{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"MP\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://sablan.house.gov/120-million-marianas-medicaid", "$120 million for Marianas Medicaid", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$120 million for Marianas Medicaid                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Marianas Medicaid funding increases from $7 million to $60 million both this year and next. The House passed the necessary legislation Tuesday. The Senate followed Thursday. In addition, the local match the Commonwealth will pay is reduced from 45 to 17 percent, a better local rate than any U.S. state. This congressional action avoids a funding cliff, as special Obamacare grants to the insular areas ended this year. To keep the Marianas program solvent I lobbied the Department of Health and Human Services for an $8.2 million supplemental award in May and added $36 million to the disaster spending bill in June. And I spoke personally to Speaker Nancy Pelosi to get us into this week's bill. All of the U.S. insular areas received new funding. But the Marianas got the largest percentage increase.\nThe $120 million is good news for the 15,000 plus people in the Marianas who have Medicaid. Their health insurance will continue; and the services they receive can now be more like other Americans'. This is also good news for everyone who uses the Commonwealth Healthcare Center, which could close without the 44 percent of its revenue that comes from Medicaid. And it's good news for private health care providers in the Marianas, who in June were barred from serving Medicaid patients. With $60 million now available, I urge the Governor to allow our Medicaid patients to use private practice clinics and pharmacies again. That will make those businesses more economically viable and strengthen the entire health care system in our islands.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/12m-legal-services-recovery-aid", "$1.2M: Legal Services recovery aid", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$1.2M: Legal Services recovery aid                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Micronesian Legal Services is key to the recovery effort. So, making sure their work was eligible for federal assistance was one of my specific goals in June's Disaster Relief Act. The national Legal Services Corporation announced a grant of $1.2 million to its Micronesian affiliate from the money Congress appropriated. MLS will use the funds to provide direct legal services, guiding clients through the intricacies of federal aid programs, helping landowners with title issues necessary to claim assistance, and working to make sure that contractors perform repair and rebuilding services as agreed. We are grateful to Congress for providing funds to ensure that low-income disaster survivors get the help they need in the aftermath of a disaster, Legal Services President James J. Sandman said in announcing the award to MLS and 11 other recipients nationwide. I will add that we are all grateful to the people of MLS. As was the case for so many recovery workers, they were helping others after the typhoons, while repairing their own homes and lives and recovering from the damage to their offices. Congratulations, Micronesian Legal Services. And thank you for the work youdo.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/2m-track-disaster-funding", "$2m to track disaster funding", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$2m to track disaster funding                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Commonwealth government is receiving $2 million to better account for and report on the hundreds of millions in federal disaster funding assistance received as a result of Super Typhoon Yutu, the Office of Insular Affairs announced. I included the $2 million, specifically for Yutu recovery, in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, Public Law 116-20 enacted in June. The funds could be particularly helpful in meeting the financial management certification requirements of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program. A website will also be created so the public can see exactly how the recovery funds are being used.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/3000-cws-recovery-work", "3,000 CWs for recovery work", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "3,000 CWs for recovery work                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Three thousand more CW permits will be available for typhoon recovery work this year and in 2021 and 2022. My bill, the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, was accepted as a rider to the fiscal 2020 appropriations bill that Congress passed and the President has said he will sign into law. With $244 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery monies now allocated for the Marianas, as well as the $56 million for solid waste, $10.2 million for sewer and water infrastructure, and Economic Development Administration grants to rebuild schools, homes, and our economy that I made available for the Marianas in this June's disaster relief law, the last thing we want is any delay caused by a lack of workers. Enactment of the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act ensures that will not be a problem. And all the protections for U.S. workers that we wrote into the U.S. Workforce Act last yearfrom being passed over for jobs to having their wages reduced by competition from foreign workerswill apply to the new disaster recovery workers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/31m-rebuild-pss-nmc", "$31m to rebuild PSS, NMC", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$31m to rebuild PSS, NMC                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The U.S. Department of Education announced that the CNMI Public School System and Northern Marianas College are receiving $9.3 million and $21.9 million respectively from funds appropriated by Congress in Public Law 116-20. The PSS grant helps cover the costs of restarting school operations and provide monetary incentives to recruit and retain teachers impacted by Super Typhoon Yutu. The Emergency Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education grant will help NMC reconstruct damaged facilities. It is critical that schools receive disaster recovery assistance without delay which is why I held a hearing as Chair of the K-12 Education Subcommittee in June just days after Congress approved Marianas disaster funds so Department officials could hear directly from then-PSS Commissioner Glenn Muna on our students' needs. On August 29, 2019, the Department awarded PSS $4 million of the $9.3 million grant to address immediate recovery.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/327k-jsa-students", "$327k for JSA students", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$327k for JSA students                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Junior State of America Foundation has been awarded $327,022.50 in FY 2020 Technical Assistance Program funding, the Office of Insular Affairs. The grant funds will be used to help island students attend three-week summer school leadership programs at Stanford or Georgetown Universities or the Diplomat Program in Shanghai. Funding will also go to JSA's one-week Academic Preparation & Community Project Boot Camp in the insular areas. Congress appropriated $20.8 million for OIA's Technical Assistance Program this year, holding funding steady to provide grants for short-term, non-capital projects that foster development in the insular areas. The administration recommended cutting the program by $6.185 million.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/climate-crisis-bill-cuts-pollution", "Climate crisis bill cuts pollution", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Climate crisis bill cuts pollution                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Together with Chair Ral Grijalva and other leaders of the House Natural Resources Committee I have introduced a bill to halt federal activities that fuel the climate crisis. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, climate-harming pollution from fossil fuel development on public lands and waters account for nearly a quarter of the U.S. total. The goal of our American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act is to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and waters by 2040. One way to do that is to charge for fossil fuels from public lands and to use the money to help workers and communities transition away from polluting energy sources. As Chair Grijalva said, Our public lands and waters should be managed for the public's benefit, not for the benefit of oil, gas and coal corporations. I thank the Chair for his leadership. Island communities, like the Marianas, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and are often the first to face its damaging consequences. I look forward to the day our federal public lands are no longer a major source of harmful carbon gas pollution.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/cutting-electricity-costs", "Cutting electricity costs", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cutting electricity costs                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Lowering the cost of electricity is a long-standing goal of your congressional officeespecially if we can, at the same time, lower greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the earth and the oceans. So, I have led an effort by insular representatives to get more money for the energy action plans mandated in Section 9 of Public Law 113-235and we were successful. The largest single increase in the Interior Department's Office of Insular Affairs appropriation this year is for implementation of the law. $6.25 million must be used to create a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to write an energy plan for each insular area and to help put the plans in action. The goal is to reduce reliance on expensive imported fuel, replacing it with local energy sources, and to improve the efficiency of island power systems. The plans are to include a specific timetable and lay out how the changes can be financed. And every year Interior is supposed to report to Congress on whether progress is occurring. None of this has ever happened. Now is the time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/fema-reports-yutu-recovery", "FEMA reports on Yutu recovery", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FEMA reports on Yutu recovery                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    FEMA Regional Administrator Bob Fenton briefed me, Friday, on the recovery effort in the Marianas, one year after Super Typhoon Yutu. He congratulated me on passage of the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act; and we discussed how the 3,000 new workers could speed up the Permanent House Construction program. We both agreed that we would encourage typhoon survivors to stick with the program. Over 800 workers were originally found eligible. Half have dropped out, but could come back into the program. The Permanent Housing program homes being constructed at no cost to survivors are worth over $200,000 and built to last for generations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/keeping-tabs-244m-cdbg-dr", "Keeping tabs on $244M CDBG-DR", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Keeping tabs on $244M CDBG-DR                                           \n              Dec 23, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The $244 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief funding we got in the June'sDisaster Relief Actis the largest federal grant ever to the Marianas. So, making sure the money reaches our islands quickly and is used as it should be has been a priority ever since. Your congressional office met with Housing and Urban Development Department officials on June 6, the day the law was signed, and encouraged close cooperation with the Commonwealth government. A HUD team went to the Marianas later that month to get local officials up to speed. On Friday, I met with HUD for an update. CDBG-DR funds have been slow to get to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, struck by hurricanes in 2017. The Commonwealth can learn from the experience of those islands.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/more-funding-marianas", "More funding for the Marianas", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This week's FY20 appropriation contains funding for many programs the people of the Marianas rely on. H.R. 1865 includes:\n $2.77 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the 2019 level  $7.3 million for the Northern Marianas\n $75 million for the Air Force divert field project in Tinian\n $25 million  airfield development phase 1\n $25 million  fuel tanks with pipeline and hydrant system\n $25 million  parking apron\n $100 million increase in both the Community Development Block Grant funding and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, providing an additional $63,517 for the Marianas\n $1.5 million for Territorial Highway projects administered by the Federal Highway Administration\n $2.5 billion for Community Health Centers through May 22, 2020\n $200 million for the National Health Service Corps and $81 million for Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education through May 22, 2020, two programs that train clinicians to serve in medically-underserved areas.\n $12.1 million for the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program\n $450 million increase in Title I-A Grant funding for schools, providing an additional $333K for the Marianas.\n $400 million increase for IDEA Special Education Grants, providing an additional $161K for the Marianas.\n $150 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award, to a record level of $6,345 per student.\n $550 million increase for Head Start, which provides early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children nationwide including Saipan, Tinian and Rota.\nLegislation I cosponsored providing a seven-year extension of funding for Brand USA which promotes the United States including the Marianas to visitor markets around the world. Earlier this month, I worked with Brand USA to update its Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other foreign language websites, to include information on the Marianas Visa Waiver Program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-20-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 20, 2019", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n  $120m for Marianas Medicaid \n  3,000 CWs for recovery work \n  FEMA reports on Yutu recovery \n  $31m to rebuild PSS, NMC \n  $1.2m: Legal Services recovery aid \n  Keeping tabs on $244M CDBG-DR \n  $2m to track disaster funding \n  NMC funding made permanent \n  Climate crisis bill cuts pollution \n  Cutting electricity costs \n  More funding for the Marianas \n  $327k for JSA students \n  More money for vets cemeteries \n  Ensuring ballot access for all \n  Kilili Time Capsule \n  Opportunities \n___________________________________\n$120 million for Marianas Medicaid\nMarianas Medicaid funding increases from $7 million to $60 million both this year and next. The House passed the necessary legislation Tuesday. The Senate followed Thursday. In addition, the local match the Commonwealth will pay is reduced from 45 to 17 percent, a better local rate than any U.S. state. This congressional action avoids a funding cliff, as special Obamacare grants to the insular areas ended this year. To keep the Marianas program solvent I lobbied the Department of Health and Human Services for an $8.2 million supplemental award in May and added $36 million to the disaster spending bill in June. And I spoke personally to Speaker Nancy Pelosi to get us into this week's bill. All of the U.S. insular areas received new funding. But the Marianas got the largest percentage increase.\nThe $120 million is good news for the 15,000 plus people in the Marianas who have Medicaid. Their health insurance will continue; and the services they receive can now be more like other Americans'. This is also good news for everyone who uses the Commonwealth Healthcare Center, which could close without the 44 percent of its revenue that comes from Medicaid. And it's good news for private health care providers in the Marianas, who in June were barred from serving Medicaid patients. With $60 million now available, I urge the Governor to allow our Medicaid patients to use private practice clinics and pharmacies again. That will make those businesses more economically viable and strengthen the entire health care system in our islands.\n 3,000 CWs for recovery work \nThree thousand more CW permits will be available for typhoon recovery work this year and in 2021 and 2022. My bill, the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, was accepted as a rider to the fiscal 2020 appropriations bill that Congress passed this week and the President has said he will sign into law. With $244 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery monies now allocated for the Marianas, as well as the $56 million for solid waste, $10.2 million for sewer and water infrastructure, and Economic Development Administration grants to rebuild schools, homes, and our economy that I made available for the Marianas in this June's disaster relief law, the last thing we want is any delay caused by a lack of workers. Enactment of the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act ensures that will not be a problem. And all the protections for U.S. workers that we wrote into the U.S. Workforce Act last yearfrom being passed over for jobs to having their wages reduced by competition from foreign workerswill apply to the new disaster recovery workers.\n $31m to rebuild PSS, NMC \nThe U.S. Department of Education announced on Thursday the CNMI Public School System and Northern Marianas College are receiving $9.3 million and $21.9 million respectively from funds appropriated by Congress in Public Law 116-20. The PSS grant helps cover the costs of restarting school operations and provide monetary incentives to recruit and retain teachers impacted by Super Typhoon Yutu. The Emergency Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education grant will help NMC reconstruct damaged facilities. It is critical that schools receive disaster recovery assistance without delay which is why I held a hearing as Chair of the K-12 Education Subcommittee in June just days after Congress approved Marianas disaster funds so Department officials could hear directly from then-PSS Commissioner Glenn Muna on our students' needs. On August 29, 2019, the Department awarded PSS $4 million of the $9.3 million grant to address immediate recovery.\n $1.2M: Legal Services recovery aid \nMicronesian Legal Services is key to the recovery effort. So, making sure their work was eligible for federal assistance was one of my specific goals in June's Disaster Relief Act. This week the national Legal Services Corporation announced a grant of $1.2 million to its Micronesian affiliate from the money Congress appropriated. MLS will use the funds to provide direct legal services, guiding clients through the intricacies of federal aid programs, helping landowners with title issues necessary to claim assistance, and working to make sure that contractors perform repair and rebuilding services as agreed. We are grateful to Congress for providing funds to ensure that low-income disaster survivors get the help they need in the aftermath of a disaster, Legal Services President James J. Sandman said in announcing the award to MLS and 11 other recipients nationwide. I will add that we are all grateful to the people of MLS. As was the case for so many recovery workers, they were helping others after the typhoons, while repairing their own homes and lives and recovering from the damage to their offices. Congratulations, Micronesian Legal Services. And thank you for the work youdo.\n $2m to track disaster funding \nThe Commonwealth government is receiving $2 million to better account for and report on the hundreds of millions in federal disaster funding assistance received as a result of Super Typhoon Yutu, the Office of Insular Affairs announced Thursday. I included the $2 million, specifically for Yutu recovery, in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, Public Law 116-20 enacted in June. The funds could be particularly helpful in meeting the financial management certification requirements of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program. A website will also be created so the public can see exactly how the recovery funds are being used.\n Climate crisis bill cuts pollution \nTogether with Chair Ral Grijalva and other leaders of the House Natural Resources Committee I have introduced a bill to halt federal activities that fuel the climate crisis. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, climate-harming pollution from fossil fuel development on public lands and waters account for nearly a quarter of the U.S. total. The goal of our American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act is to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and waters by 2040. One way to do that is to charge for fossil fuels from public lands and to use the money to help workers and communities transition away from polluting energy sources. As Chair Grijalva said, Our public lands and waters should be managed for the public's benefit, not for the benefit of oil, gas and coal corporations. I thank the Chair for his leadership. Island communities, like the Marianas, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and are often the first to face its damaging consequences. I look forward to the day our federal public lands are no longer a major source of harmful carbon gas pollution.\n Cutting electricity costs \nLowering the cost of electricity is a long-standing goal of your congressional officeespecially if we can, at the same time, lower greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the earth and the oceans. So, I have led an effort by insular representatives to get more money for the energy action plans mandated in Section 9 of Public Law 113-235and we were successful. The largest single increase in the Interior Department's Office of Insular Affairs appropriation this year is for implementation of the law. $6.25 million must be used to create a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to write an energy plan for each insular area and to help put the plans in action. The goal is to reduce reliance on expensive imported fuel, replacing it with local energy sources, and to improve the efficiency of island power systems. The plans are to include a specific timetable and lay out how the changes can be financed. And every year Interior is supposed to report to Congress on whether progress is occurring. None of this has ever happened. Now is the time.\n More funding for the Marianas \nThis week's FY20 appropriation contains funding for many programs the people of the Marianas rely on. H.R. 1865 includes:\n $2.77 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the 2019 level  $7.3 million for the Northern Marianas\n $75 million for the Air Force divert field project in Tinian\n $25 million  airfield development phase 1\n $25 million  fuel tanks with pipeline and hydrant system\n $25 million  parking apron\n $100 million increase in both the Community Development Block Grant funding and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, providing an additional $63,517 for the Marianas\n $1.5 million for Territorial Highway projects administered by the Federal Highway Administration\n $2.5 billion for Community Health Centers through May 22, 2020\n $200 million for the National Health Service Corps and $81 million for Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education through May 22, 2020, two programs that train clinicians to serve in medically-underserved areas.\n $12.1 million for the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program\n $450 million increase in Title I-A Grant funding for schools, providing an additional $333K for the Marianas.\n $400 million increase for IDEA Special Education Grants, providing an additional $161K for the Marianas.\n $150 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award, to a record level of $6,345 per student.\n $550 million increase for Head Start, which provides early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children nationwide including Saipan, Tinian and Rota.\nLegislation I cosponsored providing a seven-year extension of funding for Brand USA which promotes the United States including the Marianas to visitor markets around the world. Earlier this month, I worked with Brand USA to update its Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other foreign language websites, to include information on the Marianas Visa Waiver Program.\n $327k for JSA students \nThe Junior State of America Foundation has been awarded $327,022.50 in FY 2020 Technical Assistance Program funding, the Office of Insular Affairs announced Thursday. The grant funds will be used to help island students attend three-week summer school leadership programs at Stanford or Georgetown Universities or the Diplomat Program in Shanghai. Funding will also go to JSA's one-week Academic Preparation & Community Project Boot Camp in the insular areas. Congress appropriated $20.8 million for OIA's Technical Assistance Program this year, holding funding steady to provide grants for short-term, non-capital projects that foster development in the insular areas. The administration recommended cutting the program by $6.185 million.\n More money for vets cemeteries \nLocally-run veterans cemeteries will be eligible for up to $10 million per year to cover operations and maintenance under terms of the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, which I introduced on Wednesday. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased costs. H.R. 5487 doubles the current grant limit of $5 million. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisconsin) joined me as an original cosponsor. The sacrifices our veterans and service members make can never be taken for granted, Steil said. Federal grants under this bill can be used to expand operations and restore infrastructure at veteran cemeteries, like the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove. Our bill increases access to grant dollars at veteran cemeteries to honor American heroes for generations to come. The Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act will help Steil's veterans cemetery, as well as ours in Marpi. Both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion support H.R. 5487.\n Ensuring ballot access for all \nVoters with poor eyesight, limited mobility, or other barriers to casting their ballot will be helped by the PAVA Inclusion Act. I joined Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) this week introducing the bill, which adds the Marianas and the American Indian Consortium to entities eligible for grants under the Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access program. PAVA supports training for poll workers, distributing resources on how to conduct an accessible campaign, maintaining voting hotlines, and examining polling places for accessibility. The right to vote is one of the most important rights we have as American citizens. Everyone should be able to cast their ballot. Thank you, Rep. Gallego.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nScholarships/Fellowships\n President Harry S. Truman Scholarship (Due 2/24/20)\n Senator Barry Goldwater Scholarship (Due 1/31/20)\n President James Madison Fellowship (Due 3/1/20)\n Pacific Territory Fishery Capacity-Building\n APAICS Congressional Fellowship\nGrants\n Conservation Collaboration grants\n ReConnect Pilot Program\nJobs\n Supervisory Transportation Security Officer\n CBP Technician\n Mission Support Specialist\nPublic Comments\n Survival of Endangered Species\n Tax Form 5074\n Environmental Quality Incentives Program\n SSA/DHS Matching Program\n Water Carrier Tariffs\n Fishery for Bigeye Tuna\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHIS WEEK\n H.R. 4183 - Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act (passed 408-1)\n H.R. 2548 - Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act (passed, 409-7)\n H.R. 4229 - Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (passed by voice vote)\n H. Res. 755 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors (passed, 229-198, 1 present)\n H.R. 5430 - United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (passed, 385-41)\nNEXT WEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-120m-marianas-medicaid", "Kilili: $120M for Marianas Medicaid", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kilili: $120M for Marianas Medicaid\nFederal share jumps from 55 to 83 percent\nWASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today that Medicaid funding for the Marianas will increase to $60 million both this year and next. Currently, the Marianas is getting $6.9 million. In addition, the federal share for Medicaid will go from 55 percent to 83 percent, a better federal/local contribution rate than for any U.S. state.\nThis is good news for the 15,000 plus people in the Marianas who have Medicaid for their health insurance, Congressman Sablan said. They will not only continue to receive care, but they should also be able to receive an expanded range of services with all of this extra money that we are making available.\nThis is good news for everyone who uses the Commonwealth Healthcare Center, which would not be able to stay open without Medicaid to pay the bills. Last month, CHCC reported that 44 percent of its revenue was from Medicaid.\nIt is also good news for private health care providers in the Marianas, who have not been able to serve Medicaid patients since June 1st of this year, Congressman Kilili said.\nI urge the Governor to now allow those private practice clinics and pharmacies to begin taking Medicaid patients again. That will make those private businesses more economically viable and strengthen the entire health care system in our islands.\nSablan has been working for years to prepare for the day when the $109 million in extra Medicaid money he got for Marianas Medicaid in the 2010 Affordable Care Act would be gone. This year, the final year of ACA funding, the Congressman used his powers as Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee to bring Medicaid directors from the five insular areas to Congress for a hearing on the funding cliff they all faced.\nHe also successfully added a $36 million amendment for Marianas Medicaid to the disaster aid bill passed in June. That money paid outstanding bills owed to over thirty health care providers in the Marianas, including $19 million to the hospital.\nAnd he lobbied the Department of Health and Human Services for more funding, which resulted in May in a reconciliation of previous years' grants and a supplemental award for the Marianas, totaling $8.2 million.\nSablan's hearing in May encouraged the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid, to hold its own hearing in June. And that was quickly followed in July with a bipartisan agreement by the Committee to increase Medicaid for all the insular areas and lower the percentage that insular governments would have to match against the federal dollars.\nSablan continued to lead the effort to fix the Medicaid problem for the insular areas with a letter from all the insular area representatives to House leaders last week and by speaking personally to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the dire circumstances that the Marianas faced.\nSablan's goal was to include funding for insular Medicaid, as the House, Senate, and White House negotiated a fiscal year 2020 spending deal in these final days of the year.\nThe effort proved successful. Text of the spending deal was released today after a weekend of drafting activity. The House is expected to vote to pass FY20 appropriations, including the money for Marianas Medicaid on Wednesday.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-adds-3000-workers-disaster-recovery-year-end-spending-bill", "Kilili adds 3,000 workers for disaster recovery to year-end spending bill", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kilili adds 3,000 workers for disaster recovery to year-end spending bill\nWASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has included in the 2020 federal spending bill his legislation, making 3,000 more CW workers available for typhoon recovery work and to prepare for future storms in the Marianas. H.R. 4479, the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, was added in full during last-minute negotiations over the weekend. The House and Senate will vote on the spending bill this week, sending it to the President for signature into law.\nWith $244 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery monies now available, as well as Economic Development Administration grants for rebuilding our schools and programs like FEMA's Permanent House Construction all teed up, the last thing we want is any delay caused by a lack of workers, Sablan said.\nWe worked very hard this year for those disaster recovery funds and now, getting the labor needed to put that money to work, should mean the Commonwealth government and private individuals and businesses in the Marianas have everything we need to finish rebuilding from Mangkhut and Yutu.\nSablan's Disaster Recovery Workforce Act provides the 3,000 new CW permits this year and in 2021 and 2022. The CW permits may only be issued for construction work related to recovery from a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency, such as Typhoon Mangkhut or Super Typhoon Yutu, or to prepare for a future disaster or emergency.\nAll the protections for U.S. workers that Sablan wrote into his U.S. Workforce Act last yearfrom being passed over for jobs or from having their wages reduced by competition from foreign workerswill apply to the new disaster recovery workers.\nThe workers can be recruited from any country on the Department of Homeland Security's approved list for 2018, which includes the Philippines.\nSablan introduced the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act in September, after it became apparent that a lack of construction workers was slowing recovery. Both the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands made a case for the extra workforce and supported Sablan's bill.\nSablan pushed the bill through the House Natural Resources Committee earlier this month with bipartisan agreement. He secured a waiver of jurisdiction from the House Judiciary Committee for his bill ten days ago and has been pushing for inclusion as a rider in the FY20 appropriation ever since.\nFEMA officials, who broke ground on the first house in their Permanent Housing Construction program in September, noted that a lack of workers was a constraint. FEMA had briefed Sablan six months earlier of their plans to start the program and build brand-new, concrete houses for as many as 500 families. Some families have dropped off the waiting list because of the delay in starting the program.\nNow that a lack of workers should not be a problem, I want to see FEMA speed things up. People need to get out of the tents and into real houses that can withstand any future storms, Sablan said. The Disaster Recovery Workforce Act makes that possible.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/2020-defense-bill-benefits-marianas", "2020 Defense bill benefits Marianas", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The conference report to accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 passed the House Wednesday with several provisions beneficial to the Northern Marianas. These include:\n $45 million authorized for Air Force divert field projects on Tinian. The funding is part of a larger authorization of $316 million that will be used over several years  $109 million for a parking apron, $98 million for phase one of the airfield development, and $109 million for fuel tanks with a pipeline/hydrant system. The Armed Services Committees believe the Air Force can spend $45 million on the projects in FY2020.\n An amendment that I offered in the House NDAA allowing students in associate degree programs to apply for a new technology and national security fellowship. The paid fellowships will place college STEM students in Defense or congressional offices.\n Language I cosponsored in H.R. 3428, extending to the Marianas a provision now in law that lets federal agencies double the value of a contract awarded to a Puerto Rico business for purposes of small business contracting goals.\n 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all federal employees in the case of birth, adoption, or fostering.\nI also successfully blocked language in the House-passed bill that only allowed American-owned or -operated companies with a national security waiver to be awarded telecommunications contracts for Defense facilities in the Pacific territories. The provision would have placed well-established, reputable businesses in the U.S. Pacific territories at an unfair disadvantage and stifle competition for DoD telecommunications services and equipment contracts across the Pacific, I told the Armed Services Committees in an August 29 letter. The unnecessarily restrictive language was removed from the conferenced bill. The $738 billion Defense bill also increases pay for service members by 3.1 percent and improves housing and other contributors to quality of life at military bases around the world. The NDAA conference report now heads to the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/2m-more-tinian-recovery-13m-more-ports-authority", "$2M more for Tinian recovery; $1.3M more for Ports Authority", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$2M more for Tinian recovery; $1.3M more for Ports Authority                                           \n              Dec 16, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The Federal Emergency Management Agency has obligated another $3,224,339.69 to the Commonwealth government. According to information provided to the congressional office, $1,969,644.60 is to be used to replace the Tinian Public Market, damaged in Super Typhoon Yutu. FEMA obligates the money to the Commonwealth, which, upon receipt of appropriate documentation, is responsible for reimbursing the Tinian Mayor's Office for the reconstruction costs. Another $1,254,695.09 is for emergency protective measures taken by the Commonwealth Ports Authority to prevent storm damage. The Tinian funds are a 90 percent reimbursement of costs. CPA's are 100 percent. Together, these obligations bring total FEMA funding reported to the congressional office to almost $142 million (see chart above).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/beware-social-security-scam", "Beware of Social Security scam", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Beware of Social Security scam                                           \n              Dec 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Beware of fake Social Security calls. The Social Security Administration warns that phone scams are on the rise. Scammers are pretending to call from Social Security in an attempt to trick you into giving them your personal information and money. In some cases, the caller ID may even look like it is coming from an official government number. They may ask you to give them personal information or even tell you to pay a fine in order to avoid arrest. Do not be fooled. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, please do not give them any personal information or money. Instead, hang up immediately and report the scam to the Social Security's law enforcement team at https://oig.ssa.gov/. Be vigilant and share these additional tips with your family and friends.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/indigenous-languages-supported", "Indigenous languages supported", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Funding that supports Chamorro and Refaluwasch language immersion classes at PSS is extended in legislation the House cleared for the President's signature. S. 256 includes the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act, which I cosponsored. The Act authorizes $13 million each year for indigenous language education programs nationwide, including in the Marianas, and lengthens grant awards from three to five years. Currently, PSS is working under a three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans awarded in 2016. The grant called for at least 500 hours of instruction for 50 Chamorro and Carolinian students, so they could engage in conversation and better understand their cultures.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/insular-reps-fight-medicaid", "Insular reps fight for Medicaid", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Insular reps fight for Medicaid                                           \n              Dec 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The Marianas Medicaid program has run out of federal funds as of this month. And other insular areas are no better off. But we continue to negotiate a deal. All the insular representatives signed off on my letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy this week, reiterating the Medicaid predicament in our areas and the need for a fix. There does seem to be movement towards agreement. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) put forth a proposal last Friday similar to, but less long-term than, the bipartisan REACH Act the House Energy and Commerce Committee already agreed in July. The solution is not cheap. But without more Medicaid funding for the insular areas, lives could be lost.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/looking-out-american-workers", "Looking out for American workers", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Looking out for American workers                                           \n              Dec 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    When it comes to workers who depend on tips, the Marianas has stronger legal protections than many states where employers can pay their tipped workers less than the minimum wage. Based on that Marianas standard, I sent a formal objection to a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Labor that would allow employers in those states to pay subminimum wage even when workers were not earning tips. Our Commonwealth law protects Marianas workers from this abuse, but I, as a member of the Education and Labor Committee, I have a responsibility to think about workers everywhere in America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/lower-drug-prices-all", "Lower drug prices for all", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Lower drug prices for all                                           \n              Dec 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Democrats followed through on our pledge to pass legislation lowering drug prices. The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate each year what the federal government pays for up to 250 of the most expensive drugs, including insulin products. Current law bars negotiating for cheaper prices. Giving the federal government this new market power will drive down costs for everyone who buys these drugs. And the Cummings Act invests the significant savings to the federal government by giving Medicare patients2,538 in the Marianasaccess to dental, vision, and hearing benefits for the first time. The 370 people in the Marianas who are enrolled in the Medicare drug benefit, Part D, would have their annual out-of-pocket cost lowered to $2,000, and pay nothing thereafter. And the 568 enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid would have their Part D premium lowered. The savings would also be used to increase access to the popular and effective Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. More than 293 people in 147 Marianas households are in the program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/project-proa-funding-permanent", "Project PROA funding permanent", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Project PROA funding permanent                                           \n              Dec 16, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The funding source for Project PROA, which offers Marianas high school juniors and seniors and first-year NMC students free tutoring, mentoring, counseling, and access to a computer center, becomes permanent under legislation the House and Senate passed. The President must now sign H.R. 5363 into law. The FUTURE Act, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act, makes $225 million available each year for Minority-Serving Institutions. Northern Marianas College uses its share of the money for Project PROA, incorporating elements of Chamorro and Refaluwasch culture, and improving student success rates. H.R. 5363 also increases funding for Pell Grants by $50 million over the next two years to ensure there is enough money for all qualified students. I cosponsored the FUTURE Act as H.R. 2486, which the House had to replace with H.R. 5363 this week for parliamentary reasons, after the Senate added language.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-13-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 13, 2019", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n  Project PROA funding source fixed \n  MHS scores app challenge win \n  Indigenous languages supported \n  Update on school recovery \n  Stonewalled on student loans \n  $2M more for Tinian recovery \n  $1.3M more to Ports Authority \n  2020 Defense bill benefits Marianas \n  Insular reps fight for Medicaid \n  Lower drug prices for all \n  Climate change threat to coastal areas \n  Looking out for American workers \n  Beware Social Security scam \n  Kilili Time Capsule \n  Opportunities \n__________________________________________________________________\n Project PROA funding permanent \nThe funding source for Project PROA, which offers Marianas high school juniors and seniors and first-year NMC students free tutoring, mentoring, counseling, and access to a computer center, becomes permanent under legislation the House and Senate passed on Tuesday. The President must now sign H.R. 5363 into law. The FUTURE Act, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act, makes $225 million available each year for Minority-Serving Institutions. Northern Marianas College uses its share of the money for Project PROA, incorporating elements of Chamorro and Refaluwasch culture, and improving student success rates. H.R. 5363 also increases funding for Pell Grants by $50 million over the next two years to ensure there is enough money for all qualified students. I cosponsored the FUTURE Act as H.R. 2486, which the House had to replace with H.R. 5363 this week for parliamentary reasons, after the Senate added language.\n Indigenous languages supported \nFunding that supports Chamorro and Refaluwasch language immersion classes at PSS is extended in legislation the House cleared for the President's signature on Monday. S. 256 includes the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act, which I cosponsored. The Act authorizes $13 million each year for indigenous language education programs nationwide, including in the Marianas, and lengthens grant awards from three to five years. Currently, PSS is working under a three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans awarded in 2016. The grant called for at least 500 hours of instruction for 50 Chamorro and Carolinian students, so they could engage in conversation and better understand their cultures.\n $2M more for Tinian recovery \n $1.3M more for Ports Authority \nThe Federal Emergency Management Agency has obligated another $3,224,339.69 to the Commonwealth government. According to information provided to the congressional office, $1,969,644.60 is to be used to replace the Tinian Public Market, damaged in Super Typhoon Yutu. FEMA obligates the money to the Commonwealth, which, upon receipt of appropriate documentation, is responsible for reimbursing the Tinian Mayor's Office for the reconstruction costs. Another $1,254,695.09 is for emergency protective measures taken by the Commonwealth Ports Authority to prevent storm damage. The Tinian funds are a 90 percent reimbursement of costs. CPA's are 100 percent. Together, these obligations bring total FEMA funding reported to the congressional office to almost $142 million (see chart above).\n 2020 Defense bill benefits Marianas \nThe conference report to accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 passed the House Wednesday with several provisions beneficial to the Northern Marianas. These include:\n $45 million authorized for Air Force divert field projects on Tinian. The funding is part of a larger authorization of $316 million that will be used over several years  $109 million for a parking apron, $98 million for phase one of the airfield development, and $109 million for fuel tanks with a pipeline/hydrant system. The Armed Services Committees believe the Air Force can spend $45 million on the projects in FY2020.\n An amendment that I offered in the House NDAA allowing students in associate degree programs to apply for a new technology and national security fellowship. The paid fellowships will place college STEM students in Defense or congressional offices.\n Language I cosponsored in H.R. 3428, extending to the Marianas a provision now in law that lets federal agencies double the value of a contract awarded to a Puerto Rico business for purposes of small business contracting goals.\n 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all federal employees in the case of birth, adoption, or fostering.\nI also successfully blocked language in the House-passed bill that only allowed American-owned or -operated companies with a national security waiver to be awarded telecommunications contracts for Defense facilities in the Pacific territories. The provision would have placed well-established, reputable businesses in the U.S. Pacific territories at an unfair disadvantage and stifle competition for DoD telecommunications services and equipment contracts across the Pacific, I told the Armed Services Committees in an August 29 letter. The unnecessarily restrictive language was removed from the conferenced bill. The $738 billion Defense bill also increases pay for service members by 3.1 percent and improves housing and other contributors to quality of life at military bases around the world. The NDAA conference report now heads to the Senate.\n Insular reps fight for Medicaid \nThe Marianas Medicaid program has run out of federal funds as of this month. And other insular areas are no better off. But we continue to negotiate a deal. All the insular representatives signed off on my letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy this week, reiterating the Medicaid predicament in our areas and the need for a fix. There does seem to be movement towards agreement. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) put forth a proposal last Friday similar to, but less long-term than, the bipartisan REACH Act the House Energy and Commerce Committee already agreed in July. The solution is not cheap. But without more Medicaid funding for the insular areas, lives could be lost.\n Lower drug prices for all \nDemocrats followed through on our pledge to pass legislation lowering drug prices on Thursday. The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate each year what the federal government pays for up to 250 of the most expensive drugs, including insulin products. Current law bars negotiating for cheaper prices. Giving the federal government this new market power will drive down costs for everyone who buys these drugs. And the Cummings Act invests the significant savings to the federal government by giving Medicare patients2,538 in the Marianasaccess to dental, vision, and hearing benefits for the first time. The 370 people in the Marianas who are enrolled in the Medicare drug benefit, Part D, would have their annual out-of-pocket cost lowered to $2,000, and pay nothing thereafter. And the 568 enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid would have their Part D premium lowered. The savings would also be used to increase access to the popular and effective Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. More than 293 people in 147 Marianas households are in the program.\n Looking out for American workers \nWhen it comes to workers who depend on tips, the Marianas has stronger legal protections than many states where employers can pay their tipped workers less than the minimum wage. Based on that Marianas standard, I sent a formal objection to a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Labor that would allow employers in those states to pay subminimum wage even when workers were not earning tips. Our Commonwealth law protects Marianas workers from this abuse, but I, as a member of the Education and Labor Committee, I have a responsibility to think about workers everywhere in America.\n Beware of Social Security scam \nBeware of fake Social Security calls. The Social Security Administration warns that phone scams are on the rise. Scammers are pretending to call from Social Security in an attempt to trick you into giving them your personal information and money. In some cases, the caller ID may even look like it is coming from an official government number. They may ask you to give them personal information or even tell you to pay a fine in order to avoid arrest. Do not be fooled. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, please do not give them any personal information or money. Instead, hang up immediately and report the scam to the Social Security's law enforcement team at https://oig.ssa.gov/. Be vigilant and share these additional tips with your family and friends.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nScholarships/Fellowships\n President Harry S. Truman Scholarship (Due 2/24/20)\n Senator Barry Goldwater Scholarship (Due 1/31/20)\n President James Madison Fellowship (Due 3/1/20)\n Pacific Territory Fishery Capacity-Building\nGrants\n Conservation Collaboration grants\n ReConnect Pilot Program\nPublic Comments\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHIS WEEK\n S. 737 - Building Blocks of STEM Act (passed by voice vote)\n H.R. 4761 - DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019 (passed, 393-1)\n H.R. 4727 - Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protg Program Act of 2019 (passed by voice vote)\n H.R. 4713 - Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act (passed by voice vote)\nNEXT WEEK\n H.R. 4183 - Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act\n H.R. 2548 - Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act\n H.R. 4229 - Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-defense-bill-benefits-marianas", "Kilili: Defense bill benefits Marianas", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2020 Defense authorization today. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says the bill has several provisions of specific benefit to the Northern Mariana Islands, including funding for the Tinian divert airfield, help for insular area small businesses, and paid parental leave for federal employees. The NDAA, or National Defense Authorization Act, also raises military pay by 3.1 percent. \n$316 million is authorized in the bill for the Air Force Divert Airfield Project on Tinian over a three-year period. In 2020, the first year, $10 million will go to fuel tanks and a pipeline and hydrant system. $25 million will be used for a parking apron. And another $10 million is for general airfield development.\nThe House-approved bill, also, includes language that Congressman Sablan offered allowing students in associate's degree program to apply for a new technology and national security fellowship. The paid fellowships will place college students in a STEM field in Department of Defense or congressional offices.\nSablan successfully blocked a provision in the House-passed defense bill that only allowed American-owned or -operated companies with a national security waiver to be awarded telecommunications contracts for Defense Department facilities in the U.S. Pacific territories. The provision would place well-established, reputable businesses in the U.S. Pacific territories at an unfair disadvantage and stifle competition for DoD telecommunications services and equipment contracts across the Pacific, Sablan told the House Armed Services Committee in an August 29 letter on the issue and the offending provision was removed from today's bill.\nSection 875 of the Defense bill extends to all the insular areas a provision that currently allows federal agencies to double the value of a contract awarded to a Puerto Rico business. Sablan is a cosponsor of legislation, H.R. 3428, to make this improvement for all insular small businesses.\nThe House also agreed today to give all federal employees 12 weeks of paid parental leave in the case of birth, adoption, or fostering. This has been a top Democratic priority and it means the nation's largest employer, the federal government, now provide this key benefit.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/244-million-more-disaster-recovery", "$244 million more for disaster recovery", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$244 million more for disaster recovery                                           \n              Dec 9, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    $244 million that Congress appropriated for recovery work in the Marianas is now available. The $244 million Community Development Block Grant  Disaster Recovery, or CDBG-DR, is meant for long-term, unmet needs not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, or the Army Corps of Engineers. Immediately after the appropriation in Public Law 116-20 last June, your congressional office met with CDBG-DR officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. We wanted to be sure communication was in place with the Commonwealth officials, who would be responsible for writing the plan of use for the money. Shortly after, HUD sent a team to the Marianas, where their primary point of contact is Mr. Jesse S. Palacios, Corporate Director of the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation. HUD reports that its CDBG-DR staff based in San Francisco has maintained bi-weekly calls with the CNMI since September. In a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, acknowledging the work of his team, I asked that he continue this oversight to ensure the CDBG-DR grant is used promptly and properly. And I have now learned HUD plans to visit the Marianas again for a launching a grant technical assistance visit within 30 days of the formal funding announcement in the Federal Register. $244 million is the largest single grant of federal funds in Commonwealth history.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/3000-disaster-cws-okayed", "3,000 disaster CWs okayed", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "3,000 disaster CWs okayed                                           \n              Dec 9, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The House Natural Resources Committee agreed to my bill permitting an additional 3,000 CW permits for disaster recovery work. The Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, H.R. 4479, would allow the extra 3,000 permits to be used for construction workers, which current law does not. Although we have ample federal funds, lack of labor has slowed recovery from last year's typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu. As I noted in my prepared statement for the Committee meeting, FEMA has stockpiled pallets and pallets of construction materials at the Koblerville Fire Station for its Permanent Housing Construction program since February. But it was not until September that FEMA broke ground on the first home. Limited labor' was a key reason, according to FEMA's external affairs officer in the Marianas. Meanwhile, 385 families are signed up for the new homes. The 3,000 workers would be available for 3 years and could not replace U.S. workers or undercut wages.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/aid-nmi-students-protected", "Aid for NMI students protected", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Aid for NMI students protected                                           \n              Dec 9, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Marianas students enrolled in online programs at the University of Phoenix will no longer be at risk of being ineligible for federal financial aid. The news follows your congressional office's work to confirm with the U.S. Department of Education that the CNMI is in compliance with federal regulations requiring a complaint process for residents enrolled in online programs based outside the Commonwealth. Last month, a constituent forwarded to the congressional office a letter from the University of Phoenix, denying the constituent federal financial aid because the school believed the CNMI did not have a compliant process and was therefore prohibited from processing financial aid for Marianas students. Affected students should contact the University of Phoenix to confirm their financial aid status.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/new-gi-bill-housing-rates-now-effect", "New GI Bill housing rates now in effect", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New GI Bill housing rates now in effect                                           \n              Dec 8, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Changes to the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) rates made in the Forever GI Bill took effect on December 1, 2019. Previously, if you went to a school with multiple campuses, your MHA was based on the ZIP code of the main campus. MHA rates are now based where the GI Bill student physically attends most classes. The MHA for GI Bill students is also now equivalent to the Basic Allowance for Housing rate the military pays for an E-5 with dependents. The changes were supposed to go into effect August 1, 2018, but technical problems led to the delay. Starting next spring, the VA will start sending out retroactive payments to students who received lower housing payments since August 2018 than they should have under the new law. Students who received higher stipends will have their overpayments waived. All students will be notified whether they were overpaid, underpaid, or not impacted. It is estimated that of the roughly 700,000 receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, 21,000 will see their MHA payments decrease while 59,000 will receive more. Students can check their MHA rate using the GI Bill Comparison Tool.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-will-be-eligible-va-grant", "NMI will be eligible for VA grant", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NMI will be eligible for VA grant                                           \n              Dec 8, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The House Veterans Affairs Committee advanced a bill establishing a grant program to support organizations that provide coordination and delivery of services to veterans at risk for suicide and their families. I offered an amendment that ensures entities in the Marianas and the other insular areas would be eligible for the grant and included in the VA's program outreach. Supporting organizations in our community that help at-risk veterans is especially important for the Marianas because direct, in-person, VA mental health services are very limited, especially so as demand increases. Marianas veterans want and deserve their own Vet Center and I will continue to push to make that a reality. My amendment passed unanimously by voice vote. You can listen to my full statement here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-will-be-eligible-va-grant-0", "Panel discusses NMI college access", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholars invited congressional staff to join a panel discussion at the National Press Club on new research into Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander college enrollment and degree attainment. Legislative Director Adam Tanga answered questions about our work to provide tuition assistance to NMC graduates and other measures I included in the College Affordability Act to support our students' success. Pictured: Bill Moses of the Kresge Foundation, Adam Tanga, Charles Sasaki of Hawaii's Windward Community College, Nol Harmon of APIA Scholars, Sina Uipi of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, and Jason Greenawalt of the Nakapuna Foundation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/panel-discusses-nmi-college-access", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 06, 2019", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n $244 million more for disaster recovery\n\t3,000 disaster CWs okayed\n\tSouthern High decorates Marianas tree\n\tAid for NMI students protected\n\tPanel discusses NMI college access\n\tRestoring and protecting wildlife\n\tHoliday messages to troops\n\tNMI will be eligible for VA grant\n\tNew GI Bill housing rates now in effect\n\tKilili Time Capsule\n\tOpportunities\n\tLegislative highlights\n ________________________________________\n $244 million more for disaster recovery \n$244 million that Congress appropriated for recovery work in the Marianas is now available. The $244 million Community Development Block Grant  Disaster Recovery, or CDBG-DR, is meant for long-term, unmet needs not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, or the Army Corps of Engineers. Immediately after the appropriation in Public Law 116-20 last June, your congressional office met with CDBG-DR officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. We wanted to be sure communication was in place with the Commonwealth officials, who would be responsible for writing the plan of use for the money. Shortly after, HUD sent a team to the Marianas, where their primary point of contact is Mr. Jesse S. Palacios, Corporate Director of the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation. HUD reports that its CDBG-DR staff based in San Francisco has maintained bi-weekly calls with the CNMI since September. In a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson on Tuesday, acknowledging the work of his team, I asked that he continue this oversight to ensure the CDBG-DR grant is used promptly and properly. And I have now learned HUD plans to visit the Marianas again for a launching a grant technical assistance visit within 30 days of the formal funding announcement in the Federal Register. $244 million is the largest single grant of federal funds in Commonwealth history.\n 3,000 disaster CWs okayed \nThe House Natural Resources Committee agreed to my bill permitting an additional 3,000 CW permits for disaster recovery work on Thursday. The Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, H.R. 4479, would allow the extra 3,000 permits to be used for construction workers, which current law does not. Although we have ample federal funds, lack of labor has slowed recovery from last year's typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu. As I noted in my prepared statement for the Committee meeting, FEMA has stockpiled pallets and pallets of construction materials at the Koblerville Fire Station for its Permanent Housing Construction program since February. But it was not until September that FEMA broke ground on the first home. Limited labor' was a key reason, according to FEMA's external affairs officer in the Marianas. Meanwhile, 385 families are signed up for the new homes. The 3,000 workers would be available for 3 years and could not replace U.S. workers or undercut wages.\n Aid for NMI students protected \nMarianas students enrolled in online programs at the University of Phoenix will no longer be at risk of being ineligible for federal financial aid. The news follows your congressional office's work to confirm with the U.S. Department of Education that the CNMI is in compliance with federal regulations requiring a complaint process for residents enrolled in online programs based outside the Commonwealth. Last month, a constituent forwarded to the congressional office a letter from the University of Phoenix, denying the constituent federal financial aid because the school believed the CNMI did not have a compliant process and was therefore prohibited from processing financial aid for Marianas students. Affected students should contact the University of Phoenix to confirm their financial aid status.\n Panel discusses NMI college access \nAsian & Pacific Islander American Scholars invited congressional staff to join a panel discussion at the National Press Club on new research into Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander college enrollment and degree attainment. Legislative Director Adam Tanga answered questions about our work to provide tuition assistance to NMC graduates and other measures I included in the College Affordability Act to support our students' success. Pictured: Bill Moses of the Kresge Foundation, Adam Tanga, Charles Sasaki of Hawaii's Windward Community College, Nol Harmon of APIA Scholars, Sina Uipi of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, and Jason Greenawalt of the Nakapuna Foundation.\n Restoring and protecting wildlife \nAlso approved in Thursday's markup was the Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2019 sponsored by Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan that would provide the Northern Marianas an additional $4 million to help conserve, restore, and protect fish and wildlife. The Marianas and other insular areas currently get about $1.3 million annually each under Pittman-Robinson wildlife restoration and hunter education and safety programs. H.R. 3742, which I cosponsored, would dedicate $1.3 billion in mandatory funding to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program. After state and territory minimums are apportioned, the remaining funds are distributed based on area, population, and the relative number of endangered or threatened species in the state or territory. With 21 endangered or threatened species in the Northern Marianas, roughly $4 million in new funding would go towards conserving our wildlife and habitat. The bill now heads to the Floor for a vote by the full House.\n NMI will be eligible for VA grant \nThe House Veterans Affairs Committee advanced a bill Thursday establishing a grant program to support organizations that provide coordination and delivery of services to veterans at risk for suicide and their families. I offered an amendment that ensures entities in the Marianas and the other insular areas would be eligible for the grant and included in the VA's program outreach. Supporting organizations in our community that help at-risk veterans is especially important for the Marianas because direct, in-person, VA mental health services are very limited, especially so as demand increases. Marianas veterans want and deserve their own Vet Center and I will continue to push to make that a reality. My amendment passed unanimously by voice vote.You can listen to my full statement here.\n New GI Bill housing rates now in effect \nChanges to the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) rates made in the Forever GI Bill took effect on December 1, 2019. Previously, if you went to a school with multiple campuses, your MHA was based on the ZIP code of the main campus. MHA rates are now based where the GI Bill student physically attends most classes. The MHA for GI Bill students is also now equivalent to the Basic Allowance for Housing rate the military pays for an E-5 with dependents. The changes were supposed to go into effect August 1, 2018, but technical problems led to the delay. Starting next spring, the VA will start sending out retroactive payments to students who received lower housing payments since August 2018 than they should have under the new law. Students who received higher stipends will have their overpayments waived. All students will be notified whether they were overpaid, underpaid, or not impacted. It is estimated that of the roughly 700,000 receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, 21,000 will see their MHA payments decrease while 59,000 will receive more. Students can check their MHA rate using the GI Bill Comparison Tool.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nScholarships/Fellowships\n President Harry S. Truman Scholarship (Due 2/24/20)\n Senator Barry Goldwater Scholarship (Due 1/31/20)\n President James Madison Fellowship (Due 3/1/20)\nGrants\n Marine debris disaster grants\n LWCF State and Local Assistance\n Agriculture Education Challenge Grants\nPublic Comments\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHIS WEEK\n H.R. 2534 - Insider Trading Prohibition Act (passed, 410-13)\nNEXT WEEK\n S. 737 - Building Blocks of STEM Act\n H.R. 4761 - DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019\n H.R. 4727 - Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protg Program Act of 2019\n H.R. 4713 - Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/restoring-and-protecting-wildlife", "Restoring and protecting wildlife", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Restoring and protecting wildlife                                           \n              Dec 8, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Also approved in markup was the Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2019 sponsored by Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan that would provide the Northern Marianas an additional $4 million to help conserve, restore, and protect fish and wildlife. The Marianas and other insular areas currently get about $1.3 million annually each under Pittman-Robinson wildlife restoration and hunter education and safety programs. H.R. 3742, which I cosponsored, would dedicate $1.3 billion in mandatory funding to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program. After state and territory minimums are apportioned, the remaining funds are distributed based on area, population, and the relative number of endangered or threatened species in the state or territory. With 21 endangered or threatened species in the Northern Marianas, roughly $4 million in new funding would go towards conserving our wildlife and habitat. The bill now heads to the Floor for a vote by the full House.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-244-m-more-disaster-relief", "Kilili: $244 m. more for disaster relief", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CDBG-DR funds to cover unmet needs in recovery effort  \nWASHINGTON, DC  Another $244 million is now available for recovery work in the Marianas, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today. The Department of Housing and Urban Development informed the Congressman of the new allocation of disaster relief funds by e-mail this morning. An official announcement will be published later in the Federal Register. \nThe $244 million in Community Development Block Grant  Disaster Recovery, or CDBG-DR, is believed to be the single largest amount of federal funds ever for the Marianas, exceeding the 1985 702 agreement of $228 million for capital improvement projects.\nCongress appropriated the CDBG-DR funds  and made the Marianas eligible  in this year's Public Law 116-20 and in last year's Public Law 115-254. The money is for long-term, unmet needs not covered by recovery work by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, or the Army Corps of Engineers.\nGetting federal recovery funding, above and beyond what the Marianas has gotten in the past, was our number one priority in the days after Typhoon Mangkhut and Super Typhoon Yutu, Congressman Sablan said. We worked very hard right through June, when Public Law 116-20 was finally signed into law, to make sure the Marianas got the help we need.\nToday's announcement is very good news.\nIn addition to eligibility for CDBG-DR, Congressman Sablan also ensured that Public Law 116-20 set aside $130 million for specific needs in the Marianas, including $2 million for financial control systems, $10.4 million for sewer and water infrastructure, and $56 million for solid waste facilities. He also successfully added $36 million for Marianas Medicaid and $25 million for food stamps in floor amendments, when the House passed the bill.\nSablan also made sure the Marianas was eligible for disaster recovery grants from the Economic Development Administration, the Agriculture Department's Community Facilities Program, and for PSS, Head Start, and Micronesian Legal Services. Several Marianas entities have already applied for EDA funding, Sablan said, and he has been working closely with the regional office in Seattle to keep the grant applications moving forward.\nCDBG-DR: how it works \nCDBG-DR can be used to rebuild homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Economic revitalization, such as tourism marketing, is another acceptable use. HUD will require the Marianas to develop thoughtful recovery plans informed by local residents, the agency said in its e-mail to Congressman Sablan.\nThere are also strict requirements for financial controls and adherence to procurement rules approved by the federal government. Because of the very large amount of money going to the Marianas and a concern for local capacity to manage the funds, HUD sent a team to the islands this summer to brief Commonwealth officials on the rigorous standards they would have to meet.\nAt the time, HUD had set aside $205 million from Public Law 115-254 to be shared by the Marianas and American Samoa. But a final allocation was held off to allow for FEMA and other agencies to report on the amount of unmet needs in the two areas. The Marianas will receive $189 million of the money from P.L. 115-254 and another $55 million from Public Law 116-20, $244 million in total.\nIn a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson today, Congressman Sablan thanked Carson's agency for the analytical work that went into today's allocation of funds to meet unmet recovery needs in the Marianas. The Congressman asked the Secretary to continue the Department's oversight and to provide technical assistance to make sure that CDBG-DR funds are spent properly and promptly.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/6-million-disaster-recovery-0", "$6 million for disaster recovery", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$6 million for disaster recovery                                           \n              Dec 2, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Historic Preservation Office of the CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is receiving $6 million the National Park Service announced. $50 million was authorized inthe disaster relief bill, Public Law 116-20, we passed in Junefor areas hit by Hurricanes Florence and Michael and Typhoon Yutu. HPO is one of only seven organizations awarded money. The funds can be used to repair properties listed inthe National Register of Historic Places, such as the Japanese Lighthouse and Hospital on Saipan and the House of Taga on Tinian. Restoring historic sites will help the continuing recovery of our tourism economy. No local match is required. Congratulations, HPO!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-27-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 27, 2019", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \nThanksgiving with our Man'amko\n Medicare Open Enrollment ends next week\n $6 million for disaster recovery\n Expanding veterans services\n Vets benefits counselor next month\n Kilili Time Capsule\n Opportunities\n Legislative highlights\n $6 million for disaster recovery \nThe Historic Preservation Office of the CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is receiving $6 million the National Park Service announced on Monday. $50 million was authorized inthe disaster relief bill, Public Law 116-20, we passed in Junefor areas hit by Hurricanes Florence and Michael and Typhoon Yutu. HPO is one of only seven organizations awarded money. The funds can be used to repair properties listed inthe National Register of Historic Places, such as the Japanese Lighthouse and Hospital on Saipan and the House of Taga on Tinian. Restoring historic sites will help the continuing recovery of our tourism economy. No local match is required. Congratulations, HPO!\n OPPORTUNITIES \nScholarships/Fellowships\n \nPresident Harry S. Truman Scholarship(Due 2/24/20)\n\t\nSenator Barry Goldwater Scholarship(Due 1/31/20)\n\t\nPresident James Madison Fellowship(Due 3/1/20)\n \nGrants\n \nMarine Turtle Management and Conservation\n \nPublic Comments\n \nSentenced Population Movement form\n\tMedicaid transparency\n\tDeaf-Blind Equipment Privacy\n\tCovered Outpatient Drug rule amendment\n \n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHISWEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.\n\nNEXT WEEK\n \nH.R. 2534- Insider Trading Prohibition Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/6-million-disaster-recovery", "$6 million for disaster recovery", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$6 million for disaster recovery                                           \n              Nov 27, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Historic Preservation Office of the CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is receiving $6 million the National Park Service announced on Monday. $50 million was authorized inthe disaster relief bill, Public Law 116-20, we passed in Junefor areas hit by Hurricanes Florence and Michael and Typhoon Yutu. HPO is one of only seven organizations awarded money. The funds can be used to repair properties listed inthe National Register of Historic Places, such as the Japanese Lighthouse and Hospital on Saipan and the House of Taga on Tinian. Restoring historic sites will help the continuing recovery of our tourism economy. No local match is required. Congratulations, HPO!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/expanding-veterans-services", "Expanding veterans services", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Expanding veterans services                                           \n              Nov 27, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    On Tuesday, I met with Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Director Maryann Borja-Arriola and Employment Specialist Naomi Tudela. We discussed the vocational rehabilitation programs currently available and possible funding sources to expand OVR's service to Marianas veterans. My goal is to continue to ensure our veterans have the necessary tools, training, and support they need to succeed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/thanksgiving-our-man%E2%80%99amko", "Thanksgiving with our Manamko", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Thanksgiving with our Man'amko                                           \n              Nov 27, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    On Tuesday, I visited the Office on Aging in Saipan to celebrate the Thanksgiving spirit with our Man'amko. Spending time with our Man'amko is one of my favorite ways to start the holiday season. Their enthusiasm and camaraderie light up the room as they share their stories, songs, and laughter. I am grateful to our seniors for their wisdom, their warm welcome, and for spending part of the morning with me.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-22-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 22, 2019", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n House votes to protect sharks \n  No local Medicaid match needed \n  Use your free Medicare services \n  High-speed internet for students \n Free books for libraries  \n  No to USCIS fee increases \n  Marianas visa waiver featured \n  Keeping tabs on FEMA funding \n  $5.2m for CPA recovery \n  Kilili Time Capsule \n  Opportunities \n  Legislative highlights \n_______________________________________________________\n House votes to protect sharks \nFollowing the example of the Northern Marianas and 14 other U.S. states and territories, the House approved my legislation on Wednesday to ban the buying and selling of shark fins nationwide. The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019, co-led by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), garnered 287 cosponsors  easily the largest number for an ocean conservation bill this Congress. The global shark fin trade contributes to the loss of up to 73 million sharks each year, and largely due to the demand for fins, some species have declined by 90 percent. As apex predators, sharks play a pivotal role in the health of our oceans. They are also important to the economies of many coastal communities. While it is already illegal to harvest sharks solely for their fins in the U.S., fins can still be bought and sold in areas without bans, keeping our country a player in the international fin trade. H.R. 737 would put an end to that and help protect these majestic creatures from the threat of extinction. The bill now goes to the Senate which has companion legislation, S. 877, co-led by Senators Booker and Capito with 37 cosponsors.\n No local Medicaid match needed \nNo local match will be needed for the Marianas Medicaid program through December 20. The House extended the 100 percent federal money provision from June's disaster relief law in the FY20 Continuing Resolution signed on Thursday. Though improving the federal-local matching rate in this way is a long-standing goal of the Marianas and all the insular areas, we still have to provide more money for our Medicaid programs. The Marianas has a grant of $6.9 million for this fiscal year and carried over about $2.5 million in Obamacare funding, but that falls far short of what is really needed. The House remains locked in negotiations with the Senate on H.R. 2328, a bipartisan bill that provides the Marianas with $360 million. in federal Medicaid funds over the next six years. H.R. 2328 requires no local match for the first two years and then scales down to a 76 percent federal/24 percent local match in year sixthe most generous rate given to any U.S. State.\n High-speed internet for students \nAbout 12 million school-aged children nationwide lack high-speed broadband internet at home. That creates a homework gap between those students and their classmates who do have broadband at home. To make sure all our students have the internet access they need, I joined several of my colleagues in introducing the Closing the Homework Gap Through Mobile Hotspots Act. The Act establishes a $100 million grant program that Marianas libraries, PSS, and NMC could all use to loan mobile broadband hotspots to students. Our goal is to close the homework gap and ensure every child in our country can access the technology needed to succeed in their education no matter where they live.\n No to USCIS fee increases \nOnce again, the Trump administration is trying to raise immigration filing fees. We successfully blocked last year's attempt to boost CW fees by $700. Now, the administration is proposing across-the board increases in fees that will affect not only the Marianas but applicants nationwide. Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Norma Torres (CA-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chuy Garcia (IL-04), and I have objected to this proposal, calling on the administration to work with Congress to provide more funding for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, if needed. The proposed rule increases the fee for a naturalization application from $640 to $1,170. Fees for lawful permanent residence, a green card, would rise from $1,220 to $2,195. Additionally, fee waivers would be eliminated for naturalization, lawful permanent residence, and employment authorizations. The public can also submit comments on this proposal at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/14/2a019-24366/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration. The deadline for comments is December 16, 2019.\n Marianas visa waiver featured \nAttracting more international visitors to the Marianas means more jobs and supports our economic recovery. That is why I worked with Brand USA to include the Marianas' visa waiver program in its outreach to prospective visitors. Up to now Brand USA only advertised that the U.S. visa waiver program applies in the Marianas. But this week, Brand USA unveiled a new section of its flagship website VisitTheUSA.com, with information on the Marianas' own visa waiver. Translations of the new section will be available in the coming weeks in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.\n $5.2m to CPA for recovery \nThe Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $5,221,507.25 in public assistance funds for the Commonwealth Ports Authority last Friday. The grant is for repairs to the buildings and equipment at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport, damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu. Although the award is for CPA, the funds are first obligated to the Commonwealth government. The Commonwealth then collects the required documentation from CPA before distributing the money to that agency.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nScholarships/Fellowships\n President Harry S. Truman Scholarship (Due 2/24/20)\n Senator Barry Goldwater Scholarship (Due 1/31/20)\n President James Madison Fellowship (Due 3/1/20)\n Grants \n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHIS WEEK\n H.R. 3702 - Reforming the Disaster Recovery Act of 2019 (passed, 290-118)\n H.R. 5084 - Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2019 (passed, 281-135)\n H.R. 737 - Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019 (passed, 310-107)\nNEXT WEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/52m-cpa-recovery", "$5.2m to CPA for recovery", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$5.2m to CPA for recovery                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $5,221,507.25 in public assistance funds for the Commonwealth Ports Authority last Friday. The grant is for repairs to the buildings and equipment at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport, damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu. Although the award is for CPA, the funds are first obligated to the Commonwealth government. The Commonwealth then collects the required documentation from CPA before distributing the money to that agency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/free-books-libraries", "Free books for libraries", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Free books for libraries                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Over the last ten years, your congressional office's Let's Read! initiative has collected over 50,000, brand-new books from the Library of Congress Surplus Book Program and distributed them throughout the Marianas. Emailkilili@mail.house.gov, if your school, library, or non-profit organization needs books for the readers you serve.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/high-speed-internet-students", "High-speed internet for students", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "High-speed internet for students                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    About 12 million school-aged children nationwide lack high-speed broadband internet at home. That creates a homework gap between those students and their classmates who do have broadband at home. To make sure all our students have the internet access they need, I joined several of my colleagues in introducing theClosing the Homework Gap Through Mobile Hotspots Act. The Act establishes a $100 million grant program that Marianas libraries, PSS, and NMC could all use to loan mobile broadband hotspots to students. Our goal is to close the homework gap and ensure every child in our country can access to the technology needed to succeed in their education no matter where they live.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/house-votes-protect-sharks", "House votes to protect sharks", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House votes to protect sharks                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Following the example of theNorthern Marianasand 14 other U.S. states and territories, the House approved my legislation on Wednesday to ban the buying and selling shark fins nationwide. TheShark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019, co-led by Rep. Michael McCaul of (R-TX), garnered 287 cosponsors  easily the largest number for an ocean conservation bill this Congress. The global shark fin trade contributes to the loss of up to 73 million sharks each year, and largely due to the demand for fins, some species have declined by 90 percent. As apex predators, sharks play a pivotal role in the health of our oceans. They are also important to the economies of many coastal communities. While it is already illegal to harvest sharks solely for their fins in the U.S., fins can still be bought and sold in areas without bans, keeping our country a player in the international fin trade. H.R. 737 would put an end to that and help protect these majestic creatures from the threat of extinction. The bill now goes to the Senate which has companion legislation,S. 877, co-led by Senators Booker and Capito with 37 cosponsors.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/making-case-medicaid", "Making the case for Medicaid", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Making the case for Medicaid                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Marianas Medicaid Director Helen Sablan has already testified twice before Congress and continues to work closely with me to assure the program has the funding it needs. Director Sablan, Ms. Vicenta Rosario from her staff, and their technical advisor Dr. Norman Okamura from the University of Hawaii, met with me and Democratic leadership on Wednesday to make the case.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/marianas-visa-waiver-featured", "Marianas visa waiver featured", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Marianas visa waiver featured                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Attracting more international visitors to the Marianas means more jobs and supports our economic recovery. That is why I worked with Brand USA to include theMarianas' visa waiver programin its outreach to prospective visitors. Up to now Brand USA only advertised that the U.S. visa waiver program applies in the Marianas. But this week, Brand USA unveiled a new section of its flagship websiteVisitTheUSA.com, adding the Marianas visa waiver. Translations of the new section will be available in the coming weeks in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/no-local-medicaid-match-needed", "No local Medicaid match needed", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "No local Medicaid match needed                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    No local match will be needed for the Marianas Medicaid program through December 20. The House extended the 100 percent federal money provision fromJune's disaster relief lawin theFY20 Continuing Resolutionsigned on Thursday. Though improving the federal-local matching rate in this way is a longstanding goal of the Marianas and all the insular areas, we still have to provide more money for our Medicaid programs. The Marianas has a grant of $6.9m for this fiscal year and carried over about $2.5m in Obamacare funding, but that falls far short of what is really needed. The House remains locked in negotiations with the Senate onH.R. 2328, a bipartisan bill that provides the Marianas with $360 m. in federal Medicaid funds over the next six years. H.R. 2328 requires no local match for the first two years and then scales down to a 76 percent federal/24 percent local match in year sixthe most generous rate given to any U.S. State.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/no-uscis-fee-increases", "No to USCIS fee increases", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "No to USCIS fee increases                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Once again, the Trump administration is trying to raise immigration filing fees.We successfully blocked last year's attempt to boost CW fees by $700. Now, theadministration is proposing across-the board increasesin fees that will affect not only the Marianas but applicants nationwide. Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Norma Torres (CA-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chuy Garcia (IL-04), and I have objected to this proposal, calling on the administration to work with Congress to provide more funding for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, if needed. The proposed rule increases the fee for a naturalization application from $640 to $1,170. Fees for lawful permanent residence, a green card, would rise from $1,220 to $2,195. Additionally, fee waivers would be eliminated for naturalization, lawful permanent residence, and employment authorization. The public can also submit comments on this proposal athttps://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/14/2a019-24366/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration.The deadline for comments is December 16, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/use-your-free-medicare-services", "Use your free Medicare services", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Use your free Medicare services                                           \n              Nov 25, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    What free preventive services are available to Medicare beneficiaries and how to get those services here in the Marianas were the topics of an informational session at the Saipan congressional office on Wednesday. This is the first in a series of outreach events aimed to raise awareness of thefree annual check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings that the 2,000 people with Medicare insurance are entitled to, but under utilizing. We will announce the next workshop soon. In the meantime,Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive ServicesandA Quick Look at Medicareare available online and in hard copy at your congressional office.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/bipartisan-focus-apprenticeship", "Bipartisan focus on apprenticeship", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan focus on apprenticeship                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    To mark the 5th annual National Apprenticeship Week the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, of which I am a member, hosted a bipartisan roundtable. Leading apprenticeship experts explained that apprenticeships are a proven workforce development tool that needs to be more widely available to students, employers, intermediaries, and education providers. The roundtable prepares us to reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act, which should be an opportunity to strengthen the pre-apprenticeship pipeline and expand access to assistance for the Marianas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/high-marks-animal-protections", "High marks for animal protections", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "High marks for animal protections                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Humane Society Legislative Fund released their2019 Humane Scorecard previewand again listed me as one of the top House Members working on animal protection issues. The Scorecard highlighted my work to end the shark fin trade with my bill,H.R. 737, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. Modeled after Northern Marianas law, the bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins in the United States. Guam, American Samoa, and 12 states also have similar bans in place. Closing the U.S. market for shark fins will reduce demand and spare the millions of sharks killed each year simply for their fins. The bill now has 287 cosponsors and I am working with House leadership to get the bill to the Floor soon. Thanks to the Humane Society Legislative Fund for recognizing my work on this critical legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/house-okays-marianas-export-aid", "House okays Marianas export aid", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House okays Marianas export aid                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Marianas and other U.S. insular areas get our own, dedicated office to assist exporters through theOffice of Territorial Exporting Act. I cosponsored the bill and worked to include it in thereauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which the House approved for another ten years. The new Office would promote goods and services from the U.S. insular areas, conduct outreach and education, and put more of the loans, guarantees, and insurance provided by the Bank to work benefiting our islands. Without Senate action the Export-Import Bank's authorization expires on November 21, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/labor-rules", "Labor rules", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Labor rules                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Ms. Pina Magofa, the Chapter Vice President/President-Elect of the Northern Marianas Islands Society for Human Resource Management, visited her congressional office on Thursday. We discussedextensions of the CW visa programand other legislative successes and what is currently in the works to ensure the Marianas has a sufficient and well-trained workforce. Thank you for visiting.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/learn-about-free-medicare-services", "Learn about free Medicare services", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Learn about free Medicare services                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Less than half of Marianas Medicare patients are usingthe free servicesavailable in Part B of the program. Only 1 in 20 gets a free annual wellness visit with a doctor. We want to change that and help seniors stay healthy. So, your congressional office is holding an informational session about all the free, preventive services available to Medicare Part B beneficiaries. The one-hour information session is next Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at 10 a.m. in the Saipan District Office. To reserve a seat, please call 670-323-2647/8.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/staff-selected-staff", "Staff selected for Staff Up", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Staff selected for Staff Up                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Legislative Assistant Christopher DeVore of your congressional office is one of 16 staff of the U.S. Congress selected to participate in the prestigiousStaff Up Congress Legislative Academy. The bicameral and bipartisan leadership program is designed to deepen knowledge of strategies and tactics necessary to advance legislation and careers in Congress. Staff Up also holds programs in Senior Management and Communications for up and coming congressional leaders. Congratulations, Chris.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/tackling-illegal-fishing", "Tackling illegal fishing", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tackling illegal fishing                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Foreign vessels have been caught fishing illegally within the exclusive economic zone surrounding the Northern Marianas, undermining economic opportunities for legitimate fishermen and putting our fish stocks at risk. The problem of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a form of transnational organized crime that occurs around the globe, often includes labor abuses and human trafficking, and costs countries that play by the rules tens of billions of dollars. TheSubcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlifeheld a hearing a hearing on the topic Thursday to discuss the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'sbiennial report on IUU fishingmandated by Congress. I questioned NOAA's Acting Director of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection on their seeming inability to negatively certify and sanction countries in clear violation of international laws. It is clear legislation should be strengthened and enforcement should be improved to effectively combat and control IUU fishing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/we-honor-our-veterans", "We honor our veterans", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "We honor our veterans                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Veterans and their loved ones, active duty personnel and members of the public all joined together on Veterans' Day for the wreath-laying at American Memorial Park. Enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces is a time-honored tradition in the Marianas going back to the Marine Scouts, who volunteered during World War II, and continuing through the wars on terror. We remember these heroes on Veterans' Day. But we also have a duty throughout the year to ensure veterans have the necessary tools, services, and training to succeed after their service.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-15-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 15, 2019", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n Women vets get new attention \nWomen veterans would get improved access to healthcare through theDeborah Sampson Actthe House passed on Tuesday. The Act was one of nine approved bills aimed at better service for vets. The Sampson Act requires there to be at least one designated women's health provider in each VA facility nationwide, will retrofit existing facilities to improve privacy for women, and expand access to newborn care. We also passed theProtect the GI Bill Act, which restores education benefits veterans lost in recent for-profit school closures. The bill also gives the Veterans Administration new regulatory tools to keep schools that violate the terms of their GI Bill funding accountable. Read more about each of the nine billshere.\n House okays Marianas export aid \nThe Marianas and other U.S. insular areas get our own, dedicated office to assist exporters through theOffice of Territorial Exporting Act. I cosponsored the bill and worked to include it in thereauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which the House approved Friday for another ten years. The new Office would promote goods and services from the U.S. insular areas, conduct outreach and education, and put more of the loans, guarantees, and insurance provided by the Bank to work benefiting our islands. Without Senate action the Export-Import Bank's authorization expires on November 21, 2019.\n WESPAC fund flagged for audit \nThe Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund, which is managed by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Wespac) and is supposed to help support marine conservation efforts in the Northern Marianas, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa, has beenidentified for auditby the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General.For years, I have criticized Wespacfor its lack of transparency regarding the Fund, apparent conflicts of interests, questionable lobbying practices, and actions detrimental to environmental protections. In August, I wrote the DOC Inspector Generalrequesting the auditalong with Natural Resources Committee Chair Ral Grijalva, Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee Chair Jared Huffman, and Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii. We asked for a comprehensive accounting of the millions of dollars in grants funds managed by Wespac since 2012, a review of Wespac's internal controls to prevent conflicts of interests, and a determination of whether the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides proper oversight of the Fund.\n Tackling illegal fishing \nForeign vessels have been caught fishing illegally within the exclusive economic zone surrounding the Northern Marianas, undermining economic opportunities for legitimate fishermen and putting our fish stocks at risk. The problem of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a form of transnational organized crime that occurs around the globe, often includes labor abuses and human trafficking, and costs countries that play by the rules tens of billions of dollars. TheSubcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlifeheld a hearing a hearing on the topic Thursday to discuss the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'sbiennial report on IUU fishingmandated by Congress. I questioned NOAA's Acting Director of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection on their seeming inability to negatively certify and sanction countries in clear violation of international laws. It is clear legislation should be strengthened and enforcement should be improved to effectively combat and control IUU fishing.\n High marks for animal protections \nThe Humane Society Legislative Fund released their2019 Humane Scorecard previewTuesday and again listed me as one of the top House Members working on animal protection issues. The Scorecard highlighted my work to end the shark fin trade with my bill,H.R. 737, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. Modeled after Northern Marianas law, the bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins in the United States. Guam, American Samoa, and 12 states also have similar bans in place. Closing the U.S. market for shark fins will reduce demand and spare the millions of sharks killed each year simply for their fins. The bill now has 287 cosponsors and I am working with House leadership to get the bill to the Floor soon. Thanks to the Humane Society Legislative Fund for recognizing my work on this critical legislation.\n Bipartisan focus on apprenticeship \nTo mark the 5th annual National Apprenticeship Week the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, of which I am a member, hosted a bipartisan roundtable on Thursday. Leading apprenticeship experts explained that apprenticeships are a proven workforce development tool that needs to be more widely available to students, employers, intermediaries, and education providers. The roundtable prepares us to reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act, which should be an opportunity to strengthen the pre-apprenticeship pipeline and expand access to assistance for the Marianas.\n Staff selected for Staff Up \nLegislative Assistant Christopher DeVore of your congressional office is one of 16 staff of the U.S. Congress selected to participate in the prestigiousStaff Up Congress Legislative Academy. The bicameral and bipartisan leadership program is designed to deepen knowledge of strategies and tactics necessary to advance legislation and careers in Congress. Staff Up also holds programs in Senior Management and Communications for up and coming congressional leaders. Congratulations, Chris.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nPublic Comments\nGrants\nJobs\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHISWEEK\n H.R. 4625- Protect the GI Bill Act (passed by voice vote)\n\tH.R. 4477 Reducing High Risk to Veterans And Veterans Service Act (passed by voice vote)\n\tH.R. 3537 Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2019 (passed, 424-1)\n NEXT WEEK\n H.R. 3702- Reforming the Disaster Recovery Act of 2019\n\tH.R. 5084- Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act of 2019", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/wespac-fund-flagged-audit", "WESPAC fund flagged for audit", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WESPAC fund flagged for audit                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund, which is managed by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Wespac) and is supposed to help support marine conservation efforts in the Northern Marianas, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa, has beenidentified for auditby the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General.For years, I have criticized Wespacfor its lack of transparency regarding the Fund, apparent conflicts of interests, questionable lobbying practices, and actions detrimental to environmental protections. In August, I wrote the DOC Inspector Generalrequesting the auditalong with Natural Resources Committee Chair Ral Grijalva, Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee Chair Jared Huffman, and Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii. We asked for a comprehensive accounting of the millions of dollars in grants funds managed by Wespac since 2012, a review of Wespac's internal controls to prevent conflicts of interests, and a determination of whether the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides proper oversight of the Fund.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/women-vets-get-new-attention", "Women vets get new attention", "2019-11-18", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Women vets get new attention                                           \n              Nov 18, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Women veterans would get improved access to healthcare through theDeborah Sampson Actthe House passed. The Act was one of nine approved bills aimed at better service for vets. The Sampson Act requires there to be at least one designated women's health provider in each VA facility nationwide, will retrofit existing facilities to improve privacy for women, and expand access to newborn care. We also passed theProtect the GI Bill Act, which restores education benefits veterans lost in recent for-profit school closures. The bill also gives the Veterans Administration new regulatory tools to keep schools that violate the terms of their GI Bill funding accountable. Read more about each of the nine billshere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/christmas-coming", "Christmas is coming", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Christmas is coming                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Ornaments decorated by students at Saipan Southern High School arrived at the Washington office this week in preparation for placement on the Marianas Christmas Tree in the President's Park outside the White House. The Marianas tree is one of 56 state and territory trees that surround the National Christmas Tree in the Park. Thank you, students, for your hard work and to your instructors, Mr. Joseph Weaver and Ms. Veronica Arriola.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/classroom-visit-khs", "Classroom visit at KHS", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Classroom visit at KHS                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Kagman students asked great questions about how the insular area delegates in Congress are part of the legislative process and how being in committee leadership can help the Marianas secure federal resources, during my visit on Friday. Among the resources students were interested in were digital learning tools to improve their quality of education. Thanks to Teacher Kyle Munn and to the Kagman High students for inviting me into their classroom.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/lets-read-marianas", "Lets Read, Marianas!", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Lets Read, Marianas!                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Libraries across the Marianas received over 50 boxes of books this week. I visited Tinian Elementary School, Tinian Jr./Sr. High School and Tinian Public Library to make deliveries there. On Rota books I brought books to Sinapalo Elementary School and Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr./Sr. High School. And on Saipan, Hopwood Middle School students received the reading materials. It is all part of my Let's Read! initiative that has selected over 50,000 brand-new books from the Library of Congress' Surplus Books Program to bring to schools, libraries and other nonprofit organizations throughout our islands.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/raising-awareness-marianas", "Raising awareness of the Marianas", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Raising awareness of the Marianas                                           \n              Nov 3, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The American Territory Alliance at Catholic University of America held a panel discussion on the Marianas Thursday. Congressional staff answered students' questions about our work to gain parity with other Americans for the people of the Marianas. Among the CUA students attending was our own Pale James Balajadia. Pictured: Chief of Staff Bob Schwalbach, Marie Erickson of Campus Dems, Christopher Lukas of the Alliance, Legislative Director Adam Tanga, and Pale James.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/thanks-briefing", "Thanks for the briefing", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Thanks for the briefing                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    On Friday, I met with Director Brian C. Moyer and Economist Amy Filipek of the Bureau of Economic Analysis to get the details of the agency's report on economic activity in the Marianas during 2018.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/apprenticeships-marianas", "Apprenticeships in the Marianas", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Apprenticeships in the Marianas                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The LEARNS Act, introduced October 31, should give a boost to apprenticeship programs in the Marianas. The Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills Act will channel more technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor to Northern Marianas College, Northern Marianas Trades Institute, and the Public School System. These schools are all working to set up apprenticeship programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction and lead to industry recognized credentials and a good-paying job after graduation. I joined Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and 55 Democratic colleagues in introducing the bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Education and Labor where I chair a subcommittee. For years, the Marianas has needed a robust apprenticeship program. The LEARNS Act could help that effort.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/career-program-open-nmi-students", "Career Program open to NMI students", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Career Program open to NMI students                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    A five-year $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will expand access to careers in vocational rehabilitation counseling for Marianas students and other areas without similar programs. The funds will support stipends for students enrolled in San Diego State University's graduate program that trains counselors to help transition individuals with disabilities into the workforce. Students in the Marianas and other insular areas who enroll as online distance learners are eligible. Learn more about the program here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/cuts-school-meals-opposed", "Cuts to school meals opposed", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cuts to school meals opposed                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    According to the Trump administration's own Department of Agriculture, its proposed changes in eligibility standards will lead to 982,000 children losing their school meals. So, I joined 27 of my colleagues on the Education and Labor Committeein opposing the proposal. USDA has been forced to reopen the comment period because the Department initially failed to disclose the true number of children impacted, if they were not automatically eligible for school meals because their family gets food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That hurts not just the SNAP students. It can mean no meals for anyone, if the total number participating at a school falls below 40 percent. It is true the Marianas does not participate in SNAP, but I believe it is important to support students everywhere in America and cannot allow this proposal to go unchallenged.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/economy-shrank-20-last-year", "Economy shrank 20% last year", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Economy shrank 20% last year                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Gross Domestic Product for the Marianas fell to $1.3 billion in 2018, a 19.6 percent decrease from 2017. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Director Dr. Brian C. Moyer met with me to go over his agency's annual economic report as he did last year just days before Super Typhoon Yutu. The storm significantly impacted overall economic results for 2018. Tourists stopped coming and the GDP data reflects this loss. Construction activity was strong in 2018 and, in part because of recovery from the storm, that trend should continue. Also likely to bolster 2019 numbers will be tens of millions in federal disaster aid that Congress has approved. The information that BEA produces for the Marianas and the other U.S. insular areas is a key tool for policymakers both in Washington and here at home. It also lets the public know whether our economy is headed in the right direction. Congress provides the money that makes production of the annual economic data possible. See all the data here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/health-coverage-vets", "Health coverage for vets", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Health coverage for vets                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Veterans would receive one year of health care from the U.S. Veterans Administration after they separate from active service under terms of the Veteran Transitional Health Care Improvement Act. I introduced the bill. The transition to civilian life presents a number of challenges for veterans and their families. By removing the worry of health care, I hope to free them to focus on their next steps in education, employment, and housing, and ultimately make their transition successful. Rep. Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa) joined me as an original co-sponsor. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Reserve Officers Association all support the proposal, which covers those separating from service in the Armed Forces or from active status with the National Guard or Reserve.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-small-biz-bill-gains-support", "NMI small biz bill gains support", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NMI small biz bill gains support                                           \n              Nov 12, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Two national business organizations have decided to support my bill extending SBA programs to the Marianas. The Main Street Alliance, in its support letter to the House Small Business Committee, highlighted how aspiring Marianas entrepreneurs who cannot get conventional loans at commercial banks would benefit from eligibility for microloans in my bill. The Small Business Majority noted the importance of ensuring Marianas small businesses have equal access to SBA programs in order to recover from Super Typhoon Yutu. My thanks to both organizations for their support and for the work they do on behalf of small business everywhere in America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-08-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 08, 2019", "2019-11-12", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n\n\t Health coverage for vets\n\t\tNMI small biz bill gains support\n\t\tEconomy shrank 20% last year\n\t\tCareer program open to NMI students\n\t\tApprenticeships in the Marianas\n\t\tLet's Read, Marianas!\n\t\tCuts to school meals opposed\n\t\tClassroom visit at KHS\n\t\tRaising awareness of the Marianas\n\t\tChristmas is coming\n\t\tKilili Time Capsule\n\t\tOpportunities\n\t\tLegislative highlights\n\t _________________________________________________________\n\t\n\n Health coverage for vets \nVeterans would receive one year of health care from the U.S. Veterans Administration after they separate from active service under terms of the Veteran Transitional Health Care Improvement Act. I introduced the bill today. The transition to civilian life presents a number of challenges for veterans and their families. By removing the worry of health care, I hope to free them to focus on their next steps in education, employment, and housing, and ultimately make their transition successful. Rep. Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa) joined me as an original co-sponsor. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Reserve Officers Association all support the proposal, which covers those separating from service in the Armed Forces or from active status with the National Guard or Reserve.\n NMI small biz bill gains support \nTwo national business organizations have decided to support my bill extending SBA programs to the Marianas. The Main Street Alliance, in its support letter to the House Small Business Committee, highlighted how aspiring Marianas entrepreneurs who cannot get conventional loans at commercial banks would benefit from eligibility for microloans in my bill. The Small Business Majority noted the importance of ensuring Marianas small businesses have equal access to SBA programs in order to recover from Super Typhoon Yutu. My thanks to both organizations for their support and for the work they do on behalf of small business everywhere in America.\n Economy shrank 20% last year \nGross Domestic Product for the Marianas fell to $1.3 billion in 2018, a 19.6 percent decrease from 2017. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Director Dr. Brian C. Moyer met with me on Thursday to go over his agency's annual economic report as he did last year just days before Super Typhoon Yutu. The storm significantly impacted overall economic results for 2018. Tourists stopped coming and the GDP data reflects this loss. Construction activity was strong in 2018 and, in part because of recovery from the storm, that trend should continue. Also likely to bolster 2019 numbers will be tens of millions in federal disaster aid that Congress has approved. The information that BEA produces for the Marianas and the other U.S. insular areas is a key tool for policymakers both in Washington and here at home. It also lets the public know whether our economy is headed in the right direction. Congress provides the money that makes production of the annual economic data possible. See all the data here.\n Career Program open to NMI students \nA five-year $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will expand access to careers in vocational rehabilitation counseling for Marianas students and other areas without similar programs. The funds will support stipends for students enrolled in San Diego State University's graduate program that trains counselors to help transition individuals with disabilities into the workforce. Students in the Marianas and other insular areas who enroll as online distance learners are eligible. Learn more about the program here.\n Apprenticeships in the Marianas \nThe LEARNS Act, introduced October 31, should give a boost to apprenticeship programs in the Marianas. The Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills Act will channel more technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor to Northern Marianas College, Northern Marianas Trades Institute, and the Public School System. These schools are all working to set up apprenticeship programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction and lead to industry recognized credentials and a good-paying job after graduation. I joined Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and 55 Democratic colleagues in introducing the bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Education and Labor where I chair a subcommittee. For years, the Marianas has needed a robust apprenticeship program. The LEARNS Act could help that effort.\n Cuts to school meals opposed \nAccording to the Trump administration's own Department of Agriculture, its proposed changes in eligibility standards will lead to 982,000 children losing their school meals. So, I joined 27 of my colleagues on the Education and Labor Committee this week in opposing the proposal. USDA has been forced to reopen the comment period because the Department initially failed to disclose the true number of children impacted, if they were not automatically eligible for school meals because their family gets food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That hurts not just the SNAP students. It can mean no meals for anyone, if the total number participating at a school falls below 40 percent. It is true the Marianas does not participate in SNAP, but I believe it is important to support students everywhere in America and cannot allow this proposal to go unchallenged.\nOPPORTUNITIES\nPublic Comments\nGrants\nLEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS\nTHIS WEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.\nNEXT WEEK\n H.R. 4625 - Protect the GI Bill Act\n\tH.R. 4477  Reducing High Risk to Veterans And Veterans Service Act\n\tH.R. 3537  Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2019", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/addressing-nursing-shortage", "Addressing the nursing shortage", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Addressing the nursing shortage                                            \n              Nov 3, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The House passed H.R. 728, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019. I am a cosponsor ofH.R. 728 which would help address the nursing shortage experienced throughout the country, especially in the Northern Marianas. As of July 2019, The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation employs 146 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, 20 less than they should have. Title VIII programs such as the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program, are designed to improve healthcare access in designated medically underserved areas like the Marianas. Bolstering nursing education at all levels and providing direct support to institutions that educate nurses for practice in rural and underserved communities is just what is needed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-tips", "Medicare Open Enrollment tips", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Medicare Open Enrollment tips                                           \n              Nov 3, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a podcast episode titled Medicare Open Enrollment / What You Need to Know. This episode features Kim Brandt, Principal Deputy Administrator for Operations at CMS. Brandt outlines key information about this year's open enrollment season, highlights major upgrades to the Medicare Plan Finder, and shares important fraud prevention tips that people should be aware of. Medicare open enrollment is from October 15, 2019-December 7, 2019. Changes made to plans during this period will take place on January 1, 2020. You can listen to the podcast here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/ocean-plastic-waste", "An ocean of plastic waste", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "An ocean of plastic waste                                           \n              Nov 3, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Actor and ocean conservation advocate Ted Danson was among the witnesses at a Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife hearing to discuss the growing problem of plastic pollution on our planet's oceans. I spoke about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a large collection of plastic and floating trash in the Northern Pacific, with Mr. Danson and the expert witnesses. I also pointed out that plastic garbage is also continually found in our uninhabited northern conservation islands. No one disputes the importance of plastic. It's durable, versatile, efficient, convenient, and cheap  and has led to great strides in medicine, manufacturing, and technology. But with its wide use and ultra slow decomposition rate, plastics present a significant threat to our oceans and marine wildlife. Over eight million tons of plastic winds up in the world's oceans each year. Until industry develops practical alternatives, we must all try to limit our plastic use and explore viable solutions to decrease plastic pollution.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/state-tuition-approved", "In-state tuition approved", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After a three-day markup session, the Education and Labor Committee passed the College Affordability Act, including my grant program for Northern Marianas College graduates. The grant, up to $15,000, is intended to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for NMC grads going on to a four-year, public college or university nationwide. Also incorporated in the bill are my legislation making NMC and PSS eligible for new federal funding to support the Chamorro and Refaluwasch languages and STEM education as well as my bill to drastically shorten and simplify the FAFSA. The Marianas would also receive $2.1 million over six years for career training in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industries. The House is expected to act on the College Affordability Act before the end of the year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/support-marianas-exports-ok%E2%80%99d", "Support for Marianas exports okd", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Support for Marianas exports ok'd                                           \n              Nov 3, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The House Financial Services Committee passed legislation reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank for the next decade, including a bill I cosponsored creating a dedicated office to support exporters from the Marianas and other U.S. territories. The bill creates the Office of Territorial Exporting within the Bank to promote goods and services from the territories, conduct outreach, education, and to increase the total amount of loans, guarantees, and insurance provided by the Bank benefiting the Marianas and other U.S. territories. The Export-Import Bank's authorization expires on November 21, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-01-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 01, 2019", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \n_______________________________________________________________________________\n In-state tuition approved \nAfter a three-day markup session, the Education and Labor Committee passed theCollege Affordability Act, includingmy grant program for Northern Marianas College graduates. The grant, up to $15,000, is intended to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for NMC grads going on to a four-year, public college or university nationwide. Also incorporated in the bill are my legislation making NMC and PSS eligible for new federal fundingto support the Chamorro and Refaluwasch languagesandSTEM educationas well asmy bill to drastically shorten and simplify the FAFSA. The Marianas would also receive $2.1 million over six years for career training in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industries. The House is expected to act on the College Affordability Act before the end of the year.\n Addressing the nursing shortage \nThe House passedH.R. 728, theTitle VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019. I am a cosponsor ofH.R. 728 which would help address the nursing shortage experienced throughout the country, especially in the Northern Marianas. As of July 2019, The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation employs 146 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, 20 less than they should have. Title VIII programs such as the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program, are designed to improve healthcare access in designated medically underserved areas like the Marianas. Bolstering nursing education at all levels and providing direct support to institutions that educate nurses for practice in rural and underserved communities is just what is needed.\n Medicare Open Enrollment tips \nThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a podcast episode titled Medicare Open Enrollment / What You Need to Know. This episode features Kim Brandt, Principal Deputy Administrator for Operations at CMS. Brandt outlines key information about this year's open enrollment season, highlights major upgrades to the Medicare Plan Finder, and shares important fraud prevention tips that people should be aware of. Medicare open enrollment is from October 15, 2019-December 7, 2019. Changes made to plans during this period will take place on January 1, 2020. You can listen to the podcasthere.\n Support for Marianas exports ok'd \nThe House Financial Services Committeepassed legislationreauthorizing the Export-Import Bank for the next decade, includinga bill I cosponsoredcreating a dedicated office to support exporters from the Marianas and other U.S. territories. The bill creates the Office of Territorial Exporting within the Bank to promote goods and services from the territories, conduct outreach, education, and to increase the total amount of loans, guarantees, and insurance provided by the Bank benefiting the Marianas and other U.S. territories. The Export-Import Bank's authorization expires on November 21, 2019.\n An ocean of plastic waste \nActor and ocean conservation advocate Ted Danson was among the witnesses at a Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife hearing Tuesday to discuss the growing problem ofplastic pollution on our planet's oceans. I spoke about theGreat Pacific Garbage Patch, a large collection of plastic and floating trash in the Northern Pacific, with Mr. Danson and the expert witnesses. I also pointed out that plastic garbage is also continually found in our uninhabited northern conservation islands. No one disputes the importance of plastic. It's durable, versatile, efficient, convenient, and cheap  and has led to great strides in medicine, manufacturing, and technology. But with its wide use and ultra slow decomposition rate, plastics present a significant threat to our oceans and marine wildlife. Over eight million tons of plastic winds up in the world's oceans each year. Until industry develops practical alternatives, we must all try to limit our plastic use and explore viable solutions to decrease plastic pollution.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nGrants\nJobs\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHISWEEK\n H.R. 1306- Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act, as amended (Passed by voice vote)\n\tH.R. 2781 EMPOWER Health Act of 2019 (Passed by voice vote)\n\tH.R. 4334 Dignity in Aging Act, as amended (Passed by voice vote)\n NEXT WEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/1028-deadline-re-parole", "10/28 deadline for re-parole", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "10/28 deadline for re-parole                                           \n              Oct 29, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The 1,039, who may be eligible for permanent status in the Marianas, provided by theNorthern Mariana Islands Long-Term Residents Relief Act, are reminded, October 28 is the deadline to apply to extend their temporary parole status. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services extended anautomatic 120-day temporary paroleafter the Act, Public Law 116-24, was signed and gave parolees until October 28,to submit a re-parole requestto maintain their status. The agency said the automatic extension gave it time to set up procedures to apply for a new permanent status the Act provides. But, so far, the Trump administration has not issued the necessary regulations. I wrote Public Law 116-24 to provide permanent status in the Marianas for parents and spouses of U.S. citizens, in-home caregivers, the stateless, and immediate relatives of persons granted permanent status by CNMI immigration law. All 1,039 were granted humanitarian parole, when U.S. immigration law first came into effect in the Marianas. But the Trump administration ended that parole program last December. There is no fee to file the re-parole request.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/friends-trench-awarded-250720", "Friends of Trench awarded $250,720", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Friends of Trench awarded $250,720                                           \n              Oct 29, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Congratulations to Friends of the Marianas Trench on the award of $250,720 from the Administration for Native Americans for Project HOPE. The Project, Health Oceans and People Empowerment, will set up an intergenerational exchange of ocean stewardship practices from Chamorro and Carolinian elders to PSS 6th grade students. Over the Project's 36 months students will participate in ocean science club activities, increasing knowledge and awareness of how traditional culture respected the ocean and, hopefully, leading the students to careers in STEMScience, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics. Also, awarded $147,755 in funding was the CNMI Public School System. Congratulations, PSS and FOTM!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/health-centers-need-stable-funding", "Health centers need stable funding", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Health centers need stable funding                                           \n              Oct 29, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Kagman Community Health Center, the soon-to-be Tinian Community Health Center, and community health centers nationwide would do better, if Congress provided predictable, stable, long-term funding.That was the messageI sent to House and Senate leadership along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts). We want an extension of the Community Health Center Fund for at least five years, along with long-term funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program and the National Health Service Corps that support community health centers. These proposals are set out inH.R. 1943, the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2019, on which I am an original cosponsor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/more-time-replace-food-stamps", "More time to replace food stamps", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "More time to replace food stamps                                           \n              Oct 29, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Households on Rota, Tinian, or Saipan that lost food stamps or food purchased with food stamps in Typhoon Hagibis have more time to ask for replacement. TheU.S. Agriculture Department gave the CNMI Nutrition Assistance Program permissionto extend the reporting period to November 6. Up to 50 percent, or $484,530, of the food stamps issued in the weeks prior to Hagibis may be replaced. Agriculture said the CNMI must notify the eligible households in person or by mail of the extended reporting period and the requirements for replacement eligibility.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/we-reject-insular-cases", "We reject the Insular Cases", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "We reject the Insular Cases                                           \n              Oct 29, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Insular Cases, decided in 1901 by the same Supreme Court that upheld segregation laws, have no place in modern day America. In these cases the Supreme Court calls people living in U.S. territories alien and savage and restless people, antiquated notions of racial inferiority that should not be the basis of any contemporary court decisions. The Resolution I introduced, along with Natural Resources Committee Chair Ral Grijalva, and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzlez-Coln, Guam Delegate Michael San Nicolas, and Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett recognizes these racist and imperialist assumptions for what they are.H.Res 641rejects the Insular Cases and affirms the importance of equal rights for Americans everywhere, even in the U.S. insular areas. Nor is this just a feel-good resolution. This month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the constitutionality of appointments to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico. Our resolution is a warning to the Court not to use the Insular Cases to base its judgement.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-25-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 25, 2019", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue:\nAcademy nominations now open\n 10/28 deadline for re-parole \n More time to replace food stamps \n Friends of Trench awarded $250,720 \n Welcome Co-Op Intern Ayleen Castro \n We reject the Insular Cases \n Health centers need stable funding \n Kilili Time Capsule \n Opportunities \n Legislative Highlights\n_______________________________________\n10/28 deadline for re-parole\nThe 1,039, who may be eligible for permanent status in the Marianas, provided by theNorthern Mariana Islands Long-Term Residents Relief Act, are reminded October 28 is the deadline to apply to extend their temporary parole status. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services extended anautomatic 120-day temporary paroleafter the Act, Public Law 116-24, was signed and gave parolees until October 28,to submit a re-parole requestto maintain their status. The agency said the automatic extension gave it time to set up procedures to apply for a new permanent status the Act provides. But, so far, the Trump administration has not issued the necessary regulations. I wrote Public Law 116-24 to provide permanent status in the Marianas for parents and spouses of U.S. citizens, in-home caregivers, the stateless, and immediate relatives of persons granted permanent status by CNMI immigration law. All 1,039 were granted humanitarian parole, when U.S. immigration law first came into effect in the Marianas. But the Trump administration ended that parole program last December. There is no fee to file the re-parole request.\nMore time to replace food stamps\nHouseholds on Rota, Tinian, or Saipan that lost food stamps or food purchased with food stamps in Typhoon Hagibis have more time to ask for replacement. TheU.S. Agriculture Department gave the CNMI Nutrition Assistance Program permission to extend the reporting period to November 6. Up to 50 percent, or $484,530, of the food stamps issued in the weeks prior to Hagibis may be replaced. Agriculture said the CNMI must notify the eligible households in person or by mail of the extended reporting period and the requirements for replacement eligibility.\nFriends of Trench awarded $250,720\nCongratulations to Friends of the Marianas Trench on the award of $250,720 from the Administration for Native Americans for Project HOPE. The Project, Health Oceans and People Empowerment, will set up an intergenerational exchange of ocean stewardship practices from Chamorro and Carolinian elders to PSS 6th grade students. Over the Project's 36 months students will participate in ocean science club activities, increasing knowledge and awareness of how traditional culture respected the ocean and, hopefully, leading the students to careers in STEMScience, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics. Also, awarded $147,755 in funding was the CNMI Public School System. Congratulations, PSS and FOTM!\nWe reject the Insular Cases\nThe Insular Cases, decided in 1901 by the same Supreme Court that upheld segregation laws, have no place in modern day America. In these cases the Supreme Court calls people living in U.S. territories alien and savage and restless people, antiquated notions of racial inferiority that should not be the basis of any contemporary court decisions. The Resolution I introduced, along with Natural Resources Committee Chair Ral Grijalva, and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzlez-Coln, Guam Delegate Michael San Nicolas, and Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett recognizes these racist and imperialist assumptions for what they are.H.Res 641rejects the Insular Cases and affirms the importance of equal rights for Americans everywhere, even in the U.S. insular areas. Nor is this just a feel-good resolution. This month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the constitutionality of appointments to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico. Our resolution is a warning to the Court not to use the Insular Cases to base its judgement.\nHealth centers need stable funding\nKagman Community Health Center, the soon-to-be Tinian Community Health Center, and community health centers nationwide would do better, if Congress provided predictable, stable, long-term funding.That was the messageI sent to House and Senate leadership this week along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts). We want an extension of the Community Health Center Fund for at least five years, along with long-term funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program and the National Health Service Corps that support community health centers. These proposals are set out inH.R. 1943, the Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2019, on which I am an original cosponsor.\nOPPORTUNITIES\nJobs\nLEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS\nTHISWEEK\n H.R. 4406- Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2019 (Passed, 375-25)\n\tH.R. 2426 CASE Act of 2019 (Passed, 410-6)\n\tH.R. 724 Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (Passed by voice vote)\n \n\nNEXT WEEK\n\n H.R. 1306- Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act, as amended\n\tH.R. 2781 EMPOWER Health Act of 2019\n\tH.R. 4334 Dignity in Aging Act, as amended\n \nCommittee Activity\nTuesday, October 29\n House Veterans' Affairs Committee will hold a full committee markup on pending legislation.\n\tThe Subcommittee on Water, Oceans & Wildlife will hold an oversight hearing titled, \"A Sea of Problems: Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Oceans and Wildlife.\"\n\tHouse Education and Labor Committee will hold a full committee markup on the College Affordability Act\n \nWednesday, October 30\n House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health will hold an oversight hearing titled, Native Veterans' Access to Healthcare.\n\tHouse Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled, Preparing for Blue Water Claims - VA Status Update on Implementation.\n\tThe House Natural Resources Committee will hold a full committee hearing onPROMESA.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/reminder-october-28-deadline-apply-re-parole", "Reminder: October 28 deadline  to apply for re-parole", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  The 1,039 persons who may be eligible for permanent status in the Marianas, provided by the Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Residents Relief Act, are reminded that October 28 is the deadline to apply to maintain their interim, temporary parole status.\nThe Act, Public Law 116-24, was signed by President Trump on June 25. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services immediately issued an automatic 120-day extension of parole for those covered by the new law.\nAt the time, USCIS announced that parolees who wanted to maintain their parole status beyond the 120 daysending Monday, October 28needed to submit a re-parole request. Individuals submitting a re-parole request would then receive a letter from USCIS granting a further parole period. There is no fee to file the request.\nCongressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan wrote Public Law 116-24 to provide permanent status in the Marianas for parents and spouses of U.S. citizens, in-home caregivers, certain stateless individuals, and immediate relatives of persons granted permanent status by CNMI immigration law. All 1,039 had been granted humanitarian parole, when U.S. immigration law first came into effect in the Marianas; but the Trump administration ended that parole program.\nSablan's law was enacted just days before the parolees would otherwise have been forced to leave the Marianas. USCIS issued the automatic 120-day extension to give the agency time to establish procedures for obtaining the new permanent status provided in Sablan's law.\nSo far, however, the Trump administration has not issued the necessary regulations.\nParolees who had employment authorizations, or EADs, also got an automatic 120-day extension until October 28. Parolees wanting to work beyond that date were to apply first for re-parole. After receiving a grant of parole beyond October 28, they could file a Form I-765 to apply for employment authorization.\nComplete information on the parole extension process is available online at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/northern-mariana-islands-long-term-legal-residents-relief-act-guidance-certain-individuals-present-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands-cnmi.\nInformation about applying for parole can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/laws/immigration-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands-cnmi/parole-immediate-relatives-us-citizens-and-certain-stateless-individuals\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/help-job-training", "Help for job training", "2019-10-20", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Help for job training                                           \n              Oct 20, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    More federal help for Marianas workers looking to enter the job market is the goal of the Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act, which I introduced.H.R. 4743ensures job seekers in the Marianas get the same skill assessments, career guidance, and referrals to training provided to other insular areas through the Wagner-Peyser Act. The annual grant is worth about $300,000. Republicans have previously blocked my bills to get equal treatment for the Marianas. But Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scottgave me his commitmentlast year that once Democrats were in the majority he would move ahead to make the Marianas an eligible entity for Wagner-Peyser Act assistance. I appreciate the Chairman's support and look forward to moving my bill, as a stand-alone or included in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, when we reauthorize that law later in this Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/new-medicare-plan-finder", "New Medicare plan finder", "2019-10-20", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New Medicare plan finder                                           \n              Oct 20, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Just in time for Open Enrollment, the Medicare Plan Finder has a new look and new features. Medicare health and drug plans can make changes each yearthings like cost, coverage, and what providers and pharmacies are in their networks. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you can now use the new Medicare Plan Finder onwww.medicare.govto review coverage choices and decide on the options that best fit your health needs for 2020. The new plan finder features an improved layout that makes it easier to compare prices between different plans, build a personal prescription drug list with more accurate drug pricing, and access the plan finder from your mobile device. Medicare Open Enrollment is currently ongoing and closes on December 7, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/state-tuition-new-college-act", "In-state tuition in new College Act", "2019-10-20", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In-state tuition in new College Act                                           \n              Oct 20, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Democrats on the Education and Labor Committee unveiled our new vision for higher education, includingmy grant program for Northern Marianas College graduates. The grant, up to $15,000, is intended to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for NMC grads going on to a four-year, public college or university elsewhere in America. Also incorporated in the one-thousand pageCollege Affordability Act, H.R. 4674, are my bills making NMC and PSS eligible for new federal fundingto support the Chamorro and Refaluwasch languagesandSTEM education. MySimple FAFSA bill, too, is now part of the Democrats signature legislation. Simplifying the FAFSA form will make it easier for first-time college students from low-income families, like many in the Marianas, to apply for federal tuition aidand only have to apply once, not year-after-year. The Marianas would also receive $2.1 million over six years for career training in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industries. Learn morehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-18-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 18, 2019", "2019-10-20", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \nMedicaid: It is time to act \n In-state tuition in new College Act \n Lower drug costs for the Marianas\n Teacher excellence awarded \n Closer look at Hopwood post-Hagibis\n Help for job training \n New Medicare plan finder \n Okinawa Governor visits \n Welcome, Pal \n Kilili Time Capsule\n Opportunities \n Legislative highlights\n______________________________________________________________________________\n In-state tuition in new College Act \nDemocrats on the Education and Labor Committee unveiled our new vision for higher education, includingmy grant program for Northern Marianas College graduates. The grant, up to $15,000, is intended to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for NMC grads going on to a four-year, public college or university elsewhere in America. Also incorporated in the one-thousand pageCollege Affordability Act, H.R. 4674, are my bills making NMC and PSS eligible for new federal fundingto support the Chamorro and Refaluwasch languagesandSTEM education. MySimple FAFSA bill, too, is now part of the Democrats signature legislation. Simplifying the FAFSA form will make it easier for first-time college students from low-income families, like many in the Marianas, to apply for federal tuition aidand only have to apply once, not year-after-year. The Marianas would also receive $2.1 million over six years for career training in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industries. Learn morehere.\n Help for job training \nMore federal help for Marianas workers looking to enter the job market is the goal of the Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act, which I introduced.H.R. 4743ensures job seekers in the Marianas get the same skill assessments, career guidance, and referrals to training provided to other insular areas through the Wagner-Peyser Act. The annual grant is worth about $300,000. Republicans have previously blocked my bills to get equal treatment for the Marianas. But Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scottgave me his commitmentlast year that once Democrats were in the majority he would move ahead to make the Marianas an eligible entity for Wagner-Peyser Act assistance. I appreciate the Chairman's support and look forward to moving my bill, as a stand-alone or included in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, when we reauthorize that law later in this Congress.\n New Medicare plan finder \nJust in time for Open Enrollment, the Medicare Plan Finder has a new look and new features. Medicare health and drug plans can make changes each yearthings like cost, coverage, and what providers and pharmacies are in their networks. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you can now use the new Medicare Plan Finder onwww.medicare.govto review coverage choices and decide on the options that best fit your health needs for 2020. The new plan finder features an improved layout that makes it easier to compare prices between different plans, build a personal prescription drug list with more accurate drug pricing, and access the plan finder from your mobile device. Medicare Open Enrollment is currently ongoing and closes on December 7, 2019.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nGrants\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHISWEEK\n H.R. 1815SEC Disclosure Effectiveness Act (Passed, 229-186)\n\tH.R. 1199- VA Website Accessibility Act of 2019 (Passed by voice vote)\n \nNEXT WEEK\n H.R. 4406- Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2019\n\tH.R. 2426 CASE Act of 2019\n\tH.R. 724 Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/16-cola-social-security", "1.6% COLA for Social Security", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "1.6% COLA for Social Security                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The 3,056 Marianas retirees receiving Social Security and the 1,018 receiving Supplemental Security Income will see a 1.6 percent cost of living increase for 2020. The estimated average monthly benefit for retired workers will go from $1,479 to $1,503. The maximum monthly SSI payment will increase from $771 to $783 for individuals and from $1,157 to $1,175 for couples. The higher payments will begin in January 2020 for Social Security beneficiaries and on December 31, 2019 for SSI beneficiaries. These increases are intended to keep pace with the cost of goods and services. Together the two programs put $32.5 million into the Marianas economy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/26m-medicaid-%E2%80%94-no-local-match", "$2.6M for Medicaid  no local match", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$2.6M for Medicaid  no local match                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    No local match will be required for the remaining $2.6 million of the Mariana's Obamacare Medicaid money. We have been working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to clarify this is the correct reading of theFY20 Continuing Resolutionsigned into law on September 30; and CMS agreed. In addition, to this $2.6 million from 1323 of the Affordable Care Act, the Marianas' annual Medicaid block grant of $6.9 million can also be spent without a local match at least through November 21, when the continuing resolution lapses. This is a welcome stopgap, but our goal remains a long-term solution to the inequitable treatment of U.S. insular areas under the Medicaid program. During this congressional break, the House continued negotiations with the Senate onH.R. 2328. This bipartisan House bill would provide $360 Million for Marianas Medicaid over six years. No local match is required in the first two years; and in year six the match is set tothe most generous for any U.S. state76 percent federal/24 percent local.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/hagibis-aid-marianas-ok%E2%80%99d", "Hagibis aid for Marianas okd", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hagibis aid for Marianas ok'd                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Thanks to President Trump for responding quickly to the Commonwealth's request for an emergency declaration, as Super Typhoon Hagibis bore down on us. Acting Governor Arnold Palacios submitted the formal request,which I supported; and the President issued the declaration that afternoon. While our islands were spared major damage from Super Typhoon Hagibis, unlocking this initial federal aid to help Marianas first responders prepare for and respond to the storm put us ahead of the game. An emergency declaration makes up to $5 million in federal resources immediately available to support debris removal, air transportation, and shelters to save lives and protect property.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/loan-fee-refunds-vets", "Loan fee refunds for Vets", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Loan fee refunds for Vets                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Disabled veterans nationwide, overcharged as much as $19,000 in home loan fees, are now eligible for refunds.An Inspector General investigation, earlier this year, found the Department of Veterans Affairs owes $286.4 million in refunds to veterans; and along with colleagues on the House Veterans' Affairs CommitteeI urged Secretary Wilkie to come up with a planto make these veterans whole. On Tuesday,the VA announcedthat it had identified over 130,000 loans, where fees were wrongly assessed, and set up a toll-free number (877.827.3702) for veterans to find out if they are due a refund. In creating the VA home loan program to help veterans successfully transition to civilian life, Congress specifically exempted veterans with service-connected disabilities from paying fees. The VA needs to follow the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-enrollment-opens-1015", "Medicare enrollment opens 10/15", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Medicare enrollment opens 10/15                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    For those with Medicare insurance now is the time to decide whether to change your current health or prescription drug plans or keep what you have. The Medicare open enrollment period begins October 15 and ends December 7. Costs, coverage, and which doctors or pharmacies are in your insurance network can shift from year to year. Open enrollment is when you can look at whether the plans you have still meet your needs, and make changes, if you want to. To review 2020 health and drug plans, compare coverage options, or to estimate Medicare costs, go toMedicare.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-state-tuition-marianas-students-college-affordability-act", "Kilili: In-state tuition for Marianas students in College Affordability Act", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and 24 other Democrats today introduced a one-thousand page bill to make it easier for Americans to get a college education. The College Affordability Act includes Sablan's proposal to allow graduates of Northern Marianas College to pay in-state tuition, when they go on to a four-year, public university for further education.\nWe lifted the federal Pell grant ten years ago high enough that most NMC students have all the cost of their tuition and books covered, Congressman Sablan said. But it has also been my goal to give our students help taking the next big step to go off-island for a baccalaureate degree that they cannot earn here in the Marianas.\nThe College Affordability Act provides that help.\nThe College Affordability Act incorporates Sablan's College Access Act, H.R. 2465, which allows the Commonwealth's Governor to award grants of up to $15,000 per year to NMC graduates to pay the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at four-year, public colleges or universities anywhere in America.\nInterim President Frankie Eliptico said NMC supports Sablan's bill. Eligibility for future tuition assistance would  enhance the value of an NMC degree and encourage more Marianas high school graduates to stay at home for the first two years of college, Eliptico said. [W]e strongly support the College Access Act as an investment in our future workforce by giving Marianas students another way to afford their education and enter rewarding careers.\nIn addition to the in-state tuition grant, Marianas students will also continue to be eligible for Pell grants, which the Affordability Act increases by $500 and then permanently indexes to inflation. Unused Pell grant funds could be carried over for graduate studies.\nSpecial provisions for Chamorro and Refaluwasch\nToday's College Affordability Act incorporates four more of Sablan's higher education initiatives. The bill makes Northern Marianas College and the Public School System eligible for new federal funding to support Chamorro and Refaluwasch language education. Grants could be used for curriculum development and for instruction for students from early childhood through high school. Congressman Kilili introduced this proposal as H.R. 4188, the Native American Language Vitalization Act, earlier this year.\nKilili also included his Indigenous STEM Professional Development Act, H.R. 4222. That bill expands an existing program that helps Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian students prepare for careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Chamorro and Refaluwasch would also now qualify for this assistance. Funds can be used to increase retention and graduation rates for these Pacific Islanders, when studying STEM fields, and to set up internships to help with the transition to the workforce.\nCongressman Kilili also successfully negotiated to include funding for workforce development in the College Affordability Act. The bill doubles a current grant for career and technical education that goes to the Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, and Palau. The Marianas would receive $2.1 million over six years for training in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors. The funds could also be used for apprenticeships and improved career counseling.\nMore Sablan bills rolled into Democrats signature higher education proposal\nSablan's Elevation of the Education Profession Act, H.R. 4424, was also made part of the College Affordability Act, introduced today.The bill sets up an advisory committee to dig deeply into various state government policies on teacher education and certification. The committee will then recommend to Congress better ways to prepare teachers and other school leaders and to support their work once they are employed in the nation's schools.\nThe Congressman, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, held a hearing in July on the question of why teachers leave the profession and how teacher turnover negatively affects students. As a result of the hearing, he wrote the Elevation of the Education Profession Act.\nAnd the College Affordability Act includes the Simple FAFSA Act, which Sablan introduced last month. Simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA, will make it easier for students to apply for tuition assistance by eliminating unnecessary informational questions on the existing form. As many as 40 percent of students and their families give up before completing the FAFSA, leaving billions of federal school aid unused each year.\nLegislative ideas, like in-state tuition for Marianas students, simplifying FAFSA, putting more money into indigenous students and languages, are all proposals I have worked on for years, Sablan said. But getting them added to the larger legislation put forward by the Democratic majority to reauthorize higher education programs nationwide makes it much more likely that my ideas will be enacted into law.\nThe House is expected to act on the College Affordability Act before the end of the year.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/torres%E2%80%99-goal-500-more-us-workers", "Torres goal: 500 more US workers", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Torres' goal: 500 more US workers                                           \n              Oct 15, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    The $2.5 million in training fees paid by employers of CW workers this year should place 500 more U.S. workers into the labor force, according to thespending plan submitted by Governor Ralph Torresin June andapproved by the U.S. Department of Laboron September 19. TheU.S. Workforce Act, which I wrote into law last year, requires the annual spending plan anda report to Congress, received this week, to ensure the training funds are used effectively to put U.S. workers in jobs. The Governor's plan gives $1 million each to the Northern Marianas Trades Institute and Northern Marianas College. $200,000 goes to the CNMI Department of Labor for administrative costs and $300,000 to provide opportunities to fund training programs relevant to the advancement of US workers within the CNMI labor force. Fees may fall short of the projected $2.5 million, however, as only 12,152 CW permits had been issued as of September 29 (yielding $2.43 million), according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The U.S. Workforce Act also requires the Governor to report by November 2 the ratio between U.S. and other worker based on income tax filings.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-11-2019", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 11, 2019", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue: \nTorres' goal: 500 more US workers \n $2.6M for Medicaid  no local match \n Vets Committee sees island reality \n Loan fee refunds for Vets \n Hagibis aid for Marianas ok'd \n 1.6% COLA for Social Security \n Medicare enrollment opens 10/15 \n Kilili Time Capsule  Opportunities \nOpportunities\n Legislative highlights\n____________________________________________________________________________\n Torres' goal: 500 more US workers \nThe $2.5 million in training fees paid by employers of CW workers this year should place 500 more U.S. workers into the labor force, according to thespending plan submitted by Governor Ralph Torresin June andapproved by the U.S. Department of Laboron September 19. TheU.S. Workforce Act, which I wrote into law last year, requires the annual spending plan anda report to Congress, received this week, to ensure the training funds are used effectively to put U.S. workers in jobs. The Governor's plan gives $1 million each to the Northern Marianas Trades Institute and Northern Marianas College. $200,000 goes to the CNMI Department of Labor for administrative costs and $300,000 to provide opportunities to fund training programs relevant to the advancement of US workers within the CNMI labor force. Fees may fall short of the projected $2.5 million, however, as only 12,152 CW permits had been issued as of September 29 (yielding $2.43 million), according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The U.S. Workforce Act also requires the Governor to report by November 2 the ratio between U.S. and other worker based on income tax filings.\n $2.6M for Medicaid  no local match \nNo local match will be required for the remaining $2.6 million of the Mariana's Obamacare Medicaid money. We have been working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to clarify this is the correct reading of theFY20 Continuing Resolutionsigned into law on September 30; and CMS agreed today. In addition, to this $2.6 million from 1323 of the Affordable Care Act, the Marianas' annual Medicaid block grant of $6.9 million can also be spent without a local match at least through November 21, when the continuing resolution lapses. This is a welcome stopgap, but our goal remains a long-term solution to the inequitable treatment of U.S. insular areas under the Medicaid program. During this congressional break, the House continued negotiations with the Senate onH.R. 2328. This bipartisan House bill would provide $360 Million for Marianas Medicaid over six years. No local match is required in the first two years; and in year six the match is set tothe most generous for any U.S. state76 percent federal/24 percent local.\n Loan fee refunds for Vets \nDisabled veterans nationwide, overcharged as much as $19,000 in home loan fees, are now eligible for refunds.An Inspector General investigation, earlier this year, found the Department of Veterans Affairs owes $286.4 million in refunds to veterans; and along with colleagues on the House Veterans' Affairs CommitteeI urged Secretary Wilkie to come up with a planto make these veterans whole. On Tuesday,the VA announcedthat it had identified over 130,000 loans, where fees were wrongly assessed, and set up a toll-free number (877.827.3702) for veterans to find out if they are due a refund. In creating the VA home loan program to help veterans successfully transition to civilian life, Congress specifically exempted veterans with service-connected disabilities from paying fees. The VA needs to follow the law.\n Hagibis aid for Marianas ok'd \nThanks to President Trump for responding quickly to the Commonwealth's request for an emergency declaration, as Super Typhoon Hagibis bore down on us. Monday,Acting Governor Arnold Palacios submitted the formal request,which I supported; and the President issued the declaration that afternoon. While our islands were spared major damage from Super Typhoon Hagibis, unlocking this initial federal aid to help Marianas first responders prepare for and respond to the storm put us ahead of the game. An emergency declaration makes up to $5 million in federal resources immediately available to support debris removal, air transportation, and shelters to save lives and protect property.\n 1.6% COLA for Social Security \nThe 3,056 Marianas retirees receiving Social Security and the 1,018 receiving Supplemental Security Income will see a 1.6 percent cost of living increase for 2020. The estimated average monthly benefit for retired workers will go from $1,479 to $1,503. The maximum monthly SSI payment will increase from $771 to $783 for individuals and from $1,157 to $1,175 for couples. The higher payments will begin in January 2020 for Social Security beneficiaries and on December 31, 2019 for SSI beneficiaries. These increases are intended to keep pace with the cost of goods and services. Together the two programs put $32.5 million into the Marianas economy.\nMedicare enrollment opens 10/15\n Medicare enrollment opens 10/15 \nFor those with Medicare insurance now is the time to decide whether to change your current health or prescription drug plans or keep what you have. The Medicare open enrollment period begins October 15 and ends December 7. Costs, coverage, and which doctors or pharmacies are in your insurance network can shift from year to year. Open enrollment is when you can look at whether the plans you have still meet your needs, and make changes, if you want to. To review 2020 health and drug plans, compare coverage options, or to estimate Medicare costs, go toMedicare.gov.\n OPPORTUNITIES \nGrants\n\n LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS \nTHISWEEK\nThe House is in recess for the District Work Period.\nNEXT WEEK\n\n H.R. 1815SEC Disclosure Effectiveness Act\n\tH.R 3624 Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2019", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/196m-available-compact-impact", "$1.96M available for compact impact", "2019-10-07", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$1.96M available for compact impact                                           \n              Oct 6, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    The Northern Marianas is eligible to receive $1,955,330 in FY 2020 Compact Impact grant funding, the Office of Insular Affairs announced. Congress provides this money to the Pacific insular areas and Hawaii to help defray health, education, and infrastructure costs associated with migrants from the freely associated states of Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. FAS citizens can live, study, and work throughout the U.S under terms of the Compacts of Free Association. The Commonwealth government must submit a plan of use by November 30, 2019, to receive the grant funds. In 2018, the Census Bureau estimated thenumber of FAS migrantsin the Northern Marianas at 2,535, a decrease from 2,660 in 2013.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/2020-fafsa-now-open", "2020 FAFSA Now Open", "2019-10-07", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "2020 FAFSA Now Open                                           \n              Oct 6, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Marianas students needing financial aid for college next fall can now begin filing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA. October 1 was the opening date for the 2020-2021 school year. Information entered on the FAFSA determines eligibility for Pell grants and other scholarships, work-study awards, and loans. While the deadline for this federal aid is June 30, 2021, colleges that rely on information in the FAFSA in awarding their own school scholarships and student aid may make decisions much sooner. So, do not delay. Consult your high school counselors or college financial aid officers for school-specific deadlines and assistance. You can access the FAFSA formhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/amber-alert-bill-introduced-0", "AMBER Alert bill introduced", "2019-10-07", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "AMBER Alert bill introduced                                           \n              Oct 6, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    \nTheAMBER Alert Nationwide ActI introduced will add the Marianas and other Pacific insular areas to the national system for finding missing children. AMBER alerts mobilize the community via radio, TV, and text messages and have helped locate almost one thousand children, since the system was created in 1996. My bill will give law enforcement in the Marianas the financial and technical resources from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation to implement AMBER alerts in our community, hopefully saving lives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sablan.house.gov/interior-submits-required-report", "Interior submits required report", "2019-10-07", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Interior submits required report                                           \n              Oct 6, 2019      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n            \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Economic development in the Marianas and creating job opportunities for U.S. workers is an all-hands-on-deck effort. That is why I included a requirement in theNorthern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Actlast year that the Interior Department report to Congress on what that agency is doing to help us become more like the rest of the American economic family.The Department submitted its first report on Tuesday. TheConsolidated Natural Resources Act, Public Law 110-229, which extended federal immigration to the Marianas, tasked Interior with providing technical assistance to the Commonwealth to identify opportunities for diversification and growth of the economy. Interior was also required to assist to assist employers in the Commonwealth in securing employees first from among United States citizens. And the Department was supposed to help Marianas educational entities to develop curricula for needed job skills. The biannual report required by the U.S. Workforce Act will help make clear how well Interior is fulfilling these duties.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 486, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "MP", "p1": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 486, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 486, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "MP", "label": "MP", "count": 486, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 486, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MP", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-10-07,https~3A~2F~2Fsablan~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Finterior-submits-required-report", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MP&year=2019&_next=2019-10-07%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fsablan~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Finterior-submits-required-report&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 58.64472920075059, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}