[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 1623-1624]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          A NINTH TIME ZONE FOR GUAM AND THE NORTHERN MARIANAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to a bill which I 
will introduce that fills a time void which has long existed, and that 
is the naming of a time zone which exists under the American flag but 
which has no official title.
  Wherever the flag behind us flies there is a title for each time zone 
in which it flies, whether it is in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, 
with its Atlantic time zone; this city, with its eastern time zone; 
Chicago, with central time; Denver, with mountain time; Los Angeles, 
with Pacific time; Honolulu, with Hawaii standard time; Anchorage, with 
Alaska standard time; and even Pango Pango and American Samoa, with 
Samoa standard time. But there was a ninth time zone, where Guam sits 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas sits as well; and where 
there is no official title for this time zone. Not that there is no 
time there, but that there is no specific name for this time zone.
  Perhaps this is an oversight. The fact that this time zone is on the 
other side of the international date line and could appropriately claim 
the title of being the first American time zone, could get the 
competitive spirits of those in the Atlantic time zone aroused. But 
when information is being sent out about changes in national time or 
announcements concerning time, this ninth time zone, in geography going 
west but first in terms of time, frequently gets ignored. After all, 
the existing law only allows for eight time zones under the American 
flag.
  Consequently, Madam Speaker, I am introducing today a bill which 
fills the void, which corrects this oversight, and which appropriately 
designates each and every American time zone. If all Americans count, 
then all Americans should be included in time, in political 
participation, and in the national census. Each and every time we look 
at the clock or look at our watch, we should recognize that there 
exists nine time zones.

                              {time}  1245

  The unique feature of this particular piece of legislation is that it 
is responsive to a quandary that does not quite exist in the other time 
zones. We have two jurisdictions with two distinct names. We have Guam 
and we have the Northern Marianas. We could call it the Guam slash or 
dash Marianas time zone. However, in time, Guam would take center stage 
and the remainder of the Marianas would be ignored. Or we could call it 
the Marianas time zone, but that would be taken as a signal that Guam 
is not included.
  Therefore, in honor of the historical unity of both Guam and the 
Northern

[[Page 1624]]

Marianas and the people who were the original inhabitants of the entire 
island chain, I have designated in this legislation this new time zone 
as Chamorro Standard Time. The word ``Chamorro'' refers to the 
indigenous people, possesses a proud cultural heritage, and forms the 
basis of the underlying historical and cultural connection between the 
people of Guam and the people of Luta, Tinian, Saipan, Agrigan, and 
other islands in the Northern Marianas.
  ManChamorro ham todu gi tinituhon. We were Chamorros in the 
beginning.
  ManChamorro ham esta pa'go. We are still Chamorros today.
  This amendment to the Calder Act has been discussed with Federal 
officials in NIST of the Department of Commerce, and we anticipate only 
support for this effort.
  Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to cosponsor and pass this 
legislation quickly, dare I say it, in a timely way. Let us not waste 
any time. Let us take the time to make time for all Americans.

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