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.
“THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS COVENANT IMPLEMENTATION ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S485-S486 on Feb. 8, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS COVENANT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I rise to express my whole-hearted support for S. 1052, the Northern Mariana Islands Covenant Implementation Act, which the Senate considered and passed on Monday, and to recognize Senator Akaka, Energy Committee Chairman Murkowski, and Ranking Senator Bingaman for their determined efforts to shepard this bill through the Senate. During the recent recess, I had the opportunity to travel with Senator Akaka to South Asia. Once again, I was reminded why Senator Akaka is one of the most respected members of the Senate. As we met with leaders from India and Pakistan, Senator Akaka's humanitarian focus was evident time and again. Yesterday, Senator Akaka's concern for those without wealth and privilege was on display once more. I wish I could have been here, yesterday, to celebrate his legislative victory.
Senator Akaka's special interest in the welfare of the residents of the Northern Mariana Islands dates back to WW II when he served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and spent time on both Saipan and Tinian. In 1996, he and Senator Murkowski traveled to the Commonwealth to investigate reports of the horrible working conditions first hand. Senator Akaka returned with confirmation of those reports and worked quickly to introduce legislation, with Chairman Murkowski, to improve the often horrific conditions faced by alien workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Since then, Senator Akaka has come to the floor repeatedly to draw attention to this problem and he has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to build effective bipartisan support for this measure. Senator Akaka's dedication to this issue reminds us that our work here is not confined to the headline grabbing issues of the day but extends to the quiet pursuit of humane working conditions everywhere.
S. 1052 is a bill to amend the legislation enacted by Congress in 1976 through which the Northern Mariana Islands became a Commonwealth of the United States. This bill provides for a transition period during which the Commonwealth will be incorporated into our federal system of immigration laws. The 1976 covenant enacted by Congress extended U.S. citizenship to CNMI residents, but it exempted the Commonwealth from the Immigration and Nationality Act. Over the years it has become clear what a mistake that was.
Today the immigration situation in the Commonwealth contributes to some very grave social problems. Over the past twenty years, the number of citizens of the Commonwealth has doubled, while over that same period of time the number of alien workers has multiplied twenty-fold. This huge demographic change, and the absence of effective immigration control, has led to deplorable conditions for many of these alien workers.
Senator Akaka addressed the Senate in October to describe the tragic circumstances in which many alien workers are held as virtual prisoners and are not permitted to leave their barracks during non-working hours. He reported that the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division had obtained criminal convictions of defendants who had forced alien women into prostitution and held them in what has been described as ``modern day slavery.'' I was personally moved by his report. This bill will immediately help to change the circumstances that contribute to these terrible conditions while at the same time minimizing any negative effect on the Commonwealth's legitimate businesses in the local tourism industry. In fact, the bill calls for the Secretary of Commerce to provide the kind of technical assistance that will help to encourage the growth and diversification of the local economy and promote the Northern Mariana Islands as a tourist destination.
This is a first step toward ensuring that every man and woman who works under the U.S. flag works in conditions we can all be proud of. As Senator Akaka knows, we should do more. We should also guarantee the minimum wage for workers in the Commonwealth, and if the Democratic minimum wage proposal is passed, we will do just that. But we should not let what we know to be the best solution forestall our resolve to implement a good solution, and so I am very proud that the Senate passed this much needed legislation and I thank Senators Akaka, Murkowski and Bingaman for their fine work in this important endeavor.
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