4104 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 157, Pt. 3 March 15, 2011 the Japanese expeditiously, saving the lives ice, to establish an annex in , Com- and ‘‘no’’ on rollcall vote No. 174 (on passage hundreds of thousands, if not millions of monwealth of the Northern , of H.R. 836). lives had the U.S. naval and ground forces as an extension of the American Memorial invaded . Park located in ; and f On June 18, 2009, I wrote you regarding Whereas, H.R. 6380, the ‘‘American Memo- adding Tinian’s North Field to the national rial Park Annex in Tinian Act,’’ directs that THE TWIC PROGRAM ACT park system. However, as I stated in that the annex be used to interpret historical letter, the U.S. military leases approxi- events related to the World War II Marianas mately two thirds of Tinian, and their train- Campaign and for curatorial storage of HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON ing needs preclude inclusion. On December World War II artifacts; and OF MISSISSIPPI 23, 2009, the National Park Service suggested Whereas, H.R. 6380 has been referred to the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES several options to recognize the North Field House Committee on Natural Resources, for Tuesday, March 15, 2011 such as brochures, an interpretive film and which Congressman Sablan has requested a providing interpretive tours on Saipan. legislative hearing as soon as possible; and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speak- While these suggestions are a good start, the Whereas, the Tinian Leadership is working er, I am proud to introduce legislation today people of Tinian feel a permanent memorial, diligently with CNMI Delegate Gregorio with the following Democratic Members of the ‘‘Kilili’’ Sablan to increase National Park the Tinian Annex of the American Memorial Committee on Homeland Security: Ms. LORET- Park, will appropriately recognize the his- Service activity on Tinian, through the es- TA SANCHEZ, Ms. SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Mr. toric role of Tinian in WWII. tablishment of a center that would interpret The Tinian Delegation of the Common- historical events and impart our cultural HENRY CUELLAR, and Mr. CEDRIC RICHMOND. wealth Legislature, Senator Cruz and me, heritage: Now, therefore, be it The SAFE Port Act of 2006 authorizes the and the Mayor and Municipal Council of Resolved, that the Senate of the Seven- Transportation Worker Identification Credential Tinian and humbly encourage you teenth Northern Marianas Commonwealth (TWIC) Program to be administered jointly by to assist us with this legislation to obtain Legislature supports the passage of H.R. 6380 the Transportation Security Administration the Tinian Annex to the American Memorial to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to (TSA) and Coast Guard within the Department Park. Such a memorial appropriately recog- establish an annex in Tinian as an extension of Homeland Security (DHS). The TWIC pro- nizes the historic role of Tinian in WWII. of the American Memorial Park located in Thank you for your consideration, Saipan; and be it further gram is focused on protecting the Nation’s Sincerely, Resolved, that the President of the Senate maritime transportation facilities and vessels JUDE U. HOFSCHNEIDER, shall certify and the Senate Legislative Sec- by requiring maritime workers and other work- Senator, CNMI Legis- retary shall attest to the adoption of this ers who need unescorted access to secure lature. resolution, and thereafter the Senate Clerk port facilities to obtain a biometric identification FRANCISCO Q. CRUZ, shall transmit a certified copy to the Honor- card. Senator, CNMI Legis- able Nick J. Rahall II, Chairman, Committee After initial delays, all maritime workers lature. on Natural Resources, House of Representatives; the Honorable Doc Has- were required to obtain biometric TWICs by SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 17–37 tings, Ranking Republican Member, Com- April 2009. The initial cost to workers for these Whereas, the people of Tinian agreed to mittee on Natural Resources, United States cards is $132.50 per credential, and in the sacrifice two-thirds of their island to the House of Representatives; the Honorable event that a card is lost, stolen, or damaged, United States Department of Defense in sup- Raul M. Grijalva, Chairman, Subcommittee a replacement TWIC costs $60.00. To date, port of the creation of ‘‘The Covenant to Es- on National Parks, Forests and Public over 1.8 million longshoremen, truckers, mer- tablish a Commonwealth of the Northern Lands, United States House of Representa- chant mariners, and rail and vessel crew Mariana Islands in Political Union with the tives; the Honorable Rob Bishop, Ranking members have undergone extensive home- Republican Member, Subcommittee on Na- United States of America’’; and land security and criminal background checks Whereas, this unique relationship is codi- tional Parks, Forests and Public Lands, fied at 48 U.S.C. § 1801; and United States House of Representatives; the to obtain TWICs. Whereas, Federal Public Law 94–241 (H.J. Honorable Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Chair- However, the full promise of a biometric ac- Res. 549) was adopted on March 24, 1976 to ap- woman, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, cess security system has not been realized, prove ‘‘The Covenant to Establish a Com- Oceans and Wildlife, United States House of as DHS has made little progress in deploying monwealth of the Representatives; and the Honorable Benigno TWIC card readers to ports and vessels. TSA in Political Union with the United States of R. Fitial, Governor of the Commonwealth of was two years late in starting a pilot program America,’’ and for other purposes; and the Northern Mariana Islands. for the readers, even as workers raced to ob- Whereas, Federal Public Law 95–348, passed f on 18 August 1978 by the United States Con- tain TWICs to continue working in our Nation’s gress, authorized and directed the National PERSONAL EXPLANATION ports. Finally, in April 2009, TSA commenced Park Service ‘‘to develop, maintain and ad- a limited pilot program to test the business minister the American Memorial Park . . . HON. ADAM SMITH processes, technology, and operational im- for the primary purpose of honoring the dead pacts necessary for full deployment of the OF WASHINGTON in the World War II Mariana Islands cam- TWIC readers. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES paign’’; and The law requires DHS to issue final regula- Whereas, Federal Public Law 95–348 further Tuesday, March 15, 2011 stated that ‘‘[o]ther points in the Northern tions for the deployment of TWIC readers Mariana Islands relevant to the park may be Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on based on the results of these pilots by April identified, established, and marked by the Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11, 2011. TSA has said that it expects to com- Secretary in agreement with the Governor of 2011, I was unable to be present for recorded plete the pilots by August 2011 and that Coast Northern Mariana Islands’’; and votes. Guard would then issue final regulations in Whereas, the Marianas Islands Range Com- Had I been present on Thursday, March 10, late 2012. Under current law, starting in Octo- plex Record of Decision was signed on Au- I would have voted ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote No. ber 2012, workers would be required to renew gust 20, 2010; and Whereas, the Record of Decision noted that 168 (on agreeing to the amendment offered by their TWICs, even though DHS has yet to the North Field National Historic Landmark Mr. LYNCH), ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote No. 169 (on issue regulations requiring TWIC readers. will be closed to the public during certain agreeing to the amendment as modified, of- In the interest of security and in order not to exercises; and fered by Ms. WATERS), ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote place an undue burden on workers, I am intro- Whereas, the North Field National Historic No. 170 (on the motion to recommit with in- ducing legislation to ensure that the full prom- Landmark is essential to the historic preser- structions on H.R. 830), and ‘‘no’’ on rollcall ise of the TWIC program is realized. The vation and promotion of Tinian as a tourist vote No. 171 (on passage of H.R. 830). ‘‘TWIC Program Act’’ ensures that Transpor- destination; and Whereas, on September 29, 2010, CNMI Del- On Friday, March 11, I would have voted tation Worker Identification Credentials held by egate Gregorio ‘‘Kilili’’ Sablan introduced ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote No. 172 (on agreeing to workers for unescorted access to port facilities into the United States Congress H.R. 6380, a the amendment offered by Ms. WATERS), are valid until the earlier of (1) the deadline for bill to authorize the Secretary of the Inte- ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote No. 173 (on the motion full implementation of a final rule by the De- rior, acting through the National Park Serv- to recommit with instructions on H.R. 836), partment of Homeland Security for readers to

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