Gregorio Sablan

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage my colleagues in the House to please support House Resolution 686.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 686 and thank Mr. Grayson, the sponsor of this resolution, for his leadership. Almost 222 years ago, on Thursday, September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia for the last time to sign the document they created, a living and breathing document that stands as the world's longest surviving written charter government. This resolution brings attention to the importance of this document by calling for all high school students to learn about the Constitution. Many students today have little exposure to this rich document and its history. And without a basic understanding of the Constitution and the benefits it provides, it is less likely that these same students will vote or engage in active citizenship. One program that combats this lack of knowledge is, ``We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution.'' The program encourages civic awareness and responsibility in middle school and high school students through hands-on activities. Students discover firsthand how the Constitution and the Bill of Rights impact their everyday lives and participate in simulated congressional hearings. At the national level, students utilize higher-order thinking skills as they demonstrate their knowledge of constitutional theory by defending a historical or contemporary issue. Programs like ``We the People'' make the Constitution come alive and help students connect what they are learning to contemporary issues and events. This type of learning is important not only for its academic aspects, but also for the way in which it improves our democracy. Learning about the Constitution promotes positive civic attitudes and fosters involvement in our democracy. This Thursday, September 17, is Constitution Day, because on September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed and history was made. One way students and teachers can observe this important day and celebrate the legacy of our Founding Fathers is by learning more about the timeless document signed 222 years ago and finding ways to actively participate in our democracy. I want to express my support for this resolution and encourage young people to learn about how the Constitution affects their everyday lives. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 686 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 686) recommending that the United States Constitution be taught to high school students throughout the Nation in September of their senior year, as amended.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, in his recent speech to the House and Senate, President Obama stated that leaving Americans without health insurance is wrong and ``should not happen in the United States of America.'' I could not agree more strongly with our President. When it is accessible and affordable, health care ensures high quality of life, helps families, and saves life. In my home, the Northern Mariana Islands, our health care system is sorely in need of improvement. But the current health care bills being debated in the House and Senate exclude the U.S. territories from the exchange and affordability credits, denying the men, women, and children living there the benefits their fellow citizens will enjoy. Mr. Speaker, to quote our President, this is wrong, and it should not happen in the United States of America. I ask for the support of my colleagues in bringing health care reform to all Americans, including those in the territories.

Mr. SABLAN

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

Mr. SABLAN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Safety Month, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 459 which recognizes the month of June as National Safety Month and commends the National Safety Council for its ongoing commitment to educating the public on the prevention of accidental injury and death. The National Safety Council was established in 1912 by a small group of midwestern industrial leaders concerned about safety in the workplace. Since then, the council has broadened its scope to include the home, transportation and the community. Its membership has grown to over 18,000 companies with more than 33,000 locations. All together, the council represents 8.3 million employees across the Nation. In 1953, a congressional charter was granted to the National Safety Council to lead the country in injury prevention through safety education and training. The council has had a great impact at the local level by providing a variety of community-based programs and services, including workshops, training and conferences, as well as by providing a local voice for safety and health education. Through the efforts of the National Safety Council, more than 8.5 million rescuers have been trained and more than 60 million people have taken one of the NSC defensive driving courses. The training and information offered by the National Safety Council has helped raise attention to the cost of accidental injuries to this Nation. Each year, accidental injuries cost Americans more than $684 billion. Additionally, unintentional injuries cost workers and their employers $175 billion each year. We know that the work of the National Safety Council complements the essential injury prevention and emergency response training efforts by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the many excellent State worker safety and health agencies. While National Safety Month is over, the health and safety of our workers and families should be a top priority year round. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Safety Month, and I want to thank Congressman Roskam for bringing this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 459 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 459) expressing support for designation of ``National Safety Month''.

Mr. SABLAN

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

Mr. SABLAN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 6) recognizing the significant contribution coaches make in the life of children who participate in organized sports and supporting the goals and ideals of National Coaches Appreciation Week.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 59) supporting the goals and ideals of senior caregiving and affordability, as amended.

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

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my support for this concurrent resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 59, which is a bill that supports the ideals of senior caregiving and addresses the important issue of affordability. Research professionals tell us that our seniors are living longer than any previous generation. The number of people over the age of 65 will double in the next 50 years, and the demand for senior care will rise to unprecedented levels. Currently, 25 percent of all seniors need some level of assistance with their daily living activities. Families, neighbors, and private care serve this role for many seniors. As demand increases, so does the need for affordable and quality care. There are between 30 and 38 million adult caregivers age 18 and older. They are our friends, family members, partners, and neighbors. On average, they work 21 hours per week. Not only do these unpaid caregivers provide long-term services to persons of all ages, but they contribute to the economy. In 2006, the AARP estimated that caregiving services have an annual economic value of $350 billion. Many caregivers put their own health at risk while caring for others. Caregivers are more likely to report chronic illnesses at twice the rate as noncaregivers. Though they save the country billions of dollars, caregivers report having higher medical bill expenses than noncaregivers. Providing better support for caregivers is essential to the well- being of our health care system, our long-term care system, and our economy. I want to express my support for this resolution and thank Congressman Terry for bringing this resolution forward. I urge my colleagues to support me on this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Concurrent Resolution 59 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage my colleagues to support House Resolution 737. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor one of the Northern Mariana Islands' finest individuals, Tomas Aguon Camacho. The Most Reverend Tomas Aguon Camacho is the first bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Born to Maria Borja Aguon and Vidal Palacios Camacho on September 18, 1933, Bishop Camacho was ordained a priest on June 14, 1961, and was given the honorary title of Monsignor in 1974. On January 13, 1985, he was installed as Bishop, the same time that the Northern Mariana Islands became a separate ecclesiastic jurisdiction from the Archdiocese of Hagatna, Guam, to what was and is now the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. As a shepherd to Catholics in the Northern Mariana Islands, which total approximately 80 percent of the general population, Bishop Camacho is looked upon by the people as a compassionate pastor, a humble servant and a concerned teacher to his flock. He recently finished translating into the vernacular the books of the New Testament, making the Word of God available in Chamorro, an indigenous language unique to the Northern Mariana Islands and to Guam. He is now working on the books of the Old Testament. Additionally, the Bishop has commissioned a group to translate the Bible in the Refalauwasch, the other indigenous language of the Northern Mariana Islands. Bishop Camacho is not only a strong spiritual leader, but he is also a compassionate father who tries his best to address the needs of his people. Bishop Camacho initiated and founded various diocesan commissions that, up to the present time, provide invaluable services to the people. KARIDAT Charity, for example, is a social service provider under the diocese serving the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota. It provides youth and family counseling, emergency food and shelter assistance, hotline and outreach assistance to victims of crime. Founded on May 5, 1980, KARIDAT has to this day served thousands of residents. Moreover, in the early 1990s, through the leadership of Bishop Camacho, the diocese has maintained a Human Rights Advocacy Office. This office was instrumental in protecting the rights of foreign workers and upholding the church's social teachings. However, due to founding constraints, the office was closed in the late 1990s. Over the years, Bishop Camacho has guided the faithful in facing major community issues by releasing pastoral letters on casino gambling, human trafficking, substance abuse, abortion and their impact on individual and family values. Mr. Zaldy Dandan, the editor of a local newspaper, The Marianas Variety, described Bishop Camacho as ``the island's most trusted, most revered and most beloved public figure, an exemplary representative of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. He is the soul of Saipan, the conscience of the island, and the pride of the Northern Marianas.'' In October of 2008, the Northern Mariana Islands Council for the Humanities presented Bishop Tomas A. Camacho its Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities award for his efforts in preserving the Chamorro language. Having tendered his resignation last year at the age of 75 as required by the law of the church, Bishop Camacho is now waiting for Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of our next bishop, pastor and friend. Forty-eight years a priest and now 24 years in the Episcopacy, Bishop Camacho, the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, and the people of the Northern Mariana Islands will have to look back at the years and hear the Master say, ``Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things, I will trust you with greater, and join your Master's happiness,'' Matthew chapter 25 verse 21. Only God knows what greater things there are that are beyond what Bishop Tomas A. Camacho has attained. Only God knows.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Guam, the distinguished chairwoman of our subcommittee, Madeleine Bordallo, for her leadership on many matters pertaining to the insular areas and to the Mariana Archipelago islands that we represent here in Congress. I want to especially thank her for her support of H.R. 934. On February 25, 2005, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands awoke to the news that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had affirmed a lower court ruling stating that the submerged lands and the waters above them surrounding our islands do not belong to us; rather, they are the property of the United States of America. The decision came as a shock. For at least 3,500 years, the Chamorro and Refaluwasch people have lived on these islands and fished and sailed in the waters around them. Never did we think them not our own, nor did the people of the Northern Mariana Islands ever believe, in entering the Covenant of Political Union with the United States of America, that we were relinquishing our rights and title to the submerged lands and waters surrounding us. These lands and waters have always been an integral part of our existence, essential to our being and livelihood and to the sense of who we are; yet the Ninth Circuit ruled otherwise. In doing so, the Court did, however, ``recognize the importance of the submerged lands to the culture, history and future of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' and acknowledged that Congress, if it chose, could remedy the situation and return these lands to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, and that is what H.R. 934 does. The bill conveys to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands the submerged lands surrounding our islands and extending 3 geographic miles outward from their coastlines. The measure is supported by the elected leadership of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. I ask to enter into the Record this letter jointly signed by Governor Benigno R. Fitial, Speaker of the House Arnold I. Palacios, and Senate President Pete P. Reyes, in which the three confirmed their support of H.R. 934. I would also like to add to the Record a second letter of support. This is from the Friends of the Monument, an organization that worked for and successfully achieved the designation of large areas of the waters and lands in the Marianas as the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. The Monument is one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world, which we share with our neighbor, Guam, 115,000 square miles, and protects the world's deepest ocean, the Marianas Trench, 35,813 feet deep. It is the understanding of all parties that H.R. 934 gives the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands the same ownership rights over the submerged land surrounding our islands as are possessed by Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa. This conveyance includes the three northernmost islands in the Northern Mariana Islands, which constitute the ``Island Unit'' in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument by Presidential proclamation on January 6, 2009. It is also understood that after this bill is enacted into law, the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will have the option of exercising full control over the submerged lands surrounding these three islands, or deciding to include those submerged lands within the Monument under comanagement with responsible Federal agencies. The proclamation committed the Federal Government to providing the Commonwealth with this option, and H.R. 934 expressly provides that it does not amend, repeal or otherwise alter the proclamation and the commitments attached to it. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 934 is the very first bill that a representative of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands has ever introduced in the United States Congress. I ask my colleagues to support the measure. I thank the ranking member, Mr. Hastings, also for his support of the measure, and I express my hope that this bill giving back to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands what they always believed to be their own will be the first bill introduced by their own representative that is enacted into law. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Saipan, MP, July 9, 2009. Hon. Gregorio C. Sablan, CNMI Delegate to the United States, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Sablan: We are jointly writing to inform you that we are completely united in our support for HR 934. We urge you to push for the passage of this legislation in order to give the CNMI control over the first three miles of its submerged lands. We support this legislation with a certain understanding of the provisions of H.R. 934 that we urge you to include in the Congressional record, namely, that H.R. 934 would provide for the following: H.R. 934 will give the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands the same ownership rights over the submerged lands surrounding its islands as are possessed by Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. This would include the submerged lands around the three northernmost islands in the Commonwealth, which constitute the ``Islands Unit'' in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument established by Presidential Proclamation on January 6, 2009. After this bill is enacted into law, the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will have the option of exercising full control over the submerged lands surrounding these three islands or deciding to include those submerged lands within the Monument under co-management with the responsible federal agencies. The Proclamation committed the federal government to providing the Commonwealth with this option and H.R. 934 expressly provides that it does not amend, repeal, or otherwise alter the Proclamation. With this understanding of the contents of H.R. 934, we urge you to support H.R. 934 for the benefit of the people of the CNMI. Sincerely, Benigno R. Fitial, Governor. Pete P. Reyes, Senate President. Arnold I. Palacios, Speaker of the House.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands. Tun Juan Aguon Sanchez has made many exceptional contributions to the history, art and culture of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. But Tun Juan's greatest legacy is his poetry, written in vernacular Chamorro. Tun Juan's poems touch on life in the islands, the value of respecting other people, and the essential ingredients to making a life worth living. Tun Juan's poems are lyrical reminders of the love we feel for our island home. Tun Juan also wrote about the world beyond our islands. At a time when our sole access to the outside world was a government radio station and a weekly newspaper, Tun Juan captured our admiration for leaders like President John F. Kennedy and his Holiness Pope John Paul, II. Tun Juan's work has recently been collected so that for generations to come, his words will continue to convey the perspective, the faith and the love that he had for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. Tan Iku, Godspeed and Si Yu'us Ma'a'se for all that you have done for your people and islands.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that the gentlewoman from Washington, I recognize her very fine eloquent statements about the Student Internet Safety Act of 2009. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this act. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.