[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 29619-29620]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               ASSOCIATION OF PACIFIC ISLAND LEGISLATURES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 9, 1999

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, on September 21-22, 1999, the Association 
of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) Board of Directors held its 36th 
meeting in the State of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). 
APIL is an organization for mutual assistance among representatives of 
the people of the Pacific Islands composed of legislators from American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the 
states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap in the FSM, the island of 
Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, the 
state of Hawaii, the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Kiribati.
  As Pacific Island governments continued to advance and develop 
politically, their leaders recognized the need for unity among those 
directly involved with the substantive regional and international 
issues facing the newly formed states. It was deemed necessary for a 
permanent association of policy makers from the Pacific nations, 
states, and territories, to meet on a regular basis in order to 
consider matters of mutual interest in areas where regional 
cooperation, coordination, exchange and assistance would help 
individual governments achieve their goals through collective

[[Page 29620]]

action. Based on a mission statement adopted on July 31, 1991, the 
Association of Pacific Island Legislatures was formed. On November 23, 
1981, its charter officers were named during an organizational planning 
session held on the island of Guam. Senator Edward R. Duenas of Guam 
served as APIL's first president with Senate President Olympio T. Borja 
of the CNMI as his vice president. Senator Elias Thomas of the FSM was 
designated as secretary and Senator Moses Ulodong of the Republic of 
Palau was named treasurer.
  Issues currently at the forefront of APIL's agenda include Resources 
and Economic Development, Commerce, Legislation, Energy, Regional 
Security and Defense, Communications, Cultural Appreciation, Health and 
Social Services, Education, Agriculture, Air and Sea Transportation, 
Aquaculture, Sports and Recreation, Youth and Senior Citizens, Tourism, 
Finance, Political Status, External Relations, and Development Banking. 
For almost two decades, APIL has remained dedicated towards promoting 
regional concerns. I congratulate the officers of this term, Senator 
Carlotta A. Leon Guerrero of Guam, President; Senator Renster Andrew of 
the FSM, Vice President; Senator Herman P. Semes of the FSM, secretary; 
Representative Ana S. Teregeyo of the CNMI, treasurer; and Senator 
Haruo Esang of the Republic of Palau, advisor, for their hard work and 
dedication. Let us continue our united efforts in the years to come.

                          ____________________