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“A NINTH TIME ZONE FOR GUAM AND THE NORTHERN MARIANAS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H514-H515 on Feb. 29, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
A NINTH TIME ZONE FOR GUAM AND THE NORTHERN MARIANAS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to a bill which I will introduce that fills a time void which has long existed, and that is the naming of a time zone which exists under the American flag but which has no official title.
Wherever the flag behind us flies there is a title for each time zone in which it flies, whether it is in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, with its Atlantic time zone; this city, with its eastern time zone; Chicago, with central time; Denver, with mountain time; Los Angeles, with Pacific time; Honolulu, with Hawaii standard time; Anchorage, with Alaska standard time; and even Pango Pango and American Samoa, with Samoa standard time. But there was a ninth time zone, where Guam sits and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas sits as well; and where there is no official title for this time zone. Not that there is no time there, but that there is no specific name for this time zone.
Perhaps this is an oversight. The fact that this time zone is on the other side of the international date line and could appropriately claim the title of being the first American time zone, could get the competitive spirits of those in the Atlantic time zone aroused. But when information is being sent out about changes in national time or announcements concerning time, this ninth time zone, in geography going west but first in terms of time, frequently gets ignored. After all, the existing law only allows for eight time zones under the American flag.
Consequently, Madam Speaker, I am introducing today a bill which fills the void, which corrects this oversight, and which appropriately designates each and every American time zone. If all Americans count, then all Americans should be included in time, in political participation, and in the national census. Each and every time we look at the clock or look at our watch, we should recognize that there exists nine time zones.
{time} 1245
The unique feature of this particular piece of legislation is that it is responsive to a quandary that does not quite exist in the other time zones. We have two jurisdictions with two distinct names. We have Guam and we have the Northern Marianas. We could call it the Guam slash or dash Marianas time zone. However, in time, Guam would take center stage and the remainder of the Marianas would be ignored. Or we could call it the Marianas time zone, but that would be taken as a signal that Guam is not included.
Therefore, in honor of the historical unity of both Guam and the Northern Marianas and the people who were the original inhabitants of the entire island chain, I have designated in this legislation this new time zone as Chamorro Standard Time. The word ``Chamorro'' refers to the indigenous people, possesses a proud cultural heritage, and forms the basis of the underlying historical and cultural connection between the people of Guam and the people of Luta, Tinian, Saipan, Agrigan, and other islands in the Northern Marianas.
ManChamorro ham todu gi tinituhon. We were Chamorros in the beginning.
ManChamorro ham esta pa'go. We are still Chamorros today.
This amendment to the Calder Act has been discussed with Federal officials in NIST of the Department of Commerce, and we anticipate only support for this effort.
Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to cosponsor and pass this legislation quickly, dare I say it, in a timely way. Let us not waste any time. Let us take the time to make time for all Americans.
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