APPENDIX IV
APPENDIX
Page 65
In the second sentence of the first paragraph, the use of the verb “enjoyed"
implies that Puerto Rico was and is content with the lack of Interior
oversight.
That view has in recent years been contradicted by some Puerto
Rican leaders who believe that it was an error for Puerto Rico to have no
“home" in the Executive Branch (other than the White House, which has not
functioned very effectively as such and which probably cannot, for
organizational reasons).
might be substituted.
In lieu of “enjoyed”, the more neutral “continued"
Page 69 and following
The Territories and their governments are not instrumentalities of the
Department of the Interior. They are self-governing entities whose
aspirations and responsibilities are, to a degree, similar to those of state
and local governments.
With the passage of time, the Department of Interior's
role has diminished, and rightly so.
On the other hand, DOI's oversight role
applies primarily to the disbursement and accountability of federal funds.
This applies to all recipients of federal financial assistance and is not
exclusive of the territorial governments.
Not generally understood is the multitude of interests bidding for
administration and congressional attention and the role the territories play
in the overall scheme of things.
While DOI, through OTIA, is committed to
advocate territorial interests, the realities of a massive federal bureaucracy
limits federal attention to territorial concerns, irrespective of the
departmental or agency organization assigned to pursue territorial
objectives.
Federal and indigenous constraints can be overcome but they
require specific objectives and determination on the part of territorial
leaders and the cooperation and assistance of federal officials.
Page 71
Second paragraph should show that of the $62 million requested by Guan,
$5,725,000 was approved by Congress.
During at least the past several years,
the Virgin Islands did not submit a budget request through the Department of
the Interior.
At the end of page 71, a word has been dropped.
Perhaps it should be “better".
Pee eee
vere
Page 72
In connection with the first full paragraph, a further area of difficulty
might be mentioned, perhaps by the addition at the end of the paragraph of the
following:
“There is, of course, a further inhibition upon OTIA officials as
territorial advocates. They cannot serve as independent advocates of
territorial budget requests in light of the Federal budget process, which
requires that they,
like all Federal officials, must conform to the budget
decisions of OMB and the President."
71
5000218
Iv.
2h +