Rep. Stansbury Statement on Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to the Indo-Pacific:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01), who serves as the Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and as a Member of the Indo-Pacific Task Force, issued the following statement on the Committee’s bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to the Indo-Pacific.
You can view photos from the CODEL here.
“On this trip we traveled and met with officials from Micronesia, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Guam, Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, discussed the reauthorization of the Compacts of Free Association currently pending before Congress, and the need to support our veterans, regional and global security, economic opportunity, and climate resilience across the region.
“I was especially honored to have the opportunity to meet and express my gratitude to our veterans and American service members serving in the region and to better understand the crucial ties the region has to New Mexico’s First Congressional District, which I proudly represent back home. From Kirtland Airforce Base and Sandia National Labs, to New Mexicans serving in the Armed Forces in the Indo-Pacific, our ties are strong.
“Our trip began in Honolulu, where we toured military installations and received briefings at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, focused on strategic priorities and operations in the Pacific. We also visited the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and learned about the incredible work this agency does to recover American military personnel listed as prisoners of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA) from military conflicts around the world. We were deeply moved to hear the stories of families impacted by the work of this department, which will play a vital role in the search for and recovery of the nearly 81,000 service members still missing from conflicts dating back to WWII.
“From Hawaii, we headed to Guam, where the Committee hosted a historic field hearing on U.S. Indo-Pacific relations, the Compacts of Free Association currently pending before Congress and the Committee, and opportunities to strengthen our partnerships with our Island partners and allies. This was the first time in over 15 years that a hearing was held to discuss the state of our national security and relationships in the Indo-Pacific. We also met with high-level officials in Guam including the Governor, Legislature, and National Guard, and received high-level briefings from military officials to better understand the importance of strong military partnerships in the region.
“Next, we visited Palau to gain better insight into U.S. partnerships with the nation of Palau and our joint interests in the Indo-Pacific. We met with the President, Members of the Cabinet, and the Congress of Palau to discuss the Compacts of Free Association currently pending before the Committee and shared commitments to security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability in the region. We also met with agricultural specialists and toured the joint operations center that supports the Palau Maritime Security Governance Project to discuss food security, illegal fishing, and economic opportunity. Finally, we visited the island of Peleliu and met with Palauan Veterans of the U.S. Military and paid our respects to the U.S. Marines who bravely fought there in WWII.
“We then traveled to the island nation of the Federated States of Micronesia to meet with top-ranking officials in the Micronesian government. We discussed critical issues facing the nation, the strategic importance of our partnership in the region, and the need for reauthorization of the Compacts and their critical implications for Micronesian communities, including health, education, and addressing the impacts of climate change.”
“Our visit to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, home to many U.S. service members, including many New Mexicans, highlighted the importance of fostering and strengthening our relationships in the region for national and global security and the need to address the priorities of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including the ongoing and devastating impacts of U.S. nuclear testing in the region.
“On our last day, we surveyed the fire damage in Lahaina in Maui with the Hawaii Governor and Congressional Delegation. There are not words to describe the devastating loss and heartbreak of seeing this catastrophic damage first-hand. While the people of Maui are resilient, and first responders, aid workers, and clean-up crews are working around the clock, we know that the long road to recovery and rebuilding lies ahead. As a Member of Congress, representing a state that has experienced its own catastrophic fires, I am deeply committed to supporting these communities as they recover and rebuild and to fight to ensure they have the resources and support to do so.
“I return to the U.S. deeply touched by this trip, encouraged by the constructive dialogues that took place, and the potential for bipartisan cooperation to advance critical legislation in Congress to reauthorize the Compacts of Free Association and to address the needs of our veterans, global security, economic development, and climate resilience across the region. Together, we have reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific and to the economic prosperity and well-being of our island communities and allies.”
The full bipartisan delegation included Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark), Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-CNMI), Rep. Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Rep. Jim Moylan (R-Guam), and Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.)
The Congressional Delegation’s Itinerary is Below:
August 21-22: The Congressional Delegation toured military installations in Hawaii, including briefings at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command focused on strategic priorities and operations in the Pacific, and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which helps to recover American military personnel listed as prisoners of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA) from past conflicts around the world.
August 23-24: The Congressional Delegation visited Guam and hosted a field hearing with representatives of the U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States on the strategic importance of relationships in the Indo-Pacific and the Compacts of Free Association currently pending reauthorization in Congress. In Guam, the Delegation met with Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Members of the Legislature of Guam, and service members serving in the Guam National Guard. CODEL Members also received high-level briefings from military officials on Pacific operations and heard from local business leaders about the challenges and opportunities they face. You can watch the committee clip here.
August 25-26: The Congressional Delegation visited Palau and met with President Surangel Whipps Jr., Ministers of State, Finance, Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Infrastructure, and Members of the Palau National Congress to discuss shared strategic and economic goals and the Compacts of Free Association. Members also met with agricultural specialists and toured a joint operations center supporting the Palau Maritime Security Governance Project, to discuss joint U.S.-Palau efforts to address food security, illegal fishing, and economic opportunity in the region. Finally, the delegation visited the Island of Peleliu and met with Palauan Veterans of the U.S. military and paid their respects to the U.S. Marines who bravely fought on the island in WWII.
August 26-27: Members visited the Federated States of Micronesia and met with top-ranking officials in the Micronesian government, including President Wesley Simina, Cabinet Officials, and Members of the Congress of Micronesia. Officials discussed priority issues facing the county, the strategic importance of a strong U.S.-FSM partnership in the region, and the need to reauthorize the U.S. Compacts in a timely manner to address health, safety, and educational needs in Micronesia.
August 27-28: The Congressional Delegation visited the Republic of the Marshall Islands and met with President David Kabua, Cabinet Officials, and Members of the Congress of the Marshall Islands to discuss the importance of U.S.-RMI relations and pending Compacts. Members discussed the importance of the Compacts, the need to address ongoing impacts of the nuclear legacy in the Islands, and needs to address climate change. CODEL Members also spent time on the island of Kwajalein where they met with U.S. military members stationed there and were briefed on the strategic importance of U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein.
August 28: The Congressional Delegation joined Governor of Hawaii Josh Green and Members of the Hawaii Congressional Delegation to survey the fire damage in Lahaina in Maui. The Delegation received briefings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. military personnel, and first responders involved in search and recovery, Red Cross and emergency relief providers, and met with officials to discuss immediate needs and support for the people of Maui.
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