Guam Delegate to the US Congress Asks US to Fund Political Status Education

Guam Delegate to the US Congress Asks US to Fund Political Status Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 2, 2009 – Washington, D.C.

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife, on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, introduced H.R. 3940, a bill that would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program on Guam.

A hearing on this bill has been set for Thursday, November 5, 2009 in the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife. Governor Felix Camacho, Assistant Secretary of Interior Tony Babauta, and Speaker Judith Won Pat have been invited to participate in this hearing. Other interested parties who would like to submit testimony that will be included in the record should submit their testimony to the Congresswoman’s District Office by Thursday, November 12, 2009.

“This bill reaffirms the federal government’s responsibility of advancing the political development of the U.S. territories,” Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today.

“H.R. 3940 clarifies that the U.S. Department of the Interior is authorized to provide funding in support of a comprehensive political status education program for the territories, including Guam.

This bill helps to address political development by providing federal assistance for a political status education program that could be part of a self-determination effort.

I look forward to hearing from the witnesses at the hearing for H.R. 3940, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on this issue.”

The text of the bill is below:

111th CONGRESS
1st Session

H. R. 3940

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 27, 2009

Ms. BORDALLO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program for the people of Guam.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

Congress reaffirms that it is the responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior to advance the economic, social, and political development of the Territories of the United States.

SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR POLITICAL STATUS PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM.

The Secretary of the Interior may, in exercise of the administrative authority granted under section 3 of the Organic Act of Guam (48 U.S.C. 1421a), extend to the Government of Guam and its agencies and instrumentalities assistance, including assistance in the form of grants, research, planning assistance, studies, and agreements with Federal agencies, to facilitate a public education program regarding political status options for the Territory of Guam.