Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 601) to provide for the conveyance of parcels of land to Mantua, Box Elder County, Utah.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 601, introduced by Representative Bishop of Utah, requires the Secretary of Agriculture to convey without consideration approximately 31.5 acres of National Forest System land in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah to the town of Mantua, Utah. The conveyed land will be used by the town of Mantua to develop a new town cemetery, a new town hall and fire station, an elementary school, a court, law enforcement facilities, and a memorial park.

Mr. Speaker, this bill passed the House in the 110th Congress. Also in the last Congress, our committee amended that measure to require that, as a condition of the conveyance, the town of Mantua shall use the land for public purposes only, and the land shall revert to the Secretary if used for another purpose, and that requirement is included in H.R. 601 as well. We have no objections to H.R. 601.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time and would inquire of the minority whether they have any additional speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 603) to require the conveyance of certain public land within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, to support the training and readiness of the Utah National Guard.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 603 was introduced by the ranking member on the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee, Representative Rob Bishop. It directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management to the State of Utah for use by the Utah National Guard. The land would revert to the United States should it ever cease being used by the Guard. This legislation was approved by the House during the 110th Congress but was not considered in the other body.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend our colleague Representative Bishop for his leadership in this matter and for

his willingness to work with the committee to resolve issues raised during the earlier consideration of this legislation. We have no objection to the passage of H.R. 603.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I have no further speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support H.R. 603, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 637) to authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, and for other purposes.

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

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

The purpose of H.R. 637, as introduced by our colleague from California, Mr. Calvert, is to authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the Cities of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, California, to participate in the design, planning and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system.

The continuing drought and the decrease in snow pack have led to a reduction in water supplies in many parts of the West. Water recycling projects can help communities protect against drought. H.R. 637 would authorize limited Federal financial assistance for two separate water recycling projects in southern California--one in San Juan Capistrano and the other in San Clemente.

Recycled water can satisfy many water demands.

The House favorably passed identical legislation in the 110th Congress. So I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 637.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I again urge Members to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, today I have introduced a bill to strengthen enforcement mechanisms to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The difficulties of managing fish stocks that migrate across political boundaries are exacerbated by the increased fishing power now available as a result of modern technology. While the United States is recognized for its commitment to domestic fisheries conservation and as an international voice in science-based ocean conservation, the failure of other nations to adopt similar approaches has both economic and conservation implications for U.S. industry and management. Additional action is needed from Congress if we are to be successful in combating IUU fishing and the depletion of fish stocks worldwide.

Recent reports have documented that IUU fishing accounts for between 11 and 19 percent of the reported global fish catch, or $10-25 billion in gross revenues each year (MRAG, 2005, Sumaila et al., 2006 and

Agnew et al., 2008). This undermines the United States' conservation focused approach to fisheries management and the efforts of its fishermen, and has implications for sustainable international fisheries that benefit the world's marine ecosystems. Unsustainable fishing practices by foreign fishing fleets adversely affect stocks that migrate between the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the high seas. This problem can be particularly acute in places like Guam, where the EEZ is vast, and where the United States Coast Guard, despite its best efforts, will never have sufficient resources to patrol all of our waters.

There are many ways to address the issue of IUU fishing, including depriving fishers of the economic benefits of illegal fishing, increasing leverage on nations to effectively monitor and control their fishing vessels, and building capacity for enforcement and good governance in developing countries, all of which were addressed with the 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The January 13th release of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) biennial report to Congress of identified IUU nations was a positive first step in addressing IUU fishing. Notwithstanding these and other efforts by NOAA, the Department of State, and the United States Coast Guard, further enforcement authorities could enhance the ability of these agencies to address IUU fishing.

The ``Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2009'', which I have introduced today, will further enhance the enforcement authority of NOAA and the United States Coast Guard to regulate IUU fishing. This bill would amend the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (HSDFMPA) and other international and regional fishery management organization (RFMO) agreements to incorporate in them the civil penalties, permit sanctions, criminal offenses, civil forfeitures and enforcement sections of the MSA. It would also strengthen the enforcement authority of NOAA and the United States Coast Guard to inspect conveyances, facilities, and records involving the storage, processing, transport and trade of fish and fish products, and to detain fish and fish products for up to five days while an investigation is ongoing.

In addition, this bill makes technical adjustments to allow NOAA to more effectively carry out current IUU identification mandates, including extending the duration of time of identification of violators from the preceding two years to the preceding three years. This bill also broadens data sharing authority to enable NOAA to share information with foreign governments and to clarify that all information it collects may be shared with international organizations and foreign governments, particularly for the purposes of conducting enforcement. These amendments promote the conservation and sound management of fish stocks internationally and in a manner that is consistent with the expectations placed on U.S. fishermen.

Finally, this bill would establish an international cooperation and assistance program to provide funding and technical expertise to other nations to help them address IUU fishing. It authorizes $5 million annually from 2010 to 2015 to carry out this program oriented towards establishing a coordinated and effective global system to combat IUU fishing.

IUU fishermen are ``free riders'' who benefit unfairly from the sacrifices made by U.S. fishermen and others for the sake of proper fisheries conservation and management. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this important bill through the legislative process.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Juan Lujan Pangelinan, who passed away on January 23, 2009. Juan was a dedicated public servant who served as a Commissioner of Agana Heights, an elected position now called Mayor.

Juan was born on May 18, 1922 to Francisco Borja and Natividad Lujan Pangelinan in Anigua, a district of Hagatna, Guam's capitol. Experience he gained working with his family businesses in Sumay, the pre-war economic center of Guam, paved the way for his entrepreneurial spirit and establishment of his own commercial ventures after World War II.

He co-founded Kotla's Store, and as one of the island's first village retail stores, Kotla's Store prospered for over forty years as a community corner store and laundromat. He established the ``Villa Kotla'' where many of his family members reside today. He was known for using his personal resources to help families in his village during their time of need.

For his commitment to his village, the community of Agana Heights elected Juan as Guam's first write-in village commissioner in 1952 and re-elected him to four consecutive four-year terms. As the elected leader of his village, Juan avidly involved himself in various community organizations. He founded the Agana Heights Drum and Bugle Corps, Majorettes and Armed Drill Team to provide the youth of the village the spirit and pride of community. In the aftermath of the devastation of Super typhoon Karen in 1962 Juan helped in finding shelters for families whose homes were destroyed.

Juan's community spirit extended beyond his village as a member of the Helping Hands of Guam, the Young Men's League of Guam, the Agana Heights Holy Name Society, and the Agana Heights Association. Juan retired after thirty years of dedicated public service to our island community.

With a passion for family genealogy, Juan published two books, Familian Kotla and Familian Haniu and began working on Familian Lujan and Familian Untalan. Today, these genealogies provide accurate histories, not only of the families of which Juan Pangelinan was a part of, but also of the communities of Agana, Agana Heights, Anigua, Sumay and other villages on Guam.

My thoughts and prayers are with his surviving siblings Sister Mary Alma, RSM, and Luisa and Antonio, his children, Frank, Toni, Tita, Loling, John, Gerianne, and Joseph and his grand children and great grand children. We honor his life's work as a civic leader and his contributions to our community. Most of all, he will be remembered by many as a generous and giving man. We are grateful for his public service and we will miss him dearly.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and achievements of Joseph C. Murphy, who passed away on February 5, 2009. Joe will be remembered as a former editor of the Pacific Daily News and as a sharp-witted columnist.

Joe was born on February 23, 1927, in Appleton, Wisconsin. At the age of 17 he joined the United States Navy and spent a year in combat during World War II. He returned home to finish high school and later obtained a degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. After graduation, Joe worked as a reporter, editor and columnist in Wisconsin, Oregon, and California before moving to Guam in 1965.

Joe was the editor of the Guam Daily News, the precursor to the Pacific Daily News, a Gannett newspaper. He wrote an insightful column called ``Pipe Dreams'' which made us laugh, think and debate. His writings were observations and musing on island life, our unique community, and local politics.

Over the years he developed the concept of ``OOG'', ``Only On Guam'', a phrase that became synonymous with island life and oddities about our community. His humorous OOG anecdotes were later consolidated into two publications, Guam Is a Four Letter Word and Son of a Four Letter Word.

Joe loved Guam and his columns often urged our community and our leaders to tackle the challenges of a developing island. He often wrote retrospective pieces where he observed the progress and changes that our island has undergone since his arrival forty four years ago.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Marion, their children, Colleen, Maureen, Shannon, Kerry, Tim, Erin, Megan, and Joey and their extended family and friends. We honor his life's work as a journalist and his contributions to our community. Most of all, he will be remembered by many as a gifted writer who had an enormous impact in our island community. We are grateful for his contributions and we will miss him dearly.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Alfred San Nicolas Flores, a former Guam Senator who passed away on February 6, 2009 at the age of 93. Alfred, known as ``Davy Crockett'' to family and friends, was devoted to his community and will be remembered for his public service and his love of farming.

Born on June 20, 1916 to Jose Duenas Flores and Rafaela San Nicolas, Alfred was raised by his step-mother Margarita Flores in the village of Inarajan. He became a Lancheru, or ``rancher,'' farming his family's land and raising cattle. He later established the Flores Poultry Farm which became a major supplier of fresh eggs to Guam's civilian and military communities.

Alfred entered public service, first as an Assemblyman in the Guam Congress, and later as a six term Senator in the Guam Legislature. He promoted agriculture by establishing a special water rate for farmers and establishing a crop insurance program. He also authored legislation to create low and moderate income housing subdivisions. In 1976 he was elected to the office of Commissioner (Mayor) of Inarajan. Senator Flores was a founding member of the Democratic Party of Guam and he was known for his fiery campaign speeches.

Alfred Flores served on the Selective Service Board, the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority Board of Directors, the Guam Farmers Cooperative Association, and the Soil and Water Conservation District. He was active in his village church, St. Joseph's Parish in Inarajan. He also mentored young men by volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America.

Senator Alfred Flores was a dedicated public servant who made many lasting contributions to our community. He was recognized later in life as a Master Lancheru for his contributions to preserving traditional farming. My heartfelt condolences are with his wife Ester, their children Lucille, May, Fred, and Roy and his extended family and friends. He will be dearly missed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life and service of Monique Portusach-Cepeda, a dedicated community leader who continually gave back to the people of Guam. Monique passed away on January 3, 2009 after a battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, Nathaniel Fejeran Ulloa, her mother Frances Portusach Hudgens, and her father Anthony Calvo Cepeda.

Monique graduated from George Washington High School as valedictorian in 1996. Monique enrolled in Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and in 2001 graduated with a degree in American Civilization and Bio-Medical Community Health. While at Brown University, Monique was awarded the President Harry S. Truman Fellowship before continuing her education at Harvard University. In 2002, Monique graduated from Harvard University with a Master's Degree in Public Policy. Monique was also selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, a program for individuals dedicated to promoting sound policy and programming in government agencies.

Monique worked with the Social Security Administration on Guam as a Federal Disability Examiner where she helped residents of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa through the disability claims process. She continued to give back to her community through participation in organizations such as Youth for Youth, Democrats for a Better America, and Young Government Leaders. Monique

was also a representative for the San Diego area to the Pacific Asian Advisory Council.

My prayers are with Monique's family and friends whose hearts she so deeply touched. Her contributions towards our island community will be remembered and honored always.

Madam Speaker, today I have reintroduced a bill to amend and reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. In the 110th Congress, I joined my colleague, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, in introducing H.R. 1205, the ``Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007'', which the House of Representatives passed by voice vote on October 22, 2007. The bill I have introduced today, with Congressman Faleomavaega and 15 other colleagues, strengthens H.R. 1205 without changing its original intent.

Conservation of coral reef ecosystems is essential to protect public health, promote environmental sustainability, and ensure long-term economic progress for the jurisdictions we represent in Congress. The sovereign waters of the United States off the coast of Guam, and in the Pacific region as a whole, contain a majority of the shallow-water coral reefs in the United States, as well as some of the world's greatest coral reef biodiversity. These reefs, and reefs around the world, protect us from storm waves, provide habitat and shelter for fisheries, provide food and recreation for our residents, and are the basis for marine tourism industries.

Today, however, various pressures on the world's reefs threaten to destroy them and the numerous ecosystem services that they provide. Unless the United States acts in conjunction with the global community to support focused, prolonged action on coral reef education, research, and management, the condition of our coral reefs will continue to degrade.

Since its enactment in 2000, the Coral Reef Conservation Act has stimulated a greater commitment to protect, conserve, and restore coral reef resources within jurisdictional waters of the United States. As a result, we now have a much better grasp of the condition of our coral reefs, and more focused management capability than at any time in our history. The Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and Enhancement Amendments of 2009 would further strengthen the original legislation by establishing a new community-based planning grants program, by promoting international cooperation, and by recognizing the important contributions of the U.S. Department of the Interior in coral reef management and conservation efforts.

This bill would also codify the United States Coral Reef Task Force established in 1998 by President Clinton through Executive Order 13089. The work of the Task Force and its mission to coordinate the efforts of the United States in promoting conservation and the sustainable use of coral reefs internationally is vital to our interests. Since 1998, the Task Force has acted to facilitate and support better management and conservation of coral reef resources at the local level. Many beneficial efforts, such as the development and implementation of local action strategies to address threats to our reefs, are underway thanks to the work of the Task Force and its member agencies.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation to enhance our capacity for the conservation and restoration of healthy and diverse coral reef ecosystems, our ``Rainforests of the Sea''.

Madam Speaker, today I have introduced a private relief bill to grant full annuity set forth in 28 U.S.C. 373 to the Honorable John S. Unpingco of Piti, Guam, former Judge of the United States District Court of Guam.

Prior to his confirmation on October 8, 1992, by the United States Senate as Judge of the District Court of Guam, Judge Unpingco served a combined total of 27 years as an officer in the United States Air Force, the United States Air Force Reserve, and as a federal civilian employee in the Department of the Air Force. However, despite his long and distinguished career as a public servant, upon attaining the age of 65 Judge Unpingco will not qualify for a full .annuity from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO), from the United States Air Force, or from the Federal Government for his civilian service. Under current law, upon attaining the age of 65, Judge Unpingco can only receive an annuity prorated to his service on the federal bench and valued at approximately 12/15th of the salary he earned at the time he stepped down from the bench.

The issue of retirement inequity is one unique to Judges appointed to serve on the bench for the District Courts of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Each of these Courts was established pursuant to an Act of Congress enacted in under the authority of Congress to govern territories granted by Section 3 in Article IV of the Constitution. Article IV judges are appointed for fixed-length terms pursuant to statute. Article III judges, however, their counterparts serving on the bench in District Courts in the 50 States and in the District of Columbia, are appointed for life in accordance with the Constitution.

In the 109th Congress, I wrote with my colleague from the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Christensen, to the Judicial Conference of the United States, to request their review of draft legislation to amend 28 U.S.C. 373 to allow for the retirement of Article IV judges under terms more equal to those provided under current law for judges of Article III Courts and the United States Tax Court. The Committee on the Judicial Branch of the Judicial Conference of the United States carefully examined our legislative proposals on this issue and responded in writing on January 5, 2006, indicating that this is a matter more appropriately addressed at this time through a private relief bill. To date, Congress has confirmed the appointments of 16 Judges to the Article IV Courts for the Districts of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Length of terms has varied over time and across the three courts. There are unique circumstances surrounding Judge Unpingco's executive and judicial service. He separated from the civil service to fulfill a judicial responsibility on behalf of his country, and served on the federal bench in good faith.

It is at the suggestion of the Committee on the Judicial Branch of the Judicial Conference of the United States and in accordance with precedent that I have introduced this private relief bill. I do so in the hopes that a distinguished public servant will collect the full and fair annuity that he selflessly worked toward over the course of his 27 year career in public service. While I intend to introduce legislation at a later time to establish the District Court of Guam as an Article III Court, I remain concerned about current inequity in the law affecting Article IV Judges. Thirty-seven private bills have been enacted into law by the previous five Congresses. Congress has previously considered private relief bills pertaining to annuities payable to federal Judges, including for example for a Judge in a territory of the United States. The most recent example being S. 115 for the relief of Judge Louis LeBaron, who was a Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court of Hawaii and which was introduced in the 1st Session of the 99th Congress on January 3, 1985.

I look forward to working with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary to address the underlying inequity in retirement benefits for Article IV Judges and in this particular case to bring relief to Judge Unpingco through the enactment of the bill I have introduced today. I hereby enter for print in the Congressional Record to accompany the introduction of this bill and to supplement these remarks, the correspondence I exchanged with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) and the Judicial Conference of the United States and its enclosures on this matter.

Congress of the United States,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, February 4, 2005.

Mr. Leonidas Ralph Mecham,

Director, The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, One

Columbus Circle, NE, One Columbus Circle, NE, Washington,

Madam Speaker, today I have reintroduced a bill to protect the United States from harm caused by invasive species. In the 110th Congress, I introduced H.R. 6311, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, in response to the increasing economic, environmental, and human health threats posed by invasive wildlife species. I am reintroducing this legislation as a proactive approach to combating invasive wildlife species by prohibiting their importation.

Nonnative plants and animals are known by scientists to have been introduced into ecosystems in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories. Invasive, nonnative species can harm the economy, environment, other animal species' health and human health. Such harm ranges, for example, from depreciating farmland property values and loss of irrigation water to increasing spread of disease. Additionally, collapse of buildings, competition with native animals, sport, game, and endangered species losses, habitat alteration, and other ecosystem disturbances, have all resulted from the introduction of certain invasive species.

Scientists and economists generally estimate the cost of damages caused by invasive species in the United States to amount to over $123 billion annually. The risks associated with the introduction and establishment of invasive species, and the costs of mitigation, will continue to rise concomitantly with the expansion of trade and increased speed and frequency of travel around the world and within the United States. The volume of cargo shipped and exchanged worldwide continues to increase and many communities across the United States are experiencing growth in tourism. These factors are reason alone to develop protocols and a system for assessing the risk of all nonnative wildlife species that could be imported or introduced into the United States.

Preventing the introduction of invasive species is a significant challenge and priority for many communities across the country, including my district, Guam. Invasive species, for example, threaten the biodiversity and the ecology of the Florida Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and the Great Lakes, among other national environmental treasures. On Guam, the brown tree snake has caused the extirpation of many endemic forest birds and lizards. The coqui tree frog and the coconut rhinoceros beetle are the latest species to have entered Guam. Although these species were 1 accidentally introduced, intentional introduction of invasive species is something that can and should be controlled. The bill reintroduced today would protect citizens, the economy, and the environment from imported wildlife species that have the known potential to and that would likely harm our interests in the United States.

Absent a comprehensive federal law addressing the importation of nonnative species, the only protection is provided by the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981. This law authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate wildlife species considered ``injurious'' to humans and prohibits importation of such species into the country. The process, however, to designate a species as injurious can take up to four years, at which point harm has already been done.

The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act authorizes the establishment by regulation of a risk assessment process to control the importation of wildlife species. The bill adopts a preventative approach by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to develop with public notice and public input a ``green list'' of species allowed to be imported and a ``black list'' preventing invasive species from entering the country. Prior to approving a species to be imported, the Secretary must evaluate its potential risk to human, other animal species, and environmental health. Any imports of species, which are not on the ``green list,'' will be subject to penalties under the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981. The Secretary, however, may permit importation of an animal of such other prohibited species for educational, scientific research, or accredited zoological or aquarium display purposes. Finally, import fees will be collected to cover the costs of the risk assessment process.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation and to strengthen the abilities of the federal government to more effectively manage and prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 23, traffic delays. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan on his historic election as the first Delegate to Congress from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). His election comes twenty-two years after the U.S. Government first granted the residents of the CNMI U.S. Citizenship and 12 years after my predecessor, Congressman Robert A. Underwood, introduced the first bill to provide for a CNMI Delegate in the 104th Congress. Born on the island of Saipan on January 19, 1955, Mr. Sablan graduated from Marianas High School and attended the University of Guam, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Mr. Sablan has a long record of public service to the people of the CNMI beginning with his election to the third Commonwealth Legislature in the CNMI House of Representatives. While in that office, he worked with the Assistant Secretary of the Interior to secure funding for the CNMI. Mr. Sablan returns to the halls of Congress as a Delegate after previously working as a Special Assistant to Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Mr. Sablan then returned to the CNMI to work as a Special Assistant for Management and Budget under Governor Froilan Tenorio and most recently, he worked as the Executive Director of the Election Commission.

This historic event for the people of the CNMI and the U.S. Congress marks the first time the CNMI will have representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 110th Congress passed legislation that was signed into law by the President on May 8, 2008, and that among its other provisions, authorized the election to Congress of a CNMI Delegate (Title VII of U.S. Public Law 110-229). The addition of the CNMI Delegate seat marks the first time membership in the House has expanded since Congress provided for the election of a Delegate to represent American Samoa in 1980. The addition of the CNMI Delegate seat brings the total number of Delegates representing the territories and the District of Columbia in the House of Representatives to six.

As a neighbor in the Western Pacific and a fellow territorial Delegate, I welcome my new colleague, Mr. Sablan, to Washington, D.C. as the first Delegate to represent the CNMI in Congress. The historically close ties between the people of Guam and the people of the CNMI will provide for a solid foundation on which to work together toward common goals in Washington, D.C. I look forward to strengthening these ties with Mr. Sablan and working together toward sensible and effective Federal government in the Mariana Islands. This momentous occasion renews the promise of the founding principles of American democracy, that of representative government by its citizens. As we move forward in the 111th Congress, I extend my warmest welcome and congratulations to the people of the CNMI.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Walter Dias for his civic involvement and community service on Guam. Walter Dias, known to his family, friends, neighbors and coworkers, as ``Wally,'' has resided on Guam over the past 15 years and been active in our non- profit community. Wally was recently promoted by his employer, Continental Airlines, and is relocating to Hong Kong to assume the position of Managing Director of Greater China and Southeast Asia.

Wally is the eldest of five sons and two daughters of Walter Sr., and Virginia Dias. He grew up in a small town in the resort area of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University before beginning his career at Price Waterhouse and later at Geo Source Inc. In 1987, Wally started his airline career in the finance division of Continental Airlines, and in 1993, he moved from its corporate headquarters in Houston to Guam to serve as the Director of Marketing for Continental Micronesia. Wally was later promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, a position through which his involvement with our non-profit community on Guam grew.

Wally promoted travel to the Pacific islands of Micronesia through a ``Warmth of Paradise'' campaign that he developed while at Continental Micronesia. Through this campaign, the cultures of the Pacific islands, including of the Chamorro people of the Marianas, is showcased. Wally also sought to foster greater relations between the civilian and military community on Guam, and to support education initiatives focusing on Guam's military history. When Guam celebrated its 50th Annual Liberation Day in honor of the island's liberation from Imperial Japanese Forces in 1944, Wally helped coordinate the travel of more than 2,000 liberators to Guam for this special event. Wally also worked with the Military Historical Tours to fly veterans from the Battle of Iwo Jima for the battle's 50th anniversary commemorative program.

His work in our community extended beyond those of us who call Guam home. Wally helped coordinate the transportation of 2,000 Kurdish refugees from Iraq to Guam, and later from Guam into the mainland of the United States for settlement, in 1996. He was instrumental in the founding of the Ayuda Foundation, a humanitarian organization that has helped thousands of people from the Micronesian islands access medical supplies and health care. Wally also helped establish the Wings for Life One Pass medical account program. To this day, the program has helped transport more than a hundred patients to receive proper medical treatment. These are lasting examples of Wally's efforts on behalf of our community on Guam and the greater Micronesia region.

It is on the occasion of his promotion and relocation to Hong Kong, that the people of Guam recognize him for his community service and his leadership in helping to develop our visitor industry.

Madam Speaker, today I have reintroduced a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend eligibility of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) to Community Development Entities (CDEs) created or organized in American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This bill would make a technical correction to existing law governing the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program and specifically authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to certify corporations or partnerships organized in one of the four U.S. territories as entities qualified to participate in the competitive application process for the New Markets Tax Credit.

The Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-554) authorizes the NMTC Program for the purpose of increasing incentives for investment in low-income communities across the country. Under the NMTC Program, certified Community Development Entities (CDEs) are eligible to apply for a New Markets Tax Credit from the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund at the Department of the Treasury. Taxpayers who then invest in the CDE are allocated some of those credits in return for their investment. The CDE must invest those funds in low-income communities, and the taxpayers are able to claim, over a seven-year period, credits equal to 39 percent of their investment. CDEs act as intermediaries for the provision of loans, investment funding, or financial counseling in low-income communities and are able to legally operate anywhere in the United States, including in the territories.

Despite the ability of a CDE under current law to legally and practically operate in a U.S. territory, a corporation or partnership that is created or organized in a U.S. territory applying for CDE certification cannot qualify for such certification under current law. This ineligibility stems from such organizations being deemed ``foreign'' and not ``domestic'' under other relevant provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. This nuance in law effectively prevents local CDEs in the territories, that is, entities who would otherwise be recognized as such by the Department of the Treasury, from investing in their own communities.

The bill I have reintroduced today would rectify this situation, which I recognize to be an oversight of Congress in the enactment of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000. The bill would allow for the certification of CDEs created or organized in a U.S. territory thereby enabling them to operate and invest in their own communities. CDEs organized and operating in any one of the several States or the District of Columbia could continue to invest in low-income communities in the territories under this arrangement.

I am joined by Mr. Faleomavaega of American Samoa, Mrs. Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mr. Pierluisi of Puerto Rico, and Mr. Sablan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in introducing this bill. We look forward to working with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means to advance this bill and to support increased investment opportunities for our own communities. Ultimately, this bill is about making the New Markets Tax Credit Program work for the territories and ensuring Congressional intent behind the New Markets Tax Credit is fully realized and fulfilled in our communities.