The chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has expressed inclination to get going with a bill extending federal immigration laws to the islands.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman said his committee's two-hour oversight hearing on CNMI issues had been “very useful.”
“We have a lot of good suggestions and ideas and information here that we can take. I hope we can move ahead with some legislation that will help deal with some of these problems,” Bingaman said before adjourning the hearing at about 2:30am Friday, Saipan time.
During the same hearing, an official of the Bush administration pledged White House support for a federal takeover legislation, provided it is done carefully.
David Cohen, the U.S. Department of the Interior's deputy assistant secretary for insular affairs, expressed belief that “good legislation” may be the best solution to CNMI labor and immigration problems.
“We're absolutely ready to work with Congress on good legislation. We don't necessarily say that that is the only option but we are ready to work with you in passing good legislation,” Cohen told Bingaman.
But when asked for a better suggestion, he replied, “Good legislation is probably the best option.”
Nevertheless, Cohen stressed the U.S. Congress should be cautious in legislating any drastic changes to the CNMI's labor and immigration system, given the economic challenges posed by the decline of the Commonwealth's two main industries-tourism and garment manufacturing.
“I would say good legislation can be helpful. And legislation, conversely, that is not well thought out-not to suggest that that would ever occur. If we are not careful and we do not think through all consequences, there can be serious damage,” Cohen said.
The Senate hearing was conducted in view of a proposal to apply federal immigration laws to the Commonwealth.
Besides Cohen, witnesses who testified at the hearing were Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez; Pete A. Tenorio, CNMI resident representative to Washington, D.C.; Jeanette Franzel, director of financial management and assurance for the U.S. Government Accountability Office; Ambassador Hadyn Williams, former Covenant negotiator; and Juan Guerrero, president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.
Lauri Ogumoro, manager of the women's shelter Guam Esperansa; Sr. Stella Mangona of the Sisters of the Good Shelpherd; and Kayleen Entena, a victim of sex trafficking in the CNMI also appeared before the committee.
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