Chairman. for those kind remarks. And I am pleased to rise in support of S. 2739. which includes two bills that I sponsored. H.R. 3079. the CNMI Immigration. Security. and Labor Act (ISLA). which also includes the NMI Delegate Act. and H.R. 2705. the Compacts of Free Association Amendments Act of 2007. Both were unanimously passed by this Chamber this year. ISLA resolves two issues which have been before this Congress for decades. First. it would extend U.S. immigration laws to the CNMI. And second. it would authorize a CNMI nonvoting delegate to serve in this body beginning in the 111th Congress. For two decades. the CNMI has had local control over immigration policy. and it has never been represented in this Chamber. For those unheard voices. for the prosperity of those Islands. and for the security of our Nation. the path should now lead in a different direction. ISLA provides the needed policy flexibility to transition immigration from local to Federal control. It ensures that employers can fill jobs. residents receive vocational training. nonresident guest workers be protected. the regions economy be diversified. and the Marianas archipelago be strategically secure. H.R. 2705 makes technical corrections to the Compact Agreements of 2003 and ushers in a new disaster assistance regime between FEMA and USAID for the FAS.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration