The House of Representatives adopted yesterday a joint resolution on the submerged lands issue that carries \u201cmixed\u201d messages for the U.S. Congress.<\/p>\n
Members approved House Joint Resolution 15-4 which \u201crequests that the Congress of the U.S. to enact S. 1831 and H.R. 4255 bills.\u201d Both measures aim to grant the CNMI control over three miles of submerged lands seaward from the shore.<\/p>\n
The resolution was introduced by the minority bloc headed by minority leader Arnold I. Palacios.<\/p>\n
The House leadership supported the bill but not without an amendment.<\/p>\n
Rep. Absalon Waki moved to insert a clause that essentially calls for the CNMI\u2019s control of its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe further expansion of this three-mile exclusive economic zone to 200 miles will provide a valuable natural resource to the people of the CNMI in order to better contribute to the political union between their islands and the greater American society,\u201d reads part of the amendment.<\/p>\n
This was voted on and approved by the majority bloc. <\/p>\n
This did not sit well with the minority, who pointed out the \u201cconfusing\u201d message being sent out by the resolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re asking is, don\u2019t put that together in one resolution. We\u2019re asking Congress, \u2018give us three miles,\u2019 yet in the same breath, we\u2019re also saying, \u2018we want 200 miles,\u2019\u201d said minority bloc spokesman Rep. Ray Tebuteb.<\/p>\n
The minority bloc essentially supports the position taken by Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio on the bills.<\/p>\n
Tenorio, in his speech during the State of the Commonwealth Address last month, asked the CNMI public to support the enactment of the bill in the U.S. Senate granting the CNMI a three-mile control, following the Commonwealth\u2019s defeat in the Supreme Court over control of the entire submerged lands. <\/p>\n
During his speech, Tenorio disclosed that Gov. Benigno R. Fitial submitted his opposition to the bill\u2019s passage, citing the need for negotiation with the federal government to obtain a larger portion of the submerged lands.<\/p>\n
Fitial\u2019s position was echoed by the House majority bloc. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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