Madeleine Bordallo

Ms. BORDALLO

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

Ms. BORDALLO. 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.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 132 honors the life and the memory of the great Apache leader known to many of us as Geronimo. Last week, February 17 marked the 100th anniversary of his death. Geronimo began as the spiritual and intellectual leader of his people. Circumstance, in the manner of attack by the armies of first Mexico and then the United States, cultivated his keen military skill and determination. The story of Geronimo shows us some of the paradox that is the United States. We hunted this man as a perceived threat to the security of our young, developing Nation in the West. When he surrendered, we broke promises and mistreated him, ensuring he would never see his homeland again. Yet, half a century later, our U.S. paratroopers used the name of Geronimo as a battle cry against our enemies in World War II. Using the name ``Geronimo'' was meant to instill fear in the enemy below that they were about to meet a soldier as fierce and determined as the mighty Apache warrior. And now, a full century after the death of Geronimo, the United States House of Representatives stands to acknowledge the mistakes of our flawed, disruptive policies of the past and to honor this great man. With this resolution, we honor the life of the great Apache leader Geronimo, his skill, his bravery, and his incredible tenacity in defense of his homeland and his way of life. So I congratulate and thank our colleague, Mr. Grijalva of Arizona, for sponsoring this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to support the passage of House Resolution 132. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 132) honoring the life and memory of the Chiricahua Apache leader Goyathlay or Goyaale, also known as Geronimo, and recognizing the 100th anniversary of his death on February 17, 2009, as a time of reflection and the commencement of a ``Healing'' for all Apache people.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that the chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe is observing our proceedings today, and so it is very fitting that the House supports the passage of House Resolution 132 in honor of the life of Geronimo.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 44) to implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission.

Ms. BORDALLO. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I want to take this moment just to read a passage here: ``Why is the United States Government, not the Government of Japan, paying for these war claims? This may be a question that many would ask. Well, following World War II, American nationals and citizens were awarded some compensation from the Federal Government for certain war-time losses, yet Guamanians were excluded. ``In 1945, the United States Congress acknowledged and attempted to remedy the needs of Guamanians by passing the Guam Meritorious Claims Act within weeks after the cessation of hostilities. The bill was an attempt to provide immediate relief to the people of Guam for the sacrifices and the sufferings they endured during the Imperial Japanese occupation of the island. Unfortunately, the intent of the legislation was never fully realized. Then, the United States signed a treaty of peace with Japan on September 8, 1951 which precluded American citizens from making claims against Japan for war reparations.'' I think that's very, very important; it precluded American citizens from making claims against Japan for war reparations. ``The treaty closed any legal mechanism for seeking redress from the Government of Japan. And moreover, bureaucratic bungling of the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945, post World War II, hindered many Guamanians from receiving the appropriate level of support. Since Guam had no representation in Congress until 1973, it was difficult for Guamanians to advocate for better implementation of the legislation.'' So, again, I thought it was important to explain this. Many people have asked why isn't Japan responsible for this. And so I thought I would include this in the Record, Mr. Speaker. And I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill, H.R. 44.

Ms. BORDALLO. Yes, I do. Guam is strategically located in the Pacific. And at this particular time, we are looking at a large military buildup in Guam.

Ms. BORDALLO. That is correct.

Ms. BORDALLO. That is correct.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague Mr. Wilson for his very supportive words on this bill. At this time, I would like to recognize my dear colleague from the United States Virgin Islands, the Honorable Donna Christensen, for 5 minutes.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 44, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act. First, I thank Chairman Nick Rahall and former Ranking Member Don Young for their leadership on this issue, for their support in passing the bill in the last Congress, and for bringing it back to the floor today given that the other body was unable to pass it before adjourning last year. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 44, is the same bill that was passed by the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support on May 8, 2007. I have reintroduced it with the support of many colleagues. I want to thank also Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chairman John Conyers of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Chairman Ike Skelton of the Committee on Armed Services, and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the former chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, for their steadfast support of this bill. H.R. 44 implements the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission, which was authorized by Public Law 107-333, to review the war claims program for Guam that Congress provided for following the occupation of Guam from December 8, 1941, to July 21, 1944. The review commission, Mr. Speaker, which was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton, in September of 2003, was mandated by Congress to determine whether there was parity of war claims paid to the residents of Guam under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act as compared with awards made to similarly affected United States citizens or nationals as a result of the hostilities during World War II. The review commission was mandated to advise the Congress on any additional compensation that may be necessary to compensate the people of Guam for death, personal injury, forced labor, forced march, and internment in order to provide parity. In accomplishing its tasks, the review commission held 2 days of hearings on Guam in December of 2003 to receive testimony from survivors of the occupation of Guam. The review commission also held hearings here in Washington, D.C., and consulted with a panel of experts in this field of law. The review commission completed its work and reported to Congress its findings and recommendations on June 9, 2004. The review commission found that there was a lack of parity between the war claims program authorized for Guam as compared to the programs authorized for all other Americans similarly affected. It recommended that Congress remedy this injustice through the enactment of legislation which is before us today. I think it is very important that we note the first finding of the review commission's report: ``The review commission finds that there is a moral obligation on the part of our national government to pay compensation for war damages in order to ensure to the extent possible that no single individual or group of individuals bears more than just part of the overall burden of war.'' Today, Mr. Speaker, we again consider a bill that would fulfill this moral obligation on the part of our national government to a group of citizens, the people of Guam, most of whom were indigenous Chamorros who bore the burden of a brutal occupation. The people of Guam were brutalized through public executions, beheadings, rape, and severe injury, forced labor, forced march, and internment in concentration camps. H.R. 44 is called the Loyalty Recognition Act because the loyalty of the people of Guam to the United States during this 32-month enemy occupation should be honored. It is a tragic injustice of history that, following the liberation, Congress did not provide for war claims for the people of Guam in the same manner and with the same opportunities that were afforded to other Americans. The people who carried a disproportionate burden of the war were given less than other Americans when it came time to make our Nation whole, and those who gave more in blood got less in recognition. Over and over at the hearings on Guam, people said, ``We just want to be recognized. We just want to be treated with respect. We just want to receive the same restitution that other Americans received.'' This is a matter that each one of my predecessors has worked to bring to the attention of Congress. The late Mr. Antonio Won Pat, the first Delegate to serve in this institution, first pursued a resolution of this issue, which was followed by the efforts of our second representative to Congress--retired Marine Brigadier General Ben Blaz, himself--who survived the occupation. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Blaz is with us today, and I would like to point out that he has written a wonderful account and a very accurate account of the remembrance of the occupation years in World War II. It is called ``Let Us Remember.'' I know that many of my colleagues have read this book, and he is here today to lend support to H.R. 44. My immediate predecessor, Congressman Robert Underwood, sponsored the legislation in the 107th Congress that was passed with unanimous approval and that created the review commission. So our work today and the historic progress of the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act is possible only because of the foundation that each of these contributed to this bipartisan effort. The issue of Guam war claims has been studied and examined by this body over the past 26 years. As I stated the last time this bill came to the floor, several hearings have been held, and the record is replete with testimony from survivors, legal experts, historians, and scholars. Committee staff members have played a valuable role in this process. So the issue has thoroughly been examined. I want to thank Jim Zoia, staff director of the Natural Resources Committee, and Tony Babauta, staff director of the Insular Affairs Subcommittee. I also acknowledge the counsels to the committee, Rick Healy, Brian Modeste, as well as Lisa Pittman and Harry Burroughs from the Republican staff, who have worked on this legislation. Again, we stand on the brink of an historic moment for the people of Guam. I regret, Mr. Speaker, that many survivors of the occupation of Guam are not with us today, and we know that others will pass away before this bill completes its legislative journey, but we have this moment to recall why we continue this effort on whose behalf we are speaking today and why it is so vitally important to our Nation that we recognize the incredible sacrifices of the people of Guam during World War II. I very much doubt that any foreign power will ever again occupy American soil and place American citizens under subjugation. The story of the people of Guam will, thus, be a unique story less known than the bombing of Pearl Harbor and other heroic stories of World War II. It is a story of the faith in our Nation, of hope in our God and of love for our families. As I stated in 2007, Mr. Speaker, if I could vote on final passage of this bill, it would be my greatest honor to recognize the people of Guam by voting, but since I cannot vote as a Delegate, I offer all of my colleagues the honor of recognizing their fellow Americans by voting to pass H.R. 44 today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. 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.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support H.R. 714, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 714) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend our distinguished colleague from the Virgin Islands, a valuable member of the Committee on Natural Resources, Donna Christensen, for sponsoring H.R. 714. This legislation would authorize the National Park Service to continue its successful relationship with Caneel Bay Resort, ensure that park resources are protected, and allow the resort to undertake needed maintenance and improvement programs that will benefit visitors to the Virgin Islands National Park and the Caneel Bay Resort well into the future. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was approved by the House in the previous Congress, but was not considered in the other body. It should be noted, however, that H.R. 714 includes some technical changes suggested by our colleagues in the Senate after hearings were conducted on the bill last year. Congresswoman Christensen deserves our thanks for her work in ensuring that visitor services at the Virgin Islands National Park are available and that the park's stunning natural resources are always protected. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 714. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would also like to note that despite State laws, pet primates continue to be available for purchase between States, and this bill would prevent that. In one instance, all it took was $45,000 and a phone call to have a chimp shipped from Missouri to Maryland. While it is illegal to own a primate in 20 States, in the rest of the country there is little to no regulation, and that is why the chimp owner in Connecticut was able to purchase Travis from Missouri. What happened last Monday has happened repeatedly in the past, and it will happen again if we don't pass this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire as to how much time we have left.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The pending measure, the Captive Primate Safety Act, was introduced by our colleague from Oregon, Representative Earl Blumenauer. This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit the import, export, transportation, sale, receipt, acquisition or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce of nonhuman primates such as monkeys and chimpanzees. One week ago today, in Stamford, Connecticut, a 200-pound chimpanzee went berserk and viciously attacked a family friend he had known for years. The injuries this chimpanzee inflicted on a 55-year-old woman were described as horrendous, including multiple broken bones, loss of limbs, and mutilation. According to a press report, the police called the attack ``lengthy and vicious.'' In trying to save her friend, the chimpanzee's owner stabbed him repeatedly with a kitchen knife and also tried hitting him with a shovel. In the end, police were forced to shoot the animal. Today, our thoughts and prayers go out to Ms. Charla Nash, the victim of this attack. While nonhuman primates may seem cuddly and harmless to some, last week's tragedy reminds us all too clearly that they are wild animals and that they can become extremely dangerous. Although the importation into the United States of nonhuman primates for the pet trade has been banned since 1975, and some States already prohibit their possession as pets, these animals are readily available for domestic purchase on the Internet and from exotic animal dealers. We will never know, Mr. Speaker, what triggered last week's attack, but what we do know is that it is not unique. The Humane Society of the United States estimates about 15,000 monkeys and other primates are in private hands in the United States, and in recent years, there have been dozens of incidents of nonhuman primates injuring people. Fortunately, few were as tragic as the incident in Connecticut. By prohibiting interstate commerce in and transport of nonhuman primates, the pending measure limits the opportunity for people to acquire these wild animals as pets and diminishes the likelihood that another horrific incident like we saw in Connecticut will occur. This bill passed the House during the last Congress but was not acted upon by the other body. So today, we are renewing our call for action. And with that, I ask Members on both sides to support passage of this very timely legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, again, I say this is a timely, important piece of legislation, and I urge my fellow colleagues to support bill number H.R. 80. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the following exchange of letters between the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Natural Resources concerning certain jurisdictional matters on H.R. 80. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, February 23, 2009. Hon. Nick Rahall, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Rahall: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H.R. 80, the Captive Primate Safety Act, the Committee on the Judiciary agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within its rule X jurisdiction. Specifically, the bill adds a new criminal prohibition for trafficking in nonhuman primates, with felony penalties, including up to 5 years in prison. The Committee takes this action with the understanding that by forgoing consideration of H.R. 80 at this time, it does not waive any jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and with the understanding that our Committee will be appropriately consulted as the bill or similar legislation moves forward. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation, and requests your support for any such request. I would appreciate your including this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and for the cooperative working relationship between our two committees. Sincerely, John Conyers, Jr., Chairman.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 80) to amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species under that Act, to make corrections in the provisions relating to captive wildlife offenses under that Act, and for other purposes.