[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 164 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 164

    Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government of the 
   Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands should provide for a 
plebiscite on the question of compliance with United States immigration 
         and wage laws or independence from the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 1, 1997

  Mrs. Mink of Hawaii submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government of the 
   Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands should provide for a 
plebiscite on the question of compliance with United States immigration 
         and wage laws or independence from the United States.

Whereas the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands entered into a 
        political union with the United States pursuant to the covenant ratified 
        by the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and 
        approved by the Congress in Public Law 94-241;
Whereas section 503 of the covenant authorized the Congress to extend to the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands certain immigration and 
        wage laws of the United States;
Whereas the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has used its interim 
        control of immigration and wages to develop an economy in which over 90 
        percent of its private-sector workforce consists of temporary, alien 
        workers, who are reportedly, under-paid and ill-treated;
Whereas the exploitation of alien workers is inconsistent with the covenant and 
        United States labor, civil rights, and human rights laws;
Whereas inconsistent immigration and wage policies undermine the ability of the 
        United States to achieve a more fair and equitable society;
Whereas pursuant to section 701 of the covenant, the United States Government 
        has invested about $500,000,000 to promote economic development in the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
Whereas the United States has the right to expect that the economic development 
        which it underwrites will be undertaken in compliance with United States 
        laws;
Whereas the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ships products duty-
        free and without regard to quotas to the United States even though many 
        such products contain an amount of foreign materials, or were produced 
        with an amount of foreign labor, which exceeds the amount permissible 
        under General Note (3)(a)(iv) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
        United States;
Whereas the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 
        other local leaders, have stated their preference for independence over 
        the extension of the United States laws as contemplated by section 503 
        of the covenant; and
Whereas the United States Government believes the people of the Commonwealth of 
        the Northern Mariana Islands should have the right to affirm or reject 
        our assertions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved in the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Government of the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands should provide for a 
plebiscite of the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands on the question:
          Shall the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands be 
        governed under the United States immigration and wage laws; Or, 
        shall the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands seek to 
        terminate its current relationship with the United States and 
        seek independence?
                                 <all>