Date: 1981-05-05
Speaker: PHILLIP BURTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

I would like to commend the gentleman in the well. our distinguished colleague. the representative from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mr. RON DE Lucab. for his continuing efforts and leadership In the Congress and most particularly and to the point his leadership in making It possible to bring this matter to the floor of the House In its present form. This Is another. In my view. very Important step to maximize home rule for our fellow Americans living in the Virgin Islands. It does not seem all that long ago that the Governor of the Virgin Islands was appointed by the President of the United States. We since changed the law with respect to that and for some period of time now. the people of the Virgin Islands have been electing their own Governor. as should be the case. It has been almost a decade now since the Congress very wisely extended. in my opinion. to the people of the Virgin Islands an opportunity to have a voice and a presence here In the Congress of the United States. I think that was another very crucial development in terms of extending to all Virgin Islanders access In a very meaningful way to our political processes. I think it worthy of note. as my colleagues have mentioned. that we have managing the bill our distinguished colleague from Guam. ANowxo B. WON PAT. This being the first bill he has managed as chairman of the Sub. committee on Insular Affairs. I think It Is very noteworthy because to my knowledge Mr. WON PA:T Is the first insular area representative ever to chair a subcommittee In the history of the United States. Therefore. there is a certain symmetry to the occasion that he is the bill manager on an item affecting an insular area. This certainly must be a high point In Mr. WON PATs political career. and he Is to be commended for producing as his first bill. not one to benefit the area from which he hails. but one which extends democracy to our fellow Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This Is certainly a sign of the evenhandedness and fairness with which he will handle all of the insular areas within his jurisdiction. Finally. I would like to associate myself fully with the remarks of my colleague. Mr. DE Lucia. and what he said about the effective leadership and insight that have been demonstrated by the Virgin Islands political leadership and the delegates to the constitutional convention. This is an enormously significant step to authorize the people of the Virgin Islands to have within their own authority the capacity to amend their own ground rules. so to speak. and they are to be congratulated on their success to date. Finally. I think it wise to observe once again but for the fact these insular areas have always been the subject of bipartisan support. concern. and interest and have not been haunted by some of the potentially devisive qualities that partisanship can produce. this resolution would not be before us today. But because of the leadership of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. the gentleman from. California . the gentleman from California . and others. as well as the assistance received on this side of the aisle. a bipartisan spirit has prevailed. Once again I think the U.S. Congress. or at least the House. has demonstrated its desire to be as supportive and coope rative as we can be in striving to eliminate in all respects any Inequities that may still exist for our fellow Americans living in the offshore areas.