1995\u001e104th Congress. 1st Session<\/p>\n
\u2022 Following a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Senate unanimously passed the first federalization bill, S. 638, which would have eliminated the minimum wage and immigration authorities granted in the Covenant.<\/p>\n
S. 638 is referred to House Resources Committee Subcommittee on Native American & Insular Affairs, whose chairman holds a hearing on another federalization bill, H.R. 602, and later announces his intention to seek vote on S. 63 8.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Administration releases first annual Federal\u001eCNMI report critical of the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Preston Gates hired<\/p>\n
1996\u001e104th Congress. 2nd Session<\/p>\n
\u2022 Administration releases second annual Federal\u001eCNMI report extremely critical of the CNMI.<\/p>\n
On PGERM recommendation, CNMI commissions year long Hay Group study on CNMI minimum wage.<\/p>\n
CNMI hearings held by both Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and House Resources Committee. PGERM assists Acting Attorney General in testimony opposing federalization efforts by the Administration and Congress.<\/p>\n
\u2022 S. 638 and H.R. 602 die in House Resources Committee, and no federalization legislation advances during 104th Congress.<\/p>\n
1997 \u001e105th Congress. 1st Session<\/p>\n
\u2022 House Subcommittee on Native American & Insular Affairs abolished.<\/p>\n
\u2022 President Clinton sends letter to Governor stating that the “Administration will work with the Congress to extend [immigration and minimum wage] laws.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Administration proposes legislation fully federalizing immigration and minimum wage controls. Sen. Murkowski introduces Administration bill, S. 1275.<\/p>\n
\u2022 At OIA request and with OIA funding, Commission on Immigration Reform studies CNMI immigration and issues critical report, calling it “un\u001eAmerican.”<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rep. Miller introduces H.R. 1450, a bill to federalize CNMI immigration and minimum wage and prohibit Made in the U. S.A. labeling of CNMI products. Rep. Miller also issues first critical Democratic staff report on CNMI, Economic Miracle or Economic Mirage?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Readers Digest article on CNMI, Shame on American Soil, published.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Hay Group releases CNMI minimum wage study demonstrating CNMI minimum wage is equivalent to $4.64 and warning against further increases.<\/p>\n
\u2022 At PGERM urging, House Majority Leader Armey and Whip DeLay write President Clinton opposing federalization legislation.<\/p>\n
At PGERM request, Chairman Young writes letter to President Clinton opposing federalization legislation.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Administration releases third annual report on Federal\u001eCNMI Initiative, its most critical to date on the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sen. Akaka introduces S. 1100, a bill to federalize immigration and minimum wage and prohibit Made in the U.S.A. labeling of CNMI products.<\/p>\n
Inside Edition story on CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Warned by PGERM, Reps. Hall and Rohrabacher outmaneuver Rep. Miller to prevent appropriations raid on CNMI.<\/p>\n
PGERM warns Senate allies of Sen. Akaka’s effort to add Administration federalization amendment to trade bill in Senate.<\/p>\n
No federalization legislation passes in either House or Senate.<\/p>\n
1998 \u001e 105th Congress, 2 \u001e Session<\/p>\n
\u2022 OIA Director Stayman and Rep. Miller attend Teno inaugural and declare federalization “non\u001e negotiable.”<\/p>\n
\u2022 Administration proposes $187 million annual tariff on CNMI goods.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rep. Miller issues second very critical Democratic staff report on CNMI, Beneath the American Flag: Labor and Human Rights Abuses in the CNMI?<\/p>\n
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds CNMI hearings on S. 1275. PGERM assists other CNMI witnesses in vigorously opposing S. 1275.<\/p>\n
20\/20 televises critical investigative report on CNMI<\/p>\n
Resident Representative attacks hiring PGERM as “strategy of confrontation and divisiveness.”<\/p>\n
\u2022 No federalization language passes in either House or Senate during the 105th Congress.<\/p>\n
1999 \u001e 106th Congress – 18th Session<\/p>\n
Sen. Kennedy introduces legislation to increase federal minimum wage to $6.15 and to apply it immediately to the CNMI. Mr. Bonior introduces companion bill in House.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sen. Murkowski introduces S. 1052, which would federalize CNMI immigration<\/p>\n
\u2022 After coordinating with OIA, Global Survival Network issues highly critical report on CNMI. GSN hidden video later used by 20\/20’s follow\u001eon story on the CNMI<\/p>\n
\u2022 Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds brief hearing on S. 1052, followed shortly after by mark up and approval by the Committee. At WPEC direction, PGERM assists CNMI witnesses.<\/p>\n
\u2022 House Resources Committee holds 7 hour hearing (during hurricane) on CNMI labor and immigration, takes no action on any CNMI legislation.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Washington Post breaks story on illegal political campaigning at OIA.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rep. Franks and Sen. Abraham introduce bills to deny CNMI use of the Made in the USA label and impose tariffs on CNMI goods. Unions mount a well organized campaign to secure co\u001esponsors.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Senate votes on Nov. 2 to raise minimum wage to $6.15 but not to apply it to the CNMI.<\/p>\n
2000 \u001e106th Congress, 2nd Session<\/p>\n
\u2022 Senate passes S. 1052 on February after delay of 3 months.<\/p>\n
\u2022 House passes minimum wage bill on March 9, defeating Democratic amendment that would have applied a new federal minimum wage to the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u2022 PGERM planned, scheduled and assisted in successful House leadership delegation visit to Washington.<\/p>\n
\u2022 GAO issues two positive reports \u001e on CNMI economy and on garment sector.<\/p>\n
\u2022 S. 1052 is referred to the House Resources Committee. After vigorous PGERM lobbying, the Committee takes no action on the bill.<\/p>\n
\u2022 House Resources Committee holds hearing on OIA political scandal, issues highly critical staff report.<\/p>\n
\u2022 H.R. 1621, the Franks bill, obtains 234 co\u001esponsors, but is never considered in\\ committee or on the House floor.<\/p>\n
\u2022 PGERM helps secure $1.4 million in extra CNMI appropriations for Tinian and Rota.<\/p>\n
\u2022 No federalization legislation passes during the 106th Congress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Senate unanimously passed the first federalization bill, S. 638, which would have eliminated the minimum wage and immigration authorities granted in the Covenant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55368\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}