Political Quotes

“I am pleased to join with Senator Maria Cantwell and Senator Mazie Hirono to introduce legislation to approve the 2010 Agreement between the Governments of the United States and the Republic of Palau following the Compact of Free Association Section 432 Review. Palau's history with the United States dates back to the Battle of Peleliu, fought between United States and Japanese forces for over two months with the highest casualty rate of any battle in the Pacific Theater. Following World War II, Palau became a district of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under the auspices of the United Nations, but administered by the United States. Palau was the last district of the Trust Territory to choose its political future, when in 1994, it became a self-governing, sovereign state and entered into a fifty-year Compact of Free Association with the United States similar to that of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Under the Compact, the United States, through the Department of the Interior, provides economic and financial assistance, defends Palau's territorial integrity, and allows Palauan citizens the opportunity to enter the United States as non-immigrants. In return, the United States receives exclusive and unlimited access to Palau's land and waterways for strategic purposes. U.S.…”