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Pete A: Use me to achieve results in DC
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Posted on Jan 10 2006
Washington Rep. Pedro A. Tenorio has laid out for the Fitial administration a list of federal issues facing the Commonwealth.
In his inaugural address Monday, Tenorio asked the newly installed government to utilize his presence in Washington D.C. to facilitate communication and resolution of conflicts with Congress and the Executive Branch of the U.S. government.
ÅgI sincerely believe that by maximizing the use of my office, our relationship with the federal government will continue to improve. Doing so will also help prevent confusion and miscommunication with our federal counterparts,Åh said the re-elected CNMI representative to the nation’s capital.
He noted that, due to past mistakes and external influences, the CNMI’s reputation has been tainted in the eyes of U.S. officials.
“Previous administrations have succeeded in bringing local labor practices in line with U.S. laws and standards. But more is needed to be done,” he said.
According to Tenorio, some issues that need urgent action are the CNMI’s continuing reliance on nonresident workers, lack of jobs in the private sector, inadequate opportunities for students to pursue higher education, minimum wage, and the citizens’ reliance on food stamps and Medicaid.
He also listed several pieces of CNMI-related legislation and issues pending in Congress. These include H.R. 873, or the CNMI delegate bill; Senate Bill 1954, or the amendment to Headnote 3A; H.R. 4255, or the submerged lands bill; and various environmental laws.
He also raised the need for funding for water, sewer and other infrastructure needs; and the gap between the entitlements provided CNMI veterans and their counterparts in the U.S. mainland.
ÅgOur problems are very real, and their solutions will not come easy. As leaders we must work together, even more so than we have ever done before. We must not fight over who gets credit for success, but put that energy into achieving results,Åh Tenorio said.
