Date: 1988-10-06
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. House Joint Resolution 597 would authorize the President to put a compact of free association with the Pacific Trust Territory Islands of Palau into effect subject to a number of conditions. The President would be able to exercise this authority after: First. the compact is approved by the people of Palau. and second. several additional agreements have been entered into. These agreements would primarily provide Palau with assistance that it needs and that its leaders have requested to tackle serious problems. This legislation is fully supported by the administration. but it is not the resolution initially requested by the Quident. Although the Senate and the Committion Foreign Appear approved resolutions very similar to that proposed by the President. 64 Members of both parties joined me in sponsoring House Joint Resolution 597 as an alternative. Over the past year and a half. an intensive investigation of the problems faced by Palau was conducted by the Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs which I am privileged to chair. This investigation has convinced us that the compact shouldand can -only take effect if the conditions specifie(. n this legislation are met. This is also the view of Palaus leaders. They have united for th. first time in favor of the compact if it is approved by the United States subject to the fundamental provisions of this legislation. The United States has already enacted two laws supporting the compact as negotiated. Palauans have. however. failed to approve it in six referenda in spite of these inducements to them to approve the Compact. Palaus leaders believe that the only real chance of their people approving the compact is if it is approved by this legislation. This is because the provisions of this resolution address reasons why Palaus people have failed to approve the compact in the past. This now unity in Palau on the compact may not be able to survive very long. It may break apart for political or other reasons and opposition to the compact may block approval again if the United States does not take advantage of Palaus clear support of this resolution now. It is noteworthy that the strongest supporters of this resolution in Palau include leaders who were compact critics as well as leaders who were compact supporters. Longtime compact supporters are among those most vocal in saying that they could not support the compact without the provisions of this legislation. And certainly former critics of the compact would not support the compact without the effective changes to it that this resolution would make. This may be difficult for the negotiators of the compact to accept but it is political reality. In addition. our consciences will only let us support compact legislation that includes the fundamental provisions of this resolution. It would address responsibilities ignored for too long. It would take actions that must be taken given what we have learned about problems in Palau. Because of these realities. the administrationand bipartisan leaders of the Foreign Affairs Committeeagreed to support House Joint Resolution 597 with minor modifications that we have made. We hope that the Members will recognize that this resolution offers the only real chance of getting the Palau compact into effect and that the need for its provisions is undeniable. We also hope that they will understand that. although the effective changes to the compact that this resolution would bring about are essential. they are also relatively minor when put into the perspective of the importance of this legislation. We hope further that they will not be misled into believing that these provisions are the result of a selfserving scheme by Palauans to force the United States to better the deal agreed to previously. Neither should they think that this is an reckless plan to try to buy the approval that has eluded the compact in the past. I and others have proposed these provisions in a genuine effort to meet basic unmet United .States responsibilities in Palau. We have proposed them to overcome the impediments that have prevented Palaus approval of the compact because it is the right thing to do. Finally. we hope that Members will agree that the differences between the free association that this legislation would make possible with Palau and the free association established with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands are insignificantbut warranted. There are two issues that some may want to raise about this legislation.