 
     been achieved''; that ``there will be no differentiation 
     between those who committed these acts of inhumanity and 
     those who harbor them'' and when identified and captured, 
     justice will be served; and
       Whereas, the People of Guam, staunch defenders of liberty, 
     freedom and democracy, do and continue to support the United 
     States of America's policy and philosophy of promoting 
     principles of liberty, freedom and democracy throughout the 
     World for all people; now therefore, be it
       Resolved, That I Mina'Bente Sais Na Liheslaturan Guahan 
     does hereby, on behalf of the People of Guam, condemn the 
     hijacking of American commercial passenger airliners by 
     terrorist forces and the attack and bombing of the New York 
     City World Trade Center Twin Towers and the Pentagon as 
     cowardly acts of war perpetrated upon the United States of 
     America and its People; and be it further
       Resolved, That I Mina'Bente Sais Na Liheslaturan Guahan 
     does hereby, on behalf of the People of Guam, wholeheartedly 
     and resolutely support the promise and determination of 
     President George W. Bush to ``hunt down and bring to 
     justice'' those who plan and perpetrate such acts of war 
     against any freedom loving people and nation, as well as, 
     identification and prosecution of those who harbor or provide 
     refuge to such perpetrators and mass murderers; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That I Mina'Bente Sais Na Liheslaturan Guahan 
     does hereby, on behalf of the People of Guam, wholeheartedly 
     support President George W. Bush's stern intent and resolve 
     to capture, arrest and prosecute all involved in this breach 
     of peace and violation of human rights, and his declaration 
     of and resolution that the search, capture and prosecution of 
     these mass murderers is a top priority of the United States 
     government and its law enforcement agencies; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That I Mina'Bente Sais Na Liheslaturan Guahan 
     does hereby, on behalf of the People of Guam, extend to the 
     Honorable George Pataki, Governor of New York; the Honorable 
     Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor of New York City; the People of New 
     York City, especially the families of those who were injured 
     or who perished as a result of the cowardly attacks upon the 
     World Trade Center Twin Towers; the People of Washington, 
     D.C., especially the families of those who were injured or 
     who perished as a result of the cowardly attacks upon the 
     Pentagon; and the crash of the hijacked plane in Somerset 
     County, Pennsylvania the sympathy, condolences and prayers of 
     all the People of Guam; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Speaker certify and Legislative 
     Secretary attest to the adoption hereof and that copies of 
     the same be transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, 
     President of the United States of America; to the Honorable 
     Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States of 
     America and President of the U.S. Senate; to the Honorable J. 
     Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; 
     to the Honorable George Pataki, Governor of New York; to the 
     Honorable Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor of New York City; to the 
     Honorable Tom Ridge, Governor of Pennsylvania; to Mr. Jim 
     Goodwin, President and Chief Executive Officer of United 
     Airlines, Ltd.; to Mr. Donald J. Carty, President and Chief 
     Executive Officer of American Airlines; to the Honorable 
     Robert A. Underwood, Guam's Delegate to the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; and to the Honorable Carl T. Gutierrez, I 
     Maga'lahen Guahan (Governor of Guam).

  But at the same time that we stand in solidarity with the rest of 
America, my home island is also facing the greatest economic challenge 
that it has faced since World War II when Guam was devastated as the 
only American territory occupied by an enemy during the entire 20th 
Century.
  Guam's economy is fueled primarily by tourism, most of it from Japan. 
Even prior to this attack, Guam was experiencing a 15 percent 
unemployment rate, because our economy is tied so much to Japan's, 
which was three times the national average. Guam was experiencing a $40 
million shortfall in revenues for the Government of Guam, roughly 10 
percent of its entire budget, and for months my office, along with 
other political leaders on Guam and business leaders, have since tried 
to figure out various economic strategies of recovery.
  But since the attack, the results have even been worse. The economic 
picture that we face is even worse. Because of international 
uncertainty and safety concerns, and perhaps a little bit out of 
deference to a Nation in mourning, many international tourists have 
canceled their plans to come to Guam. This is devastating to my home 
island.
  Continental Micronesia, which is the major airline of Guam, has laid 
off hundreds of workers. Hotels, restaurants and shops are empty; 
hundreds have been sent home or had their hours cut back dramatically. 
The ripple effect on ancillary economic activity and on Government of 
Guam revenues is immediate and dramatic. 25,000 Japanese tourists have 
canceled their plans to visit Guam this month, and it estimated that 
there will be a 25 to 30 percent decline in the coming months in the 
number of tourists from Japan.
  The people of Guam are no strangers to tough economic times. Time and 
time again, the people of Guam have weathered the storm and persevered 
during economic hardship. Whether it was rebuilding the economy after a 
Supertyphoon, like Omar in 1992 and Paka in 1997, or an earthquake, 
like the 8.1 on the Richter scale we experienced in 1993, or following 
World War II, or the Gulf War, the people of Guam have always fought 
back, remained patient but determined, and eventually overcame the 
economic difficulty.
  Recovery from the Asian financial crisis, the downsizing of the 
military following the Cold War, and now the recent terrorist attacks, 
presents an enormous challenge, in this hour of national crisis, Guam 
will do its part, as it has done in the past. We support the national 
effort and lend our assistance and support to all military activities 
in Guam.
  Economic recovery is perhaps the best way to show that this Nation is 
back to normal. Economic assistance for communities and workers 
suffering from the decimation of entire industries is one of the best 
ways, although not the best way, to demonstrate that this Nation's 
political leadership understands the meaning of the attack nearly 2 
weeks ago.
  In the coming days and weeks, I will vigorously pursue an economic 
stimulus plan for Guam and the insular areas. There has been some 
progress on this, but much work needs to be done. I ask that the U.S. 
territories not be forgotten as we contemplate economic relief 
proposals for the entire Nation in the coming weeks and the coming 
months.

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