federal government. While Guam's efforts are an act of self- determination to upgrade its political status, they are also an attempt to resolve a number of problems which Guam has been dis- cussing with the federal government for several years. Many of these problems center on Guam's view that federal constraints are hampering economic development efforts. In the context of Status talks, Guam is tailoring a political status which addresses constraints such as the application of federal laws to Guam, Guam's treatment under federal assistance programs, Guam's participation in regional and foreign activities, and control of federal land on Guam. Guam also hopes to establish formal parameters for its relationship with the United States in a commonwealth agreement. In a Statement to a congressional delegation in Guam in 1983, the Governor of Guam said the ambiguity surrounding Guam's relationship with the federal government "is at the root of virtually every other issue of concern between the federal and territorial governments." Guam's legislative leaders told us a commonwealth agreement can inherent in Guam's current help eliminate the uncertainties relationship, and better define Guam's status in the American family. The Virgin Islands For several years, the Virgin Islands’ political develop- ment efforts centered on replacing its Organic Act with a constitution. More recently, however, priority has shifted to political status discussions, attempting to rectify problems which some territorial leaders claim have resulted from an ambiguous U.S. territorial policy. Since 1980, the Virgin Islands has initiated two political status commissions. The first was charged with examining the territory's present relationship with the United States and sug- gesting status options for the voters to consider in a referendum. Although the commission's final report identified and examined a number of status alternatives, no final status recommendation was made. According to members of that commission, the effort became encumbered by partisan politics and interest, and thus did not accomplish its objectives. lack of The second and ongoing effort was initiated by the Virgin Islands legislature. In February 1984, it created a Select Committee on Status on Federal Relations to determine the status of the Virgin Islands and propose a "Compact of Federal Relations" between the Virgin Islands and the United States. The Committee will address : “the entire range of relationship, federal laws the (federal-territory) including the applicability of and programs 13 to the Virgin