[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23853]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           CONCURRENT RECEIPT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Miller of Michigan). Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentlewoman from Guam (Mr. Bordallo) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I have on my desk a small card which has 
the words of my predecessor Congressman Ben Blaz. It says ``I am a 
Member of Congress, but not one of its Members.'' I read those words 
today, Madam Speaker, because I had them reinforced to me when I tried 
to sign the discharge petition here in Congress to give the veterans 
concurrent receipt that they deserve. We have veterans on Guam, 15,000 
of them, in fact, but I was told as a Delegate, I cannot put my name on 
that discharge petition. More soldiers from Guam have died, per capita, 
in foreign wars than any other State in the Nation. But Madam Speaker, 
I cannot put my name on that discharge petition. Pacific Islander 
veterans suffer disproportionately from posttraumatic stress disorder, 
but I cannot put my name on that discharge petition. I am a cosponsor 
of H.R. 303, but I cannot put my name on that discharge petition.
  What can I do? I have decided to come to the floor today to appeal to 
my colleagues. I urge them to sign the discharge petition, Republican 
or Democrat; it does not matter. Do it for the veterans in their 
district. Do it for the veterans of Guam. Do it for their colleague who 
has been denied that right. I appeal to my colleagues on behalf of the 
disabled veterans of America. I see them at town hall meetings in my 
district all the time, and it breaks my heart. Veterans like Mr. Victor 
Pangelinan Tabios, who is 100 percent disabled.
  Madam Speaker, the people of Guam are shy people. It takes a lot of 
courage for them to stand up in public and to speak out their mind. So 
when Victor spoke to me about concurrent receipt, I listened. He served 
our country with duty and honor and pride, and now it is time for us to 
step up and do the same. If just one of my colleagues will sign that 
discharge petition today, they will have the deepest thanks from the 
people of Guam and a very grateful Delegate who cannot sign the 
petition.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. BORDALLO. I yield to the gentleman from California.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, would it be in order to ask unanimous 
consent to request to allow the gentlewoman to sign the discharge 
petition?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. No, the Chair will not entertain that 
request.
  Mr. FILNER. Why is that?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The respective rights and privileges of the 
Members and Delegates are established by rules and by law; so that 
unanimous consent request will not be entertained.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for bringing this 
up because this is an insult to her constituents, it is an insult to 
her. I will say if the Democrats get control of the House, the right to 
vote and sign discharge petitions, we hope, will get back to the 
delegates.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his interest 
and concern.

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