Press releases
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1,527 rows where party = "Democrat" and state = "MP" sorted by date descending
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| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-fy21-appropriation-covid-relief-loaded-marianas%E2%80%99-benefits | Kilili: FY21 appropriation, COVID relief loaded with Marianas benefits | 2020-12-22 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said the FY21 federal spending bill, including $908 billion in COVID relief for individuals, businesses, schools, and healthcare is good news for the Marianas. The legislative text (5,593 pages) was finished overnight, and the House voted on passage at 9:00 p.m. in Washington. The final vote was 359 for, 53 against. This was the third time the House has passed COVID relief, once in May and again in October. Each time before, the Republican Senate has refused to take action. But today, two hours after the House, the Senate also voted passage. Unemployed workers, who were afraid their weekly federal assistance would stop this month, can now breathe a little easier, Congressman Kilili said. Teachers and staff, who knew PSS was running out of money to pay them and keep our schools operating, can now breathe easy. Taxpayers will get a second impact payment, which means $2,400 for a family of four. Businesses and non-profits that have seen their revenues collapse will get a second opportunity for a forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loan. And Congress has doubled down on healthcare funding to help with testing, tracing, and the vaccine roll-out. $14m in Marianas food aid, $90m Community Disaster funds allowed As always, my primary goal in negotiations was to make sure the people of the Marianas were included in these national policies, just like Americans everywhere, Congressman Sablan said. But the appropriations and COVID relief bill also have very specific provisions that I worked to add for the Marianas. Governor Torres asked for $11,527,811 in additional food stamp funding in August. I got him $14,000,000 in the relief bill, Kilili said, more than he asked for, and enough to allow the Governor to reinstate everyone who lost food stamps in October or had their benefits cut, which I hope he will restore immediately. Congressman Sablan was also able to include an amendment to FEMA's Community Disaster Loan program, which Governor Torres wanted. The loan… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/18608-puafpuc-claims-pending | 18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending Dec 20, 2020 18,608 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation applications remain unprocessed by the Commonwealth as of December 12, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). This is a down from the 27,446 pending applications the Commonwealth's Department of Labor self-reported to the federal agency in November. USDOL tells the congressional office up to 18,000 of the unprocessed applications are under investigation for potential fraud, because they were filed from outside the Marianas. USDOL expects the Commonwealth to conclude review of the suspected fraudulent claims by the end of December. The PUA and FPUC programs cover unemployment that occurs in 2020, but Congress has provided enough funding so claims for that period can still be processed and paid in 2021. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/covid-19-vaccine-here | COVID-19 vaccine is here | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | COVID-19 vaccine is here Dec 20, 2020 The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation received an initial 4,875 of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. This first shipment is comparable to what Vermont, Wyoming, and other smaller population states are receiving. CHCC plans to give priority to healthcare workers, first responders, and high-risk patients, but the goal is to have everyone in the Marianas inoculated as vaccine deliveries continue over the coming months. To ensure that happens, CHCC officials have asked me to take the new vaccine to show the public it is safe. I agreedas long as everyone in the priority groups is taken care ofand will get my first shot next week.If we want to keep our community healthy and get our economy moving again, all of us will need to get vaccinated. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/larger-grants-vets-cemeteries | Larger grants for vets cemeteries | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Larger grants for vets cemeteries Dec 20, 2020 The Marpi cemetery and veterans cemeteries across America stand to receive more federal maintenance funds now that myVeterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Acthas been sent to the President for signature. My bill, H.R. 5487, was wrapped into a larger package of veterans measures,H.R. 7105, which the House passed on Wednesday. It doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for cemetery maintenance and should help the Commonwealth keep our Marianas veterans' final resting place clean and beautiful. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/nmc-wins-107m-eda-grant | NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant Dec 20, 2020 Congratulations to Northern Marianas College on the award of $10,681,796 from the 2019 Disaster Supplemental Appropriation, US Public Law 116-20. The money will be used for a Workforce Development and Training Center at the College with fully-equipped classroom, laboratory, and office spaces. The typhoon-resilient Center will be powered by solar panels and be used for teaching and research in food science, plant biotechnology, entomology, and anthropometry. EDA says the project will spur private investment and increase employment opportunities. This grant has been a long time coming. NMC applied on July 3, 2019, just one month after Congress made the disaster recovery funds available for Super Typhoon Yutu recovery. But it has taken the Trump administration 18 months to issue approval two years after Yutu struck. EDA still has six more disaster recovery grant applications from the Marianas it has not acted on, worth about $85 million. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/not-yet-covid-relief | Not yet on COVID relief | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Not yet on COVID relief Dec 20, 2020 Talks continue, as we go to press, on an omnibus appropriation for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 and for additional economic relief as our nation struggles with the COVID pandemic. The bipartisan group of eight Senators, who have taken the lead on COVID relief, released two draft bills this week. The first contains an extension of unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Program, additional food aid including extra money for the Marianas, and funding for schools, housing assistance, airports, and broadband expansion. The second draft bill is a holding place for two, more controversial proposals: funding to help states pay for policing and other basic services and liability protections for businesses. Republicans generally oppose helping states. Democrats are skeptical of shielding businesses that do not protect workers and customers from the coronavirus. Your congressional office is in direct communication with leadership, who are negotiating a final package, and with the bipartisan Senate Gang of 8, advocating for inclusion of the Marianas in all forms of relief. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-covid-relief-agreed | Kilili: COVID relief agreed | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today that agreement has been reached on a new economic relief package to help people in the Marianas and communities all around America get through the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on passage Monday in Washington with the Senate to follow quickly. The $908 billion spending bill will continue the pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) that has helped so many Marianas workers, who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus. Federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC) will also restart and continue through March 14, although at a reduced rate of $300 weekly. Direct payments of $600 will go to taxpayers, similar to the CARES Act economic impact payments earlier this year. Individuals earning under $75,000 and couples earning under $150,000 will qualify. They will also receive $600 for each child dependent. Marianas public schools will be able to stay open with teachers and other staff paid out of a special set-aside of $409 million for insular area Kindergarten through 12 grade education. College students will receive an increase in Pell grants and special funds are allocated for minority serving institutions such as Northern Marianas College. And the $14 million that Governor Ralph Torres told Congressman Sablan was necessary, so no one in the Marianas would be cut from the Nutritional Assistance Program or have their benefits reduced is also in the bill. The Democratic Caucus has been meeting virtually all weekend to reach agreement on this COVID relief package, Congressman Sablan reports. My first concern in these sessions is always to insist the Marianas are included in the larger national programs, as we did with unemployment and the direct payments to individuals, when the CARES Act passed last March. But there are always other areas, more specific to the Marianas, that also require persistent reminders to leadership and the staff who are writing the bill, such as food aid, because we… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/uscis-extends-response-times | USCIS extends response times | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today it is extending the response time flexibilities for certain Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent. The agency originally announced the extra time on March 30, 2020 in consideration of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. USCIS will continue to consider a response to the following requests and notices received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before the agency takes any action: Requests for Evidence; Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14); Notices of Intent to Deny; Notices of Intent to Revoke; Notices of Intent to Rescind; Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant; Filing date requirements for Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA); or Filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. This flexibility applies to the above documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021, inclusive. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-18-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 18, 2020 | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue COVID-19 vaccine is here Not yet on COVID relief NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant Larger grants for vets cemeteries 18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending Congratulating young artists A room with a view Visitors Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights COVID-19 vaccine is here The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation received an initial 4,875 of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine early Thursday morning. This first shipment is comparable to what Vermont, Wyoming, and other smaller population states are receiving. CHCC plans to give priority to healthcare workers, first responders, and high-risk patients, but the goal is to have everyone in the Marianas inoculated as vaccine deliveries continue over the coming months. To ensure that happens, CHCC officials have asked me to take the new vaccine to show the public it is safe. I agreedas long as everyone in the priority groups is taken care ofand will get my first shot next week.If we want to keep our community healthy and get our economy moving again, all of us will need to get vaccinated. Not yet on COVID relief Talks continue, as we go to press, on an omnibus appropriation for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 and for additional economic relief as our nation struggles with the COVID pandemic. The bipartisan group of eight Senators, who have taken the lead on COVID relief, released two draft bills this week. The first contains an extension of unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Program, additional food aid including extra money for the Marianas, and funding for schools, housing assistance, airports, and broadband expansion. The second draft bill is a holding place for two, more controversial proposals: funding to help states pay for policing and other basic services and liability protections for businesses. Republicans generally oppose helping states. Democrats are skeptical of shielding businesses that do not protect workers and customers from the coronavirus. Your congressional office is in direct communication with lea… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-congratulates-nmc-107m-eda-grant | Kilili congratulates NMC on $10.7m EDA grant | 2020-12-18 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan congratulated the Northern Marianas College administration today on the award of a grant of $10,681,796 from the 2019 Disaster Supplemental Appropriation, US Public Law 116-20. The money will be used for a Workforce Development and Training Center at the College. Within four weeks of Congress making disaster recovery funds available to the Marianas for Super Typhoon Yutu, NMC applied for this money, Congressman Sablan explained. But it has taken the Trump administration 18 months to approve it over two years after Yutu struck. Sablan said the Economic Development Administration, which is the responsible federal agency, still has six more disaster recovery grant application from the Marianas it has not acted on. The pending applications are worth about $85 million. Today's grant will pay for the construction of two educational and workforce training facilities at the College, according to EDA, with fully equipped classroom, laboratory, and office spaces. The Center will be powered by solar panels with an auxiliary generator. The new facilities will allow for academic and research dedicated to food science, plant biotechnology, entomology, and anthropometry with the goal of increasing employment opportunities. EDA says the project will also support resiliency against future natural disasters, spur private investment, and provide long-term economic stability. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/army-corps%E2%80%99-insular-waiver-increased | Army Corps insular waiver increased | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Army Corps' insular waiver increased Dec 14, 2020 Cost-share waivers for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in the Marianas will keep pace with inflation under a provision in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, which passed the House by unanimous consent. The original Marianas waiver was set in 1986 at $200,000, but I was able to increase that to $455,000 in WRDA 2014, arguing the waiver needed to account for inflation. The inflation adjustment was renewed in WRDA 2018 bringing the waiver to $484,000. Now, WRDA 2020 mandates an annual adjustment, so the Marianas, other insular areas, and Native American Tribes would get an adjusted waiver of the local cost-share amount every year. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps to carry out water resources development projects and studies, and provides policy direction for the Corps' civil works missions including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration. WRDA 2020 now heads to the Senate for a final vote before going to the President's desk to be signed into law. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/defense-act-nmi-bills-president | Defense Act with NMI bills to President | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Defense Act with NMI bills to President Dec 14, 2020 Legislation including the Marianas in additional federal programs and $61 million for Air Force projects on Tinian was passed by Congress and sent to the President. The provisions were included in H.R. 6395, the $732 billion FY21 National Defense Authorization Act, which also raises servicemember pay, enhances military readiness, capabilities, and prioritizes technological security. The bills I authored and added to the Act will help military spouses pay for career education and provide new grant funds to help small businesses, students excel in STEM, and law enforcement keep children safe in the Marianas. Read more on these highlights here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/extend-unemployment-assistance | Extend unemployment assistance | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Extend unemployment assistance Dec 14, 2020 The PUA and FPUC programs only cover unemployment that occurs in 2020. And unless Congress passes the next coronavirus aid package currently under negotiation, the PUA program will expire at the end of this month. So, I joined my colleagues Reps. Davis (D-IL) and Kildee (D-MI) in a letter to the President urging support for an extension of the PUA program before its expiration. The current aid package proposes an extension of PUA and FPUC benefits, providing $645 per week to eligible Marianas workers for 16 weeks from January into April 2021. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/faster-internet-marianas | Faster internet for the Marianas | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Faster internet for the Marianas Dec 14, 2020 DoCoMo Pacific, Inc. will receive $3,806,235 over ten years to bring reliable, reasonably priced, broadband service to designated areas on Saipan, Tinian, and Rotagood news for residents without high-speed internet access. DoCoMo is one of 180 winning bidders of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, the Federal Communications Commission announced Monday. Funding terms require DoCoMo to offer broadband services to 80 percent of the coverage area by the end of the fifth year. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of high speed internet access for distance learning, telehealth, and business activities, as social distancing requirements have forced a shift in-person to on-line. Congratulations to DoCoMo. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/prospects-covid-relief | Prospects for COVID relief | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Prospects for COVID relief Dec 14, 2020 Negotiations continue to add unemployment extension, more school funding, and other COVID relief measures to a final spending bill for this year. The House passed necessary legislation in October; and this week a bipartisan group of Senators put forward a plan (see table, above). As legislative language is drafted, your congressional office is talking with House and Senate negotiators about issues key to the Marianas. This includes getting the Commonwealth financial assistance, so that government services continue and government workers can keep their jobs. Many Republicans are against giving any money to state and territorial governments, however. I am also hopeful that federal unemployment assistance will be extended for at least four months, although the Trump administration keeps trying to cut the amount of assistance that would go to those who lost their jobs. And I believe we are on track to get more money for food aid and education, though there are many details still under discussion. Negotiations could fall through, but at least Republicans are now willing to talk about how to help our country get through this crisis. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/trump-blocks-food-island-kids | Trump blocks food for island kids | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Trump blocks food for island kids Dec 14, 2020 Congress provided the Marianas with asn additional $12-16 million in food aid for families with school-age children through the Pandemic EBT program in the continuing resolution signed into law in October. But the Trump administration is refusing to allow the Marianas and other insular areas to issue retroactive aid to families to cover last school year. So, in my capacity as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, along with Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott, I wrote the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting they reverse its unconscionable decision to block food assistance funding. Children in the Marianas, like their counterparts nationwide, must not lose access to meals because the coronavirus has closed their schools. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vaccine-coming-marianas | Vaccine coming to Marianas | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vaccine coming to Marianas Dec 14, 2020 The Marianas is expected to receive an initial shipment of 5,850 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine within days, enough to cover a first-priority group of healthcare workers, first responders, and high-risk patients. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel cleared the way this week for an emergency use approval of the new Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine nationwide. The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation has been working diligently on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan to receive and store the vaccine, which must be kept at ultra-low temperatures, and to track distribution, because two shots are required in a three-week period for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be fully effective. At a briefing on Thursday, CHCC asked me to take this new medicine to demonstrate to the public trust in its safety. I agreed, as long as everyone in the first-priority group is taken care of. It will be very important that no one in our community hang back from vaccination, if we want to return our lives and economy to normal in 2021. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-cemetery-grant-boost-moves | Vets cemetery grant boost moves | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets cemetery grant boost moves Dec 14, 2020 The Senate amended and unanimously approved H.R. 7105, an omnibus package including my bill, H.R. 5487, increasing federal maintenance funds available for the Marpi veterans cemetery and others nationwide. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs. H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. The funding helps address the challenges the Commonwealth faces in preventing the defacing of our veterans' final resting places. H.R. 7105 now goes to the House for consideration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/du-and-lin-siblings-win-2020-app-challenge | Du and Lin siblings win 2020 App Challenge | 2020-12-10 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Justin Du, Jie Du, Carson Lin, and James Lin of Marianas High School are the winners of the fifth annual Northern Mariana Islands Congressional App Challenge. The Marianas High School sophomores scored the top rank among a total of fourteen submissions from schools around the Northern Marianas. This year's app submissions were some of the most creative and thoughtful concepts for apps that I have seen, Congressman Sablan said, All of our participants displayed perseverance in their use of code and turned their innovative ideas into functional apps. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual coding competition hosted by Members of Congress nationwide. Students compete with other coders in their district and can work with teams of up to four people to create an app. Apps can be developed for any platform and students can choose which coding language they want to use. The purpose of the App Challenge is to encourage students to learn to code while inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. This year's winning app is SRC, a web-based customer relationship management system that allows businesses to manage their interactions with current, past, and potential customers. Many businesses have to close because of the pandemic, and many things have to be moved online to prevent employees from getting COVID-19, the students said in their demonstration video. The main purpose of our app is to help companies manage customers and payments all online. As the Northern Marianas' winning team, the team of four will receive national recognition and have their work eligible for display at the U.S. Capitol. They will also receive invitations to the House of Code reception happening virtually next spring. This year's second place winners are Jaehoon Son and Dip Roy from Marianas High School with their app Kallo. Kallo is a Chrome browser extension that restricts and reports student's activities during a test or exam. Mount Carmel School students Mikee Mame Mendoza and Maria Ayuyu placed third wit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/2m-oleai-elementary-repairs | $2M for Oleai Elementary repairs | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $2M for Oleai Elementary repairs Dec 6, 2020 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $2,040,109.20 award for repair of Oleai Elementary School buildings damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu. The funding will allow for restoration to pre-disaster design, function, and capacity. This Public Assistance Grant award funds 90 percent of the $2,266,788 cost of the project and brings the total federal assistance to the Public School System for Yutu recovery to $45,654,831.91. Overall, the Commonwealth has received $230,594,223.86 in FEMA grants for typhoon recovery. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/help-building-coastal-resilience | Help for building coastal resilience | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Help for building coastal resilience Dec 6, 2020 A coastal resilience assessment for the Northern Mariana Islands, developed to help identify areas with the greatest potential to improve wildlife habitat and community resilience to flooding threats, was issuedby NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. This assessment uses data on human community assets, flood hazards, stressors, and fish and wildlife resources to produce analyses standardized for all U.S. coastlines. The information identifies the coastal community assets most exposed to coastal hazards, as well as the sites where conservation and restoration projects will reduce flooding and benefit fish and wildlife habitat. The assessment can be a useful tool to complement ongoing coastal resilience planning efforts, and can be used by community planners, conservation organizations, and others to help make informed decisions about the potential for restoration, conservation, or other resilience-related projects to achieve dual benefits for people and wildlife. The data and modeling used to create the assessment is available on the project's online interface, the Coastal Resilience Evaluation and Siting Tool. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/ndaa-funds-tinian-divert-airfield | NDAA funds Tinian divert airfield | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The conference-agreed FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act now authorizes $61 million for two Air Force divert field projects on Tinian: $39.5 million for the second increment of Airfield Development Phase 1, and $21.5 million for the second increment of the parking apron. The money is part of a total authorization of $732 billion to maintain military readiness, enhance capabilities, improve personnel initiatives, and prioritize technological security. Additional highlights include: A 3% pay increase for service members, Funds to increase our ability to prepare for and respond to future pandemics, Increases in certain hazardous duty incentive pay, Improvements to military family housing quality, Improved childcare services, Enhanced military justice and sexual assault prevention and response initiatives, Suicide prevention and resilience program for reserve components, Continued efforts to address contamination associated with per- and polyfluorinated compounds in military communities, and Funding to support research for climate crisis response. The House is expected to vote on final passage of the NDAA next week. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-bills-piggyback-defense-act | NMI bills piggyback on Defense Act | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The House and Senate conference committee agreed to include a number of Northern Marianas bills in the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday. The NDAA, which has passed without fail for 59 straight years, is one of the best opportunities to piggyback legislation, even if not directly defense related. Here are the provisions I secured to benefit the Marianas: NMI Small Business Development Act Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to federal Small Business Administration programs under terms of my Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act, included in the final version of the NDAA. My bill, H.R. 6021, makes the Marianas eligible for funding to establish a Small Business Development Center Lead Center. It will, also, provide technical assistance to Marianas small businesses interested in seed funding from the Small Business Innovation Research and Small BusinessTechnology Transfer programs. NMI STEM, Career Education The NDAA also includes two bills I authored to expand education opportunities in our islands. H.R. 6786 includes the Marianas in the Defense Department's STARBASE education program, which aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). STARBASE partners military installations with schools having high proportions of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. And H.R. 7112, the Military Spouse Career Education Act, will help wives and husbands of service members finish their college degrees more quickly and get the training needed to re-license in their professions, when they must move to a new location under military orders. Saving children's lives Also piggybacking on the NDAA is my bill, H.R. 4614, adding the Marianas and other insular areas to the national AMBER alert 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 AMBER Alerts Nationwide Act will give… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/speed-veterans-record-requests | Speed up veterans record requests | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Speed up veterans record requests Dec 6, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has created a months-long backlog of unprocessed record requests from veterans, which I and 232 other Members of Congress have asked the National Archives to address. Our bipartisan letter last week to Scott Levins, Director of the Archives' National Personnel Records Center, asks that he quicken the pace of processing and gives us a workplan of how he will deal with the backlog. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/veterans-cp-exams-resume | Veterans C&P exams resume | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Veterans C&P exams resume Dec 6, 2020 The Department of Veterans Affairs is resuming Compensation and Pension exams in the Marianas. The C&P exam is necessary to establish there is a service connection to any veteran disability claim. But the program has been shut down nationwide since the pandemic struck in March. Health and safety precautions, such as wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, will still be required during exams. To learn more about C&P exams, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-04-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 04, 2020 | 2020-12-07 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Grace Christian ornaments Marianas tree NMI bills piggyback on Defense Act NDAA funds Tinian divert airfield 27,467 unemployment claims unprocessed $2M for Oleai Elementary repairs Committee looks at veterans healthcare Veterans C&P exams resume Speed up veterans record requests Help for building coastal resilience Welcome, intern Anna Gorlick Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights _____________________________________________________________________ NMI bills piggyback on Defense Act The House and Senate conference committee agreed to include a number of Northern Marianas bills in the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday. The NDAA, which has passed without fail for 59 straight years, is one of the best opportunities to piggyback legislation, even if not directly defense related. Here are the provisions I secured to benefit the Marianas: NMI Small Business Development Act Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to federal Small Business Administration programs under terms of my Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act, included in the final version of the NDAA. My bill, H.R. 6021, makes the Marianas eligible for funding to establish a Small Business Development Center Lead Center. It will, also, provide technical assistance to Marianas small businesses interested in seed funding from the Small Business Innovation Research and Small BusinessTechnology Transfer programs. NMI STEM, Career Education The NDAA also includes two bills I authored to expand education opportunities in our islands. H.R. 6786 includes the Marianas in the Defense Department's STARBASE education program, which aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). STARBASE partners military installations with schools having high proportions of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. And H.R. 7112, the Military Spouse Career Education Act, will help wives and husbands of service members finish their college degrees … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-26-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 26, 2020 | 2020-11-30 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Happy Thanksgiving! Fruit for our man'amko Opportunities Legislative highlights ________________________________________________________________________________________ OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THISWEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period. NEXTWEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/chcc-get-new-covid-19-treatment | CHCC to get new COVID-19 treatment | 2020-11-16 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | CHCC to get new COVID-19 treatment Nov 15, 2020 The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation will receive 10 vials of bamlanivimab, an investigational neutralizing antibody treatment for COVID-19, which received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. One vial is one treatment course. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans weekly allocations of the new drug based on the need in each of the states, territories, and freely associated states. The Emergency Use Authorization allows healthcare providers to administer bamlanivimab to non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19, who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk for severe symptoms and hospitalization. Congress made nearly $10 billion available through the CARES Act and other emergency funding to support the rapid development of effective medical countermeasures, like bamlanivimab, to combat the coronavirus crisis. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/irs-announces-eip-deadline | IRS announces EIP deadline | 2020-11-16 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | IRS announces EIP deadline Nov 15, 2020 While few Marianas residents file an income tax return with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the Marianas tax system mirrors the rules and requirements of the federal system. So, we wanted to pass on an alert from the IRS that the deadline to register for an Economic Impact Payment is now November 21, 2020. Congress authorized the EIPs ($1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for joint taxpayers) in the CARES Act last March. Qualifying dependent children were also eligible for $500 each. The IRS also announced that incarcerated individuals are now considered eligible for an EIP, per a recent court order. See IRS FAQ #A7. Self-supporting college students, who do not file a tax return or have little to no income, were also reminded to register by November 21 to receive their Economic Impact Payment. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/marianas-reefs-%E2%80%9Cfair%E2%80%9D-decline | Marianas reefs fair, in decline | 2020-11-16 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas reefs fair, in decline Nov 15, 2020 Coral reefs in the Northern Marianas received a fair score in a condition status report for U.S. coral reefs, released by NOAA and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The status report incorporates data on coral reef ecosystems from 2012 tot 2018. The overall, national score is also fair, and the report stresses coral reefs everywhere are at risk and in decline. Established by the Coral Reef Conservation Program, the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program developed the scoring system based on four indicators: coral and algae abundance, fish populations, climate influence, and human connections. The data indicate reefs and and the fish reefs support are most impacted near dense human population centers likely due to pollution and water quality issues and fishing impacts. But even isolated reef systems are vulnerable to warming waters and other effects of global climate change. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-3 | Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-11-16 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Medicare Open Enrollment Nov 15, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder just in time to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-13-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 13, 2020 | 2020-11-16 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: CHCC to get new COVID-19 treatment We honor veterans Veterans History Project 20th Anniversary Marianas reefs fair, in decline IRS announced EIP deadline Rota study comment deadline nears Medicare enrollment open Military academy nominations open Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ________________________________________________________________________ CHCC to get new COVID-19 treatment The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation will receive 10 vials of bamlanivimab, an investigational neutralizing antibody treatment for COVID-19, which received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. One vial is one treatment course. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans weekly allocations of the new drug based on the need in each of the states, territories, and freely associated states. The Emergency Use Authorization allows healthcare providers to administer bamlanivimab to non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19, who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk for severe symptoms and hospitalization. Congress made nearly $10 billion available through the CARES Act and other emergency funding to support the rapid development of effective medical countermeasures, like bamlanivimab, to combat the coronavirus crisis. Marianas reefs fair, in decline Coral reefs in the Northern Marianas received a fair score in a condition status report for U.S. coral reefs, released Tuesday by NOAA and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The status report incorporates data on coral reef ecosystems from 2012 tot 2018. The overall, national score is also fair, and the report stresses coral reefs everywhere are at risk and in decline. Established by the Coral Reef Conservation Program, the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program developed the scoring system based on four indicators: coral and algae abundance, fish populations, climate influence, and human connections. The data indicate reefs and an… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/getting-vaccine-quickly-islands | Getting vaccine quickly to the islands | 2020-11-09 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Getting vaccine quickly to the islands Nov 8, 2020 A regional approach could be the best way to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine in the Pacific, building on the proven success of the Pacific Island Health Officers' Association in getting testing and personal protective equipment distributed to the Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. But, today, the federal Centers for Disease Control released vaccine distribution plan summaries for each state and insular area, making it clear a regional approach is not even being considered. I have already obtained the backing of American Samoa Delegate Amata Radewagen (R), Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee, Judy Chu, and Ami Bera of California for my letter to CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, urging he think again. With relatively small populations, separated by great distance, and given the need to keep vaccines at very low temperatures, a go-it-alone approach for each insular area will not get the most people vaccinated in the shortest time, which should be our goal. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-2 | Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-11-09 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Medicare Open Enrollment Nov 8, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder just in time to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-06-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 06, 2020 | 2020-11-09 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Happy Veterans Day! Thank you, voters Getting vaccine quickly to the islands Statehood and voting rights Veterans History Project 20th Anniversary Rota Resource Study comments open Medicare enrollment open Military academy nominations open Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ______________________________________________________________________ Getting vaccine quickly to the islands A regional approach could be the best way to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine in the Pacific, building on the proven success of the Pacific Island Health Officers' Association in getting testing and personal protective equipment distributed to the Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. But, today, the federal Centers for Disease Control released vaccine distribution plan summaries for each state and insular area, making it clear a regional approach is not even being considered. I have already obtained the backing of American Samoa Delegate Amata Radewagen (R), Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee, Judy Chu, and Ami Bera of California for my letter to CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, urging he think again. With relatively small populations, separated by great distance, and given the need to keep vaccines at very low temperatures, a go-it-alone approach for each insular area will not get the most people vaccinated in the shortest time, which should be our goal. Medicare Open Enrollment Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder just in time to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. OPPORTUNITIES… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/bill-will-keep-educators-paid | Bill will keep educators paid | 2020-11-02 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Bill will keep educators paid Nov 1, 2020 The coronavirus crisis left over 700 Marianas school staff without pay earlier this year, until Congress stepped in with $27,940,945 from the CARES Act to fund their salaries. But the Marianas Public School System and schools around the country will continue to face budget shortfalls, as long as the coronavirus remains unchecked. So, in my capacity as Chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I introduced the Save Education Jobs Act, along with my colleagues Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) and Education Committee Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (D-VA). H.R. 8691 provides long-term support for teachers and school staff through a 10-year Education Jobs Fund, delivering an estimated minimum for the Marianas of $50 million in fiscal year 2021. Without this support from the federal government during the pandemic and the recovery, up to 1.9 million education jobs could be lost nationwide; and our children will lose inestimable hours of learning that may never be fully recovered. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-1 | Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-11-02 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Medicare Open Enrollment Nov 1, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder just in time to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/opposing-foreign-student-limits | Opposing foreign student limits | 2020-11-02 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Opposing foreign student limits Nov 1, 2020 Foreign students at Northern Marianas College are made possible by the F visa program. But the Department of Homeland Security is now proposing to make that visa harder to obtain. That is why I joined House Judiciary Committee leaders in opposing the Department's proposed rule. Changes include a two or four-year maximum stay for the F visa, depending on whether the applicant is from a country that is on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list or has a student and exchange visitor overstay rate greater than 10 percent. F-1 students in language training programs are restricted to a lifetime aggregate of 24 months and their grace period for departure is reduced to 30 days. Foreign students are an important source of revenue for NMC and for the businesses that provide student housing and other services. And the visiting families of foreign students contribute to the Marianas tourism economy. The Trump administration proposed tightening of visa rules also applies to the J visa for exchange visitors and the I visa for persons in the media. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-therapy-bill-now-law | Vets therapy bill now law | 2020-11-02 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets therapy bill now law Nov 1, 2020 With suicide rates on the rise, the Veterans Administration must do a better job in providing veterans with the care and tools needed to get on the path to recovery, including alternative therapies like meditation. This is the goal of H.R. 2359, the Whole Veteran Act, which the President signed into law on Friday. The bill includes my amendment requiring a VA plan to provide its Whole Health program in the Marianas with services such as massage, acupuncture, healing touch, guided imagery, and yoga, among other holistic treatments. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-30-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 30, 2020 | 2020-11-02 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Voting: a proud tradition Vets therapy bill now law Bill will keep educators paid Opposing foreign student limits Rota Resource Study comments open Medicare enrollment open Military academy nominations open Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ________________________________________________________________ Vets therapy bill now law With suicide rates on the rise, the Veterans Administration must do a better job in providing veterans with the care and tools needed to get on the path to recovery, including alternative therapies like meditation. This is the goal of H.R. 2359, the Whole Veteran Act, which the President signed into law on Friday. The bill includes my amendment requiring a VA plan to provide its Whole Health program in the Marianas with services such as massage, acupuncture, healing touch, guided imagery, and yoga, among other holistic treatments. Bill will keep educators paid The coronavirus crisis left over 700 Marianas school staff without pay earlier this year, until Congress stepped in with $27,940,945 from the CARES Act to fund their salaries. But the Marianas Public School System and schools around the country will continue to face budget shortfalls, as long as the coronavirus remains unchecked. So, this week in my capacity as Chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I introduced the Save Education Jobs Act, along with my colleagues Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) and Education Committee Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (D-VA). H.R. 8691 provides long-term support for teachers and school staff through a 10-year Education Jobs Fund, delivering an estimated minimum for the Marianas of $50 million in fiscal year 2021. Without this support from the federal government during the pandemic and the recovery, up to 1.9 million education jobs could be lost nationwide; and our children will lose inestimable hours of learning that may never be fully recovered. Opposing foreign student limits Foreign students at Northern Mariana… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/another-12m-fema | Another $12m from FEMA | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Another $12m from FEMA Oct 26, 2020 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $12,101,060.03 award to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation this week to go towards power transmission and distribution restoration. The grant covers 90 percent of the costs. With this award, Commonwealth government agencies have received almost $206 million in total from FEMA for Yutu recovery. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-0 | Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Medicare Open Enrollment Oct 26, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7.2021 plansare now available on the Medicare Plan Finder just in time to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/park-study-comment-deadline-extended | Park study comment deadline extended | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Park study comment deadline extended Oct 26, 2020 The deadline to submit comment on the preliminary findings of theRota Special Resource Studyis now November 20, 2020. The study evaluates certain sites on Rota to determine whether they are suitable and feasible for inclusion in the national park system. AFrequently Asked Questions documenthas also been prepared to address the most common questions received thus far. Visit the National Park Serviceproject websiteto learn more and submit your comments. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/protect-ocean-save-planet | Protect the ocean, save the planet | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Protect the ocean, save the planet Oct 26, 2020 As islanders, our culture teaches us to respect the ocean, if we want the ocean to continue caring for us. Today that lesson is one for the whole world. Because the ocean is vital to any serious proposal to tackle the global climate emergency we all face. A healthy ocean absorbs nearly a third of the carbon dioxide released when we burn fossil fuels and contributes significantly to reducing the concentration of heat in the atmosphere. So Tuesday, Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva, Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair Kathy Castor, other Democratic Members and I introduced landmark legislation, theOcean-Based Climate Solutions Act, to stop the ongoing damage to our oceans and advance ocean-based climate solutions.H.R. 8632would help the Marianas and other frontline coastal communities become more resilient, reduce our carbon emissions, and slow global warming. The bill's goal is to protect 30 percent of our ocean by 2030, and provides for the conservation and restoration of ocean and coastal habitats and marine mammal and fish populations. The bill treats the Marianas just like a state with respect to funding, but also has a special section to help insular areas meet the climate challenge. Insular areas are provided with technical assistance for coastal management and climate change planning, mitigation, and adaptation. There is a special climate change research grant program for insular areas; improved weather data collection, forecasting, and support services; and new coral reef research and conservation grants. The new Democratic bill we have introduced also waives cost-share requirements for federal; disaster relief funds, a goal identified by the Marianas Fiscal Response Sum… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vba-virtual-benefits-workshop-0 | VBA Virtual Benefits Workshop | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | VBA Virtual Benefits Workshop Oct 26, 2020 The VA Honolulu Regional Office will host a Virtual Benefits Workshop for Veterans, family members, surviving spouses, and community providers on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from11AM-1PM. Veterans looking to better understand benefits eligibility requirements and the different types of veteran benefits available are encouraged to attend. This is also an opportunity to ask questions to VBA officials directly. To access the workshop link and briefing slides, visit theHonolulu Regional Office website. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vet-center-assessment-now-law | Vet Center assessment now law | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vet Center assessment now law Oct 26, 2020 The Department of Veterans Affairs is now required to report to Congress on how it plans to provide Vet Center services in the Marianas and other areas that have no Vet Center. I included the requirement byamendmentofH.R. 1812, which the President signed into law Tuesday. The bill expands Vet Center servicesspecifically, readjustment counseling and other mental health carewhich underscores the need for the Department to explain how they will make sure Marianas veterans are treated equally. Guam Vet Center staff periodically conduct outreach, but our veterans deserve more frequent and regular access to all Vet Center services. I have also includeda provision in the Fiscal Year 2021 VA funding bill reportmandating an assessment of increasing staffing and establishing a Vet Center in the Marianas. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-discharge-health-aid-plan-enacted | Vets discharge health aid plan enacted | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets discharge health aid plan enacted Oct 26, 2020 The U.S. Veterans Administration will now begin developing a strategic plan to give all veterans one year of health care after they separate from active service. The requirement is a compromise worked out between the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees on the proposal for one year of health care coverage that I introduced inH.R. 5024. The requirement is included inS.785,a package of bills signed into law Saturday. Providing one year of health care after discharge would greatly help veterans and their families make the transition to civilian life. By removing the worry of health care, I want to free them to focus on their next steps in education, employment, and housing, and ultimately make the transition successful. VA must submit the strategic plan to Congress no later than one year after the bill's enactment. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/13-cola-social-security-ssi | 1.3% COLA for Social Security, SSI | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 1.3% COLA for Social Security, SSI Oct 19, 2020 The 3,188 Marianas retirees receiving Social Security and the 1,046 receiving Supplemental Security Income will be receiving a 1.3 percent cost of living increase for 2021. The annual increase begins with the January 2021 monthly payment to Social Security recipients and on December 31, 2020 for SSI beneficiaries. The cost of living increase is based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2019 through the third quarter of 2020. Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, together, bring over $35 million into the Marianas economy each year. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/244m-plan-cdbg-dr-okayed | $244M plan for CDBG-DR okayed | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $244M plan for CDBG-DR okayed Oct 19, 2020 Email not displaying correctly? Click here. This week in Congress October 16, 2020 $244M plan for CDBG-DR okayed Disaster impact on NMI schools examined $9.7m COVID grant to HSEM Q&A with NMC current issues students Executive Leadership Development Pr The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved the plan to spend $244 million in CDBG-DR funds that Congress made available to the Marianas in last year's disaster relief act,Public Law 116-20. The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery moniesthe largest single federal grant in the history of the Marianasare for long-term, unmet needs not covered by the half a billion dollars in emergency aid provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other first responders after Super Typhoon Yutu and Typhoon Mangkhut. Congratulations to Mr. Jesse Palacios at Northern Marianas Housing Corporation, who led the effort to produce the spending plan. Because of the scale of funding CDBG-DR plans are often returned to applicants for revision. The approved Marianas plan calls for $110 million to be spent to repair damaged homes and build new residences and rental housing. Another $97 million is to be used for ports, roads, utilities, and other infrastructure on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. And $21 million will go to economic development activities. The Marianas Visitors Authority is expected to participate with an intensive marketing campaign to revive tourism. Lastly, $4 million is set aside for planning activities for future housing, energy use and conservation, and utilities. The public had the opportunity for input on the plan before it was submitted and there will be further opportunity, as more detailed spending decisions… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/97m-covid-grant-hsem | $9.7m COVID grant to HSEM | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $9.7m COVID grant to HSEM Oct 19, 2020 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $9,744,433.31 Public Assistance grant to the Commonwealth's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for emergency protective measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning April 27, 2020 and ongoing. HSEM set up an Alternate Care Site, which cost the grant will offset. And HSEM is also purchasing personal protective equipment, medical equipment, and supplies for operations, prevention, and treatment services. The award is 75 percent of the total project cost of $12,992,577.74. Funding is authorized under the Stafford Act Section 403 and obligated directly to the Commonwealth, which is responsible for reimbursement to the eligible party upon receipt of proper documentation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/disaster-impact-nmi-schools-examined | Disaster impact on NMI schools examined | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Disaster impact on NMI schools examined Oct 19, 2020 Mental health issues, lost instructional time, staff burnout, and delays in rebuilding are among the challenges still facing students, teachers, and schools hit by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019. Congress assigned the Government Accountability Office to audit the federal response in last year's disaster relief act,Public Law 116-20; andGAO issued its reporton Wednesday. GAO interviewed school officials in the Marianas, California, Florida, and Hawai'i for the report. Everywhere the disruption and economic impact of the pandemic has made disaster recovery even more difficult. Contractors shifted from school repairs to quarantine and care facilities in the Marianas; and local budget cuts led to furloughs of maintenance and repair staff. Marianas officials also said they did not have the financial resources upfront to make repairs and had to wait to see if federal grants would be awarded. One solution would be for the Senate to act on theupdated Heroes Actand theReopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act, which the House has already passed to help our communities and schools recover. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/executive-leadership-development-program-begins | Executive Leadership Development Program begins. | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Executive Leadership Development Program begins. Oct 19, 2020 Congratulations to Antonio Borja, Bobby Cruz, Christopher Concepcion, Gretchen Smith, Janice Castro, and Nicole Babauta, representing the Marianas, and the 34 others selected for this year's Executive Leadership Development Program, which began with a virtual meeting this week. Congress funds the Program in order to provide mid-level public servants in the U.S. insular areas and the Freely Associated States with the opportunity to improve their management skills and prepare for even more leadership responsibility.The program counts elected officials, judges, cabinet members, and government directors among its 149 alumni. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/medicare-open-enrollment | Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Medicare Open Enrollment Oct 19, 2020 Enrollment for Medicare is open now through December 7.2021 plansare available on the Medicare Plan Finder to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries, who do not want to change their current Medicare coverage plan, do not need to re-enroll or take any other action. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/meeting-veterans | Meeting with veterans | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Meeting with veterans Oct 19, 2020 Not only do our local veterans face challenges with access to their veterans' benefits, but some feel left behind with pandemic assistance. This week, Franklin Babauta and Frank Deleon Guerrero, two veterans, stopped by the Saipan office to discuss issues veterans are facing with benefits. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/pua-7359-still-waiting | PUA: 7,359 still waiting | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | PUA: 7,359 still waiting Oct 19, 2020 The backlog for unemployment assistance in September increased by 226 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Out of 12,630 applications received, 7,359 are still not processed. The Commonwealth has $1,208,653 available to cover administrative costs such as hiring processing staff, to ensure that unemployment assistance gets to Marianas workers. However, leadership continues to fall short. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/qa-nmc-current-issues-students | Q&A with NMC current issues students | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Q&A with NMC current issues students Oct 19, 2020 Classes continue for Northern Marianas College studentseven if virtual. On Wednesday, I was invited to answer questions at Mr. Rip Stephanson's current issues course. Students asked about voting, the pandemic response, and what industries are needed here in our islands. We also talked about the work I do in Congress, including making sure there is federal funding for education and pandemic relief. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vba-virtual-benefits-workshop | VBA Virtual Benefits Workshop | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | VBA Virtual Benefits Workshop Oct 19, 2020 The VA Honolulu Regional Office will host a Virtual Benefits Workshop for Veterans, family members, surviving spouses, and community providers on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 11AM-1PM. Veterans looking to better understand benefits eligibility requirements and the different types of veteran benefits available are encouraged to attend. This is also an opportunity to ask questions to VBA officials directly. To access the workshop link and briefing slides, visit theHonolulu Regional Office website. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/34m-sves-repairs | $3.4m for SVES repairs | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $3.4m for SVES repairs Oct 12, 2020 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $3,447,525.60 award to the CNMI Public School System today for repairs at San Vicente Elementary School. The grant covers 90 percent of the repair costs. With this award, PSS has received more than 21 million in total for Yutu recovery. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/545k-coral-reef-conservation | $545k for coral reef conservation | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $545k for coral reef conservation Oct 12, 2020 The Northern Marianas is the beneficiary of two coral reef conservation grants totaling $544,578, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. The Commonwealth's Division of Coastal Resources Management is receiving $410,309 to help fund the Northern Marianas Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreement to sustain coral reef management and monitoring. And Johnston Applied Marine Sciences was awarded $134,269 in a first tranche of funding for a three-year, $975,944 project to scale up coral restoration efforts through the outplanting of juvenile corals in the Marianas. The project will also build local capacity to implement coral sexual propagation methods as part of a broader restoration strategy. Appropriated annually by Congress, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program received $29.5 million in FY2020. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/7359-waiting-unemployment | 7,359 waiting for unemployment | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 7,359 waiting for unemployment Oct 12, 2020 Congress has now provided a total of $1,980,584 to the Commonwealth to ensure that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is expeditiously disbursed to Marianas workers who need the help. Despite having $1,208,653 still available to cover unemployment assistance program costs, 7,359 applications are still waiting to be processed. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/hopeful-relief-bill | Hopeful on relief bill | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Hopeful on relief bill Oct 12, 2020 Despite President Trump's order to end negotiations over new pandemic relief legislation, I remain hopeful that there will be an agreement, because the need for aid to individuals, businesses, and states and territories is not going away. Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the risks of Congress pouring too much stimulus into the economy are far lower than the risk of not doing enough. Although government spending is adding to an already sky-high federal budget, lawmakers should act. I completely agree with Chairman Powell that until the pandemic is under control, the situation will just get worse. The President and his allies in the Senate cannot ignore that reality. Read the full news release here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/oct-15-medicare-open-enrollment-0 | Oct. 15 - Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Oct. 15 - Medicare Open Enrollment Oct 12, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-09-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 09, 2020 | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Hopeful on relief bill 7,359 waiting for unemployment $3.4m for SVES repairs $545k for coral reef conservation Rota park study comments open Art winners displayed Military academy nominations open Oct. 15 - Medicare open enrollment Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ______________________________________________________________ Hopeful on relief bill Despite President Trump's order to end negotiations over new pandemic relief legislation, I remain hopeful that there will be an agreement, because the need for aid to individuals, businesses, and states and territories is not going away. Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the risks of Congress pouring too much stimulus into the economy are far lower than the risk of not doing enough. Although government spending is adding to an already sky-high federal budget, lawmakers should act. I completely agree with Chairman Powell that until the pandemic is under control, the situation will just get worse. The President and his allies in the Senate cannot ignore that reality. Read the full news release here. 7,359 waiting for unemployment Congress has now provided a total of $1,980,584 to the Commonwealth to ensure that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is expeditiously disbursed to Marianas workers who need the help. Despite having $1,208,653 still available to cover unemployment assistance program costs, 7,359 applications are still waiting to be processed. $3.4m for SVES repairs The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $3,447,525.60 award to the CNMI Public School System today for repairs at San Vicente Elementary School. The grant covers 90 percent of the repair costs. With this award, PSS has received more than 21 million in total for Yutu recovery. $545k for coral reef conservation The Northern Marianas is the beneficiary of two coral reef conservation grants totaling $544,578, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-remains-hopeful-new-relief-agreement | Kilili remains hopeful for new relief agreement | 2020-10-09 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Despite President Trump's order to end negotiation over new pandemic relief legislation, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said today he believes there will be an agreement, because the need for aid to individuals, businesses, and states and territories is not going away. The House has already passedtwicelegislation with a billion dollars for the Commonwealth and our municipal governments, with more food aid, unemployment assistance, and stimulus payments for families in need, with an extension of the Payroll Protection Program to help businesses and non-profits get through the economic crisis, Congressman Sablan said. The Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the risks of Congress pouring too much stimulus into the economy are far lower than the risk of not doing enough. Although government spending is adding to an already sky-high federal budget, lawmakers should act. I completely agree with Chairman Powell that until the pandemic is under control, the situation will just get worse. The President and his allies in the Senate cannot ignore that reality. Although a new relief measure remains to do, Sablan said the 116th Congress has been very productive. The Congressman has had five bills and six amendments passed into law already in this, his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. And he has four more bills piggybacking on the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act, the annual military funding legislation that has never failed to be enacted in over half a century. Sablan was also successful at securing much-needed federal resources for the Marianas in relief legislation after the 2018 typhoons and in the multiple pandemic aid bills enacted this year. With the President's decision to walk away from relief negotiations and attention increasingly focused on the Nov. 3 election, the pace of legislative activity has slowed. But Congressman Sablan is eager to get back to legislative work when election season is over, he said. Funding for th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/1000-abbott-rapid-tests-promised | 1,000 Abbott rapid tests promised | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | CHCC will receive 1,000 Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests, the Trump administration promised this week. This point-of-care diagnostic delivers results in 15 minutes or less without the use of additional laboratory equipment. The test received the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization on August 26th. The U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services is distributing the Abbott tests nationwide to expand the availability of testing. As of September 26, 17,711 COVID-19 tests have been conducted on 15,182 people in the Marianas. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/12-16m-marianas-food-aid | $12-16M for Marianas food aid | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $12-16M for Marianas food aid Oct 4, 2020 The Marianas will have an additional $12 to $16 million in food aid for families with school-age children thanks to legislation enacted. The continuing resolution with the new Pandemic EBT funding was signed into law on Thursday. Democratic leadership extended Pandemic EBT to the Marianas after the U.S. Food and Nutrition Services informed me on September 14and I informed Speaker Nancy Pelosithat the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program would run out of money sometime next year. Congressional committee staff estimate from $12 to $16 million will be paid out to Marianas families, but how quickly is now up to the Commonwealth government. Your congressional office has asked FNS to give the Commonwealth technical assistance to get Pandemic EBT up and running; and the federal agency agreed. As the name suggests, the program is intended to get money to families through an electronic benefits transferEBTsystem. FNS approved the Commonwealth's plan to stand up an EBT system in fiscal 2018, but three years later the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, which runs NAP, has failed to follow through. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/566k-solid-waste-management | $566k for solid waste management | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $566k for solid waste management Oct 4, 2020 The CNMI Office of Planning and Development is receiving $565,980 to improve solid waste management capacity in the Marianas, the Environmental Protection Agency announced.This grant is the first installment of $56 million I included in last year's disaster relief act, Public Law 116-20. This initial funding will enable the Office of Planning and Development to hire new staff for Tinian, Rota, and Saipan by May 2021 and create an inter-island solid waste taskforce. The taskforce, including the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality and the Department of Public Works, will develop plans for zero waste projects for each municipality and proposals for emergency infrastructure repairs at the Marpi landfill. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/blanket-cw-filing-extension-denied | Blanket CW filing extension denied | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Blanket CW filing extension denied Oct 4, 2020 The Trump Administration said no to my request for additional time for employers to file fiscal year 2021 CW-1 applications. I asked for the extension because of disruptions caused by the coronavirus and because the Commonwealth did not complete submission of its 2020 prevailing wage survey until September 10. Last year, I convinced USCIS to provide extra time because employers and the U.S. Labor Department were still adjusting to the new U.S. Workforce Act. The Act requires the Department certify U.S. workers are unavailable for a job before an employer may petition for a CW worker. The Workforce Act also protects U.S. workers' wages by specifying CW workers be paid at least the prevailing wage. Despite the Trump administration negative response to a blanket extension, the congressional office will continue to direct individual constituents to any information pertinent to helping them decide their next steps. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/dems-keep-working-more-relief | Dems keep working for more relief | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House Democrats introduced on Tuesday and passed on Thursday an updated HEROES Act to help individuals, businesses, schools, and state governments deal with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus. Senate Republicans have refused to act on the HEROES Act the House passed in May, but this week's action by the House brought the Trump administration back to the negotiating table. We have summarized, below, some of the assistance that would go the Marianas in the updated Democratic bill, H.R. 8406: $1.02B for CNMI operations. The cash-strapped Commonwealth government would receive $1.02 billion under the Democrat-passed bill. Senate Republicans have offered nothing for the Marianas or other state and territory governments to make up for lost revenue due to the pandemic, because the President says they are mismanaged. The $1.02 billion is ten times more than the FY21 Commonwealth government budget signed into law this week. $1.02 billion is equal to $19,699 per person for the Marianas. Guam receives $6,980 per person. In addition to the funding for the central government, the municipalities of Rota, Tinian, and the Northern Mariana Islands would share $14 million. $14M more for food aid. Responding to Governor Torres' last-minute announcement he would be cutting families from the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program and reducing benefits for those remaining in the program, I spoke with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday and we agreed to include $14 million in the new HEROES Act, $2.4 million more than the Governor demanded in his letter of August 26. $160M more for Marianas schools. The updated HEROES Act builds on the CARES Act Education Stabilization Fund with an estimated $160 million for Marianas schools. The CARES Act provided $27,940,945 for Marianas education, which ended teacher furloughs and provided schools and students the resources and technology needed to continue learning and reopen safely. Heroes Act funding can cover teacher and staff pay, distance learning technology, sanitation of schools, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/help-schools-cover-safety-costs | Help schools cover safety costs | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Help schools cover safety costs Oct 4, 2020 FEMA should reverse its decision to stop helping schools pay for face masks and cleaning supplies to keep students and teachers safe. That was the point of the letter I sent, along with 52 of my Democratic colleagues, to FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor. His agency issued an interim rule, effective September 15, saying FEMA no longer classifies disinfection of classroom, temperature scanners, masks, and similar gear as emergency protective measures and will not reimburse schools for these expenses. Instead, these safety costs will fall on state and territorial governments that are already struggling with severe budget shortfalls due to the pandemic. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/oct-15-medicare-open-enrollment | Oct. 15 - Medicare Open Enrollment | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Oct. 15 - Medicare Open Enrollment Oct 4, 2020 Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and will remain open through December 7. 2021 plans are now available on the Medicare Plan Finder to help beneficiaries review coverage options that will best fit their health needs. Beneficiaries that do not wish to change their current Medicare coverage plan do not need to re-enroll. Information on coverage options can also be provided by phone at 1-800-MEDICARE. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/uscis-fee-increase-blocked-now | USCIS fee increase blocked for now | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | USCIS fee increase blocked for now Oct 4, 2020 A federal court has blocked the Trump administration's fee increases for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The court granted a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the increased fees for CW-1 petitions and other immigration benefits scheduled to take effect today. Accordingly, USCIS announcedthat it would continue accepting the current edition of USCIS forms and fees, and adjudicate requests under existing regulations and guidance. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California found plaintiffs, comprised of eight immigration rights organizations, met the standards warranting the injunction based on their claims that former Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan and Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolfe were unlawfully serving when the Notice of Proposed Rule and Final Rule were issued. They also argue the rule violates the Administrative Procedures Act and would cause irreparable harm, and that the injunction is in the public interest. The rule is enjoined pending outcome of the trial. DHS has 60 days to appeal the ruling, Immigration Legal Resource Center et al., v. Wolf, et al. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-therapy-bill-president | Vets therapy bill to the President | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets therapy bill to the President Oct 4, 2020 With suicide rates on the rise, the Veterans Administration must do a better job in providing veterans with the care and tools needed to get on the path to recovery, including alternative therapies like meditation. This is the goal of H.R. 2359, the Whole Veteran Act, which Congress passed and sent to the White House on Thursday. The bill includes my amendment requiring a VA plan to provide its Whole Health program services in the Marianas with services such as massage, acupuncture, healing touch, guided imagery, and yoga, among other holistic treatments. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-02-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 02, 2020 | 2020-10-05 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: $12-16M for Marianas food aid Dems keep working for more relief $1B for CNMI operations $14M for food aid $160M more for Marianas schools More PPP, targeted for small business $600 FPUC through January Another $1,200 recovery rebate US pays Earned Income Tax Credit Treatment, vaccine costs covered Medicaid FMAP: 95/5 for Marianas Vets therapy bill to the President $566k for solid waste management Help schools cover safety costs 1,000 Abbott rapid tests promised USCIS fee increase blocked for now Blanket CW filing extension denied Rota park study comments still open Military academy nominations open Oct. 15 - Medicare open enrollment Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights _______________________________________________________________________ $12-16M for Marianas food aid The Marianas will have an additional $12 to $16 million in food aid for families with school-age children thanks to legislation enacted this week. The continuing resolution with the new Pandemic EBT funding was signed into law on Thursday. Democratic leadership extended Pandemic EBT to the Marianas after the U.S. Food and Nutrition Services informed me on September 14and I informed Speaker Nancy Pelosithat the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program would run out of money sometime next year. Congressional committee staff estimate from $12 to $16 million will be paid out to Marianas families, but how quickly is now up to the Commonwealth government. Your congressional office has asked FNS to give the Commonwealth technical assistance to get Pandemic EBT up and running; and the federal agency agreed. As the name suggests, the program is intended to get money to families through an electronic benefits transferEBTsystem. FNS approved the Commonwealth's plan to stand up an EBT system in fiscal 2018, but three years later the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, which runs NAP, has failed to follow through. Dems keep working for more relief House Democrats introduced on Tu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/trump-administration-says-no-more-time-cw-applications | Trump administration says no to more time for CW applications | 2020-09-30 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has received word from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today the agency will not provide additional time for filing applications for CW-1 workers as fiscal year 2020 ends October 1. The Congressman had requested the extension in light of disruptions caused by the coronavirus and the late submission of a prevailing wage survey by the Commonwealth government. But the Trump administration said no. I wish the Governor and his Washington lobbyist could have influenced the Trump administration decision, Congressman Sablan said. Last year, Sablan did successfully convince USCIS to provide extra time for employers to submit CW applications. Sablan's U.S. Workforce Act was just coming into effect, which requires the U.S. Labor Department to certify no U.S. worker is available for a job before an employer may petition for a CW worker. Both employers and U.S. Labor needed extra time to process this new legal requirement. The U.S. Workforce Act also protects U.S. workers' wages by specifying CW workers have to be paid at least the prevailing wage. The Commonwealth government had prevailing wage rates for 84 occupations approved by May of last year. This year the Commonwealth did not complete submission of its prevailing wage survey to U.S. Labor until September 10, seriously delaying the application process. Congressman Sablan said the congressional office cannot provide legal advice to employers or workers. On a case by case basis, however, the congressional office can make sure constituents have access to all pertinent information that may help them decide their next steps now that the Trump administration has closed the door on a blanket extension. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-democrats-new-relief-bill-has-1-billion-commonwealth-government | Kilili: Democrats new relief bill has $1 billion for Commonwealth government | 2020-09-29 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC The cash-strapped Commonwealth government would receive over $1,000,000,000 under terms of a new coronavirus relief bill released this evening. Democrats plan to pass the bill in the House this week. The bill also sets aside $14,000,000 specifically for food aid in the Marianas. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said he has been working for the extra food aid ever since the Governor Torres formally notified him of an $11,527,811 shortfall in the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program on August 26. We are giving the Governor more than he asked for, Sablan said. I spoke with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday about the need for more food aid. She agreed to increase what was in the HEROES Act we passed in May before the Governor reported a shortfall from $1.822 million for the Marianas to the $14 million I asked for, Kilili said. In general, the new relief act reduces funding from amounts in the May HEROES Act, but Pelosi made an exception in the case of Congressman Sablan. I am very grateful to the Speaker for listening to my plea on behalf of the thousands of families in the Marianas, whose food aid the Governor has threatened to cut, Sablan said. I again ask the Governor to wait to take such drastic action that will hurt so many people, until we see whether Senate Republicans and the President agree to more relief funding. One billion for the Marianas is better than zero Congressman Sablan also said he continues to stand by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision not to cave in to Republicans and the President, who have refused to provide any money to the Commonwealth and other state and territorial governments facing bankruptcy because of the coronavirus. The Governor thinks it would be smart to accept Senate Republicans and the White House offer of no money, Sablan said. I think it is better for the people of the Commonwealth to hold out for the $1billion that Democrats have allocated for our islands. In addition, the Democrats new relief bill has $14 million for the municipalities of Saipa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-september-25-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - September 25, 2020 | 2020-09-29 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Apprenticeship help for insular areas $210k for COVID vaccine prep Vet Center assessment required One year's discharge health aid closer Vets cemetery grant boost approved Governor, don't cut food aid $750k for Karidat Military academy nominations open Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ________________________________________________________________ Apprenticeship help for insular areas The Marianas would receive $2.8 million over 5 years to support the creation of registered apprenticeship programs under terms of my bill H.R. 8320, the Outlying Area Apprenticeship Act. On Thursday, the House Committee on Education and Labor passed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 and included the text of my bill. Apprenticeships supported by the original National Apprenticeship Act over the last 83 years have proven a good return on investment, helped local economies grow, and provided unparalleled job and career opportunities to young people. The Act did not support apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas, howeveran inequity my bill addresses. The National Apprenticeship Act now goes to the full House for consideration. $210k for COVID vaccine prep The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $210,000 to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation this week. The money will help CHCC prepare to store, transport, and administer a COVID-19 vaccine, once available. Congress included the funding in the CARES Act in March. To date, the Marianas has received $5,896,231 for the public health response activities to COVID-19 through the various relief packages Congress has enacted. Vet Center assessment required The Department of Veterans Affairs will be required to report to Congress on how it plans to provide Vet Center services in the Marianas and other areas that have no Vet Center. I included the requirement by amendment of H.R. 1812, which Congress sent to the President for signature on Tuesday. The bill expands Vet Center servic… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/210k-covid-vaccine-prep | $210k for COVID vaccine prep | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded$210,000 to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporationthis week. The money will help CHCC prepare to store, transport, and administer a COVID-19 vaccine, once available. Congress included the funding in theCARES Actin March. To date, the Marianas has received$5,896,231 for the public health response activities to COVID-19through the various relief packages Congress has enacted. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/750k-karidat | $750k for Karidat | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $750k for Karidat Sep 28, 2020 The U.S. Department of Justice awarded $750,000 to Karidat Social Services from the Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Program. The program funds direct services to victims of human and labor trafficking and efforts to enhance interagency collaboration and community response capacity. The grant will enable Karidat to provide individualized trauma-informed services and increase partnerships to ensure victims receive needed care. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/apprenticeship-help-insular-areas | Apprenticeship help for insular areas | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Apprenticeship help for insular areas Sep 28, 2020 The Marianas would receive $2.8 million over 5 years to support the creation of registered apprenticeship programs under terms of my billH.R. 8320, the Outlying Area Apprenticeship Act.On Thursday, the House Committee on Education and Labor passed theNational Apprenticeship Act of 2020and included the text of my bill. Apprenticeships supported by the original National Apprenticeship Act over the last 83 years have proven a good return on investment, helped local economies grow, and provided unparalleled job and career opportunities to young people. The Act did not support apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas, howeveran inequity my bill addresses. The National Apprenticeship Act now goes to the full House for consideration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/governor-don%E2%80%99t-cut-food-aid | Governor, dont cut food aid | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Governor, don't cut food aid Sep 28, 2020 The number of households receiving food assistance has doubled and benefits have more than doubled over the last 12 years, as a result of the additional funding I have won for the Marianas Nutrition Assistance Program, $204 million in total. Governor Torres should show some compassion for the 5,169 families now receiving help from the federally funded Nutrition Assistance Program and not cut their aid.That was my messagethis week in response to the Governor's threat to cut families from eligibility and reduce benefits across the board, unless Congress came up with another $11.5 million for fiscal year 2021. I also let the Governor know I had alerted Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to the shortfall he identified and that Speaker Pelosi added the Marianas to Pandemic EBT food assistance program in the continuing resolution the House passed on Tuesday. If the Senate agrees and the President signs off on the continuing resolution, preventing a government shutdown on October 1, the Pandemic EBT program will mean between $12 and $16 million in additional food aid for Marianas families with school children. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/one-year%E2%80%99s-discharge-health-aid-closer | One years discharge health aid closer | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | One year's discharge health aid closer Sep 28, 2020 The U.S. Veterans Administration must develop a strategic plan to give all veterans one year of health care after they separate from active service. The requirement is a compromise worked out between the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees on the proposal for one year of health care coverage that I introduced inH.R. 5024. The requirement is included inS.785, a package of bills Congress sent to the White House for signature on Wednesday. Providing one year of health care after discharge would greatly help veterans and their families make the transition to civilian life. By removing the worry of health care, I want to free them to focus on their next steps in education, employment, and housing, and ultimately make the transition successful. VA must submit the strategic plan to Congress no later than one year after the bill's enactment. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-asks-governor-again-transparency-election-money | Kilili asks Governor, again, for transparency on election money | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has renewed his request to Governor Ralph Torres for public disclosure of how $1.2 million in federal election security funds have been spent. Congressman Sablan wrote the Governor on July 30, shortly after the House Subcommittee on Elections held a hearing on barriers to voting in the U.S. insular areas, asking for an accounting of the funds. To date, the Governor has not replied and explained what happened to the money. Congress provided the Commonwealth with $1.2 million to upgrade voting equipment, conduct election auditing, make on-line registration available, strengthen cyber-security, better track campaign financing, and implement vote-by-mail for all voters. The funds could also be used to increase the number of voting places to reduce crowding and long waits during the coronavirus pandemic. There has been so much talk from the President about how our election system is not reliable, Congressman Sablan said, I think people in the Marianas have a right to know what the Governor had done with the money Congress provided to increase public confidence in the election and make it as easy as possible for everyone to vote. The Marianas receives hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant funds and what happens to all that money is not always clear. In this one specific instance, the Governor should be able to answer the simple question of how he used the election assistance money. Half of the $1.2 million was provided to the Commonwealth in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 116-93, in December 2019. The other half came from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136, enacted in March 2020. The Commonwealth Election Commission operates on an election year budget of $222,750. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vet-center-assessment-required | Vet Center assessment required | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vet Center assessment required Sep 28, 2020 The Department of Veterans Affairs will be required to report to Congress on how it plans to provide Vet Center services in the Marianas and other areas that have no Vet Center. I included the requirement byamendmentofH.R. 1812, which Congress sent to the President for signature on Tuesday. The bill expands Vet Center servicesspecifically, readjustment counseling and other mental health carewhich underscores the need for the Department to explain how they will make sure Marianas veterans are treated equally. Guam Vet Center staff periodically conduct outreach for our veterans, but they deserve more frequent and regular access to all Vet Center services. I have also includeda provision in the Fiscal Year 2021 VA funding bill reportmandating an assessment of increasing staffing and establishing a Vet Center in the Marianas. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-cemetery-grants-boost-approved | Vets cemetery grants boost approved | 2020-09-28 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets cemetery grants boost approved Sep 28, 2020 The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee favorably reportedS. 4511, an omnibus package includingmy bill, H.R. 5487, increasing federal maintenance funds available for the Marpi vets cemetery and others nationwide. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs.H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. The funding helps address the challenges the Commonwealth faces in preventing the defacing of our veterans' final resting places. S. 4511 now goes to the full Senate for consideration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-hails-award-175m-watersewer-infrastructure | Kilili hails award of $17.5m for water/sewer infrastructure | 2020-09-25 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Kilili hails award of $17.5m for water/sewer infrastructure NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS The Environmental Protection Agency has announced an award of $17,519,000 to the Marianas for water and sewer infrastructure. $10,400,000 of these funds come from a specific set-aside for the Marianas that Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan included in last year's disaster relief act, U.S. Public Law 116-20. The balance of $7,191,000 is from funds set aside for the Marianas and other territories in the EPA appropriation for fiscal year 2020, U.S. Public Law 116-94. Sablan has been able to increase the EPA set-aside every year since 2010. Kilili said it can be frustrating to wait for appropriated funds to reach the Commonwealth. It has been over a year since Congress passed the disaster relief act in June 2019, and nine months since Congress passed the fiscal 2020 appropriation. Despite the time lag between when Congress acted and when the executive branch made the award, the money is reaching the Commonwealth when the economy is in bad shape and when this infusion of federal funds can create jobs and put businesses to work, Sablan said. This $17.5 million is also timely, when so much of our attention is on the need to raise standards for public health and maintain a clean environment. Those are important goals not only for the quality of life of residents, but also to reassure prospective tourists that the Marianas is safe to visit. Water and sewer funding has been a signature focus of Sablan's work in Congress. In 2010, just a year after he was first elected, Sablan was able to annually increase funding set aside for insular areas within the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act from 0.25 and 0.33 percent, respectively, to 1.5 percent in annual appropriations laws. At the time, only about one in four Marianas households had 24-hour access to water from the Commonwealth Utility Corporation. The $7,191,000 announced today reflects the increased 1.5 percent allocation to funds set aside for the Marianas in EPA appro… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-intro%E2%80%99s-apprenticeship-expansion-act | Kilili intros Apprenticeship Expansion Act | 2020-09-25 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Apprenticeship programs in the Marianas would receive new funding under terms of legislation introduced by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan on Monday. The Outlying Areas Apprenticeship Expansion Act, H.R. 8320, makes the National Apprenticeship Act applicable in the Marianas and other U.S. insular areas. The result would be new apprenticeships and expansion of existing programs and an estimated $2.8 million over the next five years. The National Apprenticeship Act has proven its value, helping grow local economies and ushering young people into successful careers. Yet the Act currently does not support apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas, Congressman Sablan said in his introductory statement. My bill fixes that inequity, providing the annual funding necessary to support the creation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs in the Marianas, as well as in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Sablan has previously supported expanded apprenticeship programs in the Marianas. Last October, he joined Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) in introducing H.R. 4965, the Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills (LEARNS) Act. The legislation channels technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor to existing apprenticeship programs, such as those at Northern Marianas College, Northern Marianas Trades Institute, and CNMI Public School System. Our schools already provide Marianas students with many of the skills businesses are looking for, Sablan said. But we need to keep building the connection between the school experience and the hands-on, real world work environment. That is where apprenticeships come in. Apprenticeships are the last-mile' link between training and jobs. H.R. 8320 makes grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other arrangements available to the Marianas for the purposes of establishing registered apprenticeships and expanding opportunities under the National Apprenticeship Act. If enacted into law… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-nmi-small-business-development-act-passes-house | Kilili: NMI Small Business Development Act passes House | 2020-09-25 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS New opportunities for small business development in the Marianas is the goal of legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives today. Introduced by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, the Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Development Act will give the 1,700 small businesses in the Marianas equal access to assistance through grants from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program and through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) program. Presently, the Northern Marianas is the only place in the U.S. not included in the Small Business Administration's SBDC and FAST programs, Congressman Sablan said. My bill, H.R. 6021, will give our small businesses the same access to federal capital and advisory resources as their counterparts in the rest of America. With the new grants from the SBDC program, the Marianas would be able to establish a Lead SBDC to expand the capacity of the existing SBDC service center. The Lead SBDC would increase access on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to free or low-cost services that encourage successful growth, such as business planning and incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs. H.R. 6021 would also give Marianas businesses access to federal research and development opportunities through inclusion in the Small Business Administration's FAST program. FAST provides funding to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small businesses. In his floor remarks today, Congressman Sablan also expressed support for H.R. 6079, the Microloan Improvement Act, currently being considered by the House. H.R. 6079 includes a provision Sablan requested that makes Marianas small business owners eligible for the Small Business Administration's Microloan program. SBA provides these loans, typically not offered by banks, of up to $50,000 for working capital or the acquisition of materials, supplies, or equipment. The program would also make marketing, management, and technical assistance available to help women, low-income, and veteran entrepreneurs i… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-service-academy-nominations-now-open | Kilili: Service academy nominations now open | 2020-09-25 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan is now accepting applications for nominations to the United States military service academies. The deadline to apply for a congressional nomination is December 11, 2020, for the school year beginning in the fall of 2021. The U.S. service academies offer a world-class, fully funded education, with vacancies reserved for young people in the Marianas, Congressman Sablan said. It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. And obtaining a congressional nomination is the first step towards attending one of these academies. The service academies are federal institutions that offer a first-rate college education and a chance for young people to emerge as leaders in the armed forces. Service academy cadets and midshipmen receive a bachelor's degree and are commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns upon graduation, with a commitment to serve in the armed forces for at least five years. To be eligible for a congressional nomination and service academy appointment, an individual must be a U.S. citizen, between 17 and 23 years of age, unmarried, and have no dependents. Highly qualified applicants will be able to demonstrate a well-rounded record of academic excellence, physical fitness, leadership, and service. Six slots are available for Marianas students for the school year starting in the fall of 2021: two at the Military Academy in West Point, New York; two at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; one at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and one at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. The Coast Guard Academy's admissions process is competitive nationwide and does not require a congressional nomination, although the congressman may submit letters of recommendation. Final decisions are made by the academies' admissions officials. The congressional office will host a virtual information session about the service academies and nomination process on September 18, 2020, at 3:30PM ChST. Interested individuals can RSVP by calling… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/test-1 | Kilili to Governor: Dont cut food aid | 2020-09-24 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan asked Governor Ralph Torres today not to cut food aid for Marianas families on October 1. In a letter to the Congressman on August 26, the Governor threatened to cut aid to some of the 5,169 families now enrolled in the Commonwealth's Nutrition Assistance Program, unless Congress appropriated $11.5 million. In a response to the Governor, Congressman Sablan said cutting aid in the middle of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus would be a terrible hardship on these families. He asked Governor Torres to be compassionate, at least, to March next year, when the $23 million the Commonwealth currently has available might run out. Sablan also updated the Governor on yesterday's action by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to include the Marianas in a special Pandemic EBT program, providing food assistance to families with school children. The change is part of the must-pass continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 11. The Pandemic EBT program will require a plan of action from the Governor but is expected to provide from $12 to $16 million to the Commonwealth. The program was set up in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and did not include American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the Marianas, because those areas do not have EBT, electronic benefits transfer, systems. Instead, the Families First Act in May and the CARES Act in March provided the Commonwealth with $1.86 million for food assistance, money, Kilili noted, the Governor had not accounted for when deciding to cut benefits on October 1. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-september-18-2020 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - September 18, 2020 | 2020-09-21 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: NMI Biz Development Act passes Swift wage survey review requested $7.7m for lost wages First PHC home constructed $17.5m for water/sewer $1.2m to CHCC for COVID response COVID-19 stats as of September 18 $1.8m in DOJ grants to the Marianas $1.7m for insular energy projects $1.1m more for compact impact $335k for Tinian road upgrades House protects pregnant workers Military academy nominations open Welcome, Peter Tenorio Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights __________________________________________________________________ NMI Biz Development Act passes Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to Small Business Administration programs under terms of my Small Business Development Act, which the House passed Monday. The bill makes the Marianas eligible for a grant to establish an SBDC Lead Center and provides technical assistance to small businesses interested in seed funding from the federal SBIR and STTR programs. With this additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota could have access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, assistance with loan applications, business planning, operations, personnel administration, marketing, export assistance, sales, and other requirements for growth and success. The House also passed the Microloan Improvement Act, containing provisions I wrote making SBA microloans of up to $50,000 available to Marianas businesses. Both bills are now with the Senate for consideration. Swift wage survey review requested Now that the Commonwealth has completed submission of this year's prevailing wage survey, I have requested U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia to expedite certification. Labor received the Commonwealth's final documents on September 10. Meanwhile, many CW-1 employers have been waiting for approval of the survey to request a prevailing wage determination and apply for temporary labor certifications. The U.S. Workforce Act requirement that employe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/11m-more-compact-impact | $1.1m more for compact impact | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $1.1m more for compact impact Sep 20, 2020 The Northern Marianas is receiving $1,123,263 in compact impact funding assistance, Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced. The aid is in addition to the $750,000 awarded the Marianas in March, for a total of $1,873,263 in Compact Impact Aid funds for FY 2020. $220,384 of the award must be used exclusively for education services. 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. In 2018, the Census Bureau estimated the number of FAS migrants in the Northern Marianas at 2,431, a decrease from 2,660 in 2013. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/12m-chcc-covid-response | $1.2m to CHCC for COVID response | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $1.2m to CHCC for COVID response Sep 20, 2020 The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation was awarded a $1,228,636.27 Public Assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency protective measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds, which represent the 75 percent Federal cost-share, cover the costs for materials, equipment, and contract services needed to set up and operate a temporary medical facility and provide prevention and treatment services for the period beginning March 17 through May 31, 2020. Funding is authorized under the Stafford Act Section 403 and obligated directly to the Commonwealth, which is then responsible for reimbursement to the CHCC upon receipt of proper documentation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/175m-watersewer | $17.5m for water/sewer | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $17.5m for water/sewer Sep 20, 2020 Marianas water and sewer infrastructure gets another $17,519,000, the Environmental Protection Agency announced. $10,400,000 is the specific set-aside for the Marianas I included in last year's disaster relief act, U.S. Public Law 116-20. The balance of $7,191,000 is the set aside for the Marianas and other territories in the EPA appropriation for fiscal year 2020, U.S. Public Law 116-94. The money is more welcome than ever with so much of our attention on the need to raise standards for public health and maintain a clean environment for residents and to reassure prospective tourists that the Marianas is safe to visit. We increased water and sewer funding every year since 2010 by changing a formula in annual appropriations bills. Together with one-time funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act total funding has now reached $97.6 million. In July, I successfully offered a floor amendment to H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, making a permanent formula change. The House passed the bill, 233-188, but the Republican-led Senate has refused to take action. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/17m-insular-energy-projects | $1.7m for insular energy projects | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Northern Marianas is receiving $1,706,075 in Energizing Insular Communities program funds, Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced. Fund will go towards the following six high-priority energy projects, as identified by the Commonwealth: $672,000 to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for phase 3 of the Pre-Pay Meter Conversion Project to purchase and install 1,600 pre-pay electric meters on Rota and Saipan $403,500 to CUC for the acquisition of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system for each of the engines at Power Plant 1 in Saipan $301,700 to CUC to hire a solar energy systems engineer to provide professional capacity in solar photovoltaic and renewables technologies $212,920 to the Department of Public Works for Energy Star/Energy Efficiency rebates as incentive for residents to replace old and inefficient appliances and reduce overall energy and utility costs $77,530 to the Office of the Governor to apply a cool roof system to three facilities at the Government complex on Capitol Hill $38,425 to the Women's Affairs Office for energy efficiency measures including a cool roof system, LED lighting, and window reflective film Appropriated annually by Congress to be administered by OIA, the Energizing Insular Communities program was funded at $6.25 million for FY 2020, up from $5 million in FY19. The Trump administration repeatedly attempts to reduce funding to the EIC program and proposed cutting it to just $2.8 million for FY 2021, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 with my request increasing funds to $12 million, nearly doubling last year's appropriation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/18m-doj-grants-marianas | $1.8m in DOJ grants to the Marianas | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Commonwealth is receiving six grants worth $1,784,393 for crime prevention, domestic and sexual violence, victim assistance, training, and the sex offender registry, the U.S. Department of Justice announced: $618,551 - STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant award to the Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) to develop and strengthen efforts to combat violent crimes against women and strengthen and improve victim safe and services. $62,589 - Sexual Assault Services (SAS) Formula Program grant to CJPA to support rape crisis centers and nonprofits that provide direct assistance and services to sexual assault victims. $395,338 - Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program to the Department of Public Safety to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act which requires jurisdictions maintain a sex offender registry and sex offenders register and maintain current registration in area they live, work, or attend school. SORNA requirements also include participation in the National Sex Offender Public Website. $193,048 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to CJPA for local crime control and prevention initiatives in one or more program areas within the criminal justice system. CJPA indicates funds will be used for programs aimed at reducing crime and enhancing public and officer safety, including multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces, justice information sharing initiatives, crime prevention and domestic violence programs $59,098 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act Formula Grants Program to CJPA for compliance monitoring, delinquency prevention, juvenile justice systems improvement, planning and administration, and the state advisory group allocation. $455,769 - Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant Program to CJPA to enhance crime victim services in the Marianas with an emphasis on victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse and underserved vict… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/335k-tinian-road-upgrades | $335k for Tinian road upgrades | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $335k for Tinian road upgrades Sep 20, 2020 The Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs has been awarded $335,000 under the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot program, the Defense Department's Office of Economic Adjustment announced. The grant funds will be used to relocate power and water infrastructure, so the U.S. military may pave and improve several roads in Tinian, as requested by Commonwealth and Tinian officials. The project aims to improve the quality of life for Tinian residents and supports service members and support personnel rotating through the island. The Defense Community Infrastructure Program is a pilot program, funded by Congress at $50 million for FY20, to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of a military installation to enhance the military family quality of life. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/77m-lost-wages | $7.7m for lost wages | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $7.7m for lost wages Sep 20, 2020 The Marianas will receive $7,721,288 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide an additional $300 per week to eligible individuals. This will be on top of the continuing $345 weekly benefit from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that Congress created in the CARES Act. The CARES Act provided a $600 per week supplement, but that program expired at the end of July. The House-passed HEROES Act would extend the additional $600 per week supplement, but Senate Republicans are refusing to negotiate and have instead proposed measures to cut any additional unemployment assistance in half to $300. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-biz-development-act-passes | NMI Biz Development Act passes | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NMI Biz Development Act passes Sep 20, 2020 Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to Small Business Administration programs under terms of my Small Business Development Act, which the House passed. The bill makes the Marianas eligible for a grant to establish an SBDC Lead Center and provides technical assistance to small businesses interested in seed funding from the federal SBIR and STTR programs. With this additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota could have access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, assistance with loan applications, business planning, operations, personnel administration, marketing, export assistance, sales, and other requirements for growth and success. The House also passed the Microloan Improvement Act, containing provisions I wrote making SBA microloans of up to $50,000 available to Marianas businesses. Both bills are now with the Senate for consideration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/swift-wage-survey-review-requested | Swift wage survey review requested | 2020-09-20 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Swift wage survey review requested Sep 20, 2020 Now that the Commonwealth has completed submission of this year's prevailing wage survey, I have requested U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia to expedite certification. Labor received the Commonwealth's final documents on September 10. Meanwhile, many CW-1 employers have been waiting for approval of the survey to request a prevailing wage determination and apply for temporary labor certifications. The U.S. Workforce Act requirement that employers obtain certification that no U.S. worker is available before employers petition for a CW-1 worker went into effect last year. The Labor Department had approved the wage survey for 84 occupations by May last year. But this year's survey has been delayed, putting pressure on Marianas businesses already hurt by the coronavirus and still recovering from Super Typhoon Yutu. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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