by Sabrina Salas MatananeKUAM News
Thursday, November 08, 2007
The House Committee on Natural Resources passed HR-3079 today, approving the Northern Mariana Island Immigration, Security and Labor Act. The measure will be reported out to the full House of Representatives for debate and voting. Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo says the bill would apply federal immigration laws to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and would provide for a delegate to Congress to represent the CNMI.
The measure with its final amendments passed unanimously today also contains several provisions for Guam that include the establishment of a unified regional visa waiver program for Guam and the CNMI, authorizing tourists to stay for forty-five days. Said Bordallo in a press release, "The amended bill and this is very important, [it] would also exempt Guam and the CNMI from the national numerical limitations or caps in current law affecting the total number of H-2 temporary worker visas that could be issued. The current national cap has been fully met over the past several years. The exemption for Guam and the CNMI will help our community meet the construction demands associated with economic growth and the planned military buildup."
The congresswoman thinks the measure has a good future when it reaches the full House, but when it will be voted on remains unclear.
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