[House Report 113-698]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress } { Rept. 113-698
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { Part 1
======================================================================
TO AMEND PUBLIC LAW 94-241 WITH RESPECT TO THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
_______
December 22, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Hastings of Washington, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4296]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4296) to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to
the Northern Mariana Islands, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that
the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENTS.
Section 6 of Public Law 94-241 (90 Stat. 263; 122 Stat. 854) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``December 31, 2014,
except as provided in subsections (b) and (d)'' and inserting
``December 31, 2019''; and
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in the third sentence of paragraph (2), by
striking ``not to extend beyond December 31, 2014,
unless extended pursuant to paragraph 5 of this
subsection'' and inserting ``ending on December 31,
2019'';
(B) by striking paragraph (5); and
(C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of H.R. 4296 is to amend Public Law 94-241 with
respect to the Northern Mariana Islands.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 4296 amends Public Law 94-241, the Covenant to
Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
Political Union with the United States, to extend for another
five years the transition period that authorizes the Department
of Homeland Security to issue Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Island (CNMI)-only foreign worker permits. The permits are
issued to industries in the CNMI that apply and pay a fee to
use foreign workers. Under the permits, foreign workers can
only work in the CNMI, not anywhere else in the U.S. The bill
would also continue, during the five year period, provisions in
law that were tied to the existing transition period,
specifically: prohibition on asylum claims in the CNMI;
exclusion of Guam and the CNMI from the national H visa caps;
and continued authority for CNMI-only nonimmigrant investors.
The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States was
enacted in 1976 and, in general, applies federal laws to the
CNMI. The Covenant allowed the CNMI to establish its own tax
laws. It provides that the CNMI is outside of the U.S. customs
territory. The Jones Act, requiring goods shipped between U.S.
ports to be carried on U.S.-registered ships, does not apply to
the CNMI under the Covenant. It initially did not apply federal
minimum wage or federal immigration laws to the CNMI, but these
were later added by Congress in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
Public Law 110-229, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act,
was enacted in 2008. Title VII of the Act amended the Public
Law 94-241 to create a new section 6, Immigration and
Transition. It created a transition period of five years (2009-
2014) to allow the CNMI to reduce its dependence on foreign
workers to zero, among other things. The Secretary of Homeland
Security is authorized to determine the number of foreign
workers and the terms and conditions for permits. The Secretary
authorized 15,000 foreign worker permits in 2013 and 14,000
permits in 2014. In 2009, the CNMI was dependent on roughly
22,000 foreign workers. The actual number of foreign workers
covered by approved permits issued by the Secretary of Homeland
Security was 10,071 in 2013, and to date 4,052 in 2014, with
permits still being processed. The Secretary of State then
issues nonimmigrant visas to workers for access to the CNMI
only. The law requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to
charge businesses applying for foreign workers a permit fee of
$150. The fee goes into a fund that requires the CNMI to
educate and train U.S. citizens in the CNMI. The goal of the
training and education is to have U.S. workers replace foreign
workers.
Under Public Law 110-229, the Secretary of Labor (in
consultation with the Secretaries of Homeland Security, State,
Defense, and the Interior, and the CNMI Governor) determines if
the CNMI-only foreign worker program should be extended for
another five years. The Secretary of Labor is required to make
the determination 180 days prior to the expiration date of the
transition period, which is July 4, 2014. Both CNMI Delegate
Gregorio Sablan (D-MP) and CNMI Governor Inos sent letters
requesting the Secretary of Labor extend the program due to the
impact the loss of foreign workers would have on the CNMI
economy. The Secretary of Labor made the determination to
extend the transition period to December 31, 2019, on May 27,
2014.
Section 6 of the Covenant also allows the Secretary of
Labor to extend the transition period for foreign worker
permits beyond 2014 and provides authority for future
extensions, based on the foreign worker needs of businesses in
the CNMI. The following provisions--prohibition on asylum
claims, exclusion of Guam and the CNMI from the national H visa
caps, and allowance of CNMI-only nonimmigrant investors--which
were in effect during the first five-year transition period
under Public Law 110-229, would not be in effect after December
31, 2014. These provisions cannot be extended administratively
and need legislation.
H.R. 4296 would allow for a five-year extension (2015-2019)
and terminate the authority for future extensions. The bill, to
be consistent with the existing transition period, would extend
the asylum, H visa, and CNMI-only nonimmigrant investor
provisions that would expire on December 31, 2014, and
terminate them with the end of the transition period on
December 31, 2019.
During Full Committee markup of the bill, the Committee
adopted an amendment offered by Delegate Sablan to clarify that
the bill is amending section 6 of Public Law 94-241.
Committee Action
H.R. 4296 was introduced on March 25, 2014, by Delegate
Gregorio Sablan (D-MP). The bill was referred to the Committee
on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular
Affairs. The bill was also referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary. On April 29, 2014, the Subcommittee on Fisheries,
Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs held a hearing on the
bill. On May 29, 2014, the Natural Resources Committee met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife,
Oceans, and Insular Affairs was discharged by unanimous
consent. Delegate Sablan offered an amendment designated .075;
the amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. No further
amendments were offered and the bill, as amended, was then
adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
Compliance With House Rule XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(2)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
requested but not received a cost estimate for this bill from
the Director of the Congressional Budget Office. The Committee
believes that enactment of this bill will not have a
significant effect on the federal budget.
2. Section 308(a) of Congressional Budget Act. As required
by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget
authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase
or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to amend Public Law 94-241 with
respect to the Northern Mariana Islands.
Earmark Statement
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
Compliance With Public Law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
Compliance With H. Res. 5
Directed Rule Making. The Chairman does not believe that
this bill directs any executive branch official to conduct any
specific rule-making proceedings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
SECTION 6 OF PUBLIC LAW 94-241
SEC. 6. IMMIGRATION AND TRANSITION.
(a) Application of the Immigration and Nationality Act and
Establishment of a Transition Program.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3),
effective on the first day of the first full month
commencing 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (hereafter
referred to as the `transition program effective
date'), the provisions of the ``immigration laws'' (as
defined in section 101(a)(17) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17))) shall apply to
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(referred to in this section as the ``Commonwealth''),
except as otherwise provided in this section.
(2) Transition period.--There shall be a transition
period beginning on the transition program effective
date and ending on [December 31, 2014, except as
provided in subsections (b) and (d)] December 31, 2019,
during which the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney
General, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of
the Interior, shall establish, administer, and enforce
a transition program to regulate immigration to the
Commonwealth, as provided in this section (hereafter
referred to as the ``transition program'').
(3) Delay of commencement of transition period.--
(A) In general.-- The Secretary of Homeland
Security, in the Secretary's sole discretion,
in consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary
of State, the Attorney General, and the
Governor of the Commonwealth, may determine
that the transition program effective date be
delayed for a period not to exceed more than
180 days after such date.
(B) Congressional notification.--The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the
Congress of a determination under subparagraph
(A) not later than 30 days prior to the
transition program effective date.
(C) Congressional review.--A delay of the
transition program effective date shall not
take effect until 30 days after the date on
which the notification under subparagraph (B)
is made.
(4) Requirement for regulations.--The transition
program shall be implemented pursuant to regulations to
be promulgated, as appropriate, by the head of each
agency or department of the United States having
responsibilities under the transition program.
(5) Interagency agreements.--The Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, the
Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of the Interior
shall negotiate and implement agreements among their
agencies to identify and assign their respective duties
so as to ensure timely and proper implementation of the
provisions of this section. The agreements should
address, at a minimum, procedures to ensure that
Commonwealth employers have access to adequate labor,
and that tourists, students, retirees, and other
visitors have access to the Commonwealth without
unnecessary delay or impediment. The agreements may
also allocate funding between the respective agencies
tasked with various responsibilities under this
section.
(6) Certain education funding.--In addition to fees
charged pursuant to section 286(m) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)) to recover the
full costs of providing adjudication services, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall charge an annual
supplemental fee of $150 per nonimmigrant worker to
each prospective employer who is issued a permit under
subsection (d) of this section during the transition
period. Such supplemental fee shall be paid into the
Treasury of the Commonwealth government for the purpose
of funding ongoing vocational educational curricula and
program development by Commonwealth educational
entities.
(7) Asylum.--Section 208 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158) shall not apply during
the transition period to persons physically present in
the Commonwealth or arriving in the Commonwealth
(whether or not at a designated port of arrival),
including persons brought to the Commonwealth after
having been interdicted in international or United
States waters.
(b) Numerical Limitations for Nonimmigrant Workers.--An
alien, if otherwise qualified, may seek admission to Guam or to
the Commonwealth during the transition program as a
nonimmigrant worker under section 101(a)(15)(H) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H))
without counting against the numerical limitations set forth in
section 214(g) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)). This subsection
does not apply to any employment to be performed outside of
Guam or the Commonwealth. Not later than 3 years following the
transition program effective date, the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall issue a report to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources and the Committee on the Judiciary of the
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee
on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives projecting the
number of asylum claims the Secretary anticipates following the
termination of the transition period, the efforts the Secretary
has made to ensure appropriate interdiction efforts, provide
for appropriate treatment of asylum seekers, and prepare to
accept and adjudicate asylum claims in the Commonwealth.
(c) Special Provision To Ensure Adequate Employment;
Commonwealth Only Transitional Workers.--An alien who is
seeking to enter the Commonwealth as a nonimmigrant worker may
be admitted to perform work during the transition period
subject to the following requirements:
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding the treaty
requirements in section 101(a)(15)(E) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(E)), during the transition period, the
Secretary of Homeland Security may, upon the
application of an alien, classify an alien as a CNMI-
only nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(E)(ii) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(E)(ii)) if the alien--
(A) has been admitted to the Commonwealth in
long-term investor status under the immigration
laws of the Commonwealth before the transition
program effective date;
(B) has continuously maintained residence in
the Commonwealth under long-term investor
status;
(C) is otherwise admissible; and
(D) maintains the investment or investments
that formed the basis for such long-term
investor status.
(2) Requirement for regulations.--Not later than 60
days before the transition program effective date, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall publish
regulations in the Federal Register to implement this
subsection.
(d) Special Provision To Ensure Adequate Employment;
Commonwealth Only Transitional Workers.--An alien who is
seeking to enter the Commonwealth as a nonimmigrant worker may
be admitted to perform work during the transition period
subject to the following requirements:
(1) Such an alien shall be treated as a nonimmigrant
described in section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)), including the
ability to apply, if otherwise eligible, for a change
of nonimmigrant classification under section 248 of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1258) or adjustment of status under
this section and section 245 of such Act (8 U.S.C.
1255).
(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
establish, administer, and enforce a system for
allocating and determining the number, terms, and
conditions of permits to be issued to prospective
employers for each such nonimmigrant worker described
in this subsection who would not otherwise be eligible
for admission under the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). In adopting and enforcing this
system, the Secretary shall also consider, in good
faith and not later than 30 days after receipt by the
Secretary, any comments and advice submitted by the
Governor of the Commonwealth. This system shall provide
for a reduction in the allocation of permits for such
workers on an annual basisto zero, during a period[ not
to extend beyond December 31, 2014, unless extended
pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection] December
31, 2019. In no event shall a permit be valid beyond
the expiration of the transition period. This system
may be based on any reasonable method and criteria
determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security to
promote the maximum use of, and to prevent adverse
effects on wages and working conditions of, workers
authorized to be employed in the United States,
including lawfully admissible freely associated state
citizen labor. No alien shall be granted nonimmigrant
classification or a visa under this subsection unless
the permit requirements established under this
paragraph have been met.
(3) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall set the
conditions for admission of such an alien under the
transition program, and the Secretary of State shall
authorize the issuance of nonimmigrant visas for such
an alien. Such a visa shall not be valid for admission
to the United States, as defined in section 101(a)(38)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(38)), except admission to the Commonwealth. An
alien admitted to the Commonwealth on the basis of such
a visa shall be permitted to engage in employment only
as authorized pursuant to the transition program.
(4) Such an alien shall be permitted to transfer
between employers in the Commonwealth during the period
of such alien's authorized stay therein, without
permission of the employee's current or prior employer,
within the alien's occupational category or another
occupational category the Secretary of Homeland
Security has found requires alien workers to supplement
the resident workforce.
[(5) (A) Not later than 180 days prior to the
expiration of the transition period, or any extension
thereof, the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with
the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of
Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the
Governor of the Commonwealth, shall ascertain the
current and anticipated labor needs of the Commonwealth
and determine whether an extension of up to 5 years of
the provisions of this subsection is necessary to
ensure an adequate number of workers will be available
for legitimate businesses in the Commonwealth. For the
purpose of this subparagraph, a business shall not be
considered legitimate if it engages directly or
indirectly in prostitution, trafficking in minors, or
any other activity that is illegal under Federal or
local law. The determinations of whether a business is
legitimate and to what extent, if any, it may require
alien workers to supplement the resident workforce,
shall be made by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
the Secretary's sole discretion.
[(B) If the Secretary of Labor determines
that such an extension is necessary to ensure
an adequate number of workers for legitimate
businesses in the Commonwealth, the Secretary
of Labor may, through notice published in the
Federal Register, provide for an additional
extension period of up to 5 years.
[(C) In making the determination of whether
alien workers are necessary to ensure an
adequate number of workers for legitimate
businesses in the Commonwealth, and if so, the
number of such workers that are necessary, the
Secretary of Labor may consider, among other
relevant factors--
[(i) government, industry, or
independent workforce studies reporting
on the need, or lack thereof, for alien
workers in the Commonwealth's
businesses;
[(ii) the unemployment rate of United
States citizen workers residing in the
Commonwealth;
[(iii) the unemployment rate of
aliens in the Commonwealth who have
been lawfully admitted for permanent
residence;
[(iv) the number of unemployed alien
workers in the Commonwealth;
[(v) any good faith efforts to
locate, educate, train, or otherwise
prepare United States citizen
residents, lawful permanent residents,
and unemployed alien workers already
within the Commonwealth, to assume
those jobs;
[(vi) any available evidence tending
to show that United States citizen
residents, lawful permanent residents,
and unemployed alien workers already in
the Commonwealth are not willing to
accept jobs of the type offered;
[(vii) the extent to which admittance
of alien workers will affect the
compensation, benefits, and living
standards of existing workers within
those industries and other industries
authorized to employ alien workers; and
[(viii) the prior use, if any, of
alien workers to fill those industry
jobs, and whether the industry requires
alien workers to fill those jobs.]
[(6)] (5) The Secretary of Homeland Security may
authorize the admission of a spouse or minor child
accompanying or following to join a worker admitted
pursuant to this subsection.
(e) Persons Lawfully Admitted Under the Commonwealth
Immigration Law.----
(1) Prohibition on removal.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B),
no alien who is lawfully present in the
Commonwealth pursuant to the immigration laws
of the Commonwealth on the transition program
effective date shall be removed from the United
States on the grounds that such alien's
presence in the Commonwealth is in violation of
section 212(a)(6)(A) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)), until
the earlier of the date--
(i) of the completion of the period
of the alien's admission under the
immigration laws of the Commonwealth;
or
(ii) that is 2 years after the
transition program effective date.
(B) Limitations.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to prevent or limit the
removal under subparagraph 212(a)(6)(A) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1182(a)(6)(A)) of such an alien at any time, if
the alien entered the Commonwealth after the
date of enactment of the Consolidated Natural
Resources Act of 2008, and the Secretary of
Homeland Security has determined that the
Government of the Commonwealth has violated
section 702(i) of the Consolidated Natural
Resources Act of 2008.
(2) Employment authorization.--An alien who is
lawfully present and authorized to be employed in the
Commonwealth pursuant to the immigration laws of the
Commonwealth on the transition program effective date
shall be considered authorized by the Secretary of
Homeland Security to be employed in the Commonwealth
until the earlier of the date--
(A) of expiration of the alien's employment
authorization under the immigration laws of the
Commonwealth; or
(B) that is 2 years after the transition
program effective date.
(3) Registration.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
may require any alien present in the Commonwealth on or
after the transition period effective date to register
with the Secretary in such a manner, and according to
such schedule, as he may in his discretion require.
Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall not
apply to any alien who fails to comply with such
registration requirement. Notwithstanding any other
law, the Government of the Commonwealth shall provide
to the Secretary all Commonwealth immigration records
or other information that the Secretary deems necessary
to assist the implementation of this paragraph or other
provisions of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of
2008. Nothing in this paragraph shall modify or limit
section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1302) or other provision of the Immigration and
Nationality Act relating to the registration of aliens.
(4) Removable aliens.--Except as specifically
provided in paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection,
nothing in this subsection shall prohibit or limit the
removal of any alien who is removable under the
Immigration and Nationality Act.
(5) Prior orders of removal.--The Secretary of
Homeland Security may execute any administratively
final order of exclusion, deportation or removal issued
under authority of the immigration laws of the United
States before, on, or after the transition period
effective date, or under authority of the immigration
laws of the Commonwealth before the transition period
effective date, upon any subject of such order found in
the Commonwealth on or after the transition period
effective date, regardless whether the alien has
previously been removed [ 122 STAT. 860 ] from the
United States or the Commonwealth pursuant to such
order.
(f) Effect on Other Laws.--The provisions of this section and
of the immigration laws, as defined in section 101(a)(17) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)),
shall, on the transition program effective date, supersede and
replace all laws, provisions, or programs of the Commonwealth
relating to the admission of aliens and the removal of aliens
from the Commonwealth.
(g) Accrual of Time for Purposes of Section 212(a)(9)(B) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act.--No time that an alien is
present in the Commonwealth in violation of the immigration
laws of the Commonwealth shall be counted for purposes of
inadmissibility under section 212(a)(9)(B) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)).
(h) Report on Nonresident Guestworker Population.--The
Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary
of Homeland Security, and the Governor of the Commonwealth,
shall report to the Congress not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of
2008. The report shall include--
(1) the number of aliens residing in the
Commonwealth;
(2) a description of the legal status (under Federal
law) of such aliens;
(3) the number of years each alien has been residing
in the Commonwealth;
(4) the current and future requirements of the
Commonwealth economy for an alien workforce; and
(5) such recommendations to the Congress, as the
Secretary may deem appropriate, related to whether or
not the Congress should consider permitting lawfully
admitted guest workers lawfully residing in the
Commonwealth on such enactment date to apply for long-
term status under the immigration and nationality laws
of the United States.
Letter Exchange
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, June 18, 2014.
Hon. Doc Hastings,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Hastings, I am writing with respect to H.R.
4296, to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to the Northern
Mariana Islands, which the Committee on Natural Resources
reported favorably on May 29, 2014. As a result of your having
consulted with us on provisions in H.R. 4296 that fall within
the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, I
agree to discharge our Committee from further consideration of
this bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House
floor for consideration.
The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4296 at
this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our
Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the
bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may
address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our Committee
also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving
this or similar legislation, and asks that you support any such
request.
I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 4296, and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the Congressional Record during Floor consideration
of H.R. 4296.
Sincerely,
Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman.
----------
House of Representatives,
Committee on Natural Resources,
Washington, DC, June 18, 2014.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 4296, to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to the
Northern Mariana Islands. As you know, the Committee on Natural
Resources ordered favorably reported the bill with an amendment
on May 29, 2014. I appreciate your support in bringing this
legislation before the House of Representatives, and
accordingly, understand that the Committee on the Judiciary
will forego action on the bill.
The Committee on Natural Resources concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4296 at
this time, the Committee on the Judiciary does not waive any
jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or
similar legislation. In addition, should a conference on the
bill be necessary, I would support your request to have the
Committee on the Judiciary represented on the conference
committee. Finally, I would be pleased to include your letter
and this response in the bill report filed by the Committee on
Natural Resources, as well as in the Congressional Record
during floor consideration, to memorialize our understanding.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Doc Hastings,
Chairman.
[all]