Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that Chairman Rahall of the House Natural Resources Committee has joined with the Territorial Delegates in requesting the House and Senate to include separate funding for the territories in the stimulus package now being drafted in Congress. 

In letters dated January 22, 2008, addressed to Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis of the House Committee on Appropriations, and also to Senator Inouye and Senator Thad Cochran, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Delegates expressed their concern that no separate funding has been provided for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) at the U.S. Department of the Interior to address the needs of the territories.

Chairman Rahall and the Territorial Delegates are working to resolve this issue before the bill goes to the House floor for a vote, and before the Senate considers the bill next week.  A full text of the letter to Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis, which was signed by Chairman Rahall, Congressman Faleomavaega, Congresswoman Bordallo, Congresswoman Christensen, and CNMI’s Congressman Sablan is included below.  The letter was also copied to Congressman Jose Serrano, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, who spoke out in support of the territories during the Committee’s mark-up session.

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis:

We are writing to request your support for the inclusion of specific funding for the territories in the stimulus package.  While we are appreciative that the appropriators have provided for a 20% increase in Medicaid caps, we are disappointed that there is no appropriation for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) to provide for infrastructure projects in the territories.  In working with the Obama transition team, we had hoped that specific infrastructure funding for the territories would be included since the transition team requested a list of “shovel-ready” projects which would be most beneficial in providing economic opportunities for those living in the territories of the United States.  While these proposals were submitted, regrettably none were included in the bill that was marked-up yesterday by the Committee on Appropriations. 

However, we are grateful for the support of our colleague, Congressman José Serrano, for speaking out in behalf of the territories during yesterday’s full committee mark-up session and for the commitment you made to him to work with us to ensure that the territories are included in this important piece of legislation which is supposed to address the needs of all Americans.  Given your commitment, we respectfully request that specific funding be provided to the OIA for infrastructure projects in the territories, just as specific funding has been provided in the bill for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and other agencies within the Department of the Interior. 

Our offices stand prepared to work closely with you to craft adequate language that will allow for the inclusion of this funding.  We are also asking the Senate appropriators to include the same.  We are hopeful that you will support our request and have included a copy of the Natural Resources Committee letter that was sent to you on January 16 regarding our concerns.

The full text of the letter sent to Senator Inouye and Senator Cochran, which was also copied to Congressman Serrano and signed by Chairman Rahall, Congressman Faleomavaega, Congresswoman Bordallo, Congresswoman Christensen, and CNMI’s Congressman Sablan is included below:

Dear Chairman Inouye and Ranking Member Cochran:

We are writing to request your support for the inclusion of specific funding for the territories in the stimulus package.  While we are appreciative that the House appropriators have provided for a 20% increase in Medicaid caps, we are disappointed that there is no appropriation for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) to provide for infrastructure projects in the territories.  In working with the Obama transition team, we had hoped that specific infrastructure funding for the territories would be included since the transition team requested a list of “shovel-ready” projects which would be most beneficial in providing economic opportunities for those living in the territories of the United States.  While these proposals were submitted, regrettably none were included in the bill that was marked-up yesterday by the House Committee on Appropriations. 

However, we are grateful for the support of our colleague, Congressman José Serrano, for speaking out in behalf of the territories during yesterday’s full committee mark-up session and for the commitment that Chairman Obey made to him to work with us to ensure that the territories are included in this important piece of legislation which is supposed to address the needs of all Americans.  We are also hopeful that the Senate appropriators will work with us to provide specific funding to the OIA for infrastructure projects in the territories, just as specific funding has been provided in the bill for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and other agencies within the Department of the Interior. 

Our offices stand prepared to work closely with you to craft adequate language that will allow for the inclusion of this funding. 

The Members concluded their letter to the Senate appropriators by stating, “We are hopeful that you will support our request and have included a copy of the Natural Resources Committee letter that was sent to Chairman Obey on January 16 regarding our concerns.”