Saipan Tribune

Monday, September 06, 2010

Friday, December 04, 2009

House panel hears testimonies on Guam war claims

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The House Armed Services Committee convened yesterday a full committee hearing to assess the Guam war claims process.

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, convened the full committee hearing at the request of Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) and in accordance with an agreement reached during final conference negotiations on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Sens. Ben Pangelinan and Frank Blas Jr. of the 30th Guam Legislature joined Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta of the U.S. Department of the Interior, former chair Mauricio Tamargo of the Guam War Claims Review Commission, and Tom Barcinas, a survivor of the occupation of Guam, in presenting testimony before the committee.

Airfare for Barcinas was donated on behalf of the Guam Chamber of Commerce. Yesterday's hearing also marked the first time that Babauta testified before a congressional committee in his capacity as Assistant Secretary and representing the Obama Administration.

During the hearing, members of the House Armed Services Committee expressed their continued support of war claims legislation. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), said, “I am embarrassed that we need to be here today talking about this. It should have been resolved a long time ago.”

Questions during the hearing focused on the objections raised by members of the Senate during final conference negotiations on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. After being asked by Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, whether heirs of survivors of the occupation of Guam who have since passed away should be eligible for claims, Tamargo stated, “The Guam War Claims Review Commission included survivors in its recommendations strictly as a matter of parity because that is how all claim programs were administered.”

Further, Skelton made a commitment to include the text of H.R. 44, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 if other legislative vehicles are not successful. The commitment from the chairman reiterated the need for the hearing to build a stronger legislative history that the Senate can reference in future negotiations. The House of Representatives has fulfilled its obligations under the conference negotiations on the FY10 NDAA and now the Senate, per the agreement, should hold hearings before next year's bill is taken up.

“Today's hearing builds on the legislative action that we have taken in the 110th and 111th Congress and is an important step towards resolving the issue of Guam war claims,” said Bordallo. “Senator Pangelinan and Senator Blas expressed the importance of passing war claims legislation in the context of the military buildup [in] Guam. Resolving war claims will help enhance community support for the buildup. I believe that my colleagues on this committee, who have already been very supportive of war claims, have a greater understanding of the importance of this issue to the people of Guam. The witnesses today, particularly Chairman Tamargo and Assistant Secretary Babauta, answered the difficult questions that will help us further this legislation in the Senate. Moreover, the testimony of Mr. Tom Barcinas expressed the sentiment of those who endured the occupation and their heirs and the need to pass legislation recognizing the sacrifices and loyalty of the people of Guam.”

“Comfort, this word best describes what I am asking for the people of Guam,” Blas said. “Give my man'amko the comfort of knowing that even after all these years, their suffering has not gone unnoticed.”

“The Chamorros of Guahan do not expect payment to turn back time, change history, or alter the future,” said Pangelinan. “but recognition of a people's sacrifice in upholding the honor of America, maintaining their dignity in the fight for their liberty, and demonstrating steadfast loyalty remain priceless. That is evidence of everything our founding fathers envisioned, everything thousands of young American soldiers died for on the shoreline of Guam's beaches, and that will memorialize our history, bring peace to a dying generation, and alter the future for new generations.” (PR)