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New defense budget opens grants to NMI
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Posted on Oct 17 2008
The Northern Marianas is eligible for federal grants related to the military buildup in the region under a bill President George W. Bush signed on Wednesday.
Under the new law, the CNMI will be able to apply for grants under the Office of Economic Adjustment that will help prepare the islands for increased military use with the relocation of 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
The OEA is the U.S. Department of Defense’s main agency for assisting communities affected by military realignment actions. The Defense Department is eyeing to use the Northern Marianas, particularly Tinian, as a military training area on a permanent basis.
The new law will also create an account in the U.S. Treasury to fund improvements in property or facilities on Guam, obtain property support services for these locations, and develop military facilities or training ranges in the CNMI.
Pedro A. Tenorio, the CNMI resident representative to Washington, DC, said the measure is “welcome legislation because it recognizes the strategic importance of our islands, specifically Tinian of which the United States government already leases over two-thirds, and makes our desire to reap some benefit from the base realignment process that much closer to a reality.”
Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo also hailed the signing of the bill. Bordallo sponsored several provisions included in the final bill that authorize improvements for the Port of Guam and enhance congressional oversight of the Guam military buildup.
“President Bush’s signing of this legislation marks a significant step forward for Guam in preparing for the military buildup,” she said in a statement.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 authorizes defense related funding and establishes policy for the Department of Defense and certain activities in the Department of Energy for fiscal year 2009. The bill provides a total of $531.4 billion for the Department of Defense and Department of Energy toward national security projects, including a 3.9-percent pay raise for all servicemembers.
