[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 82 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1086-E1087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF PAUL JOSEPH BORDALLO

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 17, 2007

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of 
Paul Joseph Bordallo, a leader whose service to Guam as a senator, a 
businessman, and as a community activist, leaves an indelible mark in 
the history of our island and will be remembered for many years to 
come. Paul passed away on May 12, 2007, leaving his wife, the former 
Arlene Perez Bias; his children, Penelope, Oliver, Renata, Jonathan, 
Paul, Alethea, and Rosalia; his grandchildren, and a large extended 
family, which includes myself. Paul was my brother-in-law, the younger 
brother of my late husband, Ricardo J. Bordallo, the sons of Balthazar 
J. Bordallo.
  But Paul did not stand in the shadow of his father or brother. He 
cast a very long shadow of his own, in both the business and political 
arenas on Guam. Paul Bordallo was a statesman and a visionary in his 
own right and our island has lost a truly great man.
  The impact of his ideals and accomplishments has been profound and 
lasting. Paul was proud of his Chamorro heritage and was a staunch 
proponent of indigenous civil, political, cultural, and land rights, 
but he did not clamor for attention to these issues. Where other 
activists sought action through protests and demonstrations, Paul 
instead worked diligently to address and secure these rights through 
the political process. He was a soft-spoken intellectual who relied on 
reason and logic to make his point.
  As a member of the 11th and 12th Guam Legislatures, Paul authored the 
Chamorro Land Trust Act, which reserves public land for the use and 
benefit of Guam's indigenous people; the Guam Historic Preservation Act 
and the law making English and Chamorro the official languages of Guam. 
He co-authored the Guam Territorial Seashore Protection Act and the 
Ocean Shore and Territory Beach Access Act, mandating public access to 
all

[[Page E1087]]

beaches and shorelines. He co-authored legislation to establish the 
first Political Status Commission, which sought to address the still-
unresolved issue of political self-determination for the people of 
Guam. Paul was a member of the Commission on Self-Determination, which 
crafted Guam's Draft Commonwealth Act, a proposed transition which was 
to culminate in a final political status for Guam. Paul was the author 
and major proponent of the provisions for the Chamorro only vote and a 
political relationship with the United States based on mutual consent. 
These issues remain highly controversial, even to this day, and 
although Paul played a pivotal role in advancing them, his insight and 
his wisdom won him the admiration and respect of many in our community.
  As evidenced by his legislative agenda, Paul Bordallo's love for 
Guam's natural environment was visionary and uncompromising. In the 
1970s, he was instrumental in the efforts which thwarted the Navy's 
plans to condemn land surrounding Sella and Cetti Bays, two of Guam's 
most scenic vistas and visitor attractions, for a new ammunition wharf. 
This ultimately resulted in the construction of the new ammunition 
wharf on Orote Peninsula, land already controlled by the Navy, and the 
release of the old ammunition wharf, on Cabras Island, to the civilian 
government for development of its ocean freight capacity. Although 
ahead of his time, Paul's opposition to the condemnation of additional 
land for military purposes paved the way for cooperative efforts 
between the federal government and the people of Guam to resolve land 
issues.
  Paul served on the board of the Guam Memorial Hospital for 9 years, 
from 1961 to 1970, including three terms as board chairman. In the wake 
of Supertyphoon Karen, Paul served on the Small Business 
Administration's Disaster Loan Board from 1963 to 1966. Paul also 
served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guam Economic 
Development Authority from 1996 to 1998. He was an advisor to the 
National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC, and a long-
time member of the Democratic Party of Guam, the Guam Chamber of 
Commerce, and the Guam Visitors Bureau.
  As class president, Paul graduated from Guam's George Washington High 
School in 1948. He attended St. Mary's College in Moraga, California, 
with a 4.0 grade average. He then transferred to Stanford University 
and, as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, graduated cum laude with degrees in 
economics and anthropology in 1952. He earned a master's in business 
administration and finance from Harvard University's School of Business 
in 1954. Upon returning to Guam, Paul went to work for Guam Savings and 
Loan Association, headed by Joseph Flores. He was drafted into the army 
in 1956 and served for 2 years. In 1959, he started his own business, 
Family Finance Company, Incorporated. An avid boater and fisherman, he 
also established Marianas Boats and Motors, Inc., to serve Guam's 
boating and fishing community. Both firms are still in business today.
  Despite his failing health in recent years, Paul remained a pillar of 
strength and courage for the entire Bordallo family. I often turned to 
him for his wisdom and good judgment. We all will miss him dearly and 
we find solace in knowing that the people of Guam join us in mourning 
his passing and honoring his memory.

                          ____________________