Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2007

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2705) to amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would first like to recognize a distinguished colleague and dear friend of mine, the gentlelady who currently chairs the Subcommittee on International Affairs, the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Donna Christensen, for introducing this legislation.

This bill makes conforming, clarifying, and technical amendments to the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, which are important to ensuring that we maintain our obligations under the act to our friends in Micronesia.

This bill also approves agreements made pursuant to the act which determines how disaster relief will be handled for the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, through amending the Compact of Free Association, this legislation before us today transfers excess military equipment to friendly foreign governments for their legitimate defense needs. It is a strong statement of trust and cooperation from the United States when we transfer excess U.S. military naval vessels.

While excess to our own needs, these refurbished vessels conserve significant and deeply appreciated roles in the navies of the recipient nations.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also authorizes the transfer of excess U.S. naval vessels to three of our most important friends and allies, Turkey, Lithuania and Taiwan.

As my colleagues well know, Turkey is one of our most valued NATO members, and is one of the United States' closest allies. Turkey serves as one of the most important conduits for the transit of supplies to our forces in Iraq. The transfer of these missiles, two guided missile frigates and two minesweepers, will again reinforce our close relationship with Istanbul and our common commitments to each other's security needs.

Lithuania has been a staunch U.S. ally in the global war on terror. It makes an outside contribution to global security, contributing troops to military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the leading provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan.

The two minesweeper vessels in this bill will allow Vilnius to clear leftover sea mines from the two world wars in the Baltic Sea and supports Lithuania's commitment to NATO's Mine Counter-Measures Forces North mission.

Taiwan is a thriving and energetic democracy. Our two nations share a complex web of economic, political, and strategic ties that only deepens over time. Taiwan is a bulwark of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region, and we must do all we can to further strengthen our political, security and economic ties. This bill authorizes the sale of two minesweepers to Taiwan.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 10 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want first to compliment my good friend the gentleman from Florida on the other side of the aisle for part of our management of this proposed legislation.

I want to note for the record how important these islands in Micronesia were so critical in our Nation's history, and I might want to note as a matter of record that it was from Micronesia that the famous aircraft, the Enola Gay, took the two atom bombs to Nagasaki and Hiroshima which eventually ended the war against Japanese military forces. It was also in Micronesia that we initiated and conducted tests of some 67 nuclear devices that were exploded in the Marshall Islands. I think sometimes we don't seem to give a sense of appreciation of the fact that the whole Marshall archipelago, the whole Marshall Islands, were totally exposed to nuclear radiation as a result of our nuclear testing program, some 67 nuclear bombs, including the first hydrogen bomb that was exploded in the Marshall Islands, 1,000 times more powerful than the bombs that we exploded in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

I am saddened to say, Mr. Speaker, that our government has not made a definite commitment to help, to meet the medical needs of the several hundred of the Marshallese people who were exposed to nuclear radiation. To this day we still have not done enough to help the Marshallese people in this regard. We have also not helped the Marshallese people to compensate them properly for the loss of their property when we conducted these tests in Micronesia.

I just want to note that for the record, Mr. Speaker. I hope that in the coming months that appropriate legislation will be introduced to address these very serious issues. I think we owe it to the Marshallese people. Our government surely should be grateful for the sacrifices that the Marshallese people have had to make as a result of conducting our nuclear testing program in this area of the world.

With that, Mr. Speaker, again I thank my good friend from Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2705, the Compacts of Free Association Amendments Act of 2007.

The United States shares a uniquely close history and friendship with the Pacific Island nations of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.

In the aftermath of World War II, the United States administered those islands as Trust Territories until they became independent, sovereign nations in the 1980s and the 1990s. Our relations with those countries are governed by compacts of free association which guarantees certain forms of U.S. assistance and cooperation in exchange for defense rights and obligations that are unique in the world.

Those Pacific nations remain stalwart friends of the United States and dependable partisans in the United Nations General Assembly. Some of their citizens continue to serve with great distinction and personal sacrifice in the United States Armed Forces, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 108th Congress extended and significantly restructured the compacts of free association with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands in the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003. This bill makes technical corrections, updates, and minor changes to that act, as well as to the Palau Compact. Most importantly, it improves the disaster assistance agreements required by section 105 of the act, which were subsequently negotiated between the parties and presented to Congress.

I want to thank the author, the gentlelady from the U.S. Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) for providing us this opportunity to reaffirm our friendship with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

The measure before us today has also been modified to include the text of H.R. 3912, the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2007, which was requested by the Department of Defense and introduced by the gentleman from California, our great chairman, Tom Lantos.

According to the Secretary of the Navy, authority to transfer surplus vessels is an important aspect of our ship disposition strategy. It enables the Navy to manage its inventory while strengthening the ties with our allies by transferring the ships that enhance their defense capabilities.

This bill authorizes the transfer of eight decommissioned naval vessels to certain friends and allies of the United States, specifically Lithuania and Turkey and Taiwan. Five ships will be transferred on a grant basis, as excess defense articles, and three will be transferred through foreign military sales under section 21 of the Arms Export Control Act.

Importantly, the legislation also requires that any expense incurred by the United States in connection with a transfer authorized by this bill shall be charged to the recipient. Likewise, it states that, to the maximum extent feasible, repair and refurbishment of these vessels shall take place in U.S. shipyards.

I urge support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Thank you for your generosity with time. I will not use anywhere near that much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2705, the Compacts of Free Association Amendments Act, as amended by the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

This legislation I sponsored is important to usher in a new regime of how disaster assistance is provided to the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. In addition, it clarifies access to educational programs for the Republic of Palau. Lastly, the legislation makes technical corrections to Compacts of Free Association with the RMI and the FSM as was suggested by the administration.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the Committee on Foreign Affairs for their attention to this legislation. Especially I would like to thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega); and the subcommittee's ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo). I would also like to thank Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership in moving this legislation forward.

I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2705.