[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 130 (Wednesday, September 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1807-E1808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 3062--SOUTH PACIFIC ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL 
                        DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 5, 2007

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3062, the 
South Pacific Economic and Educational Development Act of 2007, and 
take this opportunity to highlight its value for the strengthening of 
United States diplomacy in Oceania.
  I have the distinct privilege and honor of representing the people of 
Guam in this House. My constituents remain keenly aware and are 
especially appreciative of the United States foreign policy programs 
most relevant and important to our neighboring islands in the greater 
Pacific Basin. Indeed, the provision of United States technical and 
financial assistance to Pacific Island states is cause for associated 
growth and development in, and international recognition of, the 
neighboring Pacific Island territories of the United States.
  Our island territories, including Guam, the Northern Marianas, an 
American Samoa, together with the State of Hawaii, serve as logical 
bridges and links to our friends and allies in the greater Pacific 
Basin. Commerce, trade, communication, and transportation flow between 
and through our Pacific Island territories and the Pacific Island 
nation-states. Heads of state and government officials frequently 
convene in the Pacific Island territories for meetings and summits on 
issues of relevance and interest to the region and to the United 
States. H.R. 3062 is predicated in the historic relationship and 
responsibility the United States has developed with the Pacific Island 
nation-states.
  The introduction and consideration of H.R. 3062 is timely in that it 
follows the eighth meeting of the Pacific Islands Conference of 
Leaders, an organization that was founded in 1980 with the support of 
the East-West Center. The eighth meeting convened in Washington, D.C., 
this past May, and marked the first high-level gathering of Pacific 
Island political leaders in the Nation's capital in the Conference's 
history. Twenty separate heads of states and leaders from Polynesia, 
Melanesia and Micronesia, participated in that meeting, at which 
partnerships between the islands and the United States were renewed. A 
commitment to re-engage in the shared needs and interests of our 
countries was forged at this recent meeting.
  H.R. 3062 would help fulfill a part of the United States commitment 
to re-engage in the Pacific Region. The bill would authorize the United 
States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide 
technical and other assistance to Pacific Island nation-states. The 
bill would also require the Department of State to take certain steps 
to ensure the participation of students from the Pacific Island nation-
states in the distinguished and highly-recognized J. Fulbright 
Educational Exchange Program.
  I am confident that the provision of such assistance and the 
participation of Pacific Island students in the Fulbright Program will 
serve to strengthen United States-Pacific Island relations. H.R. 3062 
would also serve to support the advancement of efforts to strengthen 
regional cooperation, especially in the areas of trade, tourism, the 
environment, education, and defense and security.
  I commend our colleague from American Samoa, Congressman Eni 
Faleomavaega, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee 
and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global 
Environment, for sponsoring this legislation and for his leadership in 
buttressing United States assistance in the greater Pacific Basin. I 
urge my colleagues' support for H.R. 3062.

[[Page E1808]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, September 6, 2007 may be found in 
the Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                              SEPTEMBER 7
     9 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine a report of the Government 
           Accountability Office's assessment of 18 Iraq 
           benchmarks, with the possibility of a closed session in 
           SR-222 immediately following the open session.
                                                            SH-216

                              SEPTEMBER 10
     9:30 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine confronting the terrorist 
           threat to the Homeland, six years after 9/11.
                                                            SD-342

                              SEPTEMBER 11
     9:30 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine Iraq, focusing on the 
           Crocker-Petraeus report.
                                                            SH-216
     10 a.m.
       Budget
         To hold hearings to examine health care and the federal 
           budget, focusing on options for achieving universal 
           health coverage.
                                                            SD-608
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine the United States-Peru Trade 
           Promotion Agreement.
                                                            SD-215
     2 p.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the situation in Iraq, 
           focusing on the progress made by the Government of Iraq 
           in meeting benchmarks.
                                                            SH-216

                              SEPTEMBER 12
     9:30 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine S. 2017, to amend the Energy 
           Policy and Conservation Act to provide for national 
           energy efficiency standards for general service 
           incandescent lamps.
                                                            SD-366
     10 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine enhancing the safety of toy's 
           relating to lead paint, the Consumer Product Safety 
           Commission, and toy safety standards.
                                                            SD-192
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Julie L. 
           Myers, of Kansas, to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland 
           Security.
                                                            SD-342
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine regulatory preemption 
           relating to federal agencies usurping congressional and 
           state authority.
                                                            SD-226
       Rules and Administration
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Robert 
           Charles Tapella, of Virginia, to be Public Printer for 
           the Government Printing Office.
                                                            SR-301

                              SEPTEMBER 18
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold an oversight hearing on the National Football 
           League retirement system.
                                                            SR-253

                              SEPTEMBER 19
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold oversight hearings to examine information 
           technology.
                                                            SD-562

                              SEPTEMBER 20
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
           Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative 
           presentation by the American Legion.
                                              345, Cannon Building
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine S. 1377, to direct the 
           Secretary of the Interior to convey to the City of 
           Henderson, Nevada, certain Federal land located in the 
           City, S. 1433, to amend the Alaska National Interest 
           Lands Conservation Act to provide competitive status to 
           certain Federal employees in the State of Alaska, S. 
           1608 and H.R. 815, bills to provide for the conveyance 
           of certain land in Clark County, Nevada, for use by the 
           Nevada National Guard, S. 1740, to amend the Act of 
           February 22, 1889, and the Act of July 2, 1862, to 
           provide for the management of public land trust funds 
           in the State of North Dakota, S. 1802, to adjust the 
           boundaries of the Frank Church River of No Return 
           Wilderness in the State of Idaho, S. 1803, to authorize 
           the exchange of certain land located in the State of 
           Idaho, S. 1939, to provide for the conveyance of 
           certain land in the Santa Fe National Forest, New 
           Mexico, and S. 1940, to reauthorize the Rio Puerco 
           Watershed Management Program.
                                                            SD-366

                              SEPTEMBER 25
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold oversight hearings to examine Persian Gulf War 
           research.
                                                            SD-562

                              SEPTEMBER 27
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Paul J. 
           Hutter, of Virginia, to be General Counsel, Department 
           of Veterans Affairs.
                                                            SD-562