Gregorio Sablan

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, like other tribes in Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community were wrongfully stripped of their recognition and existing land base during the termination era in the 1950s. Federal recognition of the Grand Ronde was rightfully reestablished in 1983, as well as a land base through subsequent legislation. But like other tribes in Oregon, efforts by the tribe to restore additional lands have been hindered by the nature of the tribe's restoration. Passage of S. 818 will finally address this issue and make it easier for the Grand Ronde to take land into trust within their historical boundaries. The bill will also allow certain property already taken into trust by the tribe to be considered part of the reservation. Again, I want to thank Senator Wyden for promoting this legislation, and thank our colleague from Oregon (Mr. Schrader) for advocating for the House version of this bill. And I want to thank Chairman Bishop for managing this bill with me today. I ask my colleagues to support S. 818. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 817 will grant the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon the ability to more easily restore their tribal lands. The tribe's original lands were greatly diminished by the Federal Government during the disastrous allotment and assimilation period of the late 1800s. Thus, the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act of 1954 terminated their Federal status and eliminated their remaining land base altogether. The tribe was rightly restored in 1977 but has had trouble reacquiring parts of their original land base due to the nature of their restoration. Passage of S. 817 will finally address this issue, so the tribe will no longer have to face delays in dealing with the Department of Interior when taking certain land into trust. This is the culmination of nearly 3 decades of effort by the Siletz tribe. I congratulate them on their tireless work and perseverance. I also want to commend Senator Wyden for promoting this legislation, and our colleague from Oregon, Mr. Schrader, for championing the House version of the bill. I urge the adoption of S. 817. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The lands of the Pacific Northwest are known throughout the country for their majestic beauty and unique ecosystems. Visitors from near and far flock to the region to experience temperate rain forests and to climb some of the tallest peaks of the country. Were it not for the forward-thinking actions of certain individuals who sought permanent protection for these wildlands decades ago, these iconic places could have been destroyed. Today we recognize one of those forward-thinking individuals, Senator Daniel J. Evans of Washington State. Thanks to the work of Senator Evans, these areas are maintained in perpetuity due in no small part to the passage of the wilderness bills that protect them. A staunch supporter of the bipartisan Wilderness Act, Senator Evans helped to establish this bedrock environmental law, which ensures that these increasingly rare and pristine lands are protected permanently for enjoyment by all. Thanks to Congressman Reichert and Senator Cantwell for advancing this legislation. I am pleased to support this bill today, which recognizes the important work of one of our great public lands champions, Senator Daniel J. Evans. I ask my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Tan Siu Lin for his great achievements and community service to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Dr. Tan Siu Lin is a self-made entrepreneur who was born in Quanzhou in China's Fujian Province in 1930; In 1972, Dr. Tan moved to Guam with his wife, Lam Pek Kim and their children: Henry, Willie, Jerry, Raymond, Lily and Sunny, and established the family business Luen Thai Corporation, engaged in shipping and trading; In 1982 he moved to Saipan, and set up the island's first garment factory in 1983. Since then, the garment business became the largest private sector employer in the CNMI. In 1991, he formed Tan Holdings Corporation in the CNMI that further grew to become a global business portfolio with staff of more than 45,000 in various diversified companies; He founded within the group of companies, Luen Thai Holdings Ltd. which is listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since July 2004; In 2002, he formed the Tan Siu Lin Foundation for his philanthropy works in the CNMI, as he repeatedly reminded his family that ``I want to provide educational and sports opportunities for the underprivileged so they can help themselves become productive and responsible citizens and in turn, they can then help others who need help as I hope the good deed can be passed on so that the community will benefit.'' Dr. Tan with his noble commitment to uplift the quality of life in the CNMI and through his foundation, kindly contributed to the CNMI, its people, its community and its businesses with generous sponsorships and donations for school improvements, scholarships, sports activities and tournaments, cultural events, youth development programs, social welfare, and relief work; Please join me as I recognize and pay tribute to the great achievements and community service of Dr. Tan Siu Lin. Un Dangkulo Na Si Yu'us Manse Dr. Tan for your exceptional commitment to the Northern Marianas and the Micronesia Region.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, this year, for the first time, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands gathered to honor our Vietnam War veterans and their families, joining the rest of our nation in commemorating the 50th anniversary of that difficult and complicated chapter in American history. We remembered the sacrifice of the 58,220 who died in theater, the 7.2 million Vietnam veterans still living, and the families of all 9 million who served. The Vietnam War was fought before the Northern Mariana Islands became part of the United States and before we, the people of the Marianas, became United States citizens. Yet dozens of our young men enlisted--or in many cases were drafted--into the U.S. Armed Forces to fight in Vietnam. This is a story not widely known outside our islands. Educational and economic opportunities were limited in the Northern Mariana Islands at that time. Young people seeking higher education or simply a better life sometimes moved to the nearby U.S. territory of Guam, to Hawai'i, or to the mainland United States for school or work. And it was from these new places of residence that they volunteered--or often were drafted--for military service. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense kept no records to tell us exactly how many young people from the Northern Mariana Islands were called into service during the Vietnam era. Home of record would have been listed as the location to which each of them had moved temporarily to improve themselves. So, we cannot today faithfully recite their names, when honoring their service. We do know of four from the Northern Mariana Islands, who died in combat in Vietnam. Their names are inscribed on the Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. And we know at least 50 Vietnam veterans are alive in the Northern Marianas today. Some are the indigenous Chamorro and Refaluwasch people of our islands, who enlisted or were drafted out of Guam or a U.S. state. Some are veterans who later came from America to the Marianas and now call our islands their home. We know, too, that even if not United States citizens, soldiers from the Northern Mariana Islands served as bravely and honorably as their brothers and sisters in uniform, who were citizens. And we know that all--citizen and noncitizen alike--faced the same painful challenges of returning home from a war whose purpose was difficult to understand and which never resolved in victory. Yet, despite all their sacrifice and the pain endured, Vietnam veterans--in the Marianas and throughout America--continued to contribute to the peace, security, and prosperity of our nation. They became teachers, entrepreneurs, artists, tradesmen, law enforcement officers, healers, or advocates. They are present throughout the life of our communities. They also supported each other, mentored younger veterans coming home, and shared their stories with civilians, who may not have otherwise had an understanding or appreciation of military service, or the realities of war. Indeed, it could be said that it is because of the example, leadership, and advocacy of the Vietnam generation of veterans that we, as a nation, do better today at supporting our young men and women in uniform, when they come home from war. But as these Vietnam vets would also remind us: we can do more. So, upon this 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War let us commit to do more to support America's warriors--in times of conflict, as well as in peace; when they put on the uniform in defense of our nation, and when they come home.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5889, a bill to designate the United States postal facility located in Chalan Kanoa, Saipan, the Segundo T. Sablan and CNMI Fallen Military Heroes Post Office Building. The bill recognizes Mr. Sablan, the first Chamorro and native of Saipan appointed a U.S. postmaster. The bill also honors the Northern Marianas servicemen and -women who lost their lives while serving our great country during this war on terrorism. Segundo Tudela Sablan, fondly known as Tun Segundo, was born on May 27, 1919, on Saipan. Shortly after the United States victory over the Japanese in the Battle of Saipan during World War II, Tun Segundo was among a small group of Chamorros and Carolinians, the indigenous people of the Northern Marianas, selected by the U.S. military to serve as Marine Scouts for the 6th Provisional Police Military Battalion. His knowledge of the terrain and fluency in the Japanese language made him ideally suited for the task of searching the island's caves and jungles for Japanese holdouts responsible for sniper and grenade attacks on American soldiers. In 1951, Tun Segundo was appointed the first United States postmaster for Saipan by the United States Navy, which, at the time, had administrative responsibility for the Northern Marianas under the United States Trusteeship Agreement, known as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. A dedicated postmaster, he twice used his home for postal operations after typhoons destroyed the post office building and often neglected his farm and livestock to ensure families received their mail. A crippling back injury sustained during the war eventually made it impossible for him to carry out the physical tasks required of the job. He resigned as postmaster in 1961. The post office name will also serve as a tribute to our fallen Northern Marianas sons and daughters. The people of the Northern Marianas have a proud history of military service that began long before we were officially part of the United States and continues to this day. We lost 20 young men and women to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone. I hope that knowing their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten brings a measure of comfort to their families and friends. I am grateful to Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings and their staff on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for their work and moving this through the process. I am equally grateful to the gentleman from Florida and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia for their time and effort in managing today's bill. I offer special thanks to the family of Tun Segundo, who provided much information about the life of this leader, their father, for their support of this legislation. I also want to thank the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Saipan Post 3457, especially Post Commander Michael O'Kelley; Senior Vice Commander Matias Chargualaf; and Departmental Quartermaster Peter Callaghan for their endorsement.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Honda for yielding. It is a great sadness to lose a neighbor, and Mark Takai was my neighbor. He was a man of the Pacific, an islander. And though our islands are thousands of miles apart, for the people of the Pacific, distance does not separate. Distance and the knowledge that we have the stamina, the ability to read sea and sky and the courage to trust in our own capacity--distance connects us. Distance makes us neighbors. Mark Takai was my neighbor. As islanders, our foothold is trimmed by the vast sea, but our vision sweeps beyond the horizon. Look at the legislation Mark Takai brought out in his brief time here. We can see the islander's breadth of vision reflected in his concerns: veterans, students, small-business people, homeowners. Mark Takai took them all to heart, wanted to help them all. As an islander, he cared too. He cared a lot about the natural environment. We who have so little land cherish it all the more. We take seriously our responsibility to steward the land, to pass it on to the next generation whole and thriving. We honor the deep wisdom that the land is inseparable; my land and yours are one. We know the union of neighbors. Mark Takai was my neighbor. Here in Congress as well, Mark's office stands across the hall from mine in Cannon. We could have opened both our doors and, seated at our desks, seen each other at work. We would pass in the hall, share a word, feel the connection of our shared experience. We both traveled a very long way from very different cultures to be here. In that, we were neighbors. Now his door is closed. Now his lights are dimmed. Farewell, Mark. Farewell, neighbor. Our Lord decides our time--I Saina Man Des Popone.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This bill implements two important fisheries treaties: the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the South Pacific Ocean. These treaties cover bottom- and mid-water fisheries in the Pacific Ocean's international waters, and implementing them will give the United States a seat at the table to ensure access for our fishermen and sound management of the resource. H.R. 4576 also updates the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Act and amends the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Act, and makes important changes to the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act. This set of changes will enhance our ability to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and give greater protection to sharks. I applaud the efforts of the gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) to bring this bill to the floor in its current form. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 295 is a great bill. I would like to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), my esteemed colleague, for all of his hard work. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The studies indicate that Native youth experience significantly more challenges in virtually every aspect of their development from birth to adolescence than any other population. Native infants experience higher infant mortality rates than those of other racial or ethnic groups. Native children are overrepresented in foster care, at more than 2.1 times the general population, and 37 percent of Native children live in poverty. Finally, it is most troubling that Native youth face a higher risk and rate of premature death than other youth. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death, 2.5 times the national rate, for Native youth in the 15 to 24 age group. We need to take a comprehensive look at the health and well-being of Native children and to find the root causes of and real solutions to the problems and issues that are leading to these disturbing trends. This is why I wholeheartedly support S. 246 and the establishment of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children. The commission will be comprised of experts in the areas of juvenile justice, social work, education, and mental and physical health, working alongside a Native advisory committee composed of Native tribal representatives. They will conduct a comprehensive study of current Federal and local programs, grants, and support available for Native communities and children, and will report our recommendations for legislative and administrative actions and modifications and improvements to better serve our Native children. I want to thank Senator Heitkamp for introducing this important legislation and for tirelessly advocating for the creation of this commission. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) for championing the House version of the bill, H.R. 2751. Mr. Speaker, I know that the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children will be successful in its endeavor, and I encourage my colleagues to swiftly adopt this legislation. Native children cannot wait any longer. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Like many other communities around the country, tribes and tribal organizations are looking for ways to attract the business of overseas tourists; and there is a significant opportunity for tribes and Native people to share and reinforce their cultures, generate income, create jobs, and improve their quality of life through increased tourism. According to the Department of Commerce, as my colleague alluded to earlier, tourism was almost a quarter-of-a-trillion-dollar industry in 2014, with almost 34 million overseas travelers visiting the United States. And overseas travelers to the United States who visit national parks or tribal lands tend to stay longer in the United States, visit more destinations within the country, and are more likely to be repeat visitors. However, there are currently no tourism initiatives at the Federal level that include tribes and tribal organizations. The NATIVE Act would remedy that situation by encouraging Federal programs that support tourism and tourism infrastructure to engage with our Native American communities. This will increase tribal opportunity to showcase the rich and diverse history of the indigenous peoples of the United States. I commend Senator Schatz of Hawaii for this legislation. I ask my colleagues to support S. 1579. Having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3178, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, and I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana for joining me today in managing the bill. I want to also thank Ms. Foxx, chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, for her hard work on this bill. I also want to thank our chairman, John Kline, and ranking member, Bobby Scott, for their leadership. No matter which side of the aisle we are on, we can all agree that, by helping people get an education, we are benefiting both the individual and the American economy. In today's world, getting an education means more than grade school and high school; it means higher education as well. H.R. 3178 will help more Americans get a college education, and it does so by helping college students and potential college students and their families get more of the information they need to make the tough financial decision that go along with a college education. With more than 7,000 colleges and universities nationwide to choose from, the college application process can be quite overwhelming for students and their families. H.R. 3178 helps to bridge the information gap by creating a new online tool for students and families called the College Dashboard, to be managed by the U.S. Department of Education. This Web site will replace the cumbersome College Navigator and compile information submitted by institutions on enrollment, graduation rates, costs, financial aid, and faculty status. The bill will also streamline existing efforts at the Federal level to reduce confusion, and require better coordination by Federal agencies to avoid duplication. A bill like H.R. 3178 is particularly important for students in America who come from areas like the one I represent, the Northern Mariana Islands, that are geographically remote. Students from my district cannot hop in the car with their parents and drive around the country looking at colleges. It costs thousands of dollars to fly off island, as we say; and for families who come from some of the poorer areas of our Nation, like the one I represent, those thousands of dollars that would be spent to look at colleges would be better spent paying tuition, buying books, or covering the cost of room and board. Having more information readily available about the cost of any particular college and the return on investment that graduates of that college can expect is also critically important for students and families who often are investing in a college education for the first time. Making an investment like that for families that have never sent anyone to college is a leap of faith, a huge risk, and if we can help reduce the risk, or give those families a better sense of the value of the financial sacrifices they will have to make to pay for college, then we should do so. By supplying key information about the colleges online on the College Dashboard, as this measure does, it would help bridge the geographic and socioeconomic gaps that can be a barrier for bright, hardworking, and ambitious students everywhere in America to get a college degree. When we can do that, we are helping these individuals have a more productive, satisfying life, and we are helping our Nation remain productive and competitive in our world economy. Again, I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx for the opportunity to work with her on this important and meaningful legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3178, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, people I represent in the Northern Marianas are concerned that guns could become more common in our islands, more easily obtained, and a threat to public safety. We do have guns: for hunting, for target practice. Police officers carry weapons. And we have had tragedies: a child shot accidentally, a mass murder/suicide. But generally people feel safe. We do not worry that someone may get a gun and use it for the wrong reasons. That feeling of safety changed recently. The federal court ruled that the Supreme Court's Heller decision applied in our islands; and people had a right to keep a handgun in their home. I understand that decision. The second amendment applies in our islands. We voted to make it apply, when we joined the United States forty years ago. But the people I represent do not want to see handguns everywhere in our community. We certainly do not want the kind of assault rifles that terrorists use--most recently in Orlando. And our local legislature has taken action to limit handguns and ban assault rifles. I support those actions. I support the right of small communities like my own to decide for themselves about guns.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing legislation to approve a 15-year extension of the United States' Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau. President Ronald Reagan, recognizing the importance of the Western Pacific to U.S. security interests, first negotiated the Compact with Palau. President Reagan's prescience of the need to maintain strategic denial to the military of other nations in the land, air, and sea of Palau--an area the size of Texas--is apparent now more than ever. Yet we in Congress have failed to maintain the commitment that President Reagan established with Palau. The 1986 Compact provided for annual economic assistance. In 2010, the U.S. and Palau agreed to an extension of this Compact assistance and agreed that funding should gradually taper off over the succeeding 15 years. In 2012, Chairman Donald Manzullo of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific introduced the necessary legislation to approve the extension. Hearings and markup were held, but no further action ensued. It is true that Congress has continued to provide financial assistance to Palau per the terms of the extension agreement--but only on an installment basis, year-by-year. No long-term commitment to our ally has been forthcoming. Yet, the Republic of Palau continues to send its citizens to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Palau votes with the United States in the United Nations 95 percent of the time. And Palau's keystone geographic position in the defensive ``second island chain'' in the Western Pacific has not altered. Our failure to follow through on a negotiated agreement with a key ally not only leaves Palau uncertain about America's commitment. It leaves any nation that receives an assurance from the United States wondering whether America is good for its word. So, it is time to renew the effort here in Congress to affirm the alliance that President Reagan began. The legislation I am introducing approves the extension of the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau. This legislation will help maintain the American presence that we acquired at great cost in the bloody battles of World War II and will bulwark America's position in the Western Pacific in the years ahead.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, on the night of August 2nd and through the early morning of August 3rd this year, Typhoon Soudelor lashed through the Northern Mariana Islands, causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, uprooting the lives of the people I represent here in Congress. Today, I want to reflect on that event, and on the exceptional grace and generosity that have made recovery possible. The typhoon's impact was especially grave on Saipan, the most populated island in the Northern Marianas. Soudelor rendered hundreds of families homeless overnight. It also decimated infrastructure--knocking out power and water systems, shutting down the ports, ravaging the college, schools and other public buildings. Survival is a way of life in our islands. We are accustomed to bracing ourselves through tropical storms and picking ourselves up when skies clear. But the sheer ferocity of Typhoon Soudelor caught us all off-guard. Even the National Weather Service failed to foresee the force of this storm. That there was no loss of life is testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of our people. And we are grateful to Providence for sparing us. As long as we live, those of us who experienced Soudelor will not forget the wreckage we saw the morning after. Nor will we forget the hardship that followed, the long hours in line for food and fuel and other necessities, the days of physical suffering and distress, the weeks without power and running water. Soudelor tested our infrastructure, our government, and our capacity as a community to deal with disaster. Now, however, four months after the storm, I can report that conditions are greatly improved, since that long and terrifying night in August. Electricity is restored, and residents have daily water service. Streets have been cleaned in our villages and commercial districts. Students are in school. Businesses have reopened. Workers are employed again. Families are putting their lives back together. Though there is still much to reconstruct and strengthen to be better prepared and more resilient than before, it is remarkable how far we have come on the road to recovery. So, today, I want to thank all those who contributed to this successful response to adversity. There are so many individuals and organizations. It is not possible for me to know and name each and every one. Their collective efforts prove how much can be done, when people work together towards a common goal. First we thank the American people, who gave without hesitation to fellow citizens in need. When all is said and done, American taxpayers will have contributed an estimated 100 million dollars in federal disaster aid to feed those who had no food, shelter those who lost their homes, repair residences and replace lost property, reopen shops and return the economy to life, revive the power and water systems. In doing all this, they gave us the hope that we needed to work our way to recovery. We thank President Barack Obama and Governor Eloy Inos for their leadership in ensuring the prompt availability of resources to address the state of disaster in the Northern Marianas. We thank the Federal Emergency Management Agency team, led by Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio. FEMA's collaborative spirit set the tone for the response, working with other federal agencies and responders to aid the thousands of typhoon survivors. We thank our U.S. service members, who mobilized quickly to produce and distribute drinking water, clear debris, clean up fuel spills, and transport critical supplies and equipment. We thank our Commonwealth emergency management crews, utility workers, police officers and firefighters, healthcare professionals, educators, and other local government employees, who answered the call to serve even as their own families were picking up the pieces of their shattered homes and lives. We thank our local businesses, shuttered by the storm, who nevertheless rallied together to raise funds for the recovery effort. We thank the legions of volunteers--of all ages, all religions and races, many survivors themselves--who came forward to share food, water, clothing, shelter, and comfort with their fellow human beings. And we thank our friends from throughout the Pacific region, and indeed throughout the world, for sending supplies, expertise, and equipment by air and by sea to help us back on our feet. Today, the marks of Typhoon Soudelor are still to be seen in homes and businesses yet to be repaired, debris yet to be removed. But beneath these physical scars, a new strength is arising. A new community-based working group known as CARE--the Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts--has emerged. The people in CARE--from all walks of life, private and public sector, formal and informal organizations--are committed to rebuilding our island home so that it is stronger and better than before. With this newborn spirit of hope, cooperation and interdependence I am confident that we will succeed.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, let me make one thing very clear. The amendment that the distinguished lady from American Samoa and I have introduced does not change the formula. But I also want to take the time to thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio and all the committee members who worked together successfully to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor. I want to thank the committee, also, for deciding to increase funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 million to $42 million per year. The territories are some of the poorest parts of our country. We face a financial challenge providing transportation on separate islands and from one island to another island. I think the only territory that doesn't have to do that is the southernmost territory in the Mariana Islands. We are grateful for the assistance we receive from our fellow Americans. It is in the spirit of bipartisanship and with a deep respect for the wise use of Federal funds that Congressman Radewagen of American Samoa and I are offering the amendment at the desk. The amendment simply requires the Department of Transportation to use some rational basis for allocating the Territorial Highway Program funds among the territories. Currently, the Department is on autopilot. It uses a fixed allocation it devised back in 1992 and has continued to use ever since, without thinking about any changes that have occurred in the last 23 years. I believe that Federal dollars should not be spent willy-nilly. There should be some connection with the needs on the ground. I would like to make clear that this amendment does not slice up the pie to take money from one area and give it to another. In fact, thanks to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the pie is actually getting a little larger. Our amendment does not even specify what objective measures the Department uses in allocating the territorial funds. It could be road distance, traffic volume, population, land area, or a combination, as long as the decision is based on some concrete reality related to highways. We think that linking the dollars to the need is simply good stewardship of Federal resources and American taxpayers' money. We hope that the House agrees to this responsible approach and agrees to this bipartisan amendment.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2168 would repeal the sunset clause from legislation that allows the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery in Federal waters to be managed cooperatively by the States instead of by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The Dungeness crab fishery is one of the most valuable fisheries on the Pacific Coast, and it is a model of effective marine resource management. The specifics of the fishery, including robust stock assessments, accurate catch reporting, and harmony between Federal waters commercial fishermen and near-shore recreational crabbers, make regional management a good choice. California, Oregon, and Washington have managed the fisheries together with oversight from NOAA since 1980 and have proven they can do so responsibly. H.R. 2168 would allow the States to continue managing the Dungeness fishery without having to return to Congress every several years for permission. As opposed to a fishery like the Gulf of Mexico red snapper, management of the Dungeness crab is based on cooperation among States and fishing sectors as well as respect for the best available science, and the States have proven to be good stewards of the resource. I agree with the goals of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to stand with me in support. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2168. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Senate bill S. 986 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 11 acres of land to the United States to be held in trust for the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The land taken into trust shall be used for the educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development of the 19 Pueblos. Passage of this bill will finally complete the process started in 1969 when the United States began converting the Albuquerque Indian School Reserve into land under the jurisdiction and control of the 19 Pueblos. I would like to thank our colleague, Ms. Lujan Grisham, for introducing and championing the House version of the act and to Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for moving it swiftly through committee. I would also like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Washington, for joining me tonight in managing this bill. Just as Mr. Newhouse stated, this legislation is supported by the entire New Mexico delegation. I urge its quick adoption. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham), the sponsor of the House version of the bill.

Mr. SABLAN. We have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I do urge my colleagues to please support H.R. 2617. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, reducing the income inequality between the people I represent in the Northern Mariana Islands and Americans in the rest of our Nation is one of my key goals as a Member of Congress. Household median income in the Marianas was just $20,000 in the last census compared to $53,000 nationwide. For that reason, I have always supported the decision made in the 110th Congress to raise the minimum wage in the Marianas to the U.S. level in a series of graduated steps. When that decision was enacted in Public Law 110-28, the locally set minimum wage in the Mariana Islands was just $3.05 per hour and the minimum wage had been stuck at that level since the 1990s. Today the minimum wage has effectively doubled to $6.05 and will increase to $6.55 a year from now. That doubling of the minimum wage has occurred during a period of economic difficulty for the Mariana Islands. Gross domestic product was dropping by 8 percent, 12 percent, 19 percent in the first 3 years of minimum wage increase. I should say, however, that these drops had nothing to do with the wage and everything to do with the loss of manufacturing because of the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade and because of a loss of tourism. In the most recent year for which GDP data is available for our islands, we had economic growth of 4.4 percent, even as the minimum wage continued to rise. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis says that this economic growth reflects a growth in tourism, especially an increase in tourism from China. But it also reflects a growth in consumption because workers who are paid more can spend more, and that is good for the economy. So I look forward to next year's increase of another 50 cents in the minimum wage in the Mariana Islands. I look forward to reaching the national minimum wage in 2019, and I support legislation raising the national minimum wage because I have now seen in my district that increasing wages can have a positive impact on economic activity and improve people's lives. At the same time, I recognize that there is such a thing as economic reality. Raising the minimum wage too quickly could have a detrimental effect, could cause employment to shrink. For that reason, over the last 7 years that I have been in Congress, I worked with Members on both sides of the aisle to tailor the minimum wage increases to the specific economic realities in my district. Instead of raising it by 50 cents every year, as the original law required, we skipped the increases in 2011, 2013, and this year, 2015. We arrived at the decision to stretch out the time of the increases by listening to employers on the island and to workers because workers also understand that increasing wages too quickly could jeopardize their jobs. We also listened carefully to the Government Accountability Office experts who look at the effect of these minimum wage increases periodically and report back to Congress. I think that, so far, as least, we have successfully walked the fine line. We have kept the minimum wage increasing--faster than prices, GAO tells us--without disrupting the economy. I am very grateful to both Democrats here in Congress, who agreed to slow down the increases, and to Republicans, who agreed to let the minimum wage keep going up. They did so, I think, because of a recognition that a relatively isolated island economy might need special consideration and because, when it comes to a decision that only affects a Member's own district, there is a tradition of deference here in Congress to the views of that Member. This is a very long way around to saying that I support H.R. 2617, the bill now under consideration. The gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) has made the determination that what is best for her constituents is to delay further increases in the minimum wage. She too represents a relatively isolated island economy. Her constituents too have incomes much below the U.S. average. The specific economic factors in American Samoa are not the same as in the Northern Mariana Islands. So while a delay for American Samoa may be appropriate, I would not want to imply a further delay for the Northern Marianas is called for at this time. But I do think that the same courtesy that the House has provided to me, when it comes to making a judgment about the well-being of the people I represent, should be given to the Delegate from American Samoa with respect to her own district. For that reason, I urge Members to support passage of H.R. 2617. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, allow me to add to the record of the U.S. House of Representatives the story Mr. William DeWitt, a teacher, who has brought the art of music in the Northern Mariana Islands to an unprecedented level of excellence and who has given to thousands of our young people the joy of finding within themselves their own musical talents. Mr. William DeWitt first came to the Northern Mariana Islands in 1993, beginning his career in middle and junior high school, teaching a variety of subjects, including band, piano, and choir. He then accepted an offer to teach at Marianas High School and was successful there at reviving its band program. Enthusiasm for instrumental music education began to crescendo, and in 2002 Mr. DeWitt was invited to join the faculty of the newly inaugurated Saipan Southern High School, which was designed to be a magnet school for students with an interest in the arts and technology. He has now spent thirteen years at Saipan Southern, helping countless students fulfill their dream to make music and share it with the world. In doing so, Mr. DeWitt and the students he has guided have created a legacy, the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Band, that is certainly one of the greatest sources of pride for the Northern Marianas Public School System and, indeed, for our entire community. When Mr. DeWitt came to Saipan 22 years ago, he could not have known what he would accomplish. Our island community has always teemed with multi-generational musical talent and held a deep love for singing. But band music and its array of instruments--the trumpet, flute, trombone, and clarinet--were less well known. Mr. DeWitt changed that. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw the incorporation of a growing diversity of students into our schools using music as a unifying influence and adding the international flavor of this new student body to its musical sensibility. Up to 250 students now participate in some aspect of the Manta Ray Band program at Saipan Southern. They come from many ethnicities and cultures--Chamorro, Carolinian, Palauan, Marshallese, Filipino, Korean, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian--and William DeWitt has helped them learn to join together as one, making music. Perhaps, this very diversity is key to the success and world-wide recognition the Manta Ray Band has achieved under the baton of Mr. DeWitt. Five times in the last seven years the Manta Ray Band has earned the Tumon Bay Music Festival Sweepstakes Award, the most wins by any organization in the festival's history. The Manta Rays have been invited to and performed at two Olympic Games: Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. The Band has showcased its talents at the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Westminster Abbey, and Disneyland. And just last month, at the Los Angeles Musical Festival the Manta Ray Band earned the Gold Award as the highest scoring ensemble in festival competition. This Gold Award is something of a fairy-tale ending to Mr. DeWitt's career. His band executed its performance with a new precision and intensity. His students displayed an infectious enthusiasm and rhythmic jaunt that gave their concert an element of variety and versatility no other ensemble could match. But backstage after the event amidst the triumph, while cameras clicked, tears flowed and hugs abounded, as the Manta Rays dealt with the recognition that this pinnacle also marked the end of an era--for Mr. William DeWitt had taken his final bow with the band. William DeWitt and his family will now be able to spend time with his parents in California, where he will also pursue a post-graduate degree. We wish him well. And we will always be grateful to him for the way that he drew from a very small population of students their maximum talent, so inculcating them in the fundamental elements of musicianship that they were able to soar on international stages. As significant as what he gave to each individual student, we will remember what Mr. William DeWitt gave to the larger communities of which we are part: the pride and honor his musicians brought to Saipan Southern High School, to the Public School System, and to the Northern Mariana Islands as a whole. This musical venture he has led became a partnership for all of us. Individuals and businesses gladly supported the Manta Ray Band with contributions totaling more than a million dollars over the course of the past decade. And, as a community, we should honor William DeWitt's legacy by continuing to give our young musicians the opportunity to develop, master, and showcase their talents. Lastly, we acknowledge, as does Mr. DeWitt, his wife Lois and his children Emily, Abigail, and James, who throughout have been his source of inspiration and support. We thank them for allowing their husband and father to commit so much of his time and energy to the students of Saipan Southern and the Northern Mariana Islands. And we thank you, Mr. William DeWitt. May the richness of island life always flow in your blood, just as your accomplishments will always be engraved into our island history.