Eni Faleomavaega

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I too would like to commend the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith], who is also a member of our committee, for his sponsorship of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1198 directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the city of Grants Pass, OR, without monetary consideration, approximately 200 acres of public land which the city has operated under lease and 120 acres of adjacent public land to be used as a buffer. In addition, the bill specifies that the city must agree to indemnify the United States from all liability that arises from the property. In testimony before the Committee on Resources, the administration stated its support of the bill, and I know of no controversy associated with the legislation. With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and, before addressing the legislation before us, I want to thank the Speaker for properly pronouncing the jurisdiction of the district that I represent, American Samoa. It is not Somalia, Somoya, it is Samoa, and I thank the Speaker for that. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas] for his sponsorship of this legislation. The purpose of H.R. 960, introduced by the gentleman from California, is to allow the city of Tulare in California to acquire property to then resell or lease in order to address redevelopment needs. The property in question is a railroad right-of-way comprised of a 400-foot-wide corridor which was given to Southern Pacific Transportation Co., now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad Co., on a limited fee basis by the United States for the construction of a railroad and telegraph line. If and when the right-of-way is no longer used for the original intent, the property would revert to the United States. Because Union Pacific Railroad Co., does not own this property free and clear, it cannot convey a clear title unless the United States relinquishes its interest in the land. Under current law, the National Trails Systems Act provides that railroad rights-of-way lands, once abandoned, will remain in the Federal domain. Further, the act establishes a mechanism by which these lands can be used for recreation purposes or for recreation trails. H.R. 960 would preempt this law. In the past, Congress has voted to validate some limited conveyances by railroad companies. In those cases, private landowners bought what they believed to be clear titles to property only to find out about the U.S. interest in the lands when they went to build or resell the property. Other instances arose where an adjacent landowner mistakenly built a garage or add-on to a private home which infringed on the right-of-way. Parcels approved in the past have been of little monetary value and were mostly used for private housing. This legislation will mark the first time a Congress will prospectively validate parcels in this manner. Enactment of this legislation will be the first time the United States relinquishes its interest in its railroad right-of-way lands for the purpose of community development. By all accounts, the city of Tulare, CA is in need of revitalization. Extinguishing Federal rights in this land may help the redevelopment of the area, and I hope it does. How much profit Union Pacific Railroad Co. seizes from gaining the Federal interest will presumably be determined through price negotiation with the city of Tulare. This legislation reacts to a specific and unique set of circumstances in the city of Tulare. In this instance, the Federal Government has determined that if the railroad right-of-way lands were to revert to the Federal Government, it would not be interested in managing the land and would seek to dispose of the land. Passage of this legislation should not be perceived as endorsing the concept of the Federal Government giving away public rights without compensation. With that statement, Mr. Speaker, again I urge my colleagues to support this legislation with those bases of clarification; and again I thank our good friend from California for his diligence and working closely both with the administrators and with Members of this side of the aisle. The United States gave Southern Pacific Transportation Co. an interest in the lands that are the subject of H.R. 960 through a right- of-way granted under the Pacific Railroads Act of July 1, 1862, ch. 120, 12 Stat. 489, as amended. Section 2 of the act granted a 400-foot- wide right-of-way through the public lands of the United States: ``For the construction of a railroad and telegraph line.'' In Northern Pac. Ry. v. Townsend, 190 U.S. 267, 271 (1903), the right-of-way grant was characterized as a ``limited fee made on an implied condition of reverter'' in the event that the railroad ceased to use the right-of-way for the purpose for which it was granted. Under these conditions, if the railroad were to cease use of the right-of- way, and a forfeiture were declared by the Congress or a judicial proceeding initiated by the Attorney General of the United States, the railroad would lose its interest in the land, which would revert to the Federal Government. The National Trails System Act, 16 U.S.C. 1241, provides that * * * all right, title, interest, and estate of the United States in all rights-of-way * * * shall remain in the United States upon the abandonment or forfeiture. * * * This act establishes a mechanism by which the reverted land can be used for recreation trails. H.R. 960 would preempt the National Trails System Act by eliminating the reversionary interest. The city of Tulare wants to buy the right-of-way land alongside the railroad to sell or lease through the city of Tulare Redevelopment Agency. The railroad, however, does not own the land--the taxpayers do--and so the title is not cleared to convey. One parcel in the city of Tulare has already been sold by the railroad despite the fact it did not own the land. This legislation would validate title to the parcel already sold as well as prospectively extinguishing Federal reversion rights on all lands within the redevelopment plan area, thereby giving Southern Pacific Transportation Co. clear title to sell the lands and to profit from their disposal. In the past Congress has validated some limited conveyances in situations where the new owner purchased the land in good faith without realizing there was a reversion interest to the Federal Government. Parcels approved in the past have been of little monetary value and were mostly used for private housing. This legislation will mark the first time that Congress prospectively validated parcels in this manner before they were sold and before any party was misled about the title of land which it had purchased. Enactment of this legislation will be the first time the United States relinquishes its interest in railroad rights-of-way lands for the purpose of community redevelopment. By all accounts the city of Tulare is in need of revitalization. Extinguishing Federal rights to this land may help the redevelopment of the area. How much profit Southern Pacific Transportation Co. realizes from selling the Federal interest will presumably be determined through price negotiations with the city of Tulare. It should be noted that this legislation responds to a specific and unique set of circumstances in the city of Tulare. In this instance, the Federal Government has determined that if the railroad right-of-way lands were to revert, the Federal Government would not be interested in managing the lands. Passage of this legislation should not be perceived as endorsing the concept of the Federal Government giving away public rights without just compensation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the good gentleman from the State of Washington [Mr. Hastings] for his sponsorship of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 822 directs that, if the Secretary of the Interior acquires by exchange certain private lands located within the boundaries of the Wenatchee National Forest, those lands will be administered by the Bureau of Land Management instead of the Forest Service. As originally drafted, the bill was opposed by the administration. There were discussions during the committee consideration of H.R. 822 on an alternative legislative approach that would statutorily remove the acquired lands from the national forest boundary, and the Committee on Resources adopted such language as an amendments. With this change we support the legislation. Again I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Utah, for his management of this legislation and our good friend from Washington for his sponsorship of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introuce legislation to resolve a long-standing land dispute between the United States and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.This land, known as Fort Teno, was used as a military reserve and was later transferrred to the Department of Agriculture. Currently, this Department has a small research station there. The Fort Reno land were part of the original Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation created by Executive order in 1869. The lands were removed from the reservation, again by Executive order, in 1883. It was the understanding of the tribes that these land would be returned to the when the military no longer needed the lands, but this provision is not clearly documented. Congress later transferred portions of the land to the Departments of Agriculture and Justice, and these departments continue to use the land to the exclusion of the Indians. Several attempts have been made in the House to return the land to the tribes, but no bill has ever been enacted into law. A 1975 statute states Federal land located within original Indian territory which becomes excess to the needs of the agency maintaining jurisdiction over the land should be returned to the tribe whose reservation originally included the land. By operation of this statute, the lands should have been returned to the tribes 2 years ago. While legal arguments can be made that the tribes have been compensated for this land in a prior land settlement, I am not persuaded that these two tribes have been treated fairly in their dealings with the U.S. Government, and urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that we may provide a final, equitable resolution to this dispute. Mr. Speaker, a copy of the bill and a brief section by section analysis follows.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I have been a member of the House Committee on International Relations now for about 9 years, and I have long been a strong supporter of maintaining broad, comprehensive ties with the People's Republic of China. This policy of engagement has been upheld in a bipartisan fashion by five previous administrations, and I support President Clinton in his efforts now for continued engagement with China. We cannot allow America's broad range, multi-faceted relationship with China to be held hostage to any particular interest or issue. Mr. Speaker, I do not know if my colleagues realize that when the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, this government had to provide for some 400 million people living in China in 1949. Now we have got enough problems already on our own. Two hundred years it has taken us to provide for the needs of 264 million Americans. I think we need to leave a little slack here in realizing that this is not whether it is a dogma, it is a Communist, or what, but to provide for the needs of 1.2 billion people. Mr. Speaker, we need engagement. We need MFN with China.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our colleagues in the Congress to extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, His Excellency Imata Kabua, and the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Phillip Muller. Mr. Speaker, President Kabua and Foreign Minister Muller have been in Washington for meetings with the administration and our colleagues here in the Congress, representing the interests of the good people of the Marshall Islands. His Excellency Imata Kabua was elected President of the Marshall Islands in January of this year. In his long distinguished career of public service, he has served as Senator in the Parliament or the Nitijela from 1979 to 1996, when he was appointed Minister representing the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. President Kabua presently occupies the rotating chairmanship of the South Pacific Forum of Nations, the preeminent political organization for the nations of the South Pacific. His Excellency Phillip Muller was elected in 1984 and has likewise been a long-standing member of the Parliament or Nitijela in the Marshall Islands. He served as Minister and assistant to the President from 1984 to 1986, and 8 years as Minister of Education, until his assumption of duties as Foreign Minister for the Marshall Islands in 1994. Mr. Speaker, on this occasion of their visit, I am extremely honored to salute these distinguished statesmen and leaders from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, one of our most cherished friends and sister democracies in the Pacific region. The people of the Marshall Islands and the United States share a close relationship that extends back over a half century. Our bonds were forged from World War II, when after heavy fighting in the Pacific, the United States liberated the Marshallese people from Japanese occupation. For the next 4 decades through a United Nations strategic trust territory, the United States, as appointed trustee, provided for the administration of the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. Under the United Nations trust agreement, it was the obligation of the United States to ``promote the development of the inhabitants of the trust territory toward self-government or independence, as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of the trust territory and its peoples of the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned.'' Pursuing a desire for self-determination, the people of the Marshall Islands entered into a compact, a free association with the United States in 1986, emerging from the trust territory as the independent Republic of the Marshall Islands. Under the compact of free association, the relationship between the Marshalls and the United States is different from that we have with other governments. The United States agreed to provide development funding to the Marshalls for 15 years, and to provide for its defense and security. In exchange, the Marshalls promised the U.S. exclusive access to its islands for military purposes. As a democratic government, the Marshall Islands has maintained excellent relationships with our country. In the international arena such as the United Nations, the Marshalls has worked closely with the United States and supported us on most important votes, including the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Mr. Speaker, during the 5 decades of this extraordinary relationship, the people of the Marshall Islands bore a tremendously high burden of the costs of the Cold War to provide for America's defense and our policy on nuclear deterrence. Between the years 1946 and 1958 our Nation tested approximately 66 atomic and hydrogen nuclear bombs at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls in the Marshall Islands. In their destructive capacity the nuclear blasts literally vaporized six islands in the Marshalls. Mr. Speaker, the most devastating test was the 15 megaton Bravo shot which is approximately over 1,300 times more destructive than the bombs our Nation dropped on Japan and Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. This single nuclear detonation on March 1, 1954, exceeded the combined strength of all weapons ever fired in the history of mankind. On the morning of the test the wind was blowing in the direction of two inhabited atolls, Rongelap and Utrik. Yet despite this knowledge the Pentagon chose not to delay the test. It is reprehensible, Mr. Speaker, that for days after the blast the men, women, and the children of the atolls of Rongelap and Utrik were not immediately evacuated but were forced to bathe unknowingly in the radioactive fallout. It is a sad and tragic chapter in our Nation's history what we did to these simple and innocent human beings. The legacy of the United States nuclear testing program has resulted in a nightmare of health problems for the Marshallese people, including the elevated rates of thyroid cancer. Cervical cancer mortality rates are 60 times the U.S. rate; breast cancer mortality rates, 5 times greater than in the United States, and reproductive complications involving high rates of miscarriage and deformed stillborn babies. Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder that half a century later the chain of islands is still considered one of the most contaminated places in the world. The residents of the Marshalls who inhabited Bikini Atoll still await a cleanup of the nuclear testsite before they can return to their homes. The residents of Rongelap Island who were forced to abandon their homes since 1954 due to radioactive contamination likewise await cleanup efforts before returning to their island, and the people of Enewetak who have been forced to live in the southern portion of their island await resettlement of the north, which is still radioactive. Although the United States has allotted over $300 million in cleanup and resettlement efforts for the atolls, the funds are substantially less than what is needed to complete the process. Mr. Speaker, much of the attention was focused on the residents of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utrik Atolls. The radioactive fallout from the U.S. nuclear testing affected people throughout the rest of the Marshall Islands. The Nuclear Claims Tribunal was created in 1991 to address these radiation victims. The allocated $45 million the Nuclear Claims Tribunal has rejected over 4,000 claims while confirming only 1,000 claims. In so doing, the tribunal has already exhausted its funds and projects valid personal injury claims for cancer and radiation- related illnesses to a total of over $100 million. And not yet considered by the Tribunal are the claims to losses of properties and lands for our nuclear testing program. Mr. Speaker, in response to this, I would submit that Section 177 of the Marshalls' Compact of Free Association may need to be invoked. Section 177 provides that the United States may consider additional nuclear test compensation in the face of changed circumstances from the information available to compact negotiators in the 1980's. Certainly, the Department of Energy's announced declassification of documents relating to our nuclear testing program in the Marshalls has shed new light on these issues. Moreover, recent scientific studies show that 15 atolls and islands in the Marshalls were exposed to significant amounts of nuclear test fallout, not just the original four atolls considered during the compact negotiations. And I might also, Mr. Speaker, it does not even relate to the fact that thousands of our own soldiers and sailors were also exposed directly to nuclear contamination during our period of testing at this time in the Marshalls. Mr. Speaker, the people in the Marshall Islands have made great contributions and sacrifices befitting the people of the United States and the free world. We will never be able to fully compensate them, as we cannot give them back their health or their lives of their unborn children or return to their traditional culture. Nevertheless the United States owes a moral duty and a serious obligation to the people of the Marshall Islands. In recognition of this duty, the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, the gentleman from New York, [Mr. Gilman], my good friend, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 92 of which I am a proud cosponsor along with the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], the chairman of the Committee on Resources in the House of Representatives to recognize the tremendous sacrifices that the Marshallese people made during World War II and for the 12 years that they were subjected, not of their own choice, to nuclear contamination during our nation's nuclear testing program in Micronesia. Mr. Speaker, this resolution emphasizes the value of continuing friendly relations between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Congress intends to maintain a long term military alliance and strategic partnership between our nations. The resolution further recognizes the importance of addressing nuclear testing damages under Section 177 of the Compact of Free Association, the Congress. In reviewing the compact renegotiations should exercise vigilance in preserving the strategic interests of the United States in maintaining friendship with the Marshall Islands. Mr. Speaker, I would urge that our colleagues support this worthy measure that underscores the importance of our deep and enduring relationship with the good people of the Marshall Islands, and, Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope that in the coming weeks and months I will provide for my colleagues and the American people a series of floor statements to fully explain what took place in that 12-year period of nuclear testing of our nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands and the need for the Congress to do more to properly compensate the Marshallese people for the harm and suffering that we brought to them. Mr. Speaker, again I would issue my warmest greetings and best wishes to President Imata Kabua and Foreign Minister Phillip Muller on their visit to Washington and other members of their official delegations, and, Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer for the record additional materials to be submitted and be made part of the Record: H. Con. Res. 92 Whereas on November 3, 1986, President Reagan issued Proclamation 5564, implementing a Compact of Free Association between the United States and the newly formed governments of Pacific island areas which had been administered by the United States since 1947 under a United Nations trusteeship; Whereas the Compact of Free Association was approved by the United States Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support on January 14, 1986, under the terms set forth in the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-239); Whereas, in addition to providing the multilateral framework for friendly political relations with the new Pacific island nations, the Compact of Free Association established, on a bilateral basis, a long-term military alliance and permanent strategic partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands; Whereas for 50 years the Marshall Islands has played a unique and indispensable role in maintaining international peace and security through activities of the United States in the Marshall Islands which were essential to the feasibility and ultimate success of the United States-led strategy of nuclear deterrence during the Cold War era, as well as the United States Strategic Defense Initiative which contributed significantly to the end of the nuclear arms race; Whereas, the Republic of the Marshall Islands includes Bikini Atoll and Enewetak Atoll, which were the nuclear weapons proving grounds for Operation Crossroads from 1946 to 1958, as well as Kwajalein Atoll, which was the site of the mid-Pacific missile testing range for intercontinental ballistic missiles fired from the Vandenberg facility, a vital installation of the United States Army's ballistic missile systems command and a key support facility for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other programs critical to the promotion of vital national interests; Whereas the people of the Marshall Islands and the United States have a close and mutually beneficial relationship which evolved from liberation and military occupation at the end of World War II to United States administration under the United Nations trusteeship from 1947 to 1986 and which is now maintained on a government-to-government basis under the Compact of Free Association; Whereas this relationship was forged through a process of self-determination and democratization which reflects the common values and cross-cultural respect that the people of the Marshall Islands and the people of the United States have developed since the middle of the last century when American missionaries first came to the Marshall Islands; Whereas the people of the United States and its allies paid a high price, including great loss of life and injuries in the heroic battles for Kwajalein and Roi-Namur, to liberate the Marshall Islands during World War II and again made sacrifices as a result of the Cold War nuclear arms race; Whereas the people of the Marshall Islands suffered great injury and hardship due to the exposure of individuals to nuclear test radiation and the radiological contamination of the Marshall Islands; Whereas, in recognition of the unique role of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in supporting the United States during the Cold War, the 104th Congress provided additional assistance, pursuant to the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, to meet the special need of the people of the Marshall Islands arising from the nuclear testing program, including funding for radiological monitoring, island rehabilitation, and community resettlement programs; Whereas within the framework of the settlement of all legal claims under section 177 of the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, the Congress continues to monitor and evaluate measures being taken to implement programs authorized under Federal law to promote the recovery, resettlement, health, and safety of individuals and communities affected by the nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands; Whereas the special relationship between our nations and our peoples is a bond that has grown strong as a result of our shared history and common struggle and sacrifices in the cause, not of conquest, but to promote international peace and security and secure liberty for future generations; and Whereas, just as the extraordinary demands of world leadership fell on the United States in this century, among this Nation's allies the Marshall Islands bore an immensely disproportionate share of the burden of the Cold War, and this remote island nation continues to play an important strategic role in the preservation of global peace as well as in the military and scientific programs which promote the United States, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the other people of the world: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress---- (1) recognizes the value of continued friendly relations between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands; (2) intends to maintain, through appropriate mutually agreed political and economic measures, the long-term military alliance and strategic partnership defined by the Compact of Free Association as a primary element of bilateral relations between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Island in the future; (3) recognizes the importance of ongoing measures to address, in accordance with the legal settlement set forth in section 177 of the Compact of Free Association of 1985, the impact on the Marshall Islands of the nuclear testing program; and (4) intends, through its oversight responsibilities and the exercise of its Constitutional authority regarding negotiation and approval of bilateral agreements with respect to those provisions of the Compact of Free Association which expire in 2001, in exercise vigilance in preserving the strategic interests of the United States in ensuring that the friendship between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands is sustained as mutually agreed pursuant to their respective constitutional processes.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Chairman, I certainly want to commend the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence], the chairman of the Committee on National Security, and my good friend, the gentleman from California [Mr. Dellums], the ranking Democrat, for their support and endorsement of this Amendment No. 9. I also want to thank my good friend, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the Committee on National Security, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Buyer], and the ranking Democrat of that subcommittee, the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Taylor] for their endorsement and bipartisan support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, American Samoa over the years has established a very active Junior Officer Reserve Training Corps program among our high schools. Many thousands of high school students have had the opportunity to experience a facet of military training early enough in their lives to enable them to make informed decisions on whether to pursue the armed services as a career. Thousands of American Samoans have gone through the junior ROTC program in Samoa, and some of these have gone on to a senior ROTC program in the United States and then on to become excellent military officers. Mr. Chairman, most of my colleagues know that the U.S. territories have consistently had very high rates of enlistment in our Armed Forces. I know of at least 10 Samoans who should achieve the rank of E- 9, command sergeant majors, the highest enlisted rank in all of our armed services. I am also very aware of a couple recipients of the Silver Star for valor and bravery in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is very simple. It directs the Secretary of Defense to study again the issue of making U.S. nationals. We have the distinction of being the only people under the American flag that are classified as U.S. nationals. It means that we owe permanent allegiance to the United States but we are neither citizens nor aliens. Congress has not yet established a law to allow us to become U.S. citizens. I do not know when, if ever, that is going to happen, Mr. Chairman. But at this point, this time, this amendment just simply allows the Secretary of Defense to study the issue again, making U.S. nationals eligible for the senior ROTC program, and then issuing a report and recommendation to the Congress. I thank both the chairman and the senior ranking member for allowing me to speak on this issue. Mr. Chairman, as most of my colleagues know, the U.S. territories have consistently had very high rates of enlistment in our armed forces, and many of these service members have served with distinction over a period of decades including in all of our major conflicts since World War I. I know of at least ten Samoans from American Samoa who have achieved the rank of E-9, the highest enlisted rank in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. I am also aware of a couple of recipients of the Silver Star for valor and bravery in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Mr. Chairman, among those who have served with distinction from the Island of Guam is retired Gen. Ben Blaz, who received his commission in the U.S. Army upon graduation from the ROTC program at Notre Dame, and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. General Blaz also served as Guam's delegate to this House from 1985-1992. Mr. Chairman, until 1996 the residents of all the insular areas were eligible to participate in the Senior ROTC program, but in that year a judge advocate in the U.S. Army issued an opinion that resulted in U.S. nationals no longer being considered as eligible for scholarships in the program. This determination is based on statutes which appear to limit eligibility to U.S. citizens. Persons born in American Samoa whose parents are not U.S. citizens are given U.S. national status by our government, and American Samoans are the only persons given this status. Persons born in all the other U.S. insular areas are U.S. citizens. I believe that the status of U.S. nationals was not considered when the laws governing the ROTC program were drafted. This amendment would direct the Secretary of Defense to study the issue of again making U.S. nationals eligible for the Senior ROTC program and then issue a report, with recommendations to Congress within 180 days. Mr. Chairman, this is a compromise from my original amendment which would have changed the law to make it clear that U.S. nationals are eligible to participate in the Senior ROTC program. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation and certainly compliment my good friend, the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. McInnis], for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. I also want to commend the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentlewoman from Idaho [Mrs. Chenoweth], for her leadership and management of this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, as explained by the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the addition of 160 acres to the Eagle's Nest Wilderness within the Arapaho and White River National Forests in Colorado. These lands, which are known as the Slate Creek Parcel, are currently privately owned, and the owners are unwilling to convey the lands to the Forest Service unless they are permanently protected as wilderness. Accordingly, the bill provides that when these lands are acquired by the Forest Service they will be included in the wilderness. The Forest Service agrees that these are suitable lands for wilderness and have testified in support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, what we have here is a situation where there are willing sellers who believe that the highest and best use of their property is for public conservation purposes. This situation is duplicated in many places across our Nation and is one of the primary reasons that Democrats on the Committee on Resources have championed expanded use of the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisitions. I want to thank the owners of the Slate Creek parcel for their conservation interests, and I compliment the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. McInnis] for bringing the matter to the attention of the House, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I do not have any additional speakers and at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As my good friend from Nebraska stated earlier, the administration fully supports this legislation. I would like to note that the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], the senior ranking member of the House Committee on International Relations, is necessarily absent and I know he would have loved to add his commentary to the dialog this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to commend the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], my good friend and the chairman of the Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, who is the chief sponsor of this legislation, and certainly the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], chairman of the full House Committee on International Relations, for their presence and their statements. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. As it is now, the bill is identical to the one section of H.R. 750 which was adopted by this body earlier this year. If this bill does not become law by July 1, Hong Kong's representation in the United States will reverse to Chinese control in 2 weeks and will have to be handled by the Chinese Embassy, and I find that a very unlikely and an untenable situation, Mr. Speaker. This is clearly contrary to the attempt of the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, which stipulates that the United States should treat Hong Kong, after reversion, as an entity distinct from the People's Republic of China. Now, it would also be contrary to the hope shared by every one of us in this body, Mr. Speaker, that Hong Kong will retain most of its separate identity and distinctiveness after June 30. The administration originally asked for this bill and now strongly supports it. I call upon my colleagues to indicate their support for this bill, and I urge the adoption. Again, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] for bringing this matter up for consideration by the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh], the chairman of the subcommittee, and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah], my good friend, the ranking Democratic member, for their management of these two pieces of legislation. Specifically, I rise to fully support the proposed bill to honor my good friend from Indiana, Congressman John Myers. Mr. Speaker, just for a moment, I do want to digress and to also honor my good friend Andy Jacobs, as has been spoken before in the previous legislation. If there is one thing I remember about Andy, I can describe this gentleman truly as the majority of one because he speaks with a conscience, he speaks against the grain about everything that is popular, he speaks his mind, he speaks his heart. That is Andy Jacobs, and I honor and respect that gentleman. To my good friend John Myers, a real friend, always recognizes the rights of the minority. And I can always remember the National Prayer breakfast of his members. I recall a story about an island boy was invited to attend a church; and for several Sundays he was attending these church meetings. It got to the point it was so unbearable he got up and said, ``Ladies and gentleman, if you shake my hand, I promise you the color is not going to rub off on you.'' My good friends and colleagues, John Myers, in every instance when I meet him, he comes to me and shakes my hand and I can feel his sense of friendship in the times when this Chamber becomes so raucous, nasty, brutal, partisan. I honor Mr. John Myers for truly being a gentleman and to recognize the rights of the minority, and I thank my good friend from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] for saying this. John, you will always be remembered by the island people.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is not very often that I appear before my colleagues in the well, but today I want to offer a special tribute to a young lady, a great American, with a proud Samoan heritage who just graduated from West Point. While it may be a common occurrence among my colleagues to witness a countless source of our Nation's finest young men and women who are nominated and accepted every year to attend our military academies, it is a very rare occasion for me to celebrate such an event among Samoan Americans, especially when there are only about 150,000 of us throughout the United States. First, my sincere thanks to the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Ros- Lehtinen], who after evaluating Salamasina Strokin's application, nominated her 4 years ago to attend West Point. Salamasina's father is a retired military officer himself from Florida, but her mother, Sina, is Samoan, and this is what makes this story special, Mr. Speaker. Salamasina's mother passed away last year and it was her dream to see that her daughter graduated from West Point. Nevertheless, Salamasina kept on going because she knew her mother would not want her to quit now regardless of what happened. To my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, I believe Salamasina Strokin is the only Samoan American who has graduated from West Point, and I pay this special tribute to her late mother, her father, her relatives, and her friends. This is certainly a proud moment for our Samoan community, and I give all my best to 2d Lt. Leilani Salamasina Strokin.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Delahunt] for his fine statements. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Delahunt], my good friend, who unfortunately, because of a traffic jam, was unable to deliver his statements in support of the previous legislation.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, as explained by the gentlewoman from Idaho, this bill adjusts the boundary of the White River National Forest to include lands which are currently part of the Dillon Ranger District of Arapaho National Forest. It is my understanding that the administration's earlier concerns about the language preserving the current distribution of forest receipts have been resolved and that there is no further objection by the administration on this bill. This legislation again is sponsored by the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. McInnis], and I urge my colleagues to support this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I do not have any additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

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

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly want to commend the gentleman from Alaska, the chief sponsor of this legislation, for his leadership and certainly for his patience in getting the bipartisanship support of this important piece of legislation. I thank also the gentleman from New Jersey, the chairman of the subcommittee, for bringing this legislation to the floor for consideration. I have no further speakers at this time, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.