The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“COMPACT IMPACT RELIEF ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E22-E23 on Jan. 10, 2018.
The Department provides billions in unemployment insurance, which peaked around 2011 though spending had declined before the pandemic. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, claimed the Department funds "ineffective and duplicative services" and overregulates the workplace.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COMPACT IMPACT RELIEF ACT
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HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO
of guam
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I reintroduce the Compact Impact Relief Act to address the costs of providing local public services to migrants under the Compacts of Free Association.
I am very pleased to have the support of our colleagues from Hawai'i and the Northern Mariana Islands, as original cosponsors.
Under the Compacts, an unlimited number of citizens from three Freely Associated States (FAS)--the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau--may live and work in the United States.
Compact migrants effectively enjoy the same freedoms of movement and to work as lawful permanent residents, like green card holders, in our country do.
As such, our bill seeks to allow Compact migrants to participate in select federal programs, if they meet the program criteria, the same way that green card holders can under current law.
Importantly, our bill ensures that federal resources are not diverted from U.S. citizens and nationals in order to accommodate Compact migrants.
Economic conditions and the reality of climate change for Pacific island nations have driven more and more Compact migrants to the United States.
Guam remains the primary destination for Compact migrants, followed closely by Hawai'i.
According to the most recent Census Bureau figures, more than 76,000 FAS citizens reside in the United States, including nearly 18,000 on Guam.
I appreciate that the Compacts remain important to American strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region, including Guam's security.
I also know--firsthand--the significant contributions that Compact migrants make to Guam and other communities as far away as Springdale, Arkansas.
Many citizens of the Freely Associated States serve proudly in the United States military.
However, insufficient support from the federal government causes serious strain on local jurisdictions with significant Compact migrant communities.
The costs borne by GovGuam and other local governments are simply unsustainable.
Congress must act to provide federal relief to Guam and other jurisdictions required to serve these underprivileged Compact migrant communities.
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the Compact Impact Relief Act would do.
Our bill includes novel policy changes that would provide additional federal resources for Guam, Hawai'i, and other states and territories.
In particular, the Compact Impact Relief Act ensures that Guam--and other territories--can utilize fully important federal programs including: Job Corps centers funded by the U.S. Department of Labor; national and community service programs like AmeriCorps and the Youth Conservation Corps; and an accurate 10-year census that counts Compact migrant residents.
Our bill would permit Guam and other affected jurisdictions to apply costs spent providing public services to Compact migrants toward the non-federal portion required to provide Medicaid to Americans.
The bill also classifies Compact migrant schoolchildren as
``federally connected students'' to make local schools serving them eligible for impact aid funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
Importantly, our bill authorizes additional funding so that Compact migrant students do not take resources away from school districts receiving federal impact aid currently.
Next, our bill requires comprehensive assessments of: the Compacts and their implementation; the economies of jurisdiction affected by the Compacts and the three Freely Associated States; and the unique health needs of Pacific Islanders.
As the United States looks to renew the Compacts ahead of their expiration in fiscal year 2023, the federal government cannot continue to force local jurisdictions to shoulder the substantial costs of accommodating Compact migrants.
Guam and other states and territories affected by Compact migrants need to be reimbursed fairly for the costs of serving these underprivileged communities.
Congress must increase mandatory funding for Compact impact to the level recommended by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), as I have called for consistently.
In the meantime, I urge this House to pass the practical policy changes included in my Compact Impact Relief Act into law.
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