Bordallo Applauds House Passage of PRISM Act

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today issued the following statement regarding the House passage of H.R. 1541, the Preserving Research at Institutions Serving Minorities (PRISM) Act. The bill includes an amendment offered by Congresswoman Bordallo that would make Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs) of higher education eligible for technical and financial assistance from the Department of the Interior to establish preservation training and degree programs. The bill passed the full House of Representatives by voice vote, and would need to be passed by the Senate, and then signed into law by the President. ‎

Should the bill become law, both the University of Guam and Guam Community College would be eligible to compete for historic preservation training and technical assistance programs. 

“Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed much to our nation’s rich history and unique cultural heritage. AAPI contributions are evident in many aspects of American life—from salmon canneries in Alaska, to early Chamorro villages in the Mariana Islands, to pineapple fields in Hawaii, or to the efforts AAPIs made in constructing our nation’s railroad infrastructure. Making Hispanic serving institutions and AANAPISIS eligible for preservation training and degree programs will further enrich and ensure our diverse history is shared for generations to come.

"I thank my colleague, Congressman Raul Grijalva, for his leadership in introducing the PRISM Act and working with me to include AANAPISIs. I am pleased that the House has passed this bill. I hope that the Senate will maintain eligibility for AANAPISIs and act expeditiously to pass the House version of the PRISM Act.”