[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF U.S.-PHILIPPINE RELATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES C. MOYLAN

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 13, 2026

  Mr. MOYLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 80th 
anniversary of U.S.-Philippine relations.
  In 1946, the Nation of the Philippines gained its independence and 
officially opened diplomatic relations with the United States. Since 
then, the U.S.-Philippine Alliance has evolved to become one of our 
most critical Pacific partnerships.
  The United States and the Philippines share deep historical and 
cultural ties. During the Second World War, Filipinos fought alongside 
American service members in a battle for freedom against the imperial 
Japanese military from the battlefields of Luzon to the shores of Leyte 
Gulf.
  Our shared sacrifice in defense of the Philippines led to one of our 
Nation's longest standing defense treaties in Asia, The Philippine 
Mutual Defense Treaty, signed August 1951. The foundational agreement 
set up the cornerstone for the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, ensuring an 
attack on one is an attack on both.
  Since 1951, our security cooperation has evolved and strengthened. In 
2014, our two countries signed an Enhanced Defense Cooperation 
Agreement, increasing the U.S. military's rotational presence to tackle 
new challenges in the West Philippine Sea.
  Our ties to the Philippines are more than just defensive, they are 
connected deeply by bonds of friendship and culture. More than 4 
million people throughout the United States identify as Filipino. They 
serve in our armed forces, contribute to our healthcare system, and own 
and operate thousands of small businesses that support our economy.
  As we launch this 80th anniversary year, let us reaffirm our 
commitments to our shared democratic values, a free and open Indo-
Pacific, and renewed prosperity for the peoples of the United States 
and the Philippines.

                          ____________________