113th Congress Convenes

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today took the Oath of Office, administered by Speaker of the House John Boehner, for the 113th Congress. She also hosted an “open house” in recognition of the new Congress, and held a swearing-in ceremony for officers of the Guam Society of America.

As her first legislative act of the 113th Congress, Congresswoman Bordallo reintroduced H.R. 44, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 113th Congress to continue serving the people of Guam,” Congresswoman Bordallo said today. “This includes building on the progress we’ve made in previous years to advance Guam war claims legislation. The text that I introduced in this Congress addresses concerns that have been raised about the legislation. The text is similar to what I introduced in the 112th Congress; however, it also includes a funding offset for the cost of the bill. A July 2011 hearing clearly identified that fiscal conservatives objected to the cost of the bill regardless of the moral obligation to pass the legislation. My offset would use future additional section 30 funds attributable to the military build-up to pay for claims. The offset is a credible source of funding that will ensure the payment of claims while leaving the option for direct appropriations by Congress in the future. The compromise continues to uphold the intent of recognizing the people of Guam for their loyalty to the United States during World War II. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House Natural Resources Committee to advance this legislation.”