House Rules Committee Meeting Now on NDAA Amendments, Including Bordallo’s SDZ Amendment

Guam News
Matt Kaye
May 21, 2014

Washington D.C. - The House Rules Committeee cleared Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo's revised "Surface Danger Zone" bill for debate on possible inclusion in the 2015 NDAA.

The rules committee is the ultimate arbiter of what amendments are allowed on the house floor.

Without the amendment, the military build-up could be in jeopardy, since it would allow for a must-have firing range at Northwest Field at Andersen Air Force Base.

The amendment replaces the previous version of Bordallo’s H.R. 4402, that she ‘pulled’ from consideration in the House Natural Resources Committee, over GOP objections to a study on relocating the refuge.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and Natural Resources Staff say they don’t need that language, since FWS already has authority to look at relocating the refuge, as part of the NEPA process.

Bordallo’s new amendment would allow the Secretaries of the Navy and Interior to establish a Surface Danger Zone over the Ritidian unit for training, operations and readiness for ground forces on Guam.

But it would not require a report.

Bordallo’s office says it has done its “due diligence” both Natural Resources and the House Armed Services Committee have ‘signed-off’ on the amendment, there is no cost, and the amendment is ‘germaine’ to the National Defense Authorization bill.

Natural Resources will consider the amendment later on Wednesday to ensure the process was done correctly.