Congresswoman Bordallo also worked to protect Guam’s Compact reconciliation language in the Senate bill which authorizes the President to release or reduce any amounts owed by the Government of Guam to the Federal Government as an offset for past un-reimbursed Compact-impact expenses. The Senate's amendments had been negotiated with the House leadership, and it is now expected that the House will take up and pass H.J.Res. 63 as amended by the Senate in the coming days.  In order for a bill to become law, the same version must pass both chambers and be signed into law by the President.  This expedited procedure, in which the House and Senate agree to a compromise bill, would negate the need to have a formal House and Senate conference to work out the differences between the two bills.

“We are now one step closer to this historic agreement reaching the President’s desk.   The renewal of the Compacts is good for the United States, good for the FSM and RMI, and good for Guam and other affected U.S. jurisdictions.  We are close to seeing a multi-year negotiations process reach conclusion to the mutual benefit of all parties involved,” Congresswoman Bordallo said.

In addition to ensuring that Compact-impact sections made it to the final versions approved by both chambers, Bordallo also worked on several other important provisions.  Bordallo restored and improved upon language the Administration sought to remove, which will require annual reports on the adverse consequences arising from migration from the FSM and RMI.  The House and Senate bills require the Department of the Interior to report on the impact of the Compacts on the affected jurisdictions.  The House and Senate bills also authorize future appropriations for additional Compact-impact reimbursement for health costs above the mandatory appropriation of $30 million.

“I wanted to ensure that Guam has an opportunity to seek additional funds for compact-impact reimbursement above the guaranteed $30 million to be shared by Guam, the Northern Marianas and Hawaii.  It was important to me that the $30 million authorized for Compact-impact assistance in affected jurisdictions is treated as a floor, not a ceiling,” Bordallo commented.

Additional provisions Bordallo supported were related to the impact of the Compacts on the health systems of Guam and other affected jurisdictions.  The House Committee on Resources clarified language authorizing the Department of Defense to continue to accept medical referrals from the FSM and the RMI in the DoD medical facilities when properly referred and on a space available basis.  The Administration’s submittal to Congress had removed the eligibility for medical referrals to the DoD facilities.  The Senate-passed bill also includes an authorization for federal assistance in the FSM and RMI and the affected U.S. jurisdictions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

Bordallo supported the continuation of Pell Grant and work study eligibility, making it easier for students from the FSM and RMI to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities in Guam and Hawaii .  Bordallo also supported efforts to ensure a continuation of federal funding for educational programs in the FSM and RMI, including eligibility for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which the Administration had also proposed eliminating in its submittal to Congress.

“I am pleased that we were successful in improving the Compact implementation package that was sent to Congress by the Administration.  I think the legislation does a better job addressing the impact of the Compacts in the affected areas such as Guam while providing a means for other Compact-impact issues to be addressed.  I commend the leadership of Chairman Richard Pombo and Ranking Member Nick Rahall for their successful efforts to address the most important issues that Members of the Committee on Resources had raised throughout this difficult process.  I again wish to recognize the support of Governor Felix Camacho and Speaker Ben Pangelinan, who testified in July on H.R. 2522, the Compact Impact Reconciliation Act.   I also wish to acknowledge the work that former Congressman Ben Blaz and former Congressman Robert Underwood had done since the Compacts were first signed in 1986 which laid a foundation for my efforts on the Compact-impact issue.” 

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Contact: Neil Weare in Washington, D.C., at (202) 225-1188 or Joaquin Perez in Guam at (671) 477-4272.