• The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest and largest Hispanic organization in the United States, is truly concern for the safety of the 9,300 U.S. citizens who live in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
  
• The constant military maneuvers and exercises conducted in Vieques by the U.S. Navy represent an imminent threat to its inhabitants.
  
• A recent report by a Special Commission on Vieques, created by the Governor of Puerto Rico, the Honorable Pedro Rossello, indicates that the U.S. Navy has failed to live up to the promises made in the Memorandum of Understanding of 1983.
  
• The Commission's report also describes the increased health hazards to which the American citizens who live in Vieques are exposed to.
  
• It is imperative that the U.S. Navy puts an end to all bombing and military maneuvers in Vieques. Likewise, it is absolutely necessary for the Navy to identify alternative uninhabited sites, where the lives of civilians populations will not be jeopardized.
  
• LULAC believes that the arguments used by the Department of the Navy to support its presence in Vieques are not valid. The fact is that the U.S. Navy's operations represent a high risk to the same lives that they have sworn to protect.
  
• LULAC believes that what is happening in Vieques cannot be allowed to continue and should be prevented from happening anywhere else in the United States. It is inconceivable that the American citizens of Hispanic heritage living in Vieques need to endure this kind of threat every day of their lives.
  
• LULAC truly appreciates the role of the U.S. Navy in our national defense and we commend them for their hard work. However, we disagree with the notion that the military exercises on Vieques are so important to our national defense that it justifies putting in jeopardy the lives of American citizens.
  
• After visiting the affected area and witnessing the reality of the people of Vieques, the arguments used by the Department of the Navy do not reflect the significant damage that the Navy's restrictions and continuos operations have caused to this inhabited island, such as the loss of fish, coral reef, and the destruction of natural fishing habitats, with its detrimental effects on the fishing industry and the local economy.
  
• There are clear violations of federal environmental laws by the Department of the Navy, including the destruction of endangered species, such as the Carey - a sea turtle which uses the areas near the firing range to lay eggs. These kind of practices are alarming to our communities and demonstrate a lack of respect toward our nation's environmental laws.
  
• Gentlemen, when the 9,300 American citizens residing in Vieques have a problem, America has a problem. The people of Puerto Rico have demonstrated their love and loyalty to America. The number of Puerto Ricans who have worn the uniform and who have given their lives for America and our values speaks for itself.

We request the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy to do the following:

• LULAC urges the U.S. Navy to cease all use of live ammunition permanently on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico;
  
• LULAC requests the U.S. Navy to carry on a complete and prompt withdrawal of its forces from the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. No matter what is the final recommendation from the Special Panel of Vieques;
  
• LULAC strongly recommends that the U.S. Navy start a land restoration program in the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico coordinated through the pertaining local authorities and with help of the government of Puerto Rico;
  
• LULAC demands that the U.S. Navy in conjunction with the department of Defense and other related agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency: design, develop and implement -- including covering the cost of -- a clean-up plan for the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico.

We suggests that the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy start the following:

LULAC requests that both DOD and the U.S. Navy began a coordinated effort to help Vieques in the areas of education, economic development, and health...

A. Education: Establish a school building program similar to that of the DOD dependent schools system to be administered by the government of Puerto Rico through the Puerto Rico department of Education.

B. Economic Development: Establish additional civilian job programs for the population of Vieques coordinated and monitored by the government of Puerto Rico through its Department of Labor.

C. Transportation: Help in the construction of better roads, as well as in developing a more effective and faster sea transit between Vieques and mainland Puerto Rico.

D. Health: Instruct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other related agencies, to conduct a study of the effects that 60 years of military presence in the island-municipality have had on the health of the local residents. Establish a broad health services program to counteract the high cancer rate believed to have been the result of the extreme environmental conditions of constant bombings and use of live ordnance. Build an ambulatory clinic capable of proving services to the residents of Vieques as well as provide capable personnel.