Teno backs delay in oversight hearing

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio on Friday backed moves by the business community to ask the U.S. Senate Energy and Resources Committee to postpone its scheduled July 27 oversight hearing on a proposed application of the Immigration and Nationality Act in the CNMI.

The Commonwealth government, however, is still readying itself to testify later this month before the panel, which has jurisdiction over issues affecting U.S. insular areas and territories.

Tenorio said he would leave the decision to its chair Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) whether to delay the hearing until September to coincide with another oversight by the House Resources Committee in Washington D.C.

“We would like to see a postponement so that it will be less expenses for all of us traveling at one time, but I have high respect for Chairman Murkowski,” he told reporters. “I can’t tell him what to do. I will leave it up to him to make that decision.”

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands and the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association have sought the postponement in efforts to save their limited resources.

According to Chamber president Kerry M. Deets, representatives from the business sector are concerned over the expenses they would incur in joining the trip since they would have to go back to Washington for another hearing on September 16, 1999 called by Senate counterpart in the House, headed by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska).

Business leaders also believed that this would give them enough time to consolidate their position on immigration and minimum wage in the Commonwealth. The Chamber is expected to hold a forum to gather suggestions from its members as part of their presentation before both legislative panels.

So far, Murkowski has yet to respond to the request, and Tenorio said his administration would continue its preparation for the forthcoming discussion on the pending measure that will seek application of federal laws on local immigration.

“Since we haven’t received anything from the chairman, we can’t take it for granted that the hearing would be delayed. We should be prepared and ready to testify if time comes,” the local chief executive said.

A bipartisan bill jointly sponsored by Murkowski and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), it will provide full extension of the INA to the Northern Marianas in the wake of federal allegations that the island does not possess the institutional capacity to administer an effective system of immigration control.

This month’s hearing is the second oversight by the Senate committee on the Commonwealth’s handling of its labor and immigration functions in about one and a half year.

Both CNMI government officials and business leaders have expressed opposition to any federal takeover legislation because of its devastating impact on the island’s economy which is already battered by the two-year Asian recession.