[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 1319-1321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ECONOMIC EXPANSION ACT

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 339) to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 339

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Mariana Islands 
     Economic Expansion Act''.

     SEC. 2. COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS: 
                   TRANSITIONAL WORKERS.

       Section 6 of Public Law 94-241 (48 U.S.C. 1806) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ``$150'' and 
     inserting ``$200''; and
       (2) in subsection (d)(2)--
       (A) by striking the period at the end of the first sentence 
     and inserting ``, except a permit for construction 
     occupations (as that term is defined by the Department of 
     Labor as Standard Occupational Classification Group 47-0000 
     or any successor provision) shall only be issued to extend a 
     permit first issued before October 1, 2015.''; and
       (B) by striking the period at the end of the third sentence 
     and inserting ``, except that for fiscal year 2017 the number 
     of permits issued shall not exceed 15,000.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the House has before it H.R. 339, sponsored by 
Congressman Sablan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
  The House passed an identical bill this past December just before the 
conclusion of the 114th Congress. However, that bill was unable to pass 
the Senate and make it to the President's desk for signature before the 
end of that Congress, and so I am here today to once again urge the 
bill's passage through the House and on to the Senate.
  The Northern Mariana Islands are benefiting by new investment and 
growth of consumer spending, particularly in tourism. Their economic 
growth rate is almost twice that of the rest of our country.
  To meet this growth, the Commonwealth has to maintain a workforce to 
match it. Currently, the Northern Marianas is phasing out the use of 
foreign workers by slowly reducing the total number of CW-1 permits 
issued by the Department of Homeland Security. Economic growth is 
dynamic, but bureaucracy is not. If the CW-1 permits are phased out too 
quickly, the islands may suffer a growth-stopping shortage of labor. 
This bill would provide flexibility to the Commonwealth in order to 
protect its newfound economic prosperity in three critical ways:
  First, it would fund ongoing vocational education curricula and 
program development to assure a skilled domestic workforce funded from 
an increase in CW-1 fees from $150 to $200.
  Second, it would limit the CW-1 permits for construction occupation 
to those issued prior to October 1 of 2015.
  And third, it would temporarily increase the number of CW-1 permits 
during this transition period.
  Mr. Speaker, these changes will continue to accommodate the economic 
growth in the Northern Marianas, while assuring a trained domestic 
workforce for the future.
  I would urge adoption of the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Rob Bishop for allowing 
my bill to come to the floor again.
  We passed the same bill in the House on December 6, but the Senate 
adjourned 3 days later without acting, and the problem has not gone 
away.

[[Page 1320]]

  The economy of the Northern Mariana Islands grew 3.5 percent last 
year, the fourth straight year of growth for my district.
  This strong economic expansion is good news for the people I 
represent. We desperately want this growth to continue because our 
economy is still smaller than it was in 2000.
  The Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act addresses that 
problem and is broadly supported back home.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from Governor 
Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres of the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; from the Commonwealth's Strategic Economic Development 
Council; the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation; the Hotel Association 
of the Northern Mariana Islands; and from the Saipan Chamber of 
Commerce.
                                           CNMI Strategic Economic


                                          Development Council,

                                                 December 1, 2016.
     Hon. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Sablan: The CNMI Strategic Economic 
     Development Committee is in strong support of H.R. 6401, 
     critical legislation that will provide short-term relief from 
     the labor shortage threatening the growth of the Northern 
     Marianas economy.
       The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates the 
     Commonwealth economy grew for the fourth consecutive year, a 
     recent high of 3.5 percent. This is attributable to increased 
     private investment and tourism now threatened by the lack of 
     available qualified workers on the island.
       The modest one-year increase in Commonwealth-Only 
     Transitional Workers (CW) proposed under H.R. 6401, will 
     provide the business community with the necessary human 
     resources to continue to operate and propel an expanding 
     economy.
       It is imperative that we do not stymie our plan for fixture 
     economic growth, now beginning to come to frutition, with a 
     labor shortage in critical areas.
       The bill also provides additional funds for the job 
     training/education programs proven effective at expanding the 
     pool of qualified and skilled U.S. workers in the CNMI.
       The CNMI Strategic Economic Development Council fully 
     supports H.R. 6401 and appreciates all of your efforts in 
     addressing the labor crisis in the Northern Marianas.
           Very truly yours,
     Alexander A. Sablan,
       Sub Committee Chairman, Labor & CW Task Force, CNMI 
     Strategic Economic Development Committee.
                                  ____



                                   Saipan Chamber of Commerce,

                                                 December 2, 2016.
     Hon. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Sablan: The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is 
     in strong support of H.R. 6401, critical legislation that 
     will provide short-term relief from the labor shortage 
     threatening the growth of the Northern Marianas economy.
       The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates the 
     Commonwealth economy grew for the fourth consecutive year, a 
     recent high of 3.5 percent. This is attributable to increased 
     private investment and tourism now threatened by the lack of 
     available qualified workers on the island.
       The modest one-year increase in Commonwealth-Only 
     Transitional Workers (CW) proposed under H.R. 6401, will 
     provide the business community with the necessary human 
     resources to continue to operate and propel an expanding 
     economy. It will also provide additional critical funds for 
     job training and education programs that are steadily 
     expanding the pool of qualified and skilled U.S. workers on 
     Saipan.
       The Saipan Chamber of Commerce fully supports H.R. 6401 and 
     appreciates all of your efforts in addressing the labor 
     crisis in the Northern Marianas.
           Very truly yours,
     Velma M. Palacios,
       President of the Board, Saipan Chamber of Commerce.
                                  ____

                                          Hotel Association of the


                                     Northern Mariana Islands,

                                                 December 2, 2016.
     Hon. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Sablan: The Hotel Association of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands is in strong support of H.R. 6401, 
     critical legislation that will provide short-term relief from 
     the labor shortage threatening the growing hospitality 
     industry in the Northern Marianas.
       Due in large part to increased private investment and 
     tourism the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis recently 
     announced that the Commonwealth economy grew for the fourth 
     consecutive year.
       However, our hotel and resort properties are in critical 
     need of labor, particularly those with skills and experience 
     in the hospitality industry, culinary arts and property 
     maintenance. The inability of employers to renew or hire new 
     Commonwealth-Only Transitional Workers (CW) threatens their 
     continued operations and chills future investment in our 
     islands.
       The modest one-year increase in CWs, proposed under H.R. 
     6401, will allow the hospitality industry to continue to 
     provide first-class service to our tourists.
       The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands fully 
     supports H.R. 6401 and appreciates all of your efforts in 
     addressing the labor crisis in the Northern Marianas.
           Very truly yours,

                                              Gloria Cavanagh,

                               Chairman, Hotel Association of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands.
                                  ____

         Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Commonwealth of the 
           Northern Mariana Islands,
                                                 December 2, 2016.
     Hon. Gregorio ``Kilili'' Camacho Sablan,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Sablan: Commonwealth Healthcare 
     Corporation (CHCC) is in strong support of H.R. 6401.
       This critical legislation would provide an increase in the 
     FY 2017 limit on Commonwealth-only Transitional Workers (CW) 
     and allow the CHCC to petition for renewal of 39 essential 
     healthcare workers impacted when the CW cap was reached just 
     two weeks into the Fiscal Year.
       Our Commonwealth Health Center (CHC) is the only hospital 
     in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, providing 
     inpatient and outpatient acute, chronic, and emergency health 
     care services to the people of the CNMI. We also maintain 
     community health centers on the populated islands of Saipan, 
     Tinian, and Rota.
       Our ability to continue to provide these essential on-
     island health care services, and maintain quality patient 
     care and safety as well as maintain overall public health, 
     depends on being able to maintain current staffing levels and 
     specialized expertise.
       Without an increase to the CW cap this year, CHC stands to 
     lose the services and experience of 34 staff nurses, two 
     infection control nurses, a clinical laboratory scientist and 
     specialists in mammography and ultrasonography.
       For the foregoing reasons, we are in full support H.R. 6401 
     and are grateful for your work in addressing this critical 
     health care issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Esther L. Muna,
     Chief Executive Officer.
                                  ____

                                               Commonwealth of the


                                     Northern Mariana Islands,

                                                 December 4, 2016.
     Hon. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Sablan: I write to support H.R. 6401, 
     critical legislation that will provide short-term relief from 
     the labor shortage facing the Commonwealth that threatens our 
     growing economy and public health.
       The latest report from Bureau of Economic Analysis 
     indicates the Commonwealth economy grew for the fourth 
     consecutive year. A growing economy needs a qualified 
     workforce. And while there are now more U.S. workers than 
     foreign workers in the Northern Marianas for the first time 
     in decades, there are still not enough to meet the labor 
     demand. The temporary increase in the number of Commonwealth-
     Only Transitional (CW) workers provided in your bill will 
     particularly help small businesses retain the workers needed 
     to maintain operations.
       Most importantly, the Commonwealth's only hospital, stand 
     to lose critical staff including 34 staff nurses, two 
     infection control nurses, a clinical laboratory scientist and 
     specialists in mammography, ultrasonography without the 
     relief provided in H.R. 6401.
       Building a qualified U.S. workforce in the Northern 
     Marianas is a priority for my administration. The CW worker 
     fee increase in the legislation will provide additional 
     funding for efforts to recruit, educate, and train these 
     workers and establish a permanent pool of workers to fill 
     local jobs.
       H.R. 6401 is critical to continued economic growth in the 
     Northern Marianas. The bill has my full support.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Ralph DLG Torres,
                                                         Governor.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank again Chairman Rob Bishop of 
the Natural Resources Committee for his understanding and support. I 
also thank Chairman Don Young who held a hearing on this issue last 
September and agreed that action was needed.
  I appreciate the support of Ranking Member Raul Grijalva and our new 
Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee Ranking Member 
Norma Torres.
  Mr. Speaker, I am indebted to the minority whip, Mr. Hoyer, and to 
the

[[Page 1321]]

majority leader, Mr. McCarthy, and to my friend Mr. McClintock of 
California who agreed to bring H.R. 339 to the floor today.
  I ask for support of H.R. 339.
  Having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I would urge the House to finish the 
work that it began in December by passing this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 339.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________