[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4665-4666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   TO AMEND THE WAGNER-PEYSER ACT TO INCLUDE THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE 
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS IN THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THAT 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                  HON. GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN

                    of the northern mariana islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2012

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing a bill that will allow the 
Northern Mariana Islands to be eligible for Employment Service Programs 
by amending the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933, as amended by the Workforce 
Investment Act of 1998.
  The Employment Service Programs provide funds to establish a 
nationwide system of public employment offices and One-Stop Career 
Centers across the United States. These centers have successfully 
connected millions of job seekers with employers throughout the 50 
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 
Guam. The legislation I am introducing today, in remedying the 
statutory absence of the Northern Mariana Islands from the definition 
of ``State,'' will allow for the expansion of the federal Employment 
Service network to the NMI, thereby contributing to both the local and 
National economy by supporting the development of an experienced, 
motivated, and most importantly, employed American workforce.
  Should the Commonwealth government choose to apply for this grant, 
the funds could be used to stand up One-Stop Centers in the NMI that 
would help those searching for work find jobs and help local employers 
find qualified workers. These Centers provide services that have a 
proven record of success in hundreds of locales throughout the United 
States.
  Our national economy is still pulling itself out of the deepest 
recession since the 1930s. The economy in the NMI is in even worse 
condition, however, with declines in GDP every single year since 2004. 
This bill provides for the possible extension of a federal program that 
is helping address unemployment around our Nation to the one place, 
perhaps, that needs help the most, the Northern Marianas.
  The employment services the Wagner-Peyser programs provide have 
proven effective in facilitating the connection between the employers' 
demand for employees and the labor market's abundant supply of a 
willing workforce. That is why I ask my colleagues to support this 
bill.
  We have to do more in this Congress for U.S. workers. This is not a 
new program. This

[[Page 4666]]

is not a fundamental amendment to the intent of the Act. This bill 
merely offers equal treatment to the Northern Marianas in giving them 
the chance to access funding to support our local businesses and 
workers in need.

                          ____________________