[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-550. A petition from a citizen of the State of Texas 
     relative to currency denominations; to the Committee on 
     Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
       POM-551. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands; to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                          H.J. Res. No. 11-25

       ``Whereas, the covenant negotiating history makes it clear 
     that Section 901 does not preclude the government of the 
     Northern Marianas from requesting that a Delegate from the 
     Northern Mariana Islands be established in the Congress of 
     the United States; and
       ``Whereas, the current status of Commonwealth-Federal 
     relations, which has been marred by miscommunication, 
     misinterpretation, and misinformation is further exacerbated 
     by the lack of a constant and vigilant Commonwealth voice and 
     presence in the U.S. House of Representatives and its various 
     committees and subcommittees; and
       ``Whereas, the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature 
     has overwhelmingly approved resolutions in the last three 
     years, urging the Congress of the United States to establish 
     a Delegate from the Northern Marians within the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; and
       ``Whereas, the Eleventh Northern Marianas Commonwealth 
     Legislature express its gratitude that on August 5, 1998, 
     Guam Delegate Robert Underwood introduced a House Resolution 
     in the 105th Congress, to provide a non-voting delegate to 
     the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and
       ``Whereas, we believe fervently that the pursuit of the 
     delegate seat is imperative in attaining full status as a 
     member of the American political family in which, thus far, 
     the Northern Mariana Islands remains the only U.S. Insular 
     area not to be represented in the United States Congress; and
       ``Whereas, the non-voting delegate status would neither 
     diminish the full force and effect of the Covenant to 
     Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 
     Political Union with the United States of America, nor in any 
     sense abrogate, qualify, or release rightful claims to local 
     self-government contained in Article I, Section 103 of the 
     Covenant; now, therefore be it
       ``Resolved, by the House of Representatives, Eleventh 
     Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature, the Senate 
     concurring, That the United States of America is hereby 
     requested to--
       ``(1) establish the status of non-voting delegate in the 
     United States Congress; and
       ``(2) provide that the Delegate from the Northern Mariana 
     Islands receive the same compensation, allowance, and 
     benefits as a Member of the United States House of 
     Representatives, and be entitled to at least those same 
     privileges and immunities granted to any other non-voting 
     Delegate to the House of Representatives; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Speaker of the House and the President 
     of the Senate shall certify and the House Clerk and the 
     Senate Legislative Secretary shall attest to the adoption of 
     this Resolution and thereafter transmit certified copies to: 
     the Honorable William Jefferson Clinton, President of the 
     United States; to the Honorable Pedro P. Tenorio, Governor of 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the 
     Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; the Honorable Richard Armey, Majority Leader 
     of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Richard 
     Gephardt, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of 
     Representatives; the Honorable Don Young, U.S. House of 
     Representatives; the Honorable Elton Gallegly, U.S. House of 
     Representatives; the Honorable George Miller, U.S. House of 
     Representatives; the Honorable Robert Underwood, U.S. House 
     of Representatives; the Honorable Albert Gore Jr., Vice 
     President of the United States of America and President of 
     the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of 
     the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Tom Daschle, Minority Leader 
     of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. 
     Senate; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore, 
     U.S. Senate; the Honorable Daniel Inouye, U.S. Senate; the 
     Honorable Daniel Akaka, U.S. Senate.

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