Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise, as many others have, to offer my deepest condolences to the children, families, and community of Newtown, Connecticut. They are enduring a terrible tragedy in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. But merely to offer condolence feels meaningless to me unless we also act to save other children and families and communities from a repetition of this same terrible tragedy.

We in Congress must take action to keep assault weapons and high- capacity clips out of the hands of those who are so dangerous or deranged or deluded that they can snuff out the lives of innocents on a whim. I understand there is a constitutional right to bear arms--I know the lawyers here will debate the fine points of that constitutional protection--but if our talk does not take guns out of the hands of people who would murder children, then our condolences today are just empty words.

We owe it to those who died. We owe it to children still alive. We must protect our families from this gun violence.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4606 clarifies that the National Park Service may issue right-of-way permits for a natural gas pipeline in Glacier National Park. The pipeline already exists in the park, and the legislation

provides appropriate easements for access by Northwestern Energy.

Senator Tester first introduced this legislation in March of this year. We do not object to this legislation, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the balance of my time.

No, I don't, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 3193, the Barona Band of Mission Indians

Land Transfer Clarification Act of 2012, corrects the legal description of land placed into trust for the Barona Band of Mission Indians in 2004. The bill places the proper parcel into trust as originally intended and clears title to the property misidentified under existing law.

S. 3193 was discharged by the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs earlier this month by unanimous consent after having been passed by the full Senate in September, also by unanimous consent.

This bill is supported by the administration, the tribe, and the affected non-Indian stakeholders. I, too, support this legislation to correct Congress' error and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of passage.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Thank you very much, Congresswoman Norton, the distinguished representative of the District of Columbia. She represents me whenever I am not at home, and has done an exceptional job. And I thank you for sponsoring today's Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, just imagine returning home to the United States after many months of life-threatening combat. Imagine the relief you feel to be safe and the joyfulness of the welcome you expect to receive. Then, imagine as you enter that welcoming ceremony you see displayed the flags of every State, but the flag of your own home is missing. This is a sad experience for some 36,000 servicemen and -women whose home is the District of Columbia or one of the United States territories-- American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and my own district, the Northern Mariana Islands.

The flags of our home jurisdictions are often missing from the flag displays at military installations during welcome-back ceremonies, deployment ceremonies, and graduations. A constituent alerted me to this problem about 2 years ago. This individual had noticed the absence of the Northern Marianas flag from a display of U.S. State and territorial flags at Fort Drum, New York. She reported how troubling it was to her as a member of our armed services from the Northern Marianas, returning from combat duty, looking up to see her own flag missing from the ranks of flags there at Fort Drum.

Let me read what she said:

It's been 9 months, still no CNMI flag displayed at Fort

Drum, New York, military base. No CNMI flag displayed at a

field where deployment ceremony being held, and no CNMI flag

displayed where welcoming ceremony being held welcoming back

our soldiers from deployment. I wonder what is going on to

our CNMI elected leaders. There are Micronesian and Guam

flags, no CNMI flag. Very sad.

I remember coming back from the first Gulf War and seeing

the rest of my unit being greeted by family and friends. As a

single soldier back then I did not have family waiting for my

return. However, the Guamanian family that I frequented while

in Fort Lewis was there to greet me with hugs, mwar-mwars,

and leis. What made them stand out and is forever etched in

my mind is our CNMI flag being wielded by these friends of

mine. The pride of seeing our flag waving at that concourse

was overwhelming and gave me--an NMI native--the sense of

belonging to these United States. As a veteran, and more so

as a proud NMI Chamolinian, I hope the lack of representation

in Fort Drum is corrected.

This was not an isolated incident. Last year, I visited a soldier who was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. A grand display of the flags of the 50 States lined the lobby of the main facility. Unfortunately, the flag of that young soldier, who was lying upstairs in a bed, painfully recovering from his wounds, was missing from the grand display downstairs. None of the territory flags nor the flag of the District of Columbia were present at Walter Reed.

I also received a report of the same situation at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. A family there to see their nephew graduate from basic training saw the flags of all 50 States and every territory on display--all except the flag of the Northern Marianas.

Let me read what they said in that email:

Congressman Kilili, my nephew graduated from basic training

in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, yesterday. My niece and my

sister-in-law were looking for the CNMI flag to take pictures

with the graduate. Seems they could not find the CNMI flag so

they had to settle with the Guam flag to have their picture

taken. Please look into this--why the CNMI flag was not

displayed during basic training graduation.

On another occasion, several of my constituents attended a basic combat training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The venue where the ceremony took place was adorned with flags from all the 50 States and every territory--except the Northern Mariana Islands. Those soldiers shared their deep disappointment with me. They felt that their command and their country did not recognize their contributions or their home.

Another constituent informed me that the Northern Marianas flag was not flying with the State flags at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, where her husband worked.

Here's what she wrote:

Good morning, sir. I happened to stumble upon an article

regarding our flag being raised in all U.S. Army

installations during ceremonies. Well, my husband works on

the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, and I am tiring

of him complaining about not seeing our flag during

graduations here. Could you please extend this to other armed

services as well? Thank you, sir. Respectfully, Julie S.

Tebuteb.

Over 20,000 Marine recruits pass through there every year. So not only are our own soldiers feeling forgotten but recruits from other areas are being sent a message that the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories are not really a part of the Nation those marines will be defending.

Of course, I brought all these cases to the attention of the Pentagon. The Secretary of the Army responded with an assurance that our flag would be flown at Army installations whenever the flags of the States are on display. And many of the individual installations I mentioned took corrective action when I contacted them. But despite this response, I continue to receive reports of situations where territorial flags are forgotten.

The problem is there is no uniform regulation governing the inclusion of the flags of the District of Columbia and the territories. Though the Army Secretary took action, it is the policy of the Air Force, Coast Guard, the Marines, and the Navy to let local commanders have the discretion to display State flags with or without the flags of the territories on their installations. I have requested that all the services modify their regulations to include our flags, but no action has been taken. And I believe it should not be at the

discretion of individual base commanders to decide to exclude any part of the United States--or the fighting men and women from any part of the United States--from recognition. It is a point of pride for all of our brave members of our armed services from the District of Columbia or the Northern Mariana Islands or any of the U.S. territories to see their home flag on display. That flag confirms that the sacrifices and risks these men and women take are recognized and appreciated. That flag demonstrates that their territory is a part of this great Nation of ours.

That's why I included a provision in this year's National Defense Authorization Act requiring the flag of all the States and all U.S. territories and the District of Columbia whenever and wherever the official flags of all 50 States are flown on U.S. military installations. That's why we're here this afternoon. Speaking on behalf of those 36,000 servicemembers from our districts, we are asking the other body, the Senate, to include the same provision in their bill. This provision ensures recognition for all our country's servicemembers no matter what part of the United States they call home.

I just celebrated Veterans Day in the Northern Mariana Islands at the American Memorial Park. There is in this park a court of honor for those soldiers who died there during World War II. And guess what, Mr. Speaker? All the flags--the territories and the 50 States--were displayed there in recognition of our great Nation, the United States of America. Not one State was left out. Not one territory was left out. They're all displayed there.

So let us all spare our soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen, and our veterans the disappointment of not seeing their flags together with the flags of the U.S. States whenever they fly.

I thank you for sharing your time with me. Congresswoman Norton, thank you for your leadership and for taking a leading position on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, sixty years ago, Capuchin priest Father Arnold Bendowski together with a convent of the Mercederian Sisters of Berriz and the parishioners of Mount Carmel Church established Mount Carmel School, which became the very first school in the Northern Mariana Islands to graduate a class of students from high school.

Today, I ask you to join me in celebrating this 60th anniversary of the founding of Mount Carmel School and to recognize the school's proud history of educating Northern Marianas students from their elementary through high school years.

Enrollment steadily increased throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Building s success, in 1993 Bishop Tomas A. Camacho hired Sister Mary Angela Perez of Religious Sisters of Mercy to be President of Mount Carmel School and gave her a broad mandate to lift the standard of education at the school to a new level. Under her leadership, Mt. Carmel was incorporated; and in 1994 a review team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges granted Accreditation Candidacy status. Eventually, this action led to the school becoming the first non-public school in the Northern Marianas accredited for a full six- year term.

Throughout these 60 years of development and growth Mount Carmel School has garnered a reputation for academic excellence, sending many graduates to top postsecondary institutions. Mount Carmel maintains this commitment, announcing this year that the school is adopting the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, formulated by Catholic educators from across the nation.

Supporting the academic, Mt. Carmel has also developed a diverse range of extracurricular activities, which have led to acclaimed theatrical productions and championship teams participating in the Academic Challenge Bowl, the Attorney General's Cup, Forensics, Mock Trial, and We the People programs. In line with findings of the National Center for Education Statistics, the school has decided now to grant academic credit for student participation in this kind of extracurricular activity, a policy that has been linked to improved attendance, academic achievement, and a commitment to continuing education beyond high school.

In addition to shaping the minds of our future leaders, Mount Carmel School has helped mold their spiritual conscience and social consciousness. Leadership at the school continually impress upon students their personal responsibility as members of a community. The school recently launched a service learning program, to augment its theology curriculum, and also introduced an innovative anti-bullying program, all to guide student awareness of how best to participate in the larger society of which they are a part.

Mt. Carmel understands its own social responsibility, too. The Northern Marianas community today faces the same financial challenges as Americans elsewhere in our nation. In response, Mt. Carmel has committed to new initiatives offering financial assistance to families that want a Catholic education for their children.

From its humble beginnings in 1952, the school has evolved into an institution whose name is synonymous with excellence in our community. Mt. Carmel has cultivated many of our islands' most notable business, government, and community leaders. Alumni from all walks of life stand as inspiring pillars in our community.

I offer my congratulations to all those who have been affiliated with the school over these past 60 years--teachers, staff, students, alumni, and parents. I am confident that the next 60 years will be marked by the same level of accomplishment.

Congratulations, Knights!

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in celebrating the 60th anniversary of Mount Carmel School and its proud record serving students in the Northern Mariana Islands from their elementary through high school years.

Since opening its doors, the school has constantly expanded, adding new facilities, state-of-the-art information technology, and the standards-based curriculum, with accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Mount Carmel School has cultivated some of our islands' most notable business, government, and community leaders. As elected officials, doctors, attorneys, car mechanics, cooks, carpenters, teachers, and business executives, the school's alumni stand as inspiring pillars in our community. From humble beginnings in 1952, the school has evolved into an institution whose name is synonymous with educational excellence in our community.

I offer my congratulations to all of those who have been affiliated with Mount Carmel School over these past 60 years: teachers, staff, students, alumni, and parents. I have every confidence that the next 60 years will be marked by the same level of accomplishment.

Go, Knights.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3245, extending authorization of the EB-5 Regional Center program another three years to September 2015. The EB-5 program provides conditional permanent resident status to foreign investors in economic units known as Regional Centers. In doing so, the program promotes economic growth, improves regional productivity, and creates jobs in the geographic area where a Center is located. This is exactly the kind of incentive needed in my district, the Northern Mariana Islands, which has seen gross domestic product decline from $1.2 billion in 2002 to $600 million in 2009. Already several proposals have come forward for the Northern Mariana Islands, predicated on the establishment EB-5 Regional Centers, that will inject foreign investment capital and create jobs. These Regional Centers do not just represent jobs and salary for their direct employees--they represent investments in our community. For every new job created, and for every additional dollar of salary paid, our workforce and pay scale are benefitted across the board. The extension of this program provided in S. 3245 will ensure that these opportunities can continue to benefit our economy. I commend Senator Leahy and Senator Grassley for introducing this bipartisan legislation and the bipartisan House leadership for bringing this bill to the floor for approval.

Mr. Speaker, here is a story to make us all cheer:

46 high school musicians from America's smallest insular area raise a quarter of a million dollars to go to London and perform during the Olympics--where they win a silver medal.

That is the story of the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band, who played their hearts out at the London Celebration Music Festival this week in Central Hall Westminster, and came away with silver.

They played throughout the 2012 Summer Olympics: at the main bandstand in Olympic Park, in a torch ceremony in Central London, at storied Westminster Abbey, and at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre nearby Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

As they played, we all cheered in the Northern Mariana Islands. Because the Manta Rays represent us all. We are the only U.S. insular area that did not send athletes to London. We sent our students. We sent musicians. And they were awarded silver.

It took silver to send them there. It took bake sales, rummage sales, garage sales, a bowling tournament, tree plantings, car washes, a radio telethon, lunches, and raffles. It took businesses, government, civic organizations, and individual donors--too many to list by name all chipping in to make this possible for the 46 Manta Rays and their 14 chaperones. It seemed an impossible goal for a community of barely fifty thousand, struggling economically, to raise two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. But we did.

Because these Manta Ray musicians dared us to dream--as they have before. They proved to us that with ``faith, effort, and determination,'' and, of course, the hours of individual diligence, closing out the world, playing scales, practicing their parts, over and over again, that even the seemingly impossible can come to be.

Ten years ago there was no high school band in our islands. Most families in the Marianas could not even afford to buy a band instrument. Then, through the vision of teacher Will DeWitt and the support of the leadership at Saipan Southern High School and the Northern Marianas Public School System a seed was planted. The dream began to grow.

Students begged or borrowed instruments and held them for the first time. They began to make music.

How quickly they learned. They started to win regional competitions in Guam. They gained notice and were invited to perform during the Beijing Olympics four years ago.

They were even called to play at Carnegie Hall, earning second place in the New York International Music Competition.

Then, last year, the invitation came to the 2012 Summer Olympics. And this week the silver medal in London.

Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how much the Northern Marianas believes in its young people than this bake-sale effort to send the Manta Ray Concert Band to the 2012 Olympics.

Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how much our young people believe in themselves and in their future than that they took on this impossible, improbable goal--and succeeded.

So, today, we say, ``Congratulations, Manta Rays!''

And we say, ``Thank you.'' Thank you for doing your community proud. Thank you for rewarding our faith in you.

Thank you for confirming that there is no better place to put our hope and hard work than helping in the growth and development of our children.

Here is a story we can all love and applaud: a story of dedicated teachers and students who were inspired to do something they had never done before, something that on its face was ``impossible.'' This is a story of what makes any of us great: stepping beyond what we imagine we can do, bringing to life a new and unimaginable world.

Mr. Speaker, here's a story to make us all cheer: 46 high school musicians from America's smallest insular area raise a quarter of a million dollars to go to London and perform during the Olympics where they win a silver medal.

This is the story of the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band, who played their hearts out at the London Celebration Music Festival this week in Central Hall Westminster. We are all cheering in the Northern Mariana Islands because the Manta Rays represent us all.

We're the only U.S. insular area that did not send athletes to London. We sent our student musicians, and they came away with silver. It took bake sales, rummage sales, garage sales, a bowling tournament, tree plantings, car washes, a radio telethon, lunches, and raffles. It took business, government, civic organizations, and individual donors all chipping in because these kids dared us to dream.

Ten years ago, there was no high school band in our islands. Most families could not afford to buy an instrument. Today, through the faith, effort, and determination of the students, we're all inspired, confirming the belief that there is no better investment than in our children.

Congratulations, Manta Rays.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4073 clears up a deed for a popular hiking destination, the Manitou Incline in Colorado. Upon enactment, the Pike National Forest will have full ownership of the trail, which ascends 2,000 feet to Pikes Peak.

We do not object to this legislation, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, President Theodore Roosevelt designated Pinnacles National Monument in California under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1908.

H.R. 3641 would redesignate the monument as Pinnacles National Park. While the name change will not significantly alter management of the area, it will raise the profile of this beautiful resource and hopefully attract even more visitors.

Representative Farr is to be commended for his tenacity in moving this legislation forward. He has had to make some very difficult concessions to achieve passage of his bill today, and it is our hope that we can continue working on this to achieve his full vision for Pinnacles National Park.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).

No, we don't, Mr. Speaker.

At this time, I yield back the balance of my time.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3706, to create an Office of Chief Financial Officer for the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.

Delegate Christensen is to be commended for her hard work on behalf of her constituents. Today marks the fourth time--the fourth time--the House will vote on legislation she sponsored to provide greater accountability and transparency in the management of her district's finances.

This is a good bill, I urge my colleagues to support its adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield as much time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from the United States Virgin Islands, Dr. Christensen.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, and I urge the adoption of the legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 270, sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden, provides for the conveyance of approximately 900 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management to the city of La Pine, Oregon, and Deschutes County, Oregon. These lands will be used for public purposes as required by the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. We do not object to this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. If the gentleman from Colorado has no further need of time, I will yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 271, introduced by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, transfers approximately 1 acre of land from the Wallowa National Forest to the City of Wallowa, Oregon. A local nonprofit organization will use the facility for local historical and cultural preservation, interpretation, and education. We do not object to this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have no objection to S. 271, and I have no further speakers.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1237 provides for the exchange of land between the Trinity Public Utilities District in California, the United States Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. We do not object to this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire if Chairman Hastings has any additional speakers at this time?

Mr. Speaker, again, like I said, we have no objection to this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.