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.
“COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1877 on Sept. 26, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
______
speech of
HON. RALPH M. HALL
of texas
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 24, 1997
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, while the gentleman from California
[Mr. Miller] and I seldom agree on issues, we are apparently in agreement that more resources and effort must be committed to law enforcement in The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is my strong recommendation that additional funds be transferred to the appropriate category for use in adding an additional Assistant U.S. Attorney to be stationed in the NMI. It is the obligation of the Federal Government to ensure that Federal laws are enforced in the Commonwealth. The addition of an Assistant U.S. Attorney will provide needed support to enforce Federal criminal law. I hope the Chairman
[Mr. Rogers] will include language in the managers statement to this affect.
In a report prepared under Mr. Miller's supervision and published in April of this year by the minority staff of the House Resources Committee, it is alleged that in the past 5 years there are 27 documented examples of failure to prosecute violations in the CNMI. Of these, 21 were either in the exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Attorney's Office or other U.S. Departments. Only six were within the exclusive jurisdiction of the CNMI. Mr. Miller's report was a scathing denunciation of the CNMI but contained no similar rebuke of the Federal agencies who had jurisdiction over the majority of abuses he cites. I am pleased to see his recognition of the need for Federal attention to Federal problems in the CNMI.
While this may be a proper forum to take this first small step, it is not the forum to address the larger questions of Federal responsibility in the CNMI. The committee of jurisdiction is the Resources Committee. It is my understanding that my good friend from Alaska, Mr. Young, chairman of the Resources Committee, will lead a delegation to that area in January. I strongly suggest that the gentleman from California, who is the ranking member of that Committee join the chairman on that trip. Hopefully, he will be persuaded--as I was after my visit there--
that while there are some problems in that area--which voluntarily became a part of America 21 years ago--those problems are not insurmountable. I believe this cooperation will yield much more readily to reasoned solutions than the impassioned rhetoric heard on the House floor.
____________________
