Panel kicks off public hearings on FAS measure

The House of Representatives begins today a series of public hearing on a proposed legislation that will restrict the stay of citizens of the Freely Associated States on the CNMI as part of the effort to gather views from residents worried over their growing strain on public funds and infrastructure.

A hearing is scheduled by a joint panel comprised of the committees on Federal and Foreign Relations as well as Labor and Immigration at 7 p.m. tonight at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, according to a statement.

Several island officials have been invited to the town meeting which comes on the heels of mounting support for the proposal from government agencies that have expressed concern on the impact of unrestrained entry of FAS citizens into the Northern Marianas.

Rep. Melvin Faisao, sponsor of the bill pending before the House, has said the hearing is necessary to gather inputs from the people on potential implication of the proposal on existing laws as well as CNMI relations with other Micronesian islands.

Other hearings are also set in other districts, starting on Tinian on March 17, at 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Council conference room, while the meeting in Rota will be scheduled later.

The House panel is currently deliberating on House Bill 11-294 filed last year by Faisao.

This is the first attempt of the CNMI government to restrict the migration of nationals from the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshalls, which together form the FAS group whose population here has increased in recent years.

While the government has no official figure on the their number, at least 4,000 to 6,000 FAS citizens are estimated to have taken up residency on the island.

Under Faisao’s proposal, a mechanism will be set up by the government to limit the stay of FAS citizens on the CNMI to those habitual residents who are either employed or attending school full-time.

This will amend the policy of allowing them to freely enter into any U.S. territories or states as provided under the Compact of Free Association forged with Washington in 1986.

The CNMI, as well as Guam and Hawaii, have said hosting FAS citizens has strained limited infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals and public housing, costing millions of dollars in expenditures that have yet to be reimbursed by Washington despite its earlier pledges.

Last month, the Office of Insular Affairs asked the House to withhold action on HB 11-294 pending implementation of new federal regulations governing FAS migration, which will not applicable in the CNMI.