RMI, FSM, PALAU RECEIVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS

U.S. allocates almost $900,000 to 3 countries

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Yokwe, March 8, 2012) – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced $46.9 million in historic preservation grants to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Territories, and three affiliated Pacific island states. The grants will enable the states to preserve and protect our nation’s historic sites without expending tax dollars.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands received an allotment of $238,866, and Palau received the same. The Federated States of Micronesia received $412,161.

“National Preservation Grants invest revenue from oil and gas development into telling the story of America by enabling the people of each state and territory the opportunity to preserve the places that are unique to their heritage,” Secretary Salazar said. “These grants leverage private investments in historic preservation activities and help spur tourism, create jobs, and build pride in communities across the nation.”

The Historic Preservation Fund is supported by revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The National Park Service administers the fund and uses the majority of appropriated funds to distribute matching grants to State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.

“Throughout the country, historic preservation fund grants and other federal historic preservation programs help sustain and revitalize communities,” Director of the National Park Service Jonathan B. Jarvis said. “Historic preservation promotes heritage tourism and can transform under-utilized and often-vacant historic buildings into revenue-generators for local economies. The National Park Service is honored to be invited into so many communities and is proud to assist in saving and sharing history.”

States officials use the grants to fund preservation projects, such as survey and inventory, National Register nominations, preservation education, architectural planning, historic structure reports, community preservation plans, and bricks-and-mortar repair to buildings.

Grants and programs funded by the HPF encourage private and nonfederal investment in historic preservation efforts nationwide. Recent achievements of the HPF can be found in its annual report at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/downloads/2011_HPF_Report.pdf

For more information on the Historic Preservation Fund, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/index.htm

Yokwe: http://www.yokwe.net/
Copyright © 2012 Yokwe. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2012/March/03-12-15.htm

The President’s FY 2013 Budget Requests $575.3 Million to Support U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States

Date: February 13, 2012
For more information please contact:
Rebecca Zepeda (202) 208-6974
Rebecca_Zepeda@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama has proposed a fiscal year 2013 budget of $575.3 million for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), the Department of the Interior office that strives to empower U.S.-affiliated insular communities and encourage economic activity and growth. The budget request includes $88.0 million in current appropriations and $487.3 million in permanent and indefinite appropriations for fiscal payments mandated by law to U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States.

The President’s budget reflects tough budget choices, cutting costs in order to fund the highest priority requirements, and advancing efforts to shrink Federal spending while being mindful of ongoing commitments.

“The 2013 budget request demonstrates President Obama’s continued commitment to the well-being of the U.S. insular areas while remaining fiscally disciplined,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony Babauta. “The budget proposes strategic investments as we actively pursue economic development initiatives to encourage private sector development in insular areas.”

The request includes $60.3 million for programs that will address a variety of technical assistance and facilities maintenance programs in the U.S.-affiliated island communities, including Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The 2013 budget makes noteworthy investments of $5.4 million to pursue increased employment through sustainable and renewable energy strategies, improve the quality and quantity of economic data from the territories, and to support improvements in insular area government management.

The 2013 budget proposes $3.0 million to control the invasive brown tree snake on Guam, $1.0 million to assist with coral reef conservation, and $22.8 million to support the operations of the American Samoa Government.

Current mandatory appropriations of $27.7 million will continue to be used to undertake capital improvement projects (CIP) that create economic opportunity in U.S. territories and improve the quality of life in those communities. With these funds, American Samoa is scheduled to receive $9.9 million in CIP funding; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, $8.7 million; Guam, $6.1 million; and the U.S. Virgin Islands, $2.9 million.

Permanent appropriations for 2013 include $248.0 million in payments to Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is estimated Guam would receive $53.0 million in taxes collected in the territory via the IRS ”mirror” code that are by law transferred to the Government of Guam to support its public safety, health care, education, and other services and operations. The U.S. Virgin Islands is scheduled to receive an estimated $195.0 million for Federal taxes collected on distilled spirits in the territory that are by law transferred to the local government to support its operations.

The budget also includes $238.9 million in payments to the Freely Associated States under the Compact of Free Association legislation, including $68.0 million for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, $106.9 million for the Federated States of Micronesia, $34.0 million for the Republic of Palau, and $30.0 million for Compact Impact. The Compact requires the United States to provide regional defense and security for the Freely Associated States as well as economic and social development and financial assistance for their governments.

On September 3, 2010, the United States Government and the Government of Palau successfully concluded their review of the Compact of Free Association and signed a 15-year extension agreement that includes a $250.0 million package of assistance through 2024. Under the agreement, Palau committed to undertake economic, legislative, financial, and management reforms. The conclusion of the agreement reaffirms the close partnership between the United States and the Republic of Palau. The legislative proposal transmitted to Congress on January 14, 2011 is expected to be enacted prior to the implementation of the 2013 budget; therefore, OIA is not requesting current appropriations for Palau Compact assistance in 2013.

Source: http://www.doi.gov/oia/press/2012/02132012.html

IVCC asks students to pledge degree completion

08/26/2011, 8:56 pm

Illinois Valley Community College students will sign a mass pledge to complete their degrees and certificates from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, as part of IVCC’s annual Spirit Day celebration and New Student Convocation.

“Statistics show the surest way for anyone to land a job in their chosen field is to finish college and earn a degree or certificate,” said IVCC President Jerry Corcoran.

Phi Theta Kappa Rho Omega chapter officers and advisers, faculty, counselors and administrators will ask students to pledge to complete their degrees and certifications before transferring or entering the job market. The mass pledge is part of a national community college movement.

Phi Theta Kappa members are serving as the student arm of The Community College Completion Corps, a national education initiative. In April 2010, leaders of six national organizations representing the nation’s 1,200 community colleges, signed the “Call to Action,” a pledge to increase student completion rates by 50 percent over the next decade. Phi Theta Kappa was the only student organization asked to participate.

In October, Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and a community college professor, hosted the first White House Summit on Community Colleges. President Barack Obama, philanthropist Melinda Gates and a host of speakers praised community colleges for serving almost half the nation’s college students and playing a pivotal role in educating the workforce.

Obama has called for community colleges to produce an additional five million degrees and certificates in the next 10 years, part of his goal to restore the United States as the world’s leader in college graduates.

The Illinois Community College Board reports that between 1996 and 2006, there was a 63 percent increase in the number of students completing Illinois community college programs. The ICCB says a typical 25-year-old Illinois community college graduate can expect total lifetime earnings gains of $541,000, 55 percent more than peers who do not complete a community college program. By 2018, 64 percent of Illinois jobs will require postsecondary education versus 58 percent today.

Phi Theta Kappa, headquartered in Jackson, Miss., is the largest honor society in higher education with 1,250 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions.

In 2010-2011, IVCC inducted 118 Phi Theta Kappa members. Nationwide, more than two million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 100,000 students inducted annually.

For information, contact Phi Theta Kappa faculty adviser LeeAnn Johnson at 815-224-0308.

The Times Company

Vanuatu schools may use fees grants to pay outstanding teachers’ wages

Posted at 01:38 on 23 August, 2011 UTC

Vanuatu schools are threatening to use their fee allowances to pay the salaries of teachers who haven’t been paid for the past eight months.

Over one hundred teachers have not been paid this year.

The grants, from the government and donor partners, are primarily to cover fees and fulfil the commitment to free education.

But our correspondent says principals are saying teachers can no longer wait for their salaries.

The minister of education, Marcelino Pepite, has confirmed the government needs over 200 million vatu, or more than two million US dollars, to pay them.

Parliament was to consider a supplementary budget at an extra-ordinary meeting last Friday, but that session was closed by the Speaker after ten minutes on the grounds the government hadn’t followed standing orders correctly.

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

Letter: U. S. Senate Committee on Energy and natural Resources to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Salazar (May 12, 2011)

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20510

May 12, 2011

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20520

The Honorable Kenneth L. Salazar
Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Dear Secretaries Clinton and Salazar:

We are writing to follow-up on the October 6, 2009 letter to Assistant Secretaries Kurt Campbell (DOS/EAP) and Anthony M. Babauta (DOI/OIA) in which several of us requested assistance in developing policy options to manage the growing cost of providing healthcare to migrants to the U.S. from the Freely Associated States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau (the “FAS”). These costs, as well as other social service costs, are a consequence of the policy established under the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (Pol. 99-239), and continued under the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, (“CFAA”) (P.L. 108-188) which provide FAS citizens with the privilege of being admitted into the United States “to lawfully engage in occupations, and establish residence as a nonimmigrant.”

The earlier letter stated the belief that the policy of allowing FAS citizens to enter the U.S. for work, study, and residence is sound. However, recent trends indicate that the current implementation of that policy is unsustainable. FAS migrant’s increasing reliance on social services in the United States, and the costs associated with that reliance, is greater than was anticipated when the Compact was negotiated twenty five years ago, and it well exceeds the $30 million provided under the CFAAA to defray these costs.

After consideration of possible options available, we believe that a portion of Compact sector grant assistance should be utilized to mitigate the costs associated with Compact migration. During the bilateral meetings to be held this summer, we ask that the United States Government formally express the concerns of the U.S. regarding compact impact costs, and request formal adoption of the policies outlined below.

First, we believe it is important for potential FAS emigrants and those residing in the U.S. to understand that the privilege of entering the U.S. as a nonimmigrant is primarily intended to provide educational and employment opportunities, so that FAS citizens can return home with skills and experience that will permit them to contribute to the development of their nations. Or, for those who remain in the U.S., that they will obtain steady employment and not become overly reliant on U.S. social programs. Specifically, we request that a portion of Compact Education Sector grant funding be used to fund a program to educate FAS citizens on the intent of the open migration policy and the expectations of those who enter the U.S. under the Compact.

Second, it appears that the single greatest compact impact cost is for services to those who need long-term medical treatment for conditions such as diabetes. Accordingly, we request that a portion of the Infrastructure Sector and Health Sector grant funding be committed to the establishment and operation of dialysis treatment facilities in the FSM and the RMI so that patients will not need to seek treatment in the U.S.

Third, we believe that consideration needs to be given to reducing the number of migrants who are likely to become a public charge. Accordingly, we request that the bilateral meetings consider screening measures that could be implemented by the FAS governments to reduce the rate of migration of persons who are likely to develop an overreliance on social services.

Finally, we ask that you report to Congress by October 1, 2011 on the outcome of the bilateral talks including the decisions made regarding the policies outlined above. It is in the interest of all parties that the increasing costs of Compact migration be effectively managed before they become a source of serious friction in relations.

We expect that these policies will be agreed to during the upcoming bilateral meetings and that all parties will remain committed to the spirit of cooperation that has ensured the success of the Compacts for twenty-five years.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of our requests.

Sincerely,

Lisa Murkowski
U.S. Senator

Jeff Bingaman
U.S. Senator

Daniel Akaka
U.S. Senator

Daniel Inouye
U.S. Senator

Mazie Hirono
Member of Congress

Madeleine Bordallo
Member of Congress

Colleen Hanabusa
Member of Congress

John Boozman
U.S. Senator

Mark Pryor
U.S. Senator

CC: The Honorable Lorin Robert
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Federated States of Micronesia

The Honorable John Silk
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of the Marshall Islands

Letter U. S. Senate Committee on Energy and natural Resources to Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Island Affairs (Oct. 6, 2009)

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

United States Senate
Committee on Energy and natural Resources
Washington, DC 20510-6150
ENERGY.SENATE.GOV

October 6, 2009

The Honorable Kurt Campbell
Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20520

The Honorable Anthony M. Babauta
Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Dear Secretaries Campbell and Babauta:

We are writing to request your assistance in developing policy options to manage the growing cost of providing healthcare to migrants to the U.S. from the Freely Associated States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau (the “FAS”). Section 141 of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act 2003, (“CFAAA”) (P.L. 108-188) continued the privilege, established under the Compact of Free Association of Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-239), for FAS citizens to be admitted into the United States “to lawfully engage in occupations, and establish residence as a nonimmigrant”.

We believe that the fundamental policy of allowing FAS citizens to enter the U.S. for work, study, and residence is sound. However, the resources of local communities in the United States with high numbers of FAS migrants are increasingly stressed when providing health care to migrants, particularly those with communicable diseases or who need long-term treatment for conditions such as diabetes.

The Federal government has the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (8 USC 1182(a) which, among other things, makes communicable diseases, and the likelihood of becoming a public charge, grounds for inadmissibility to the United States. However, enforcement of these provisions has not been more active because there are both practical problems and policy concerns. For example, it is impractical to deny entry to FAS migrants to the U.S. because it is difficult to book seats for those denied admission on the few, usually crowded return flights to the FAS. One possible solution to this problem would be to develop a mechanism to screen travelers for admissibility prior to their boarding a flight to the United States.

In addition. U.S. Compact assistance to the FAS for health care could be redirected to better target and enhance local health care services. Under the CFAAA, the U.S. provides significant financial and programmatic support to the FAS governments for healthcare programs and activities. Enhancing local health care services to focus more on reducing the prevalence of communicable diseases, or on improving the ability of the FAS to treat conditions such as diabetes, may reduce the number FAS citizens seeking health care in the U.S., as well as provide an alternative source of care if entry into the U.S. is denied.

We look forward to your agreement to work with our staffs to explore these and other options for reducing the cost burden of providing healthcare to the growing population or FAS migrants in the U.S. If you have any questions regarding this request, please feel free to contact Allen Stayman or Isaac Edwards of the Committee staff at 202-224-4971.

Sincerely,

Lisa Murkowski
Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Jeff Bingaman
Chairman
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Daniel K. Akaka
U.S. Senator

Daniel K. Inouye
U.S. Senator

CC: The Honorable David Heyman, Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

FSM LAWMAKERS REASSURE CITIZENS OF COMPACT RIGHTS

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Federated States of Micronesia
Palikir, Pohnpei
July 28, 2011

———–

Palikir, Pohnpei-Speaker of the FSM Congress, Isaac Figir and the Chairman of the Committee on Education, Joseph J. Urusemal, held informal public awareness programs beginning July 7, 2011, in the outer islands of Yap State. There were two areas discussed during the meetings, immigration and human trafficking.

The first issue Speaker Figir and Chairman Urusemal addressed was the necessity for people to understand the immigration privileges the citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia enjoy under the Compact of Free Association with the United States. Citizens of the FSM may enter the U.S. to engage in lawful employment and for education. Education gained in the U.S. was to help people of the FSM to gain the knowledge and skills to promote the development of our states and the FSM as a whole. The individuals residing in the U.S. for employment should work and gain a skill for themselves. Individuals who benefited from education and training in the United States should return to the FSM and give back to our country in the future. Both congressmen emphasized that any FSM citizens living in the U.S. should be able to support themselves.

Speaker Figir and Chairman Urusemal stated that all FSM citizens residing in the United States should take care to be productive, educated and law abiding residents during their stay. Particularly, parents were asked to encourage their sons and daughters studying in the United States to concentrate on their studies and complete their educations. In the past students have left their studies to pursue employment but have ultimately not earned enough money working to remain in the United States independently.

The second issue Speaker Figir and Chairman Urusemal addressed was human trafficking. They stressed that human trafficking, and the conditions that victims are subjected to, such as forced labor, including prostitution, are taken very seriously by our government leaders. It was explained that the opportunity to exploit individuals in this way often arises when people seek employment overseas. Victims are often promised higher salaries for jobs such as planting and harvesting fruit and vegetables when in reality the hours worked are much longer and the working conditions very poor. It was advised that individuals being recruited to work abroad be cautious when accepting positions and check the references of any potential employer.

It was disclosed that at present the Federated States of Micronesia is not a party to the United Nations 2000 UN Traffic In Persons Protocol regarding prevention of human trafficking. The FSM has recently been placed on the U.S. State Department’s Tier 3 list designating it as a country that has failed to meet the minimum standards to eliminate trafficking. It is important for the FSM to implement laws and support structures sufficient to prevent human trafficking. Speaker Figir and Chairman Urusemal assured attendees at the public meetings that work will be done to further educate and protect citizens. Speaker Figir stated that Congress will be working on national laws to safeguard our people, and he stressed that it was important to have the FSM accede to the 2000 UN Traffic In Persons Protocol.

Bordallo concerned over impact of Compact migrants

Monday, 11 July 2011 01:42 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff

—————-

GUAM Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo, in a July 6 letter to Senator Frank Blas Jr., has assured the lawmaker that her
[Guam Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo wants to stimulate policy discussions in advance of the upcoming bilateral meetings between the United States government and the Freely Associated States. Variety file photo]

Guam Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo wants to stimulate policy discussions in advance of the upcoming bilateral meetings between the United States government and the Freely Associated States. Variety file photo
May 12 letter to the Secretaries of the State Department and the Department of the Interior on matters concerning the Compacts of Free Association was an attempt to focus the Obama administration’s attention on the growing consequences of the 25-year-old policy on Compact migrants.

Bordallo’s letter expressed concerns about the growing costs of providing public services to migrants from the Freely Associated States (FAS). The letter also outlined some policy matters to mitigate the impact that Compact migrants have on the cost of public services on Guam and other affected areas.

The intent of the May 12 letter, said Bordallo, was to “stimulate policy discussions in advance of the upcoming bilateral meetings between the United States government and the respective FAS.”

Bordallo said Blas misinterpreted the May 12 letter. The letter, signed by U.S. congressional leaders, including Bordallo, want to restrict the flow of Micronesians coming to Guam and the U.S. because of the financial burden in providing social services to the thousands of islanders who have migrated.

It is clear, wrote Bordallo, that the current implementation of the Compact “is financially unsustainable.” Further, the reality that focusing solely on reimbursement of funds “has little, if any, support among Republicans in Congress, and this is the reality of the constraints within the federal budget.”

Offset

Because of this, Bordallo wrote that she is working in a “bipartisan manner with leaders in the House and Senate to try and find ways to mitigate the future costs of the Compact and provide reimbursement to the extent possible through other means, such as an offset that the government of Guam can use.”

The letter was signed by Bordallo, New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman – who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee that oversees legislation on U.S.-affiliated islands in the Pacific – Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, the entire Hawaii delegation, and both senators from Arkansas, a state where up to 10,000 Marshall Islanders live.

The letter directed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to reach agreement with island governments to set up screening procedures to limit the number of incoming islanders from the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, who are likely to become “public charges” in the United States. This is the first time since “compacts of free association” were approved in 1986 and renewed in 2003 that U.S. officials have sought to restrict unfettered flow of islanders into the U.S.

The legislators want a screening process to reduce “the number of migrants who are likely to become a public charge.” They also recommended “screening measures that could be implemented by the FAS governments to reduce the rate of migration of persons who are likely to develop an over-reliance on social services.”

Sen. Blas, in his July 6 letter to Bordallo, said the options that Bordallo and her colleagues provided in the May 12 letter “will go against the agreed upon intent of the grant (for education, provided in the Compact agreement), and will hinder the effort by the FSM (Federated States of Micronesia) governments to fulfill the mandate.”

The second option the U.S. lawmakers proposed in their May 12 letter was to consider screening measures to be implemented by FAS governments to reduce the rate of migration of those who are likely to develop an over-reliance on social services.

Blas said this action may be illegal, since it’s similar to profiling, and may also be a violation of the 4th and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

$26.7M in grants for historic preservation

MVarienty.com
Monday, July 11, 2011 12:00AM Press Release

——————–

WASHINGTON (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced $26.7 million in grants from the Historic Preservation Fund to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and the three Freely Associated States: Palau, the Marshalls and the FSM.

The grants will enable the states to preserve and protect the nation’s historic sites without expending tax dollars.

“These grants will enable citizens of every state and territory to keep alive their heritage as a vital part of the American experience,” Salazar said.

“The grants are not only an investment in the story of America, but will also drive tourism and strengthen local economies.”

The Historic Preservation Fund is supported by revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The National Park Service administers the fund on behalf of the secretary of the Interior and uses the majority of appropriated funds to distribute matching grants to state and tribal historic preservation officers.

For information about other National Park Service preservation, conservation, and recreation assistance programs available to communities, visit http://www.nps.gov/communities/index.htm.

Commitment to Pacific’

Marshall Islands Journal
July 1st, 2011

——–

The “P” in the term Asia-Pacific rarely rates priority attention when compared with headline grabbing crises in Asia. But a top United States diplomat said Friday a whirlwind tour of eight island nations that begins Sunday is intended to “underscore our deep commitment to the Pacific region.” Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell (pictured) acknowledged in a telephone interview from Washington that “too often the Pacific gets short shrift” being included with Asia But Campbell said the upcoming visit involving US diplomats, defense and aid officials is a sign of “our commitment to work together on issues affecting the lives of people in the Pacific.” Campbell and other top US officials held a teleconference interview with Pacific media on Friday to promote the visit happening this week. The group will arrive in Majuro Friday night and return to the US on Saturday morning.

Campbell is to be joined on the trip by Admiral Patrick Walsh, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, General Richard Simcock, II, deputy assistant secretary of East Asian Pacific Affairs at the Defense Department, and US Agency for International Development assistant administrator Nisha Biswal (pictured) — all of whom will briefly visit Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands over six days this week. Testing Washington’s engagement in the region in a time of huge budget deficits is a recently concluded treaty between Palau and the US that is now with the US Senate for review.

The Senate’s review of the Compact of Free Association for Palau comes “at a delicate time” because it requires long-term US aid at a time of “large issues with the (US) budget,” Campbell said. The Obama administration is working to secure its passage through the Senate eight years after the Senate endorsed two similar compacts with the Marshall Islands and Micronesia that provide several billion dollars over the 20-year treaties. “We recognize our historical and moral commitments to the region, and we’ve made this clear to the players on Capitol Hill.”