[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 10 (Tuesday, February 8, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S485-S486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS COVENANT IMPLEMENTATION ACT

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I rise to express my whole-hearted 
support for S. 1052, the Northern Mariana Islands Covenant 
Implementation Act, which the Senate considered and passed on Monday, 
and to recognize Senator Akaka, Energy Committee Chairman Murkowski, 
and Ranking Senator Bingaman for their determined efforts to shepard 
this bill through the Senate. During the recent recess, I had the 
opportunity to travel with Senator Akaka to South Asia. Once again, I 
was reminded why Senator Akaka is one of the most respected members of 
the Senate. As we met with leaders from India and Pakistan, Senator 
Akaka's humanitarian focus was evident time and again. Yesterday, 
Senator Akaka's concern for those without wealth and privilege was on 
display once more. I wish I could have been here, yesterday, to 
celebrate his legislative victory.
  Senator Akaka's special interest in the welfare of the residents of 
the Northern Mariana Islands dates back to WW II when he served with 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and spent time on both Saipan and 
Tinian. In 1996, he and Senator Murkowski traveled to the Commonwealth 
to investigate reports of the horrible working conditions first hand. 
Senator Akaka returned with confirmation of those reports and worked 
quickly to introduce legislation, with Chairman Murkowski, to improve 
the often horrific conditions faced by alien workers in the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Since then, Senator Akaka 
has come to the floor repeatedly to draw attention to this problem and 
he has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to build effective 
bipartisan support for this measure. Senator Akaka's

[[Page S486]]

dedication to this issue reminds us that our work here is not confined 
to the headline grabbing issues of the day but extends to the quiet 
pursuit of humane working conditions everywhere.
  S. 1052 is a bill to amend the legislation enacted by Congress in 
1976 through which the Northern Mariana Islands became a Commonwealth 
of the United States. This bill provides for a transition period during 
which the Commonwealth will be incorporated into our federal system of 
immigration laws. The 1976 covenant enacted by Congress extended U.S. 
citizenship to CNMI residents, but it exempted the Commonwealth from 
the Immigration and Nationality Act. Over the years it has become clear 
what a mistake that was.
  Today the immigration situation in the Commonwealth contributes to 
some very grave social problems. Over the past twenty years, the number 
of citizens of the Commonwealth has doubled, while over that same 
period of time the number of alien workers has multiplied twenty-fold. 
This huge demographic change, and the absence of effective immigration 
control, has led to deplorable conditions for many of these alien 
workers.
  Senator Akaka addressed the Senate in October to describe the tragic 
circumstances in which many alien workers are held as virtual prisoners 
and are not permitted to leave their barracks during non-working hours. 
He reported that the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division had 
obtained criminal convictions of defendants who had forced alien women 
into prostitution and held them in what has been described as ``modern 
day slavery.'' I was personally moved by his report. This bill will 
immediately help to change the circumstances that contribute to these 
terrible conditions while at the same time minimizing any negative 
effect on the Commonwealth's legitimate businesses in the local tourism 
industry. In fact, the bill calls for the Secretary of Commerce to 
provide the kind of technical assistance that will help to encourage 
the growth and diversification of the local economy and promote the 
Northern Mariana Islands as a tourist destination.
  This is a first step toward ensuring that every man and woman who 
works under the U.S. flag works in conditions we can all be proud of. 
As Senator Akaka knows, we should do more. We should also guarantee the 
minimum wage for workers in the Commonwealth, and if the Democratic 
minimum wage proposal is passed, we will do just that. But we should 
not let what we know to be the best solution forestall our resolve to 
implement a good solution, and so I am very proud that the Senate 
passed this much needed legislation and I thank Senators Akaka, 
Murkowski and Bingaman for their fine work in this important endeavor.

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