[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18946]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              GUAM'S POSITION IN LIGHT OF IRAQI SITUATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Tiberi). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, today as we look upon the world situation 
and we are confronting the possibility of a renewed struggle in the 
Middle East and trying to deal with all the challenges that we face as 
a result of the activities and actions of Saddam Hussein, it is 
important for me as the representative of Guam to inform the House 
about what the impact all of this may have on communities around the 
country, and particularly Guam.
  We are on the precipice of a new struggle, and we will have some time 
to review and debate that particular resolution which may authorize 
military activities in that part of the world next week; but the 
military challenges that we face and the strategic challenges that we 
face, even though they affect the entire Nation, they do not affect all 
the communities around the country in the same way; and certainly we 
the people of Guam will feel the effects of this in many 
disproportionate ways.
  Guam is known primarily as a strategic area, as a place from which we 
can triangulate armed conflict. It is a military base for the Navy and 
for the Air Force. There has been recent discussion about the placement 
of bomber squadrons there at Anderson Air Force Base, and new 
submarines are going to be home-ported in Guam. All of that is welcomed 
by the people of Guam because, indeed, we are patriotic Americans.
  In fact, today I just got an e-mail from an Air Force captain asking 
me for some remarks in order that he might swear in an airman. Both of 
them are in Kabul. The airman is going to be reenlisted there in 
Afghanistan. Our people are disproportionately in high numbers in armed 
services. We support the military. But as we look upon what the effects 
of this struggle might be and even though it may lead to a bump-up in 
military activities in Guam, we are directly economically challenged by 
this because our economy is based primarily on tourism and 80 percent 
of our visitors come from Japan and nothing is more disconcerting to 
Japanese tourists than the prospect of war and conflict. If the 
situation which occurred in Guam immediately after the Gulf War crisis 
or immediately after September 11 last year again exists as a result of 
this armed conflict, we will see a dramatic downturn in tourism. A 
downturn in tourism is already in effect as a result of 9-11 and is 
already in effect simply because of the economic malaise that continues 
to obtain in Japan. But more so than that, if this armed conflict comes 
about, even the discussion of it will lead to a reduction in numbers.
  Guam will stand ready to do its part. It did its part even in the 
evacuation of the Kurdish refugees in 1996 under Operation Pacific 
Haven. They were sent to Guam. When there was no overflight authority 
granted to conduct bombing raids on Iraq at a couple of times in the 
past few years, those bombers were prepositioned in Guam and then taken 
directly to Iraq.
  But I point this out not because the people of Guam will not be in 
support, but because really the people of Guam deserve additional 
consideration should this series of economic downturns occur as a 
result of any conflict or even the discussion of conflict. Immediately 
after the 9-11 situation, there were a couple of proposals offered for 
economic recovery. In that effort, the House was not receptive to 
inclusion of the territories in that economic recovery package. While 
in the other body the economic recovery package was more receptive to 
the inclusion of Guam and other territories, that economic package 
never was successful.
  Indeed, at the end of the day, the economic assistance that was given 
directly to the territories was minimal at best. But we have a new 
situation that we are confronted with and the people of Guam because of 
their long contributions to the strategic posture of the United States 
and because of their contributions not only in terms of their support 
for the military in Guam but their own participation in Guam I think 
should be treated with some regard. I think the people of Guam deserve 
to be treated according to their contribution to national security and 
national defense and simply not be utilized on the basis of its value 
from time to time.
  And so as we take a look at the world situation today and as we will 
go over the details of the resolution, we must be mindful that this 
effect, the economic effects on communities will be disproportionate 
around the country, and we should be mindful of those so that when we 
construct some initiatives that we give each community its due.

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