Another takeover hearing in Sept. 16

After the scheduled hearing next month by the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Northern Marianas leaders will face its House counterpart for another oversight set in September 16 in Washington D.C.

House Resources Committee chair Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said the forthcoming hearing will tackle enforcement of federal laws and the use of federal funds in the Commonwealth.

The congressional panel, which has jurisdiction over insular areas, has already invited Juan N. Babauta, CNMI’s resident representative to Washington, to testify during the inquiry, which comes one month after the August 3 hearing by US senators.

It was not known who else has been asked to appear before the panel, but Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, some members of the Legislature and representatives from the business sectors have expressed intention to attend the hearing.

In a letter to Babauta, Young said the investigation will focus on the adequacy of the enforcement of U.S. labor laws, equal employment opportunity and occupational safety laws in the CNMI.

The committee also expects to grill island leaders on the use of federal construction grants for local capital improvement projects as well as expenditures of other Washington assistance by federal agencies in the enforcement of U.S. laws in the Commonwealth.

A known ally of the island government, Young led other Republican members of the Resources Committee on a tour of the island early this year, the first by a head of the panel in more than a decade.

He has earlier vowed to push for reforms in the Commonwealth on its labor and safety laws to deal with growing concerns in Washington in efforts to block attempts by the Clinton Administration to strip CNMI authority over its own immigration, minimum wage and customs standards.

This hearing will be the third in less than two years conducted in the U.S. capital which have tackled problems in the Northern Marianas as well as several federal takeover proposals in the Congress.

It also immediately follows the Senate inquiry called by Energy and Natural Resources Committee chair Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) which will discuss pending measure seeking full application of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

About a dozen local officials and a handful of representatives from the private sector are expected to travel to D. C. next week to attend the hearing, which earlier they had hoped to be postponed to September to coincide with the House oversight.