Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Lisa Murkowski, in introducing legislation to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the Republic of Palau--one of our closest and most reliable allies. This legislation, if enacted, would implement the recommendations of the 15-year review called for under the Compact of Free Association between our two nations. Palau is one of the world's smallest nations, located in the western Pacific about 800 miles south of Guam and 500 miles east of the Philippines. It has a total land area of 177 square miles with a population of about 21,000. The close ties between the U.S. and Palau date from World War II, when Japanese forces were defeated in the Battle of Peleliu. In 1947, the islands became a District in the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The United States was appointed Administrating Authority of the Trust Territory with the responsibility to promote economic and political development. Because of the United States' strategic interest in this region, the Trust Territory was established as the only U.N. ``Strategic'' Trust under the authority of the U.N. Security Council, as opposed to the U.N. General Assembly. In the 1970s, talks on future political status were undertaken with the United States. The Northern Mariana Islands voted to become a U.S.…”