[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 18 (Thursday, January 30, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S652-S654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
POM-193 and POM-194 originally appeared without text in the
Congressional Record of Wednesday, January 29, 2014.
POM-193. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the Northern
Mariana Commonwealth Legislature petitioning the United
States Congress to amend the Radiation Exposure Act of 1990;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate Joint Resolution No. 18-04, S1
Whereas, the United States Government and the Atomic Energy
Commission together with the United States Armed Forces
conducted testing of atomic nuclear weapons on Eniwetok and
Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands, South Pacific, from
1946 to 1962; and
Whereas, a total of 67 atomic and thermonuclear bombs/
devices were detonated with a total yield of 108,492.2
kilotons which resulted in fallout across a wide area around
the Marshall Islands in the Pacific; and
Whereas, no less than ten of those detonations yielded
between five to ten megatons of radioactive material from the
center of the explosion to the height of between 12 to 55
miles into the jet-stream; and
Whereas, on October 31, 1952, Operation Ivy was conducted
on Elugelab Island (``Flora'') in the Enewetak Atoll, in
which the first true thermonuclear hydrogen bomb (a 10.4
megaton device) code name Mike was detonated, destroying the
entire island leaving behind a 6,240 feet across and 164 feet
deep crater in its aftermath; and
Whereas, in 90 seconds the mushroom cloud climbed to 57,000
feet into the atmosphere and within 30 minutes had stretched
60 miles in diameter with the base of the mushroom head
joining the stem of 45,000 feet; and
Whereas, radioactive fallout is the after effect of the
detonation of a nuclear bomb where radioactive particles and
earth debris, which comprise the mushroom cloud, are released
into the atmosphere and remain in the atmosphere for about 24
hours before descending back to earth; and
Whereas, before the decend back to earth, these radioactive
particles can be carried through jet-steams in the atmosphere
to locations over a thousand miles away from the actual test
site and settle into the environment causing multiple health
and environmental problems; and
Whereas, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
are located approximately 1,230 miles directly west of the
test sites; and
Whereas, the radioactive dust particles travelled through
the westward flowing jet-streams from the Marshall Islands to
Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
and
Whereas, due to the deleterious effects of the nuclear
radiation, on October 5, , 1990, the United States Congress
passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (``RECA'')
which established new programs for persons physically present
in areas near the Nevada nuclear test site during atomic
testing at the site. Atmospheric testing of atomic devices--
important to national security during the darkest days of the
``cold war''--ended in 1963 when, under President Kennedy,
the United States signed and ratified the limited Test Ban
``Treaty''. Prior to the Treaty, the United Stated detonated
over 200 atomic devises in the open air in both the South
Pacific and in Nevada. The RECA provides compassionate
payments to persons with specified diseases who fear that
their health were harmed because of fallout from atmospheric
atomic testing at the Nevada test site, regardless of whether
causation can be scientically established; and
Whereas, on July 10, 2000, Public Law 106-245, the
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2000 was
passed, adding two new claimant categories, providing for,
among other things, additional compensable illnesses,
removing certain lifestyle restrictions, and adding
additional geographic areas to the ``downwinder'' claimant
category; and
Whereas, although RECA coverage has been expanded, it still
does not provide relief to all Americans affected by fallout,
particularly residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands and the Territory of Guam; and
Whereas, there is no doubt that the Territory of Guam has
received radioactive debris from fallout during the nuclear
weapons testing in the Pacific Ocean to such an extent that
in March 2004, Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo spoke
before the Committee to Assess the Scientific Information for
the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program to
request that they include an assessment of Guam for
``downwinders'' and ship decontamination as part of their
congressionally mandated study; and
Whereas, because the islands in the CNMI are in close
proximity to the Territory of Guam, separated by a scant 30
miles, and both are affected by the same win, weather and
ocean current patterns, it logically follows that radiation
which affects the Territory of Guam necessarily affects the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and
Whereas, as a result, the Nuclear and Radiation Studies
Board (``NSRB'') published in 2005 its report entitled
``Assessment of the Scientific information for the Radiation
Exposure Screening and Education Program''; and
Whereas, because fallout may have been higher for the
people outside RECA-designated areas, the NRSB recommended
that all residents of the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and
overseas US territories who have been diagnosed with specific
RECA-compensable diseases and who may have been exposed to
radiation from U.S. nuclear-weapons testing fallout be
compensated; and
Whereas, the United States Congress has the authority to
amend RECA to include residents of the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands affected by radiation as eligible
``downwinder'' claimants; and
Whereas, the failure of the United States Congress to amend
RECA in such a way as to compensate affected residents of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Islands will cause the people of
the Commonwealth to bear a disproportionate burden in
defending the United States of America; and
Whereas, we, the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, United States of America, humbly request
that the Commonwealth be included in RECA with the same
criteria that was made for Nevada test site in 1990 for
compassionate payments: Now, therefore be it
Resolved, on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands by the Eighteen Northern
Marianas Commonwealth Legislature, That the United States
Congress is hereby respectfully petitioned to declare that
all Americans shall be given the same consideration when it
comes to compensation for exposure to radiation from U.S.
nuclear testing; and be it further
Resolved, That the United States Congress is hereby
respectfully petitioned to amend the Radiation Exposure
Compensation Act of 1990, Public Law 101-426, as amended by
Public Law 101-510, 3139 (43 U.S.C. 2210) and Public Law 106-
245, to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands in the jurisdiction ``downwinders'' covered by the
Act; and be it further
Resolved, That the United States Congress is hereby
respectfully requested to include the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands similarly as the Territory of Guam
and be granted RECA ``on site'' status; and be it further
Resolved, That the affected population previously and
currently in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(those residing who have been exposed to radiation from the
Atomic Energy Commission tests in the Marshall Islands) be
recognized as being ``downwinders'' of such test; and be it
further
Resolved, That the President of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives shall certify, and the Senate
Legislative Secretary and the House Clerk shall attest to the
adoption of this joint resolution, and thereafter the Senate
Clerk shall transmit a certified copy to the Honorable Barack
Obama, President of the United States of America; to the
Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Patrick J. Leahy, President
Pro Tempore of the United States Senate; to the Honorable
Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Mark Chuck Grassley,
ranking member,
[[Page S653]]
Committee of the Judiciary United States Senate; to the
Honorable Mark Udall, United States Senate; to the Honorable
Tom Udall, United States Senate; to the Honorable Martin
Heinrich, United States Senate; to the Honorable Mike Crapo,
United States Senate; to the Honorable James Risch, United
States Senate; to the Honorable Michael Bennet, United States
Senate; to the Honorable Tom Harkin, Chairman, Committee on
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, United States Senate;
to the Honorable Michael B. Enzi, ranking member, Committee
on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, United States
Senate; to the Honorable Robert Menendez, Chairman, Committee
on Foreign Affairs United States Senate; to the Honorable Bob
Corker, ranking member Committee on Foreign Affairs United
States Senate; to the Honorable Barbara Mikulski, Chairwoman,
Committee on Appropriations United States Senate; to the
Honorable Ben Lujan, member of Congress, United States House
of Representatives; to the Honorable Lamar Smith, Chairman,
Committee on Judiciary United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable John Conyers, Jr., ranking
member, Committee on Judiciary United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Fred Upton, Chairman,
Committee on Energy and Commerce, United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Henry Waxman, ranking
member, Committee on Energy and Commerce, United States House
of Representatives; to the Honorable Hal Rogers, Chairman,
Committee on Appropriations United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Nita Lowey, ranking member,
Committee on Appropriations, United States House of
Representatives; to the Honorable Ed Royce Chairman, Foreign
Affairs Committee, United States House of Representatives; to
the Honorable Eliot Engel, ranking member Foreign Affairs
Committee, Unites States House of Representatives; to the
Honorable John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education and
the Workforce, United States House of Representatives; to the
Honorable George Miller, ranking member, Committee on
Education and the Workforce, United States House of
Representatives; to Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.,
Attorney General of the United States; to Mr. RJ Ritter,
National Commander, National Association of Atomic Veterans;
to Mr. Bob Kilthau, Hawaii State Commander, National
Association of Atomic Veterans; to the Honorable Madeleine Z.
Bordallo, Member of Congress, United States House of
Representatives, Territory of Guam; to the Honorable Gregorio
``Kilili'' Camcho Sablan, CNMI Delegate to the United States
Congress; to the Honorable Eloy S. Inos, Governor,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; to the
Honorable Judith T. Won Pat, Speaker, 32nd Guam Legislature,
Territory of Guam; to the Honorable Edward B. Calvo,
Governor, Territory of Guam and to Mr. Robert N. Celestial,
Atomic Veteran from Guam and President of the Pacific
Association for Radiation Survivors.
____
POM-194. A resolution adopted by the House of
Representatives of the Northern Mariana Commonwealth
Legislature requesting the United States Congress to
eliminate Section 2109 of S. 744 and similar legislation
which will allow thousands of alien workers, their families,
and persons of other ethnic origin who are in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to become
permanent residents and subsequently become U.S. citizens; to
the Committee on the Judiciary.
House Resolution No. 18-34
Whereas, the Chamorro and Carolinian people of the Northern
Mariana Islands, in the exercise of their inalienable right
of self-determination, negotiated the Covenant Agreement
which established the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands in a Political Union with the United States of
America. And, in a plebiscite called by the United States on
June 17, 1975, they approved the Covenant Agreement by 78.8
per centum. And, with the approval of the Covenant (U.S.
Public Law 94-241; 90 Stat. 263) by the 94th United States
Congress in a Joint Resolution (H. J. Res. 549) on March 24,
1976 and approved by the President of the United States on
October 24, 1977, the Chamorro and Carolinian people of the
Northern Mariana Islands finally realized their aspiration to
be freed from foreign dominations, and to be recognized as a
people of the Northern Mariana Islands, with the ``the right
of local self-government and to govern themselves in
accordance with a Constitution of their own adoption'' as
agreed upon and guaranteed pursuant to Article 1, Section 103
of the Covenant; and
Whereas, this desire of the Chamorros and Carolinians of
the Northern Mariana Islands is not unique, and serves as a
basic tenet that guides indigenous peoples around the world
who wish to be protected and secure in their homeland, and to
exercise their right to self-government. These include the
Filipinos, led by national hero and icon Jose Rizal; the
Native Americans of North America; the indigenous Fijians,
outnumbered at one point by ethnic Indians; the Aborigines of
Australia; the Maori of New Zealand; and the Native
Hawaiians; and
Whereas, the debate on immigration reform issues is now
before the 113th United States Congress, and in particular,
the passage of Section 2109 (Long-Term Legal Residents in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) of S.744 by the
Senate, that is now before the House of Representatives, if
approved and becomes a law, will make thousands of alien
workers, their families and people of other ethnic origin in
the Commonwealth eligible to become U. S. permanent residents
five years from its enactment, and five years thereafter,
they will be eligible to become U. S. Citizen; and
Whereas, the CNMI's 2010 census data shows that there were
53,883 people in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands. Of that figure, 2,461 were Carolinians and 12,902
were Chamorros, representing a combined total of 15,363
persons of Northern Marianas descent. The 2010 census
reported other ethnic groups as follows: 19,017 Filipino;
2,253 Korean; 3,659 Chinese; 1,979 other Asian persons; 1,343
persons of other ethnic origin; 6,832 persons of two or more
ethnic origins; and 3,437 persons of native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islanders. These groups of people represent a total
of 38,520 or 71 percent of the total population of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, compared to
only 15,363 or 29 percent of Chamorro and Carolinian people
of Northern Marianas descent. Undoubtedly, the alien workers,
their families and people of other ethnic origin have already
outnumbered the population of the Chamorro and Carolinian
people of Northern Marianas descent; and
Whereas, the U. S. Senate, in introducing S. 744 with the
added Section 2109 (Long-term Legal Residents of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), failed to
recognize and respect the spirit and sanctity of the Covenant
Agreement; the fundamental provisions delineated in Article
I, Section 105 of the Covenant, namely, Articles I, II, and
III and Sections 501 and 805; and in particular, Article I,
Section 103, which guarantees the indigenous Chamorros and
Carolinians of the Northern Mariana Islands their right of
local self-government and to govern themselves with respect
to internal affairs in accordance with a Constitution of
their own adoption; and
Whereas, S. 744, Sections 2109 B(i), (ii), (iii), (v)(I),
(V), and (C) will allow the alien workers, their families and
people of other ethnicity to become permanent residents and
eventually become U. S. citizens upon it becoming law.
According to the 2010 census these foreign people represent a
combined total of 38,520 or 71 percent of the Commonwealth's
population. Such data clearly depicts a great disparity in
the population profile of the Commonwealth, where the people
of Northern Mariana descent represent only 15,363 or 29
percent of the total population of 53,883. As a consequence,
the Chamorros and Carolinians of the Northern Marianas
Islands will ultimately become powerless and minority voice
in their homeland. Their social, economic, and political
rights and all that they have aspired, bargained and worked
hard to achieve, pursuant to the Covenant Agreement;
including their rights under the Northern Mariana Islands
Constitution, which they wrote, adopted, and approved by the
President of the United State of America on October 24, 1977,
will undeniably be taken away from them; and
Whereas, Article V, Section 506 of the Covenant, which the
Chamorro and Carolinian people of the Northern Mariana
Islands agreed to, and approved, hold the same provisions as
those found in Section 2109 of S. 744. Sub-section (II) of
Section 2109 permits such alien who was, on May 8, 2008, and
continues to be as of the date of the enactment of this
paragraph, a permanent resident (as defined in section 4303
of this title 3 of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth
Code, in effect on May 8, 2008); and (III), is the spouse or
child (as defined in section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1))), of an alien described
in sub-clauses (I) or (II); and (IV), was, on May 8, 2008, an
immediate relative (as defined in section 4303 of title 3 of
the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Code, in effect on
May 8, 2008, of a United States citizen, notwithstanding the
age of the United States citizen, and continues to be such an
immediate relative on the date of the application described
in subparagraph (A); and (V), is the spouse or child (as
defined in section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1))), of the alien guest
worker described in sub-clause (V) and is presently resident
under CW-2 status. The intent of these provisions are already
permitted under Section 506 of Article 5 of the Covenant
Agreement, notwithstanding Sections 2109B(i), (ii), (iii),
(v)(I), (V), and (C) (Long-term Legal Residents of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) of S.744; and
Whereas, Section 2109 ((Long-Term Legal Residents of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) of S. 744 is
amending Article V, Section 506 of the Covenant by including
Section 2109 B(i), (ii), (iii), (v)(I), (V), and (C) to allow
alien workers, their families, and people of other ethnic
origin, who were counted and described in the CNMI's 2010
Census, to become permanent residents and eventually become
U. S. citizens. Clearly, this Act violates the fundamental
provisions delineated in Article I, Sections 105 and other
provisions of the Covenant; and
Whereas, the House of Representatives of the 18th Northern
Marianas Commonwealth Legislature recognizes the importance
of granting improved status to the few stateless persons who
were born in the Northern Mariana Islands between January 1,
1974 and January 9, 1978 (Section 2109 B(v)(I)); however, the
granting of permanent resident status to foreign persons
delineated in Section 2109 B(i), (ii), (iii), (V), and (C) of
S.744,
[[Page S654]]
should and must go through the established process, pursuant
to the Immigration and Nationality Act. Therefore, the
Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature disagrees with and
is strongly opposed to the inclusion of the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands in S.744, under Section 2109
(Long-Term Legal Residents of the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands); and
Whereas, Article V, Section 503(a) of the Covenant
authorizes the United States Congress to make applicable to
the Northern Mariana Islands the immigration and
naturalization law of the United States after the termination
of the Trusteeship Agreement. This was accomplished when the
U.S. Congress enacted the Consolidated Natural Resource Act
of 2008 (Public Law 110-229). However, such authority given
to the United States Congress under the said Article V,
Section 503(a) does not necessarily mean that the U.S.
Congress can unilaterally and arbitrarily enact immigration
laws and/or other bills or legislations for the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands that contradicts and
infringes on the fundamental provisions delineated in Article
1, Section 105 and other provisions of the Covenant;
particularly, outlined in Article 1, Section 103, which
guarantees the indigenous people of the Northern Mariana
Islands the right of local self-government and to govern
themselves with respect to internal affairs in accordance
with a Constitution of their own adoption; and
Whereas, Article 1, Section 105 of the Covenant states:
``The United States may enact legislation in accordance with
its constitutional processes which will be applicable to the
Northern Mariana Islands, but if such legislation cannot also
be made applicable to the several States the Northern Mariana
Islands must be specifically named therein for it to become
effective in the Northern Mariana Islands. In order to
respect the right of self-government guaranteed by this
Covenant the United States agrees to limit the exercise of
that authority so that the fundamental provisions of this
Covenant, namely Articles I, II and III and Sections 501 and
805, may be modified only with the consent of the Government
of the United States and the Government of the Northern
Mariana Islands''; and
Whereas, Section 2109 (Long-term Legal Residents of the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) of S. 744
contradicts U.S. Public Law 110-229 (Consolidated Natural
Resources Act of 2008) which mandates the alien worker
population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands to be zeroed out when the transition period ends on
Dec. 31, 2014. U.S. Public Law 110-229 (Consolidated Natural
Resources Act of 2008) seeks to help create jobs for the many
unemployed indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people and U.S.
citizens who are residents in the Northern Mariana Islands,
who have been actively searching for work in the job market.
Section 2109 of S. 744, on the other hand, will deprive the
Chamorro and Carolinian people of Northern Marianas descent
and U.S. citizens who are residents of the Commonwealth of
employment opportunities, as alien workers and people of
other ethnic origin will continue to occupy and fill the
positions in the job market; and
Whereas, alien workers who are recruited for employment
purposes, should not, irrespective of the length of their
employment in the Commonwealth, be automatically entitled to
full social, economic, and political rights, because such
benefits and privileges of United States citizens were never
promised, bargained, entered, and/or agreed upon in their
employment contracts, which were approved by them and the
Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands; nor were discussions made or suggested for alien
workers, their families, and persons of other ethnic origin
to become permanent resident during the negotiation of
Covenant Agreement between the indigenous people of the
Northern Mariana Islands and the United States of America,
notwithstanding Section 506 of Article V of the Covenant; and
Whereas, the enactment of Section 2109 (Long-term Legal
Residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands) of S. 744, and/or any similar Act by Congress, will
dramatically change the social, economic, and political
landscape in the Commonwealth to the advantage of the
thousands of alien workers, their families and people of
other ethnic origin or race upon them becoming U.S. Citizens.
This will have a devastating effect on the social, political
and economic livelihood of the Chamorro and Carolinian people
of the Northern Mariana Islands. It will give birth to a new
form of foreign domination on the indigenous people once
again, but this time, sadly, it evolves from within the
Commonwealth by way of Section 2109 (Long-term Legal
Residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands); and
Whereas, the enactment of Section 2109 of S. 744, and/or
any similar legislations by Congress will place the
Carolinian and Chamorro people of the Northern Mariana
Islands back in time, trapped under a new form of foreign
domination once again, and a direct violation of the Covenant
Agreement, and the mandates of the Trusteeship Agreement
which was agreed upon by the United States and the United
Nation Security Council, including the Charter of the United
Nation which obligates the United States ``to promote the
development of the people of the trust territory toward self-
government or independence as may be appropriate to the
particular circumstances of the trust territory and its
peoples and the freely expressed wishes of the peoples
concerned''. The enactment of Section 2109 and/or other
similar act or legislations by Congress is a direct
contradiction to the freely expressed wishes of the Chamorro
and Carolinian people of the Northern Marianas Islands when
they exercised their inalienable right of self-determination
and negotiated the Covenant Agreement with the United States
of America--to be free from foreign domination, and to be
recognized as a people of the Northern Mariana Islands, with
``the right of local self-government and to govern themselves
in accordance with a Constitution of their own adoption; and
Whereas, Section 2109 of S. 744, and/or any similar Act
currently before both houses of the U.S. Congress for
consideration, or are being proposed will create alarming
concerns to the Chamorro and Carolinian people of the
Northern Mariana Islands, thus affecting the relationship
between them and the United States; therefore, the 18th
Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature urged the U.S.
Congress that any and all propose legislations that infringes
upon the social, economic and political rights of the
indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people who are of Northern
Marianas descent, who called for, negotiated, and voted
favorably in support of the Covenant, must be addressed
pursuant to Article 1, Section 105 and Section 902 of the
Covenant; and
Whereas, Section 902 of Article IX states in part: ``The
Government of the United States and the Government of the
Northern Mariana Islands will consult regularly on all
matters affecting the relationship between them''. . . ``to
consider in good faith such issues affecting the relationship
between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States as
may be designated by either Government and to make
recommendations with respect thereto'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the 18th
Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature respectfully
request and urge the House of Representatives of the 113th
United States Congress to eliminate Section 2109 (Long-Term
Legal Residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands) of S. 744, and any similar legislation that is
currently before both houses of the U.S. Congress undergoing
review for consideration until such legislative intent for
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is discussed
pursuant to Article 1, Section 105 and Article IX, Section
902 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianas in Political Union with the United States
of America; and to recognize, respect and take into serious
consideration the mandates of the Trusteeship Agreement which
was agreed upon by the United States; and the United Nation
Security Council, including the United States obligation
under the Charter of the United Nation as stipulated in the
House Joint Resolution No. 549--to approve the ``Covenant To
Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
Political Union with the United States of America''; and be
it further
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House shall certify, and
the Clerk of the House shall attest to the adoption of this
resolution. The Clerk of the House shall transmit a certified
copy of this Resolution to the Honorable Joseph R. Biden,
Jr., President of the Senate, 113th United States Congress;
the Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of the House, 113th
United States Congress; the Honorable Gregorio ``Kilili''
Sablan, CNM1 Delegate to the 113th United States Congress;
the U. S. Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell; the
Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the
Honorable Eloy S. Inos, Governor, Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands; the Honorable Ralph DLG Torres,
President of the Senate; 18th Northern Marianas Commonwealth
Legislature; the Honorable Donald P. Flores, Mayor of Saipan;
the Honorable Ramon M. Dela Cruz, Mayor of Tinian and
Aguigan; the Honorable Melchor A. Mendiola, Mayor of Rota;
and the Honorable Tobias C. Aldan, Mayor of the Northern
Islands.
____________________