Floor Statements

``Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Karly Williams a happy birthday.

Karly was born on January 14, 1999 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is the daughter of Robert and Tracie Williams.

Karly attends Hunter Middle School--Home of the Hawks--in Ooltewah, Tennessee. At Hunter, Karly is a member of the WHMS News crew and won an award for her service.

During the 2012 football season, Karly was a manager for the football team and now serves as a manager for the wrestling team.

Karly is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Beehive class president of the Harrison Bay ward. One day, Karly hopes to attend Brigham Young University.

For now, Karly likes fashion, fishing, dance and drawing. She also likes Chik-fil-A, Red Lobster, sunny weather, country music and beaches.

Karly is a girl who loves pearls--and her daddy's big, red truck. Wherever daddy is, Karly wants to be.

Karly's dog, Izzie, pals around with Aggie. Aggie, also known as Little Boy, is Mimi's brown chihuahua. Aggie and Izzie, an Australian cattle dog, live with Karly on Birchwood Pike in Harrison, Tennessee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution allowing Members of Congress to honor the life of a great American hero and a friend to us all. I want to thank my good friends from Hawaii, Ms. Hirono and Ms. Hanabusa, for their leadership in introducing this resolution.

We have lost a father, a hero, and a true friend. There is no doubt Senator Daniel K. Inouye was a strong advocate for the people of Hawaii but he was also instrumental in helping the people of American Samoa and all our Territories and neighbors in the Pacific. The Samoan people recognized the Senator's passion for the people of the Pacific especially American Samoa by bestowing him the esteemed chief title, Fofoga o Samoa-meaning, the Voice of Samoa.

On the Hill, Fofoga o Samoa Senator Inouye was a giant. He was greatly respected not only for his service as a Senator but, importantly, his patience and unique ability to work with both sides of the aisle for many years. Being a Territory and having a small population, it is very difficult to move legislation without having any representation or support in the Senate, and Fofoga o Samoa Senator Inouye was always there for American Samoa. He was also a fighter for the rights of Native Hawaiians, ensuring veterans received their benefits, and was a pioneer for all Asian and Pacific Americans.

I remember in early 1990 when I accompanied the Senator on a Congressional Delegation he led on a Pacific tour that included my District. It was an honor and a privilege accompanying him on this tour because it showed me his deep understanding and care for all of the people in the Pacific. Just as he was a boy that was born and raised in a Territory (Hawaii), he felt it was the right thing to do to help our Territories. This was just a small sample of the Senator's leadership and diligence in recognizing the importance of helping our Territories and the Freely Associated States.

As a former member of the 442nd 100th Battalion, I can only thank the Senator and his comrades for their service and `Go For Broke' attitude which has laid the path for many of the Samoan sons and daughters to serve in our great military force. I am forever grateful for the Senator's service to our nation and for his love and compassion for the people of American Samoa.

Let us pray that the Lord comfort those who have lost an amazing leader who has touched each and every one of our lives.

I thank the gentlelady from the District of Columbia for giving me this opportunity to speak today.

As negotiations begin on the final fiscal year 2013 Defense Authorization bill, I rise today with my fellow delegates to urge the Senate to adopt the House provision in the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act. This provision would require in statute the integration and display of the flags of each of the U.S. territories at U.S. military installations when and where the flags of the 50 States are flown or displayed.

Mr. Speaker, the lack of a unified Armed Forces policy requiring the display of the flags of our U.S. territories is indeed a serious oversight. It is an oversight on the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories who are part of the American family and who have unique histories with our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, in our Nation's history, soldiers have fought valiantly in battle, but at times with little recognition--from the hundreds of thousands of African Americans who fought for our Nation since the time of the Revolutionary War, to some 200,000-plus soldiers who made up 10 percent of the entire Union Army in the Civil War, to the tens of thousands of Japanese American soldiers who fought alongside their fellow Americans in Europe during World War II.

Servicemembers and veterans of the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories are marginalized by this oversight, despite our significant contributions to our Nation. As a matter of fact, the U.S. territories were, in large part, acquired for the very purpose of our national defense and important strategic and military interests.

A noted Navy admiral, Alfred Mahan, was one of those who advocated the theory during the late 19th century that a nation who controls the oceans would rule the world. At a time in the world when words like ``colonialism'' and ``imperialism'' and ``manifest destiny'' were accepted norms of foreign policies of various nations, Admiral Mahan's theory was proven correct when a little island nation known today as the United Kingdom, or Great Britain, or England, established one of the most powerful nations ever in the world. It was due primarily to the fact that Great Britain had the most powerful navy in the world.

During World War II, the Samoan islands were a major staging location for some 40,000 marines and soldiers before they were transferred to Guadalcanal,

Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and other destinations in the war against Japan during World War II.

For years, the U.S. naval officials pleaded earnestly for the United States to show presence in the South Pacific, and the suggestion was the harbor in Pago Pago on Tutuila island in the Samoan islands would be an ideal place to build a coaling station and a naval facility to allow U.S. naval ships and commercial vessels to utilize especially during the hurricane season.

In 1899, in Washington, D.C.--not known to the Samoans--the United States, Great Britain, and Germany held a conference whereby a tripartite treaty was agreed upon so that Germany and Great Britain would continue their colonial policies of figuring out how to control the two largest islands--Savai`i and Upolu--and the U.S. was free to deal with the traditional leaders and chiefs of the islands of Tutuila, Aunu`u, and Manu`a. And by consent of these chiefs, they ceded these islands to the United States in 1900 and 1904. These proposed treaties were never approved by the United States Congress until 1929.

Some ask today, Is a territory like American Samoa still relevant to our Nation? And to that I would argue, absolutely--especially given the U.S. pivot of focus on the Asia Pacific region, from our continuous involvements for over 10 years now in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the question, What would happen if the leaders of Samoa or perhaps Fiji or Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands or Tuvalu or Kiribati would agree to have, let's say, China perhaps build a submarine base on these islands? I would be curious if our Department of Defense or the Pentagon or even the Congress might indicate some concern in this region of the world.

Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran and as a representative of a district with high rates of military enlistment, I respectfully urge the Senate to adopt the House provision that would give due honor to all of our servicemembers from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

I thank my colleagues who have gathered here today. And with one voice today, we say, Do the right thing and honor the ultimate sacrifices of the tens of thousands of our men and women who proudly served the armed services of our Nation who are from our U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I want to note for the record that I know that our colleague, the gentlelady from Guam who is also a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, would have been here. But because of other commitments, she was unable to join us in this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am reminded again of a statement made by a retired U.S. Marine brigadier general and a dear Republican friend of mine, a native Chamorro from Guam, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a very dear Republican friend, as I said, and former colleague of ours in Congress. He was a former Member of this House. He observed that in our relationship between our Nation and the Territories, he said, We are equal in war but not in peace.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that our colleagues in the Senate, Chairman Carl Levin; the distinguished Republican Senator, the senior ranking member and dear friend as well, John McCain; and all the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee will support this provision.

And to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, I cannot help but to say more. There are 600,000 U.S. citizens living in her district. They pay Federal income taxes, and yet she is denied the right to vote on the floor. I think this is something that is unbecoming of what we call ``democracy,'' if I will.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia, and especially also my dear friend and colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina, as managers of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6116, a bill to provide for appeals from the Virgin Islands Supreme Court to go to the U.S. Supreme Court instead of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

H.R. 6116, sponsored by my good friend, the gentlelady from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. Christensen, simply puts into legislation a decision vetted by the judicial council of the third circuit, established through a process which has already been authorized by Congress.

Mr. Speaker, in 1984, Congress provided Guam and the Virgin Islands with the authority to establish local supreme courts, and the law provided for appeals from these courts to go to their respective circuit courts of appeals for the first 15 years unless after 5 years their respective court of appeals found the local supreme court was ready for appeals to go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On April 18 of this year, the third circuit's judicial council published a 23-page report on the Virgin Islands Supreme Court that was submitted to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and also to the House Committee on Natural Resources. In its review, the council concluded that the Virgin Islands Supreme Court has developed sufficient institutional traditions to justify direct review by the Supreme Court of the United States of all final decisions. The council affirmed that the Virgin Islands Supreme Court's quality of case law was commensurate with that of the supreme courts of several States, and among other remarkable reviews, stated further that the third circuit court has yet to reverse a decision of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court.

I congratulate the Virgin Islands Supreme Court Chief Justice Rhys Hodge and Associate Justices Maria Cabret and Ive Swan for this extraordinary feat, and I commend again the gentlelady from the Virgin Islands for introducing this timely legislation.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, again I cannot express enough my deepest appreciation to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) and my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble) for their management of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5934, a bill that I authored to stop tobacco smuggling in the territories.

First, I want to thank the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Smith, and my dear friend, the ranking member, Mr. Conyers, and all the members of the committee for their strong support of this legislation.

I also want to acknowledge Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Cantor, and our Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, for their support of this bill.

I thank my colleagues, the gentlelady from Guam, and also, the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands, Ms. Bordallo and Mr. Sablan, respectively, for their cosponsorship of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today American Samoa faces a serious problem of tobacco smuggling, as I'm sure it's the same with the other territories. According to a recent study, 2 years ago, as many as 5,792,924 cigarettes were smuggled into the territory. The study found that tobacco smuggling resulted in the loss of about $724,116 in revenues to the American Samoa Government.

If continued undeterred, tobacco smuggling in the territory will lead to heavier losses in local tax revenues, especially if cigarette excise tax rates were to be increased.

Mr. Speaker, in this age of government fiscal responsibility, securing and sustaining stable resources of local revenue stream is essential and must be encouraged for the territories. It was for this reason I began to look into this important issue. And I was disappointed, however, to find that, under current law prohibiting cigarette smuggling, not all the territories were included.

Under the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act that Congress passed in 1978, it is illegal to ship, sell, transport, or possess more than 10,000 cigarettes, or 500 packs per month, not bearing the tax stamp of the jurisdiction in which they are found. Violation is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and seizure of the contraband cigarettes.

The Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act currently, however, does not apply to American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Historically, when Congress considered the bill in 1978 the Senate version defined State to include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory or a possession of the United States, while the House provision excluded the smaller territories. For some reason unbeknown to me, the conference substitute adopted the House provision, and according to the conference report, the House provision

is described as ``more accurately delineating the practical scope of the legislation.''

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today will correct this oversight in the current law. This important piece of legislation will amend the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act to include the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. It will amend the definition of a State for the purpose of this Act to include all U.S. territories.

Again, I commend my good friends, the gentleman from North Carolina, as well as my friend from Virginia, for their extensive understanding and knowledge of this issue and the matter now before us. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Congressional Record my recent speech before the international conference From a Nuclear Test Ban to a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World held in Astana, Kazakhstan on August 29, 2012.

For historical purposes, I am also including a parliamentary appeal for nuclear abolition as well as a news article dated August 30, 2012 announcing Kazakhstan's launch of the ATOM project to support the global movement against nuclear tests.

The ATOM project, an acronym for ``Abolish Testing. Our Mission'' is an international petition campaign designed to unify public opinion against nuclear weapons testing. The ATOM project is the initiative of the Nazarbayev Center, and I encourage any person who opposes nuclear weapons to sign this online petition to the governments of the world calling for the permanent step to stop nuclear testing. Interested persons may sign the petition at www.TheATOMProject.org.

Statement of the Honorable Eni F. H. Faleomavaega Before the International Conference From a Nuclear Test Ban to a Nuclear-Weapons-

Free World held in Astana, Kazakhstan on August 29, 2012

Distinguished Guests:

On December 2, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly

unanimously adopted resolution 64/35 which declares August 29

the International Day against Nuclear Tests in recognition of

President Nursultan Nazarbayev's historic decision in 1991 on

August 29 to close down the world's second largest nuclear

test site and dismantle the world's fourth largest nuclear

arsenal at Semipalatinsk.

The resolution--which was initiated by Kazakhstan and

sponsored and cosponsored by many other governments--calls

for increasing awareness and education ``about the effects of

nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear

explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the

means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.''

In 2011, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of President

Nazarbayev's courageous act and, on March 7, 2012, the people

of the Republic of the Marshall Islands through their

Nitijela at its 33rd Constitutional Regular Session passed a

resolution calling for President Nazarbayev to be awarded the

Nobel Peace Prize in tribute to victims and survivors of Cold

War nuclear testing.

The President of the Marshall Islands, the Honorable

Christopher J. Loeak, noted that the Committee has only

recognized those who have inspected nuclear test sites or

talked about the need to cooperate. At no time has the

Committee bestowed the award for the actual abolishment of

nuclear weaponry. So I join with the people and parliament of

the Marshall Islands, and urge you to do the same, in calling

upon the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to honor President

Nazarbayev for promoting peace by changing the course of

world history for the better.

Unlike any other government, the Republic of the Marshall

Islands shares the same history and experience as Kazakhstan,

having also been used as a nuclear testing ground during the

Cold War. From 1946-1958, the United States began testing

nuclear weapons in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and,

during that period, the United States conducted 67 nuclear

tests with an equivalent yield of 7,000 Hiroshima bombs.

On March 1, 1951, the United States detonated a 15 megaton

hydrogen bomb code-named BRAVO in the Marshall Islands. The

bomb was equivalent to 1,000 Hiroshima-sized bombs and was

acknowledged as the greatest nuclear explosion ever

detonated. The BRAVO test evaporated six islands and created

a mushroom cloud of 25 miles in diameter.

On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first

nuclear explosion code-named 'First Lightening' at the

Semipalatinsk Test Site in eastern Kazakhstan. From 1949-

1989, the Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests in

Semipalatinsk and the cumulative power of those explosions is

estimated to be equal to the power of 2,500 Hiroshima-sized

bombs.

As a result of Soviet nuclear testings more than 1.5

million Kazakhs were exposed to nuclear radiation. As a

result of U.S. testings, the people of the Marshall Islands

were also exposed to the horrific effects of radiation

poisoning. Neither the Soviet Union nor the U.S. have

fulfilled their obligation in cleaning up the mess they left

behind as a result of their Cold War arms race. Instead, they

turn a blind eye to the human suffering that carries forward

today.

This is why I will continue to speak out and praise

President Nazarbayev for his choice to renounce nuclear

weaponry. My position regarding this matter is no different

than the position the United States took during a joint

meeting between President Obama and President Nazarbayev on

April 11, 2010 when President Obama stated that ``the US.

appreciates the leadership of President Nazarbayev and the

contribution of Kazakhstan to nuclear disarmament and

nonproliferation.''

While I applaud President Obama for stating on April 6,

2010 that ``the United States will not conduct nuclear

testing and will seek ratification of the Comprehensive Test

Ban Treaty (CTBT)'' which bans all nuclear explosions in all

environments, I believe, as the theme of this conference

suggests, it is time to move from a nuclear test ban to a

nuclear-weapons free world.

After all, the CTBT, like the Nuclear Non Proliferation

Treaty (NPT), is based on a flawed and outdated premise. The

NPT asserts that only five nations--the nuclear weapons

states--namely, the United States, Russia, the United

Kingdom, France, and China (which also happen to be the five

permanent members of the United Nations Security Council)--

will pursue nuclear disarmament and share their technology

for peaceful purposes if non-nuclear states agree never to

acquire nuclear weapons. The NPT also states that only the

United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France

are permitted to own nuclear weapons because only they

possessed nuclear weapons at the time the treaty was open for

signature in 1968.

The world has changed since 1968. No longer can non-nuclear

states support the outdated premise of the NPT and none of us

should settle for what the CTBT offers, particularly since

the signatories of the NPT are among the worst violators of

the nuclear code.

From 1949-1990, Russia conducted over 700 nuclear tests. In

roughly the same time period, the U.S. conducted over 1000

nuclear tests. Since 1964, China has conducted more than 43

nuclear tests. Between 1960 and 1991, France conducted more

than 200 nuclear tests and, in 1996, despite being a

signatory of the NPT, France broke a world moratorium

conducting 6 more tests at Moruroa Atoll in the South Pacific

while the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) silently consented.

It is time for all of us to say enough is enough. It is

time for the world to follow Kazakhstan's lead and begin the

process of dismantling. If Kazakhstan can dismantle a nuclear

arsenal which was larger than the combined nuclear arsenals

of Great Britain, France and China combined, then certainly

the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and

China can also do what is right.

Some twenty years ago, President Nazarbayev emerged to

champion the cause of a nuclear weapons free world, and no

other leader before or since has done what he has done to

advance the rights of the human person by promoting nuclear

disarmament among possessor states and preventing

proliferation to new states.

As President Loeak stated, ``Had Kazakhstan retained the

nuclear arsenal it inherited after achieving independence and

following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,

Kazakhstan could have altered the fragile peace brought about

by the Cold War. But knowing the price Kazakhs and

Marshallese paid to preserve international peace, President

Nazarbayev chose to renounce and disarm.''

For this, the man deserves to be commended again and again.

I commend President Nazarbayev for his initiative to move the

world from a nuclear test ban to a nuclear-weapons free

world, and for and on behalf of the people of Kazakhstan--and

the Republic of the Marshall Islands--and all others now and

yet to come--it is my sincere hope that we will hold together

and stand firm in our support of this great cause.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2139, the Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act. I thank my colleague, Mr. Roskam from Illinois, for introducing this bill which would direct the Secretary of Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Lions Clubs International.

Founded in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones, the Lions Club has expanded to over 46,000 clubs and 1.35 million members worldwide. What began as a national association extended beyond U.S. borders within 3 years of founding. Now, nearly a century later, the Lions continue to carry out their motto ``We Serve'' in 207 countries, touching every corner of the globe.

In the last century, Lions Clubs International has helped to solve problems and serve humanitarian needs on the ground. Their services reach the blind, youth, and the elderly and also address health, the environment and disaster relief.

I am especially grateful to the Lions for their dedicated assistance to the people of my district in American Samoa. Following the deadly 2009 tsunami that devastated villages in American Samoa and Samoa, our local Lions Clubs were among those that came to the aid of our people. The Lions Club of Pago Pago continued to provide relief to many residents who lost their eyeglasses during the tsunami. Volunteers offered residents eye screening services that included complete eye examinations to evaluate visual health and detect eye diseases, prescriptions, and referral services. The Apia Lions in Samoa also provided assistance through disaster relief shelters and distributed donations such as clothing, food, and medicine from international Lions Clubs members.

I am proud to say that the Lions Club of Pago Pago has provided consistent services to our people of American Samoa and is a priceless asset to our community. I commend the Lions Clubs International and I stand in full support of this bill which celebrates and honors a century of international leadership in humanitarian service.

Mr. Speaker, as a Vietnam veteran, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1410.

In 1967, I was deployed to Vietnam and served my country in Nha Trang. My brother also served, and has since passed away.

On the matter of human rights, the U.S. cannot assume the moral high ground when it comes to Vietnam. From 1961 to 1971, the U.S. sprayed more than 11 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam, subjecting millions of innocent civilians to dioxin--a toxic known to be one of the deadliest chemicals made by man. Despite the suffering that has occurred ever since, there seems to be no real interest on the part of the U.S. to clean up the mess we left behind.

Instead, we spend our time offering up language like this which fails to make anything right. While I appreciate that more than 1 million Vietnamese-Americans still have strong feelings about the Vietnam War, the fact is it is time for us to rebuild our relationship with Vietnam just like we did with Germany and Japan after WWII.

Regrettably, H.R. 1410 has an adverse impact on our efforts. H.R. 1410 purports to promote the development of freedom and democracy in Vietnam but fails in its purpose. As noted by the Congressional Research Service, ``the bill could chill the recent warming of bilateral political and security ties and could weaken economic reformers in ongoing domestic political battles inside Vietnam.''

Put another way, H.R. 1410 is not in the best interest of the United States or the Vietnamese-American community. H.R. 1410 is shortsighted in its approach, and contrary to the efforts of the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administrations which have sought to strengthen our partnership with Vietnam.

Long after the Vietnam War, the U.S. is now about the business of coordinating a multi-country diplomatic push back against Chinese encroachment in the oil-rich and strategically important South China Sea. H.R. 1410 is not helpful to our cause.

In conversations with the Department of State, they share my concerns that measures in H.R. 1410 could adversely affect our security relationship with Vietnam as well as our ability to work with Vietnam on trafficking in persons. H.R. 1410 could also greatly reduce our chances of negotiating a roadmap on human rights.

Moreover, Section 3(a)(2)(G) significantly alters the standard by which the Government of Vietnam's efforts to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) are measured, and restricts non-humanitarian assistance to FY2011 levels pending certification in an annual report by the President of the United States.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) created a set of minimum standards to assess a government's efforts to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). These standards are based on agreed upon international protocols. H.R. 1410 goes beyond the protocols and holds the Government of Vietnam to a higher standard.

By holding the Government of Vietnam to a higher standard that is not applicable to any other foreign government, or to the U.S. government's own efforts, the Act would have an adverse impact on our ability to conduct diplomacy with the Government of Vietnam on improving its anti- TIP efforts.

So while Vietnam may have work to do on improving its human rights record, we also have work to do. First and foremost, we need to work on being fair. We need to work on treating Vietnam the same as we treat other foreign governments. Simply put, it is wrong to hold Vietnam to a higher standard than the rest of the world.

Also, let us be clear about the sincere and measurable progress Vietnam has made. Let us not cherry-pick bits of truth and put forward old data. H.R. 1410 is based on old data--the same data that has been put forward over and over again by those who have never served in Vietnam or visited Vietnam or met with Vietnam's leaders. After serving in Vietnam in 1967, I returned some 40 years later after becoming Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. All I can say is the Vietnam I fought against is not the Vietnam I know today.

So, I encourage my colleagues to re-think Vietnam and pursue a path of cooperation that does not undermine the progress we are making. I also ask that the Embassy of Vietnam's statement and the following excerpts from the State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2010 be made part of the record.

The Report notes, ``respect for religious freedom and practice improved in some regards,'' and that ``the government took further steps to implement its 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief and supplemental decrees on religious policy issued in 2005.'' The report also recognizes that the Vietnamese ``government also facilitated construction of new churches, prayer houses, pagodas, and training facilities for furthering the education of thousands of monks, priests, nuns, and pastors'' permitting ``the expansion of religious organizations'' charitable activities.''

The Report also made note of the meeting between President Nguyen Minh Triet and Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. ``Vietnam and the Holy See agreed to a Vatican appointment of a non-resident Representative for Vietnam as a first step toward the establishment of full diplomatic relations.'' The report also states that ``new congregations were registered in many of the 64 provinces, and one new religious group and two Protestant denominations received national registration or recognition.''

``The Catholic Church, Protestant congregations, and other smaller religious groups reported that their ability to gather and worship generally improved and that the government allowed registered religious groups to assign new clergy with limited restrictions. The government also permitted the Buddhist, Catholic, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, and Protestant faiths to hold several historic large-scale religious services throughout the country, some with over 100,000 participants.''

The State Department also confirmed the Vietnam's Government assertion that ``some ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands were operating a self-styled ``Dega Church,'' which reportedly mixed religious practice with political activism and called for ``ethnic minority separatism.'' Regarding the Con Dau incident, the report notes that the arrested six Catholic parishioners ``reportedly started a physical altercation with police.''

In light of these facts and many more, it is my hope that the U.S. Senate will disregard H.R. 1410 and put forward an approach that allows us to strengthen our economic and security ties with Vietnam while negotiating a roadmap on human rights that is based on accurate information--not on misinformation intended to topple Vietnam's current government.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, I hope that the advocates of H.R. 1410--if they are truly sincere about human rights--will apply their efforts to assisting Vietnam with Agent Orange clean-up because the mess we left behind is a serious violation of human rights that needs to be corrected once and for all.

Embassy of Vietnam to the United States

On religious freedom in Viet Nam

Viet Nam is a country of many faiths, with the presence of major world religions including Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam. It has the second largest Catholic community in Southeast Asia. Approximately 80 percent of the population are religious or spiritual believers. Of these, 22.3 million are followers of one religion or another, constituting one fifth of the population. There are 25,000 places of worship in Vietnam.

The government of Viet Nam pursues a consistent policy of respecting religious freedom and facilitating the practice of religion and faith by all citizens. Viet Nam attaches importance to the policy of religious solidarity and concord, ensuring equality and non- discrimination for all religions. Religious activities are protected by law but the abuse of religion to provoke hatred, division and conflict which threatens national security and stability is strictly prohibited.

Religious freedom and protection of religious freedom are provided for in Viet Nam's laws including the 1992 Constitution (Article 70), the Civil Code (Article 47), the 1999 Penal Code (Article 129), the Ordinance on Religion and Belief (``the Ordinance'') and Decree 22/ 2005/ND-CP dated 1st March, 2005 providing for implementation of the Ordinance.

Since the issuance of the Ordinance, religious freedom has been reinforced throughout the country. Religious life in Viet Nam has seen strong vitality in recent years, thus contributing significantly to national development. There are now 4 Buddhist institutes, 32 intermediate Buddhist schools, hundreds of elementary Buddhist courses, 6 Catholic Seminaries and one Protestant Institute of Bible and Theology in Viet Nam. Thousands of religious dignitaries are trained in those schools each year, of which 1,177 are engaging in governance, working as delegates in the National Assembly or People's Councils. The Evangelical Church of Viet Nam has organized theological courses. A series of religious websites are being operated by the Viet Nam Bishops' Council and the Spiritual Council of the Baha'i Community of Viet Nam. Places of worship have been built throughout the country with the government's sponsorship. These include the construction of the Khmer Theravada Buddhist University in Can Tho province and the expansion of the La Vang Parish in Quang Tri province.

Religious activities in Viet Nam are in full swing now. The 2,555th Buddhist Vesak Day was observed in many provinces. In May, 2011, a Vietnamese delegation participated in the United Nations' Vesak Day in Thailand. The Catholic Church's Jubilee Year in 2011 was prominently celebrated and its closing ceremony was attended by 1,000 priests, 2,000 clergies and 500,000 parishioners. The celebration was honoured by the presence of Cardinal Ivan Dias, Head of the Vatican's Missionary Department, Special Envoy of Pope Benedict XVI.

The year 2011 also marked the 100th anniversary of Protestantism in Viet Nam. Big celebrations were held in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, attended by Protestants from all provinces and cities.

Local authorities have made important contributions to these achievements of Vietnamese religious communities. However, progress has been slower in certain more distant areas of Vietnam due to poverty, low level of socio-economic development and geographical disadvantages. This is particularly true in mountainous and border provinces. In addition, the educational level and training of some local officials have been limited, making it more difficult for them to full realize our policy.

Recognition and registration of religious organisations

The registration of religious activities and the recognition of the legal entity of new religious organisations are the basis for religious organisations and congregations to be protected by law, rather than an administrative measure to hinder religious freedom and belief. Eligibility for legal recognition of a religious organization or congregation is clearly stipulated in the 2004 Ordinance on Religion and Belief.

To date, the State has recognized 18 religious organisations representing 9 religions, of which 6 are new ones. These include Baha'i, Tu An Hieu Nghia (Four Debts of Gratitude), Buu Son Ky Huong, The Pure Land Buddhist Home-Practice Association, Minh Su and Minh Ly. Seven other Protestant denominations also achieved recognition, bringing the total number of recognized religious organisations in Viet Nam up to 34. Prior to the introduction of the Ordinance, only 16 organisations representing 6 religions were recognized by our government.

Registration of Protestant groups has shown a particular increase: Upon the issuance and implementation of the Ordinance on Religion (2004) and Directive No. 01 on Protestantism, Protestantism has grown exponentially in Viet Nam in terms of the number of followers, congregations as well as the diversity of worship practices. In 2011, the number of Protestants in Viet Nam was roughly 1.17 million people, of which 110 thousand lived in the northwest region of Viet Nam, 360 thousand in the Central Highlands, and the remaining 700 thousand throughout the country. The number of registered places of worship has increased to over 1,700 groups and congregations (in the northwest: 258 groups, in the Central Highlands: 1,284 groups and 189 congregations). The government has organized 8 conferences to do outreach about our policies and laws concerning Protestantism to 1,600 participants who are the leaders of places of worship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will authorize the Secretary of the Department of Defense to establish a National Guard unit in American Samoa.

Mr. Speaker, the National Guard has a long, proud history in the United States. As part of their federal duties, National Guard units have been mobilized to supplement regular armed forces during times of war or national emergencies. As State entities, National Guard units have been utilized in their respective States upon declaration of a State of Emergency.

National Guard troops have been activated in response to emergencies as a result of snowstorms, droughts, flooding, earthquakes, and other natural hazards that require providing basic necessities to people across the country. Indeed, one is reminded that National Guard units played a major role in providing security and assisting recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in September 2005.

Mr. Speaker, today, there are 54 separate National Guard units--one for each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There is no National Guard unit in American Samoa.

Mr. Speaker, on September 29, 2009, American Samoa was hit by a powerful earthquake which struck below the ocean about 140 miles southwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and 125 miles south of Samoa. The earthquake, which registered 8.3 on the Richter scale, set off a massive tsunami that crashed into American Samoa. Entire villages were devastated creating a disaster of epic proportion in the Territory.

Mr. Speaker, one of the lessons of the 2009 Tsunami is the fact that American Samoa is prone to disasters and we must be prepared. Especially, with American Samoa being out there on its own in the midst of the vast South Pacific Ocean, it is very difficult to coordinate and organize first responders from the mainland. Having a National Guard unit is extremely helpful when there is a State emergency.

In addition, American Samoa has a per capita enlistment rate in the U.S. military which is higher than any State or U.S. Territory. Our sons and daughters have served in record numbers in every U.S. military engagement from WWII to present operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have stood by the United States in good times and bad, and I believe this relationship would only be strengthened by establishing a National Guard unit in American Samoa.

For these reasons, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to establish a National Guard unit in American Samoa. I understand that there are several other issues to consider in order to fulfill the objectives of this legislation. My hope is to work together with my colleagues to make improvements and adjustments as needed.

I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of our committee, Doc Hastings, and our ranking member, Mr. Markey, for their leadership in support of this proposed legislation.

I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague, the chief sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz).

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of H.R. 4484, the Y Mountain Access

Enhancement Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sell 80 acres of U.S. Forest Service land of an area known for years by the residents of Provo, Utah, as the ``Y Mountain'' to Brigham Young University.

Y Mountain, which is located directly east of the BYU campus, includes a trail that leads 1.2 miles from the mountain's base up to a large white concrete Y on the mountain's hillside that was built over 100 years ago. The Y, which is 380 feet high by 130 feet wide, is even larger than Los Angeles' famous Hollywood sign and serves as an insignia for Brigham Young University.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud alumnus of Brigham Young University. The Y has always been a symbol of pride for us, the alumni, the faculty, the student body, and the Provo community. It reminds us of what BYU students and alumni strive for and continue to advocate for future generations: ``Enter to learn, and go forth to serve.''

The Y is illuminated five times a year, including at freshman orientation, homecoming, graduations in April and August, as well as Y Days, which celebrate BYU's week of service activities, dating back to the school's tradition of whitewashing the Y. It is a nationally recognized symbol of BYU sports, especially its football tradition.

BYU's athletic program is essentially important for all Pacific Islanders who have been given the opportunity, through athletic scholarships, to further their education here in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, BYU once owned the entire area surrounding the Y and the Y Mountain Trail, and the university also currently manages the U.S. Forest Service portion of the trail.

H.R. 4484, however, proposes that the Federal Government sell the Y Mountain at fair market value to BYU, and mandates that proceeds of the sale be used to reduce the Federal budget deficit. The bill also guarantees that public access to the Y and the Y Mountain Trail be maintained following the sale.

It is my strong belief, Mr. Speaker, that permitting BYU to purchase this property would result in better maintenance of the trail and mountain. Given the immense source of pride in the Y Mountain, BYU ownership of the property would only result in improved maintenance, cleanliness, safety, and access for the public. Transfer of ownership would also allow the university to preserve a significant monument for future generations of students and members of the community.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleagues and especially the gentleman from Utah, as the chief sponsor of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Every word that's been spoken by the gentleman from Oklahoma, not only as the chief author and the sponsor of this legislation, but something that I think my colleagues in the House need to be reminded of, this has nothing to do with whatever current feuds are going on between Armenia and Turkey. That is totally irrelevant to the bill that we are discussing here this afternoon. If we talk about past criminalities and acts that were done against the American Indians, Mr. Speaker, I don't know if my colleagues realize that the Government of the United States of America signed 389 treaties with the American Indians. And guess what. We broke every one of those treaties. So let's talk about fairness.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011.

First, I want to thank the gentleman from Washington, the chairman of our committee, and also the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) for their support. And I especially want to thank my good friend, the only American Indian that we have in this body, a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation of the State of Oklahoma, my good friend and buddy, Tom Cole. Not only is he the cochair of our American Indian Congressional Caucus, but he is also a real gentleman that knows what he's talking about.

Mr. Speaker, despite the recent success of some tribes in creating successful gaming enterprises, pursuant to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, to a large extent, Indian tribes still face extreme economic conditions. This is due in part to the perception by private lenders and investors that risky conditions prevail in Indian Country. Because of the Federal trust status, Indian lands and resources are perceived as risky for collateral, and even loans and burdensome regulations restrict and impede efforts to improve economic conditions on tribal lands.

Mr. Speaker, we have unemployment as high as 80 percent among some of these tribes. In terms of any incentives given them to provide greater economic development, Mr. Speaker, this legislation solves this problem, and we need to give them these tools so that these tribes could better make economic improvements in their situation.

Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government has a trust obligation to our Indian brothers and sisters. A couple of years ago, I was pleased to work with Senator Inouye, my good friend from Hawaii, on legislation that will give Indian tribes access to many tools such as development capital, loans to Indian enterprises, and a host of other authorized activities, with the purpose of creating an environment that is conducive to Indian Country economic development. Today I continue to remain steadfast in my support and am willing to work with my colleagues in Congress to make improvements in this area.

Again, I commend my good friend Mr. Cole for his leadership. The bill before us today will create the Indian Tribal Trade and Investments Demonstration project within the Department of the Interior to include up to six Indian tribes for this pilot program. These tribes will be able to lease land currently held in trust by Federal land to conduct such activities including business and economic development; public, educational, or residential purposes; et cetera. Moreover, the bill will streamline the archaic and burdensome--you know, even just to get a lease agreement with the Federal Government, some of these tribes have had to wait for 10 years. They couldn't even get this done through the regulatory process. These are the problems that we're faced with.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues, pass this legislation. And again, I commend and thank my good friend, the gentleman from Oklahoma, for his leadership and bringing this legislation before us for consideration and approval.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011. First, I want to thank the gentleman from the State of Oklahoma, and my good friend, Mr. Tom Cole, for his authorship of this important piece of legislation that will facilitate economic development by Indian tribes and encourage investment by foreign companies.

Mr. Speaker, despite the recent success of some Indian tribes in creating successful gaming enterprises pursuant to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, to a large extent, Indian tribes still face extreme economic conditions. This is due in part to the perception by private lenders and investors that risky conditions prevail in Indian country. Because of the Federal Trust Status, Indian lands and resources are perceived as risky for collateral, and even loans and burdensome regulations restrict and impede efforts to improve economic conditions on tribal land.

Mr. Speaker, according to recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the overall poverty rate for American Indians/Alaska Natives, including children, is higher than that for the total U.S. population. The fact is, many of our Indian brothers and sisters remain stuck in poverty. With unemployment rates of up to 80-percent in some tribal communities, Indian tribes must find creative ways to foster economic growth and generate jobs and economic prosperity in these struggling communities.

Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government has a trust obligation to our Indian brothers and sisters. A couple of years ago, I was pleased to work with the Senator from Hawaii, and my good friend, Senator Inouye on legislation that will give Indian tribes access to many tools, such as development capital, loans to Indian enterprises, and a host of other authorized activities, with the purpose of creating an environment that is conducive to Indian country economic development. Today, I continue to remain steadfast in my support and am willing to work with my colleagues in Congress, to ensure that our federal trust obligation to the Indian tribes is uphold.

Again, I commend Mr. Tom Cole for his leadership. The bill before us today will create the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project within the U.S. Department of the Interior to include up to six Indian tribes or consortia. These tribes will be able to lease land currently held in trust by the federal land to conduct such activities including business and economic development; public, educational, or residential purposes; development or use of natural resources in connection with operations under such leases; and grazing and farming activities.

Moreover, the bill will streamline the archaic and burdensome federal regulations in place for leasing, to make it easier for Indian Tribes to partner with foreign companies that engage

in economic development on tribal lands. While H.R. 2362 was initially developed because of Turkey's interest in working with Indian tribes, I am pleased to know that all 155 World Trade Organization countries will have the same investment opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, this bill embodies our federal government trust obligation to the economic condition of the Indian tribes and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2362.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of my good friend, He Xiangdong, Counselor for the Congressional Liaison Office of the Chinese Embassy.

Counselor He graduated from Wuhan University in 1985. From 1985-1994, he was editor for the World Affairs Magazine in Beijing. From 1994- 1996, he was Second Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Oman. From 1996-1999, he served as First Secretary and Chief of the Political Section for the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia. From 1999-2004, he was First Secretary of the Policy Planning Department in the Foreign Ministry of China.

Since 2004, he has been assigned to work with the U.S. Congress to strengthen relations between China and the U.S., and having worked closely with him in my official capacities as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, I am proud of Counselor He's accomplishments and the indelible mark he has made in furthering relations between our countries.

Counselor He is to be commended for his exemplary service for and on behalf of the People's Republic of China. He has served his nation well.

On a personal note, I will miss him, and I extend to him my highest regards.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself especially with the remarks made by the gentlelady from Florida, who is our distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and with the remarks of my senior ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). I thank them both for their leadership in bringing this legislation forward for consideration and approval before the Members of this body.

I think there is absolutely no question in terms of the provisions provided in this bill. We want to be absolutely certain that our government is making every effort to ensure the security of the State of Israel.

I want to again commend the gentlelady from Florida and also my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their comments in assuring and in giving every absolute notice to other countries of the world so as to know where the United States stands in its defense of Israel.

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

(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I want to express my deepest appreciation to the

gentlelady from Florida, the chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and certainly my colleague, the senior ranking member, Mr. Berman of California.

I would also like to express my most sincere appreciation to our Speaker of the House, John Boehner; our majority leader, Eric Cantor; our Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi; our Democratic Whip, Steny Hoyer; the chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Ranking Member Howard Berman of California; Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member George Miller of the Committee on Education and the Workforce; Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member John Conyers of the Committee on the Judiciary; Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey of the Committee on Natural Resources; and certainly Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Lisa Murkowski, who respectively served as chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for all that they have done on behalf of the insular areas. I cannot thank my colleagues enough for standing with me because I know the passage of this bill is only possible today due to their support.

I also thank the committee staff leadership for their working in close association with my office on the provision which will benefit the Associated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Territory of American Samoa.

Mr. Speaker, as my chairman had alluded to earlier about this section, it's very simple.

This atoll, Runit Atoll, is located in Enewetak. For the benefit and information of my colleagues, the Enewetak Atoll is located in the Marshall Islands. This is where we exploded 43 of our nuclear bombs out of the 67 nuclear bombs that we exploded during our testing program from 1943 to 1962; and in the process, this is where we exploded our mini-hydrogen bomb, which was called a Mike shot, which was only about 700 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb that we exploded in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Only about a couple of hundred of miles away is also the atoll called Bikini Atoll, and in 1954 we exploded the most powerful and the first hydrogen bomb that was ever exploded on this planet. It was known as the Bravo shot, and it was 1,300 times more powerful than the bombs that we dropped in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Just to give my colleagues a sense of understanding and appreciation, what we did in this specific atoll, Enewetak, we had to collect all the debris, all the nuclear waste materials as a result of the 43 bombs that we exploded in this atoll for purposes of preventing nuclear contamination from getting into the water and the ocean squall of that. Well, it started to leak, and there are some very serious problems of nuclear contamination seepage coming out of what we've done in burying, supposedly, the nuclear waste materials on this atoll called Runit Atoll.

This provision is just simply the Congress directs the Secretary of Energy to do a monitoring program and to see what is happening after some 40 years that we did all this tremendous damage, not only to property, but to the lives of these people in the Marshall Islands. This is what this provision provides. It very simply authorizes the Secretary of Energy to go over there and find out what's going on and monitor the underground water so that these people can survive properly.

In the process, and what's about good about this bill, Mr. Speaker, is it doesn't require any offsets. We don't have to worry about any financials. It will be funded by the Technical Assistance Program that is now provided by the Office of Insular Affairs.

The second provision in this bill, Mr. Speaker, it just simply amends the Compact of Free Association to authorize our judges to go there and serve temporarily in the courts of the Associated States of Micronesia. That's all it does. It doesn't require any more expense than it is but just to simply authorize them.

And the third provision that I want to share with my colleagues is simply to delay the increase of the minimum wage in my little Territory of American Samoa for the next 3 years. That's all that this bill provides.

As I said, Mr. Speaker, this is one of the most unusual bills. It has the support of four committee chairmen and senior ranking members. Now, you talk about bipartisanship: I don't know of any other bill that I've ever heard or known and the fact that we have something we can all work toward in solving some of the serious problems affecting the lives of our fellow Americans. And that's all I'm asking for.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2009, the Insular Areas Act of 2011, which was passed by the Senate on December 16, 2011.

At this time, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Howard Berman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member George Miller of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member John Conyers of the Committee on the Judiciary, Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey of the Committee on Natural Resources, and Senators Jeff Bingaman and Lisa Murkowski who respectively serve as the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for all they have done for and on behalf of the people of American Samoa.

I cannot thank my colleagues enough for standing with me because I know that passage of this bill is only possible today due to their support. I also thank committee and leadership staff for working in close association with my office on provisions which will benefit our Associated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, and the U.S. Territory of American Samoa for years to come. Most of all, I thank the people of American Samoa, our tuna cannery workers, our Fono, and Governor for their support and prayers.

I want to especially commend Senator Bingaman and Senator Murkowski for their leadership in getting S. 2009 passed by the Senate. S. 2009 includes a provision to delay minimum wage increases in American Samoa until 2015. The provision regarding minimum wage was worked out in advance with my office as well as the Senate HELP Committee, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Because S. 2009 included other provisions not related to minimum wage, the bill was referred to three different committees in the House, including Education and the Workforce, the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs which has primary jurisdiction for S. 2009. With three different committees sharing jurisdiction, the bill could not move to the House floor unless the committees agreed to be discharged from consideration of S. 2009.

At my request, each of the Chairmen and Ranking Members agreed to waive consideration in order to expedite the bill's consideration. Although S. 2009 was not referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, I sought and received the support of Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey, too.

While we were hopeful that the bill could be placed on the House calendar after Congress returned from the Christmas recess, in January 2012 the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) unwittingly halted the advancement of the bill due to concerns it raised about a provision related to the monitoring of Runit Island. After explaining how important delaying further minimum wage increases is to American Samoa's economy, we were able to resolve OIA's concerns and move forward. But given these setbacks, Speaker Boehner's office subsequently requested that we formalize, in writing, the commitment of the Chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction and, as of March 28, 2012, we completed this request.

On Tuesday, July 10, 2012, I personally met with Majority Leader Eric Cantor and presented our case, and he agreed that with the support of Speaker Boehner, Democratic Leader Pelosi and Democratic Whip Hoyer that he would schedule the bill for consideration. Once the bill was publicly placed on the House calendar for July 17, 2012, I announced the progress we had made. Given the sensitivities surrounding minimum wage, I felt like a public announcement any sooner could have jeopardized our efforts.

The matter of minimum wage is of utmost importance to American Samoa. Since 1956, until Congress enacted P.L. 110-28 which

automatically increases wage rates by $.50 per hour effective July 2007 and every year thereafter until 2014, wage rates for American Samoa were determined by Special Industry Committees in accordance with Sections 5, 6, and 8 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. Sections 205, 206, 208). While these Industry Committees were phased out in other U.S. Territories due to their more diversified economies, American Samoa continues to be a single industry economy, and automatic increases have only served to exacerbate an already difficult situation for the local economy.

For more than 50 years, American Samoa's private sector economy had been nearly 80% dependent, either directly or indirectly, on two canneries--StarKist and Chicken of the Sea--which until recently employed more than 74 percent of our private sector workforce. However, on September 30, 2009, one day after American Samoa was struck by a powerful 8.3 Richter Scale earthquake which set off a 20-foot wave tsunami that left untold damage and loss from which the Territory has not fully recovered, Chicken of the Sea closed its operations in American Samoa and outsourced more than 2,000 jobs to Thailand where fish cleaners are paid $0.75 and less per hour compared to wage rates of about $4.76 per hour in American Samoa.

As noted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), before minimum wage increases went into effect tuna canneries in American Samoa were operating at about a $7.5 million loss per year when compared to canneries, like Bumble Bee, and now Chicken of the Sea, which outsource fish cleaning jobs to low-wage rate countries. Outsourcing has adversely impacted American Samoa's economy in untold ways. Higher fish costs, higher shipping costs, higher fuel costs, better local tax incentives offered by competitors and the global economic recession have especially contributed to the weakening of the Territory's economy. Passage of S. 2009 will help resolve some of these problems by providing ASG with the time it needs to diversify the Territory's private-sector economy.

While I thank my colleagues for their support and urge them to vote in favor of S. 2009, it is my sincere hope that improvements on the territory's economy will be such that it will provide for fair wages for American Samoa's workers. So between now and 2015, it will be up to ASG and our corporate partners, including StarKist and Tri-Marine, to find new ways of succeeding without further compromising the wages of both our public and private sector workers or wage earners.

American Samoa's cannery workers have been the backbone of the U.S. tuna and fishing processing industries, and I salute them for stabilizing the Territory's economy. With heart-felt gratitude for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf, I am noting their service in the Congressional Record for historical purposes.

Once more, I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for helping American Samoa in its time of need, and I urge passage of S. 2009.

The Enewetak People--Challenges Facing the only Population Ever

Resettled on a Nuclear Test Site

Introduction

Enewetak was the site of 43 of the 67 nuclear tests that

the U.S. conducted in the Marshall Islands and the Enewetak

people are the only people ever resettled on a nuclear test

site.

Enewetak Atoll as a Nuclear Test Site

Enewetak Atoll, was the site of forty-three of the sixty-

six nuclear tests conducted by the United States in the

Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958. One of the tests at

Enewetak was especially significant as it was the first test

of a hydrogen bomb. This test occurred on October 31, 1952

and was known as the ``Mike'' test. The test had a yield of

10.4 megatons (750 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb).

The destructive power of the Mike test was exceeded only by

the Bravo test (15 megatons) in all the nuclear tests

conducted by the United States anywhere. The Mike test

vaporized an island, leaving a crater a mile in diameter and

200 feet deep. The Mike test detonation and the detonation of

the other 42 nuclear devices on Enewetak resulted in the

vaporization of over 8% of the land and otherwise devastated

the atoll. The devastation is so severe that to this day,

fifty-four years after the last nuclear explosion, over half

of the land and all of the lagoon remain contaminated by

radiation. The damage is so pervasive that the Enewetak

people cannot live on over 50% of our land. In fact, they

can't live on Enewetak without the importation of food.

The U.S. Department of Energy described the devastating

effects of the 43 nuclear tests on Enewetak as follows:

``The immense ball of flame, cloud of dark dust, evaporated

steel tower, melted sand for a thousand feet, 10 million tons

of water rising out of the lagoon, waves subsiding from a

height of eighty feet to seven feet in three miles were all

repeated, in various degrees, 43 times on Enewetak Atoll.''

Removal of the Enewetak People from Enewetak Atoll to Ujelang Atoll

A few days before Christmas in 1947, the U.S. removed the

Enewetak people to the much smaller, resource poor, and

isolated atoll of Ujelang. They were told by the U.S. that

their removal would be for a short time. In fact, Captain

John P. W. Vest, the U.S. Military Governor for the Marshall

Islands, told them that their removal from Enewetak would be

temporary and last no more than three to five years.

Unfortunately, they were exiled on Ujelang for a period of

over thirty-three years.

Hardship on Ujelang

The exile on Ujelang was particularly difficult for the

Enewetak people leading to hopelessness and despair. During

the 33-year exile on Ujelang they endured the suffering of

near starvation. They tried to provide food for themselves

and their children, but one meal a day and constant hunger

was the norm. Malnutrition caused illness and disease.

Children and the elderly were particularly vulnerable. Health

care was woefully inadequate. In addition, children went

largely uneducated in the struggle for survival. They became

so desperate that in the late 1960's they took over a

visiting government field-trip ship, demanding that they be

taken off of Ujelang and returned to Enewetak.

After years of hardship, neglect and isolation the Enewetak

people became increasingly insistent that they be returned

home. Eventually, the U.S. said it would attempt to make

Enewetak Atoll habitable.

The suffering and hardship experienced by the Enewetak

people while on Ujelang, was eventually acknowledged by the

U.S. The U.S. Department of Interior in a letter to the

President of the U.S. Senate, dated January 14, 1978, said,

in relevant part:

``The people of Enewetak Atoll were removed from their home

atoll in 1947 by the U.S. Government in order that their

atoll could be used in the atomic testing program. The people

were promised that they would be able to return home once the

U.S. Government no longer had need for their islands.

During the thirty years that the Enewetak people have been

displaced from their home atoll they have suffered grave

privations, including periods of near starvation, in their

temporary home on Ujelang Atoll. The people have cooperated

willingly with the U.S. Government and have made many

sacrifices to permit the United States to use their home

islands for atomic testing purposes.''

Initial Cleanup Attempt of Enewetak Atoll

In 1972, the U.S. said that it would soon no longer require

the use of Enewetak. The U.S. recognized that the extensive

damage and residual radiation at Enewetak would require

radiological cleanup, soil rehabilitation, housing and basic

infrastructure before the people could resettle Enewetak. An

extensive cleanup, rehabilitation and resettlement effort was

undertaken between 1977 and 1980.

Unfortunately, the cleanup left over half of the land mass

of the atoll contaminated by radiation confining the people

to the southern half of the atoll. This has prevented the

Enjebi island members of the Enewetak community from

resettling their home island in the northern part of the

atoll, and has prevented the people from making full and

unrestricted use of their atoll. In addition, the cleanup and

rehabilitation was not effective in rehabilitating the soil

and revegetating the islands. An extensive soil

rehabilitation and revegetation effort is still required to

permit the growing of food crops.

Runit Dome

The cleanup of Enewetak entailed removal and collection of

highly contaminated topsoil, vegetation, and debris (concrete

and metal) that was subsequently entombed within an unlined

crater produced by an 18 kilo ton surface test and capped

with a concrete dome. The site is now known as the Runit

Dome. Evidence indicates open hydraulic communication between

radioactive waste and intruding ocean water, with migration

pathways leading to local groundwater and circulating lagoon

waters.

Inside the Runit Dome lies over 110,000 cubic yards of

plutonium and other radioactive debris that is radioactive

for thousands of years. And, many areas of Runit Island have

dangerous levels of contamination. Consequently, the dome and

the surrounding area need to be monitored in the same manner

that they would be monitored in the US. The reason for such

monitoring is simple--the Enewetak people are entitled to the

same level of protection from US created radiation as the

people of the US.