Congresswoman Bordallo Addresses Compact Impact at PILACI Meeting

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today attended the Pacific Island Leaders Addressing Compact Impact (PILACI) meeting, an open forum for island leaders to discuss the development of more sustainable policies on the issue of Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Freely Associated States.

The PILACI meeting was hosted by Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta, and was attended by Congresswoman Bordallo and the Chief Executives throughout the Micronesia region, including Governor Eddie Baza Calvo, CNMI Governor Benigno Fitial, Republic of Palau President Johnson Torribiong, Federated States of Micronesia President Emanuel Mori, and Republic of the Marshall Islands President Christopher Loeak. 

“We must find ways to ease the Compact impact burden on Guam.  While we continue to urge the federal government to provide more resources for Compact-impact, the gulf between what is doable and what is needed is huge.  In the FY 2013 budget, Interior has increased Compact-impact funding on Guam from $30 million to $35 million.  However, this amount is inadequate to meet the needs of the affected jurisdictions,” said Congresswoman Bordallo.

“I commend Assistant Secretary Babauta for his continued leadership on this issue. We must face the realities of the current fiscal constraints in Washington and work for solutions that will better align funding resources with the Compact policy. With all our leaders from Micronesia working together towards goals and objectives mutually beneficial to all of our communities and people, I will continue to work with them and my colleagues in the U.S. Congress to make strides and craft policies that will ensure a positive outcome for those that have already migrated here and for those who wish to come here for the job and education opportunities.”