By Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - We're all familiar with the controversial issue of Guam's political status.

Should Guam seek a Commonwealth configuration like our bretheren in the Northern Marianas or should we carve out a path to free association like our comrades in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands? Or should we go for broke and seek statehood like our friends in Hawaii? Would complete independence even make sense for us? Or should we just remain an unicorporated territory of the United States, as ever?

By now the arguments for and against each choice could fill volumes of dry-as-dust reading material leading us on a long road to nowhere.

Confused by the choices? Don't know enough about the pros and cons of the options set before you? You're not alone. Not only is the political status question contentious, it is also confusing. And we're not the only U.S. possession wrestling with the issue. American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the CNMI come to mind.

Perhaps that's why Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo is seeking federal assistance to help Guam and other U.S. Territories answer those very questions.

A week ago Bordallo introduced H.R. 3940, legislation that "would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance" that will help Guam and other U.S. Territories "address political development by providing...a political status education program that could be part of a self-determination effort."

If the federal government can help us map out the benefits and drawbacks to each option, and do it objectively in a way that cuts straight to the chase and reaches us through multiple media platforms, then voters would be in a better position to debate the merits of the options that make the most sense to them, and the more familiar everyone could become with a new, more informed popular dialogue about what's best for Guam in the long run.

Michael Rudolph contributed to this story.

Here is the official announcement from Congresswoman Bordallo's Washington Office:

Congresswoman Bordallo Introduces Political Status Education Bill for Guam

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."

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment

Name: Email:  do not notifynotify Website: Title: UBBCode:         -color-aquablackbluefuchsiagraygreenlimemaroonnavyolivepurpleredsilvertealwhiteyellow -size-tinysmallmediumlargehuge     Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."