May 1, 2008

Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to testify today on the very important topic of the military build-up on Guam and its impact on our community. Over the next six years the civilian and military populations on Guam will increase substantially as a result of the major military realignments in the Pacific Region and alliance transformation with Japan. Of particular importance to Guam is the planned
rebasing of 8,000 Marines and 9,000 of their dependents from Okinawa to Guam. Plans are also underway to relocate some Air Force units from South Korea to Andersen Air Force Base. Additionally, Guam is expected to host a transient carrier presence along with increased Naval and U.S. Army activities.

In total, and according to the Department of Defense, the realignment is estimated to cost roughly $13 billion through 2014. Beginning in fiscal year 2010 through the completion of these projects the Department of Defense estimates that it could spend over $2 billion in military construction funds on Guam per year. The compressed timeline driving this substantial annual investment is a result of the alliance transformation and realignment agreement reached by the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee on October 29, 2005, and further ratified in May 2006. The compressed timeline and various infrastructure improvements that are needed on Guam pose significant challenges to making this build-up a success for both the military and civilian communities. These challenges were identified by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in its September 2007 report on overseas master planning by the Department of Defense and the implementation of the Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy. Despite the massive investment of military construction dollars there is a critical need to concurrently improve the civilian infrastructure on Guam.

That is why I have publicly called for the development of Memorandums of Understanding between the Government of Guam and their federal counterparts. These MOUs will be an important step towards identifying sources of funds to pay for critical improvements to the civilian infrastructure including the need for additional public safety personnel, schools, teachers, improved water distribution system, increased wastewater system capacity, an upgraded electrical system and highways, to name a few of the many improvements that will be needed on Guam to sustain an increased population. The MOUs will help the Government of Guam plan for the commitments that they will need from the federal government to make these infrastructure improvements. Moreover, the MOUs will ensure the continuity of this realignment process. As Administrations prepare to change here in Washington, D.C. in January 2009, we need to ensure that there is a road map that we can depend on. Guam cannot meet this timeline without commitments from the federal government. Regardless of who wins the Presidential race later this year, the massive build-up will continue to move forward. A lack of future commitments could very well jeopardize the necessary improvements that are needed to Guam’s infrastructure. Guam cannot meet these obligations without federal assistance, and we welcome the committee’s assistance in ensuring that the Bush Administration provides its guidance for how the federal government will assist Guam.

The Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA) was established to “make recommendations to the President, or to the heads of agencies, regarding policy or policy implementation actions of the Federal Government affecting the Insular Areas”. I encourage Secretary Kempthorne and Secretary Winter to continue working with other federal agencies and departments through the IGIA to facilitate the development of these MOUs. As with everything regarding this build-up, time is of the essence and I hope that these MOUs can be completed before the end of the year.

The military buildup will present challenges to Guam in many areas. Our community has environmental and social concerns and we look to aggressive Congressional oversight to ensure that the buildup occurs in an environmentally sensitive and socially responsible manner.

There is one last issue that I want to raise with the committee. It is important for the Senate to pass H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, which has previously passed the House by a two-thirds margin and is now before the Senate. If you want to know how you can be helpful, the short answer is to pass H.R. 1595. By bringing closure to this issue, we reaffirm that the United States values the sacrifices of the people of Guam. As we begin a new era in our security relationship between the United States and Japan, Guam seeks closure to a painful chapter in our history. The people of Guam stand ready to do our part for our national security, but, we do not want to be taken for granted. Passing H.R. 1595 in the Senate will be a tremendously helpful step.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity and I look forward to your questions.