The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ECONOMIC EXPANSION ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H710-H712 on Jan. 30, 2017.
The Department provides billions in unemployment insurance, which peaked around 2011 though spending had declined before the pandemic. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, claimed the Department funds "ineffective and duplicative services" and overregulates the workplace.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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.
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 maintence. 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 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.
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