[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E22-E23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       COMPACT IMPACT RELIEF ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 10, 2018

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I reintroduce the Compact Impact Relief 
Act to address the costs of providing local public services to migrants 
under the Compacts of Free Association.
  I am very pleased to have the support of our colleagues from Hawai'i 
and the Northern Mariana Islands, as original cosponsors.
  Under the Compacts, an unlimited number of citizens from three Freely 
Associated States (FAS)--the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of 
Micronesia, and Palau--may live and work in the United States.
  Compact migrants effectively enjoy the same freedoms of movement and 
to work as lawful permanent residents, like green card holders, in our 
country do.
  As such, our bill seeks to allow Compact migrants to participate in 
select federal programs, if they meet the program criteria, the same 
way that green card holders can under current law.
  Importantly, our bill ensures that federal resources are not diverted 
from U.S. citizens and nationals in order to accommodate Compact 
migrants.
  Economic conditions and the reality of climate change for Pacific 
island nations have driven more and more Compact migrants to the United 
States.
  Guam remains the primary destination for Compact migrants, followed 
closely by Hawai'i.
  According to the most recent Census Bureau figures, more than 76,000 
FAS citizens reside in the United States, including nearly 18,000 on 
Guam.
  I appreciate that the Compacts remain important to American strategic 
interests in the Asia-Pacific region, including Guam's security.
  I also know--firsthand--the significant contributions that Compact 
migrants make to

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Guam and other communities as far away as Springdale, Arkansas.
  Many citizens of the Freely Associated States serve proudly in the 
United States military.
  However, insufficient support from the federal government causes 
serious strain on local jurisdictions with significant Compact migrant 
communities.
  The costs borne by GovGuam and other local governments are simply 
unsustainable.
  Congress must act to provide federal relief to Guam and other 
jurisdictions required to serve these underprivileged Compact migrant 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the Compact Impact Relief Act would 
do.
  Our bill includes novel policy changes that would provide additional 
federal resources for Guam, Hawai'i, and other states and territories.
  In particular, the Compact Impact Relief Act ensures that Guam--and 
other territories--can utilize fully important federal programs 
including: Job Corps centers funded by the U.S. Department of Labor; 
national and community service programs like AmeriCorps and the Youth 
Conservation Corps; and an accurate 10-year census that counts Compact 
migrant residents.
  Our bill would permit Guam and other affected jurisdictions to apply 
costs spent providing public services to Compact migrants toward the 
non-federal portion required to provide Medicaid to Americans.
  The bill also classifies Compact migrant schoolchildren as 
``federally connected students'' to make local schools serving them 
eligible for impact aid funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
  Importantly, our bill authorizes additional funding so that Compact 
migrant students do not take resources away from school districts 
receiving federal impact aid currently.
  Next, our bill requires comprehensive assessments of: the Compacts 
and their implementation; the economies of jurisdiction affected by the 
Compacts and the three Freely Associated States; and the unique health 
needs of Pacific Islanders.
  As the United States looks to renew the Compacts ahead of their 
expiration in fiscal year 2023, the federal government cannot continue 
to force local jurisdictions to shoulder the substantial costs of 
accommodating Compact migrants.
  Guam and other states and territories affected by Compact migrants 
need to be reimbursed fairly for the costs of serving these 
underprivileged communities.
  Congress must increase mandatory funding for Compact impact to the 
level recommended by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), as I 
have called for consistently.
  In the meantime, I urge this House to pass the practical policy 
changes included in my Compact Impact Relief Act into law.

                          ____________________