Bordallo promises to fight for reparations

by Michele Catahay

Guam - Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo says she will continue to push for the passage of war reparations for the island. Just a few days ago Bordallo met with Senator Carl Levin, who promised to hold a public hearing on the senate side, which she says was part of a compromise made during the last session.

The delegate told KUAM News, "We've already had our public hearing so the senate has now said they're going to have theirs very soon and when that happens hopefully we'll get together soon. And how we'll move forward with the bill, I don't know. We'll probably put it on the defense authorization for 2011. But whatever the case, we're going to try everything we can to get it through this next Congress this next year."

Just recently a visiting group from Guam testified before the House Armed Services Committee in hopes to bring an end to a 65-year-long wait for thousands of residents. Such individuals included Senator Ben Pangelinan, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs Tony Babauta, former War Claims Commission chairperson Mauricio Tamargo and World War II occupation survivor Tom Barcinas.