Madeleine Bordallo

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for House Congressional Resolution 172 introduced last week by our colleagues, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), the cochairs of the Travel and Tourism Caucus. I commend them for their leadership on this issue. The tourism industry is vital to the economy of the United States. It is the bedrock of the economy of Guam, my district, and instrumental to the continued economic growth of our islands. Last year nearly 1 million visitors alone came to Guam. In 1997, visitor arrivals peaked at 1\1/2\ million. Guam is 4 flying hours away from major markets in Asia such as Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Manila. Guam is served by several major airlines including Continental, Micronesia, Northwest, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and All Nippon Airways. Guam has been struggling to rebound in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Supertyphoon Pongsona, the war in Iraq, and recently the SARS epidemic. In February, in the omnibus appropriations bill, Congress included $50 million for a promotional campaign to encourage travel to the United States, including territories. We need to continue our efforts here in Congress to promote tourism. Let us support the visitor industry. Support the American economy, support National Tourism Week.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues this evening on this most important issue and I thank my colleague, Mrs. Napolitano, for bringing attention to National Suicide Awareness Week. This is a very personal issue for me as I have experienced first hand the impact of suicide on family and friends. Tonight I want to bring special attention to the issue of suicide in youth and young adults. In the year 2000, persons under age 25 accounted for 15 percent of all suicides. In 1999, more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined. Nationally, suicide is the 9th leading cause of death. Among 10-24 year-olds, suicide ranks 3rd and in Guam, where the suicide rate is six times higher than the national average, it ranks 2nd as the leading cause of death in youth and young adults. Mr. Speaker, we cannot stand by and allow this tragedy to continue. We must focus our efforts on what causes the youth in our communities to choose to end their lives. The report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health: Developing a National Action Agenda indicates that children with mental health needs are usually identified by the schools only after their emotional or behavioral problems cannot be managed by their regular classroom teacher. We must educate and train parents, teachers and others who work with our children to recognize the warning signs of suicidal young adults. We must provide funding for the programs and services that will treat our children and provide guidance and support to their family and friends, including expanding Medicaid eligibility to allow lower income and poor families to access programs and services. We must also recognize the racial, cultural and ethnic influence on behaviors and its effect on properly identifying at-risk youth and address its impact on intervention and access to the programs and services. Most importantly, we must help our children understand that suicide is never the answer to their problems.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enlighten my colleagues on how the tax cuts legislation will affect my district, the Territory of Guam. Because Guam follows the mirror tax code, tax changes enacted by Congress are mirrored by the Guam tax code, and the tax cuts being contemplated by Congress this week would have a substantial effect on our island's tax revenues. On Guam we face great challenges due to a recession that continues and a slowdown in visitors to our island. Allow me, Mr. Speaker, to present the Members with the picture of the current fiscal troubles encountered by the government of Guam. The governor and the legislature are poised to enact a bill that will authorize the borrowing of in excess of $200 million from the bond market to deal with our deficit. We learned just today that Standard and Poor's recently downgraded its general credit rating for the government of Guam from BB to B, considering Guam's $416 million of current outstanding debts. This places Guam's creditworthiness into a moderate to high-risk category. Thus, in addition to lacking revenues to meet the basic needs of our community, future generations will have to shoulder the burden of excessive bond deficits and high interest repayment rates. The House Committee on Government Reform, Democratic staff, recently prepared a special report which estimates the effect of the proposed tax cuts on Guam's Treasury. The committee estimates that the proposed tax cuts would cost $38 million for fiscal year 2003. While these funds theoretically provide Guam taxpayers with tax relief, the report demonstrates that the average tax cut for the bottom 56 percent of Guam taxpayers would be $199. The average tax cut for the top 2 percent of taxpayers on Guam would be $13,935. In fact, the top 2 percent in the household income category would receive a disproportionate 21 percent of the total tax cut. While there may indeed be positive benefits to these tax cuts, Mr. Speaker, the loss of $38 million in general fund revenues, almost 10 percent of the fiscal year 2004 budget projection, is a serious issue that should concern us. While the bill that the House will consider on Friday has scaled back some of the tax cuts on dividends and capital gains, I strongly urge the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Ways and Means to consider the effects of their proposals on the Territories that implement the mirror tax code such as Guam. We on Guam would like to see offsets for tax cuts that Congress imposes. This may not be possible, but there are other ways that the Federal Government can help us to mitigate the effects of tax cuts. For example, we would like to see an increase in Compact-impact reimbursement to Guam to cover the actual costs of Compact immigration. We would like to have the Medicaid costs fully reimbursed, not capped by statute. Finally, we would like to see Supplemental Security Income extended to the Territory of Guam. Any or all of these measures would help us to mitigate the effects of whichever tax cut Congress decides on. So my message today, Mr. Speaker, is that the Territories present unique situations that should be examined whenever Federal policy is considered and most importantly Federal tax policy.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I am in support of the wartime supplemental, H.R. 1559, and I rise today to thank the House Committee on Appropriations for recognizing the damage caused by Supertyphoon Pongsona to our military installations in the territories of Guam. As this bill before us states, Typhoon Pongsona struck Andersen Air Force Base on December 8, 2002 for 9 long hours, with sustained winds of 180 miles per hour. Much damage was done to the family housing units at our base where our brave servicemen and women work around the clock to ensure our safety and security, and especially during this time of war when our bases should be in top order. On behalf of those servicemen and women and their families, I would like to thank the House Committee on Appropriations chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). Because of their hard work, this bill provides $1.8 million to repair family housing and air-conditioning units damaged by Supertyphoon Pongsona. It also identifies the need for new aircraft hangers to bed down bombers, tankers, surveillance and fighter aircraft. Currently only one of three hangars at Andersen Air Force base is fully operational. The new reinforced concrete high-bay aircraft hangars will be typhoon proof. The state-of-the-art climate control within the hangars will ensure that the bombers will be able to use the hangars for repairs and maintenance. I hope that in conference on this bill, funds will be identified to begin the hangars' construction. And once again, I want to thank the leadership for recognizing the emergency damage caused by Supertyphoon Pongsona to our military assets on Guam and for taking action to fund the repair of these damages which is now so important, Mr. Chairman, because of increased military activity, the Iraq war, and the impending dangers in North Korea. Mr. Chairman, I support this legislation. Amendment Offered by Mr. Cunningham

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, investigations conducted by the Department of the Interior's Inspector General and the General Accounting Office have provided ample evidence that the right-of-way fees currently being charged by the Federal land management agencies are far below fair market values. States, local governments, and private individuals all charge significantly more than the Federal Government for rights-of-way across lands that they own. This undercharging for the use of Federal public lands means that large corporations, who stand to make vast profits from the use of those lands, are not being required to pay the American people a fair rate of return for that privilege. As a result, we share, the gentlewoman from Wyoming's desire to correct this problem. This legislation will require the agencies to review their existing fee schedules and the land valuations which underlie them to ensure that they represent current values. In addition, Mr. Speaker, this measure will ensure that once these new fees have been promulgated, they will be adjusted annually for inflation. This approach is a significant improvement over the status quo and should move us closer to a system that adequately compensates the taxpayers for the use of their lands. We would like to thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) for her willingness to work together on this legislation, and we do support H.R. 762. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 622, the Tonto and Coconino National Forest Land Exchange Act, would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to complete two separate land exchanges, Diamond Point and Montezuma Castle in Arizona. The Secretary already has the authority to consummate the land exchanges, but the amendment would expedite the transactions and make them a priority for the Secretary. I support the bill and urge its adoption. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 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. (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this morning to pay tribute to our Nation's veterans and to talk about what the budget resolution of this House would mean for their quality of life and their health care over the course of the next 10 years. I am sad to say that 2 weeks ago this House barely passed a budget resolution that would severely cut veterans' benefits, including cuts to health care, disability compensation, pensions and other important benefits. I would not be here today, Mr. Speaker, if not for those brave veterans that liberated Guam in 1944. Therefore, I must speak out when I see our government being derelict in its duty to veterans. It is unthinkable that this House would even take such drastic action against our veterans during a time of war. This is the wrong time and the wrong message to be sending to our country. This budget cuts $14.6 billion in funding from mandatory veterans programs over 10 years to help pay for the $1.35 of trillion of tax cuts in the budget. Over a 10-year period, the budget resolution that this House passed would cut almost $9 billion alone in veterans' health care, an average of more than $900 million less than the President has proposed per year. Make no mistake about it, Mr. Speaker: Should these cuts prevail in conference, and we should not let that happen, this budget would mean serious problems for veterans' health care. New copayments and enrollment fees would no doubt be on the table and under consideration to keep the entire system afloat in the next fiscal year. This House has a chance to correct that, to reverse course, to honor our Nation's veterans and to recognize their service, their sacrifice, and their patriotism. We can correct the harmful reconciliation instruction to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and we can restore these cuts by supporting the motion to instruct conferees that will be offered later today by our colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt). Quite frankly, we should be increasing, rather than cutting, health and other benefits to our veterans. Let us not turn our back on our veterans. We should instead salute them. Vote for the Spratt motion to instruct conferees today when it comes to the floor. Vote to honor our veterans, and vote for a better budget.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, as noted by the previous speaker, the overall purpose of this legislation is to authorize the expansion of the existing Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge complex in Ohio and to extend the southern boundary of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Michigan. The overarching goal is to protect and, where possible, to enhance the remaining wetlands and other aquatic habitats within the western basin of Lake Erie. This region provides critical migratory waterfowl habitat and supports the most significant recreational fishery in the entire Great Lakes. I commend the bill's sponsors, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), for their ingenuity in developing a long-term conservation strategy to protect this regional treasure. They have worked tirelessly to adjust the acquisition boundaries set forth by this legislation so that they meet the priorities of the other body, the States of Ohio and Michigan, and the interests of local stakeholders. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has expressed some concern regarding the scope of the proposed boundaries and about possible impingement on existing management activities. However, considering that the service has proposed its own 5,000-acre expansion of the Ottawa Refuge and also, Mr. Speaker, recognizing that any future acquisition at either refuge will be done on a voluntary basis, H.R. 289 will ensure that future expansion is undertaken to enhance existing refuge resources, to complement operations, and to protect critical habitat areas. In closing, Mr. Speaker, the fish and wildlife resources found in the western basin of Lake Erie are cherished by millions of sportsmen and women. H.R. 289 is innovative legislation necessary to protect this heritage, and it deserves our support. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member on the agriculture appropriations subcommittee who has worked so diligently on this legislation on behalf of her district and the entire Lake Erie region.

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

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1166, a bill to authorize the administration of grants to local small business development centers in States with significant populations of Native Americans, Native Alaskans, and Native Hawaiians. The gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) has carefully crafted this important legislation to address poverty and unemployment amongst those disadvantaged populations. I commend the gentleman and the House Committee on Small Business for focusing on the sizable socioeconomic problems faced by Native Americans. H.R. 1166 will enable small business development centers to assist Native Americans with job creation and economic growth. This measure will help foster self-determination among groups that have been historically marginalized by the Federal Government. This bill helps individuals to utilize their own valuable business skills so that their small business, and in turn their community, may prosper. I am in such strong support of the aims of H.R. 1166 that I believe the bill can be strengthened by expanding the eligible grant recipients to include small business development centers that work with the indigenous populations of Guam and American Samoa. Chamorros and Samoans from U.S. territories endure economic adversity similar to that experienced by Native Americans, Native Alaskans, and Native Hawaiians. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that either in conference on this legislation, or on a similar proposal, that we take action to address the small business development needs of the indigenous populations of the United States territories. This bill gives real assistance to Native Americans, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage and to support economic development for all indigenous populations throughout the United States.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his very kind words and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their leadership on human rights around the world and in particular for introducing this resolution for which I rise in strong support. The Korean people are great friends of the United States and have a proud history and a vibrant culture. I, therefore, follow with great sadness the daily oppression suffered by the people of North Korea. Through meeting the many Koreans that come to Guam and by having personally traveled to Korea on many, many occasions, I have come to appreciate how difficult life is under Kim Jong Il's dictatorship. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has described the North Koreans as being amongst the least-free people on this Earth with no personal freedoms or protections for their rights. In their most recent report on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the commission said that North Koreans are barely surviving under a regime that denies basic human dignity and lets them starve while pursuing military might and weapons of mass destruction. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights opened its 59th session in Geneva. Human rights are perhaps the most important issue the international community can address. Human rights is the most important guiding principle underlying the work of the United Nations. The commission must and should address the human rights abuses in North Korea. It is my fervent hope that one day Koreans from both North and South will come to visit my island of Guam in unity and peace. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of House Resolution 109. I strongly support it.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, today, I join my colleagues in support of H.R. 399 to amend the Public Health Service Act to promote organ donation. I want to thank Congressman Bilirakis for his commitment to this cause. The advances in technology have increased the chances of survival for many suffering from life-threatening illnesses. But technology alone is not enough. In many cases, survival depends on some form of transplant. Sadly, the need far exceeds the number of donors. H.R. 399 is a big step in addressing this serious demand. Educating the public about the need for donors and the ways one can become a donor is crucial. Many believe that donation only comes at the end of a life. But each year thousands get a new change at life through the generosity and courage of living donors. For the families facing the loss of a loved one, donation is a legacy of life and an example of the best of humanity in the face of tragedy. In promoting awareness of the need for donors, H.R. 399 offers hope to thousands waiting for another chance at life. I strongly support H.R. 399 and urge its passage.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express condolences for the late Bernard Dowiyogo, President of Nauru, who passed away on March 9, 2003, in Washington, DC. The people of Nauru first elected President Dowiyogo to their parliament in 1973, only five years after achieving independence from Australia in 1968. Since then he was repeatedly elected to serve a number of successful terms as President of Nauru. The island nation of Nauru is a proud friend of the United States and a well respected neighbor of Guam in the Asia-Pacific community. I urge the Parliament of Nauru to put partisan differences aside and come together to commemorate the legacy of President Dowiyogo. I ask of this Congress that, in our prayers, we remember the family of President Dowiyogo, who is survived by his wife and four children.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, today, I join my colleagues in support of H.R. 441 authorizing a U.S. plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2003 in Geneva. I want to thank Congressman Sherrod Brown for his continued commitment to this cause. The Constitution of the World Health Organization states, ``the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.'' Taiwan's participation in the organization advances this principle. Taiwan has made many positive contributions that benefit our country and help the international community attain the health goals set by the World Health Organization. Advancing Taiwan's participation in the WHO would provide the people of Taiwan more opportunities to participate in international health initiatives. Taiwan's willingness to come to the aid of the people of El Salvador in the wake of the devastating earthquake in January 2001 is indicative of their commitment to global health. In the days following the earthquake, the Taiwanese government sent 2 rescue teams that included emergency, medical and engineering specialists to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts. In addition, the Taiwanese government donated $200,000 in relief aid to the Salvadoran government. The WHO Constitution also states, ``the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of individuals and States.'' In advancing the participation of Taiwan in the WHO, we are increasing global cooperation to address the pressing health concerns of our time. I strongly commend H.R. 441 to my colleagues and urge its passage.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I am a new member of the Committee on Armed Services. I would like to recognize the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), our chairman, and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), our ranking member. On September 11, 2001, I was acting Governor of Guam. I will remember that day forever. Even though the terrorist attacks occurred thousands of miles away, the people of Guam heard the call to service in defense of our Nation. The 44th Aerial Port Squadron of Guam mobilized to the Middle East and the 368th Military Police Company of Guam has been deployed to Okinawa and mainland Japan. Our first responders, the National Guard, the Reserves and the active duty military are defending this Nation against those that attack innocent civilians. Our troops are forgoing their families and, in some cases, their livelihoods to combat this threat. So I want to thank them very much for carrying the burden of separation and living with the fear of loss of their loved ones in service of our great Nation. This is a war that cannot be won by force of arms alone, but by the unity and strength of purpose of our Nation. That strength of purpose shines bright in our servicemen and women and they will deliver victory. They do us all proud. I commend them and thank them for their ongoing successful mission defending the homeland and on the front lines of freedom throughout the world.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his very, very wonderful description of my island home. I am pleased to join my colleagues this evening in this most important dialogue. I want to thank our colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), for his leadership on these issues, and in particular for his sponsorship of House Resolution 56, which seeks to increase our awareness and further public understanding of the internment of American citizens during World War II. The internment of the Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans was a grave injustice and a violation of their civil rights. There are lessons to be learned from this experience, and these lessons cannot be learned without discussing and understanding the circumstances surrounding the enactment of executive order 9066. We must be cognizant of the fragile nature of our civil rights, which have been won on the battlefield and in the halls of Congress. We must always be mindful of the threats to our freedom and security, and likewise we must be mindful of how our own perceptions of our fellow Americans and our own prejudices affect our very freedom. These are not academic issues in a history book. These are experiences that must be understood in the context of the current debate on homeland security. It is now more important than ever because of the many issues that have arisen concerning security in the aftermath of September 11. As we reflect on these events of World War II, we are appalled at our actions toward fellow citizens. We must be mindful that our actions today will be subjected to the same hindsight. As we wage the war on terrorism and face the possibility of war with Iraq, the need for awareness and education is especially important. We must ensure that we have an understanding of who among us is the threat, not based on race, color or religion, but based on facts that will withstand the scrutiny of history. As we fight for our freedom and security, let us not cast aside our own humanity. Mr. Speaker, as difficult as it is, we must come to terms with our national mistakes, just as we celebrate our national achievements. We must acknowledge our misgivings in the past if we are to strengthen our ability to avoid mistakes in the future. As President Ford said in 1976 when he formally rescinded executive order 9066, learning from our mistakes is not pleasant, but we must do so if we want to avoid repeating them. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for this opportunity to be here tonight to support this resolution.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I introduced H.R. 672 to rename the Guam South Elementary/Middle School as the Commander William C. McCool Elementary/ Middle School in memory of the pilot of Space Shuttle Columbia on its final mission. I would like to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley), the 26 bipartisan cosponsors of this legislation, as well as the leadership of the Committee on Armed Services for their assistance in bringing this legislation to the floor to coincide with the memorial service for Commander McCool being held this week at the U.S. Naval Academy. With this act of Congress, I hope that Commander McCool's bravery and academic excellence will be permanently affixed in the hearts and minds of the children of Guam. Commander McCool lived on Guam while his father served as a Navy pilot, and he attended Dededo Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School. He was an exceptional student and a talented long distance runner. He studied hard and earned the opportunity to attend the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated second in his class in 1983. He went on to receive his Masters of Science in computer science at the University of Maryland in 1985. After completing several deployments with Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons 129 and 133, Commander McCool was accepted into the Naval Postgraduate School/Test Pilot School, TPS, in 1989. After graduating from TPS in 1992, Commander McCool managed a wide range of projects, often coordinating studies and tests of aviation vessels with the United States Navy. His distinguished record of service led to his selection in NASA's astronaut program in April of 1996. Commander McCool pursued his dream of space flight with vigor and passion. He lived his dream, and we on Guam are amazed that someone we knew, who was part of our island community, was the pilot of a space shuttle. Teachers on Guam point to his remarkable life to inspire school children to dare to dream big things, to believe in themselves, and to reach for the stars. Today, we are reminded of his dream. We are inspired by his strength of character, and we are called to do our part to keep his dream alive. Guam South is part of the Department of Defense Domestic Dependence Elementary and Secondary School System. Commander McCool would be proud to be associated with it. The school was established in 1997 and now has 750 students. The elementary school is 550 students strong, with blue and white as its colors and the Jaguar as its mascot. The middle school is 200 students strong, with the Guam South Stingrays as their mascot. Guam South is ably run by Principal William Hall and 75 outstanding teachers. The clients of the school are primarily Navy families, just like Commander McCool's. Willie McCool was a dedicated husband and father. He leaves behind his lovely wife, Lani, and their three sons, Sean, 22; Christopher, 20; and Cameron, 15. He is survived by his parents, Barry and Audrey McCool, as well as Lani's parents, Atilana and Albert Vellejos, who live in Dededo, Guam. They join the families of Rick Husband, David Brown, Ilan Ramon, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, and Laurel Clark in bearing the burden and the glory of this Nation's space aspirations. So for all of them and for the future participants of our space program studying on Guam, I commend this legislation to my colleagues and urge its swift passage. I would like to end my remarks by calling for a moment of silence to remember the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia on Mission STS-107. As we say good-bye to Willie McCool, I would like to point out that here he is standing before the shuttle just before leaving with our island flag. Pues adios, Willie; in guaiya hao. In our Chamorro language this means good-bye, Willie; we love you. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 26, honoring the contributions of Catholic schools to the academic and moral education of children on Guam and throughout our nation. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Vitter for continuing the important role played by Catholic Schools here in the 108th congress. The tradition of Roman Catholicism on Guam dates back to the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. The island eventually became an important stop along the Spanish Galleon Trade Route. In 1668, Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores and his missionaries brought Christianity to the people of Guam. They established a mission in village of Hagatna which later became the site of the first Catholic Church and is now the seat of the Archdiocese of Guam. From these seeds, the Catholic faith on Guam has flourished and with it, faith-based institutions such as the Catholic School system have likewise thrived. Today, in one of the clearest manifestations of this tradition, nearly a quarter of Guamanian school children attend Catholic schools throughout the Island. In the modem era, Bishop Apollinaris Baumgartner established the foundations of Guam's Catholic Schools. Guam's first Chamorro Bishop, Archbishop Felixberto C. Flores, made Catholic education a priority and instilled a tremendous pride in the academic and moral education provided by the Catholic schools. His successor, Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron has continued the tradition of excellence that has been the standard of the Catholic Schools in Guam. The contribution of the Catholic school system to the people of Guam is reflected in our local leaders in the clergy, government and private-sector who are alumni of the Catholic schools. I am confident the influence of the Catholic schools will produce Guam's leaders of tomorrow. I would now like to recognize and commend the Catholic schools on Guam for their commitment to instilling the principles of academic knowledge and sound moral values in the daily lives of our children. Those offering a secondary curriculum include: the Notre Dame High School in Talofofo, Father Duenas Memorial School in Tai, and Academy of Our Lady of Guam in Hagatna. Additionally, those offering an elementary and middle school education include: Bishop Baumgartener Memorial School in Sinajana, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Agat, St. Anthony School in Tamuning, Saint Francis School in Yona, San Vicente School in Barrigada, and Santa Barbara School in Dededo. Finally, those offering a nursery school education include: the Dominican Child Care Development Center in Sinajana, Infant of Prague in Tai, Maria Artero in Hagatna, and Mercy Heights in Tamuning. I would also like to recognize the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of Mercy, Dominican Sisters, the religious orders of Capuchins, Franciscans, Jesuits and Marists for their service in educating the children of Guam. I would also like to commend the Archdiocese of Hagatna under the leadership of Archbishop Apuron for its guidance in administrating the Catholic Schools on Guam. Finally, I want commend all the students, parents, teachers and administrators of Catholic schools in Guam and across the nation for their contributions to our nation and our world.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 5-year- old girl from Guam. Her name is Justice Taitague, and she passed away Sunday evening. Justice suffered from leukemia. Her best chance for life was a marrow transplant. Through the efforts of Dr. Thomas Shieh, president of the Guam Medical Society, and the Hawaiian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and the National Marrow Donor program, the first-ever marrow drive on Guam was held. This ``Drive for Justice'' registered 3,400 donors in 3 days. Together with the people of Guam, I extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Justice Taitague. Our hearts and our prayers are with her parents, Lynn and Anthony. National Donor Day is this Friday, Valentine's Day. There is still a critical need for donors from the Asian, Pacific Islander, and other minority communities. Give the gift of life. Join the registry. Because of Justice, many others will now have life.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues and our Nation in expressing our profound sorrow on the occasion of the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy. The people of Guam join their fellow Americans today in mourning for the Columbia crew. Guam has a unique tie to one of the crew members, Lt. Commander William McCool, the pilot on the Space Shuttle Columbia. Lt. Commander McCool lived on Guam and attended Dededo Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School. He later married Lani Vallejos of Dededo, Guam, whom he met on the island. We are so proud to have had a member of our island community in the space program. America indeed lost a hero, and Guam lost a son. Commander McCool was very proud of his ties to our island. He carried the Guam flag on this tragic mission, and I show Members a picture as he stands before the shuttle with our flag. Willie McCool was a dedicated husband and father. He leaves behind his wife, Lani, and their three sons, Sean, Christopher and Cameron. Lani's parents, Atilana and Albert Vallejos, from Dededo, Guam, proudly attended the launch 16 days prior to the tragedy. Commander McCool is fondly remembered by those whose lives he touched as a student while on Guam. He was an exceptional student and a very talented athlete. While at Dededo Middle School, young Willie McCool wrote a poem that was published on the front page of his school newspaper that revealed his love of Guam and his early ambition to be an astronaut. He was probably about 12 years old, and this is the poem: ``I came to an island in the middle of the sea. It was so nice that I jumped for glee. There are palm trees, coconuts and bananas, too. Plus birds and fish, so unbelievable but true. It was so nice that no one can complain. But he who does must be insane. This is such a nice and beautiful place, you'd think it was heaven--or outer space.'' Willie pursued his dream with vigor and passion. He lived his dream, and we on Guam are amazed that someone we knew from our island community was the pilot of a space shuttle. Teachers on Guam point to his remarkable life to inspire school children to dare to dream big things, to believe in themselves, and to reach for the stars. Although we are saddened by this tragedy, we take solace in knowing that Willie McCool will be forever remembered by our Nation and by the people of Guam as an inspiration to our children and as a hero for all. ``Pues adios, Willie, in guiya hao.'' In our Chamorro language, that means, good-bye, Willie, we love you.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, the people of Guam eagerly anticipate the State of the Union report which President Bush will deliver tonight. While the President will speak in broad terms about the Nation, I take this opportunity to let the Nation know about the situation on my home island of Guam, which has been recently devastated by Super Typhoon Pongsona. Super Typhoon Pongsona struck Guam on December 8, 2002, with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour and wind gusts exceeding 200 miles per hour. This severe typhoon battered Guam for 8 long hours; and in its aftermath, Guam's power, water, and wastewater systems were seriously damaged. In addition, Guam had just begun to fully recover from another storm, Typhoon Chata'an, which struck in July 2002, barely 6 months before Typhoon Pongsona. Our island looked like a war zone. Hotels had their windows blown out and over 120 concrete power poles snapped due to the force of Pongsona. Aluminum typhoon shutters were ripped off the windows; and air conditioners were blown off roof tops and windows, creating holes for rain to destroy the interior of our homes. Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Station, and Apra Harbor, were hit hard, as well as our own civilian airport, closing both airports and delaying relief flights. Four fuel storage tanks at the Port of Guam caught fire and burned for days, jeopardizing nearby storage tanks filled with aviation fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel. Two tanks were destroyed completely, while two others have been damaged. Many people on Guam who have lived through other typhoons over the years have remarked that Pongsona was the worst typhoon they had ever experienced in their lives. I was there to witness this. President Bush declared Guam a major disaster area following Super Typhoon Pongsona, and the FEMA emergency management agency, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Catholic Social Services, and many other volunteers mobilized for the relief and recovery effort. We on Guam are sincerely grateful for all these efforts and for the incredible response of the Guam National Guard, the Government of Guam employees, and the reserve and active duty military units on Guam. There is nothing more humbling to a community than to see the outpouring of assistance to us in our time of desperate need. There is nothing more heroic than to see Guardsmen, government employees, and volunteers leave their own ravaged homes behind and respond to the call of duty. Seven weeks later, as I speak today, 20 percent of our island is still without power. Power outages plague our community every day. The water system is still not at full capacity, and the government is still coping with the enormous challenges ahead. Governor Felix Camacho and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo Moylan took office on January 6, 2003, facing the daunting task of completing the recovery. The 27th Guam legislature, under the leadership of Speaker Ben Pangelinan also assumed office with these great challenges awaiting them. Our people pray for our leaders to succeed, because not since the liberation of Guam from its World War II occupation of our island have we faced such difficult times. We are facing 20 percent unemployment, a bottoming out of our tourist industry, and an expensive recovery that may last the rest of this year. We need the Federal Government to extend whatever help is available, not just to clean up after the typhoon but to help us restore our economy and rebuild our basic infrastructure. We need hazard mitigation assistance to make Guam less vulnerable to the next super typhoon, and we need the prayers and the support of the American people for their fellow American citizens who live on Guam. We are a community that prides ourselves on our self-reliance and our resilience after any hardship. We have great optimism and great faith in our future. We need a hand right now, and we ask that President Bush and the Congress take just a minute as we reflect on the blessing and opportunities of our great country to remember that some Americans are facing great hardships tonight. Please remember Guam.