Press releases
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322 rows where state = "MP" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| http://sablan.house.gov/2015-year-review | 2015 - The Year in Review | 2015-12-31 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 2015 will be remembered in part as the year of Typhoon Soudelor. Complete recovery is still to be accomplished, but federal assistance helped local hands respond to the immediate emergency and will continue to aid in restoration of homes and public infrastructure. 2015 was also a year of significant accomplishment in Washington. January 16% NAP benefit increase for Saipan takes effect - Food stamp beneficiaries on Saipan received a 16 percent increase in their benefits. The Saipan increase followed a 28 percent increase for Tinian and 62 percent for Rota and the Northern Islands that took effect in 2014. Seniority pays off in Committee assignment - Six years of seniority allowed the Northern Marianas Delegate to win promotion to Vice-Ranking Member for the Natural Resources Committee. February H.R. 851 aims to increase federal funding for PSS - As it became apparent that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would finally be reauthorized, I introduced legislation to increase federal education funding for our Public School System a move that paid off in December. March Presidents budget includes funding for Rota National Park study - The study was only authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act in December 2014, but the President immediately proposed funding. April Community Health Centers, CHIP benefit from doc fix - The Kagman Community Health Center was assured of funding through 2017 in Public Law 114-10. The law also extended the CHIP program, which will provide $1.4 million for health insurance for children from low-income families in the Northern Marianas in 2016. June Geothermal explorations get green light - CUC got the go-ahead to use technical assistance funds provided by Congress to continue exploring geothermal potential on Saipan. Hot water deep below the surface could generate electricity and lower the cost of power. July Foxx-Messer-Sablan Act would help students select college - Along with Education and the Workforce Committee members Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Luke Messer … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/fema-obligates-12-million-cuc-soudelor-repairs | FEMA obligates $1.2 million for CUC Soudelor repairs | 2015-12-31 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | FEMA obligates $1.2 million for CUC Soudelor repairs Dec 30, 2015 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week a grant of $1,194,653.70 to the Northern Mariana Islands. The funds are intended to be passed through to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for costs of restoring power on Saipan following Typhoon Soudelor. These public assistance funds are authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act and should continue to be obligated for a variety of public infrastructure that was damaged during the storm. FEMA provides 90 percent of funding; the Commonwealth provides 10 percent, a reduction of the usual 25 percent match. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/uscis-assures-action-pending-cw-petitions | USCIS assures action on pending CW petitions | 2015-12-31 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | USCIS assures action on pending CW petitions Dec 30, 2015 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has responded to my calls for action on delayed renewals of Commonwealth-only worker permits by moving CW applications submitted over 90 days ago for permits that expire this week to the front of the line for processing about 800 in all. Extra staff have also been added to clear the backlog of CW applications. USCIS has told me that they expect to act on these 800 CW petitions by the end of this week. Another 2,000 applications that were not submitted before the recommended 90 days will also receive the extra staff attention I called for. I urge employers with applications that are more than 90 days old to contact the congressional office. I also recommend that employers submit applications for renewals as early as possible they may do so up to 180 days prior to expiration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/working-together-new-torres-administration | Working together with the new Torres administration | 2015-12-31 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Working together with the new Torres administration Dec 31, 2015 Our new Governor, Ralph DLG Torres, led the response and recovery to Typhoon Soudelor; and the congressional office assisted by making sure that every federal resource he called for was provided fully and quickly. In a meeting with Governor Torres this week I pledged to continue that model of cooperation and partnership with his new administration for the benefit of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. I thanked the Governor, too, for leading us all through these days of grief with grace and courage. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-23-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 23, 2015 | 2015-12-28 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Bill introduced to pay for earned income tax credit in NMI. I have introduced legislation,H.R. 4309, that would use federal funds to cover the cost of the earned income tax credit in the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. insular areas. The EITC provides extra money to U.S. workers, who have low wage jobs, up to $6,000 annually. Here in the Northern Marianas, where incomes are half the national average, the EITC would put more money into peoples pockets and into our local economy. Unlike other forms of welfare that go to people without jobs, the EITC is only paid to those who are working. It rewards work. The EITC would apply in the same way as the Child Tax Credit that many families now receive. Taxpayers file for the credit on their CNMI tax return; and then the federal government gives the money to the CNMI to cover the cost. The Commonwealth tried to provide the EITC in the 1990s, but had to stop because the program was too expensive. Getting tax law changed is not easy to do in Congress. And what I am proposing costs money, so it is even more difficult. But our new Speaker, Paul Ryan, wants to reform the tax code perhaps in the next Congress. My proposal starts the discussion and prepares us for the work that could get done in 2017 or 2018. New Marianas High School cafeteria approved. Marianas High School students will be getting a new cafeteria and kitchen valued at $1.4 million. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service approved use of 2015 Nutritional Assistance Grant funds for the project this week. The Public School System asked for approval in September. I registered support with FNS Administrator Audrey Rowe and have been working with the agency ever since to clear procedural hurdles. The present cafeteria, built in 1969, was designed to serve 450 students. The new cafeteria will be five times larger. This will allow the current enrollment of 1,604 students to all be served in two lunch periods of 30 minutes each. At the recommendation of FNS the new faci… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/new-marianas-high-school-cafeteria-approved | New Marianas High School cafeteria approved | 2015-12-24 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | New Marianas High School cafeteria approved Dec 23, 2015 Marianas High School students will be getting a new cafeteria and kitchen valued at $1.4 million. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service approved use of 2015 Nutritional Assistance Grant funds for the project this week. The Public School System asked for approval in September. I registered support with FNS Administrator Audrey Rowe and have been working with the agency ever since to clear procedural hurdles. The present cafeteria, built in 1969, was designed to serve 450 students. The new cafeteria will be five times larger. This will allow the current enrollment of 1,604 students to all be served in two lunch periods of 30 minutes each. At the recommendation of FNS the new facility will also include a full kitchen, where students will be able to learn cooking and nutritional skills for their own benefit and as part of the MHS vocational curriculum. Federal NAG funds previously built cafeterias at San Vicente Elementary and Dandan Middle schools. Congratulations to PSS and all the MHS Dolphins. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/investors-told-hire-construction-workers-through-h2b-visa-process | Investors told to hire construction workers through H2B visa process | 2015-12-22 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- U.S. Congressman Gregorio Camacho Kilili Sablan on Tuesday said new investors such as Honest Profit can hire temporary workers using the H-2B visa program if they want to proceed with construction projects. Guam hires foreign workers, including construction workers, through the H-visa process. Rep. Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero earlier asked Sablan to look into the delay in the processing of Honest Profits petitions for CW workers. The investor wants to construct a new hotel in San Antonio. Variety learned from other employers that they, too, are still waiting for a response from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for CW petitions submitted in August. Sablan said H-2B visas are for workers who are only needed for a specific project and a specific length of time. In the rest of the U.S. there is a limit on the number of H visas each year. But there is no limit here in the Marianas because of the language I put into .S.S Public Law 113-235 last December. That law allows for an unlimited number of H visa construction workers to work in the Marianas without using up any CW permits. He said CW permits for construction workers are limited. There are only 12,999 CW permits available this year. Those CW permits are too valuable to our existing businesses to use for temporary construction workers. CW permits are limited. We can have 12,999 in 2016 but by 2019 that number is supposed to go to zero, Sablan said. We may need to stretch out that transition period further. I do not know yet. But I do know that with every year that goes by CW permits will become more and more valuable and should, in my opinion, only be used for workers we cannot get through any other means. Sablan said Guerrero had not written to him or met with him to discuss the issue. But I would explain the situation to him if he asks. Sablan said there are other companies with CW permits for construction workers because the employers were able to justify their claims that no U.S. workers were available for those jobs. When an employer … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-proposes-federally-funded-earned-income-tax-credit-program-nmi | Kilili proposes federally funded Earned Income Tax Credit program for NMI | 2015-12-22 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has introduced a measure that will provide federal funds for the CNMI Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC program. Sablans H.R. 4309 will allow taxpayers in the Northern Marianas to receive a refundable tax credit if they have earned income in a given year. The earned income tax credit is an important public policy because it rewards people for working, Sablan said in a media statement. Even if people have to work for low wages, which many people do in the Northern Marianas, it will still be worthwhile to get a job because there will be this extra supplemental income from the government, Sablan said. Acting Gov. Ralph Torres on Tuesday praised Sablan for introducing the bill. I commend and appreciate Congressman Sablans efforts to extend a federal cover-over for the cost the CNMI would pay for the Earned Income Tax Credit. This is an important incentive for low-income residents. The EITC program is supposed to work in tandem with [other] programsto be a safety net for low-income families while supporting self-sufficiency through gainful employment, but the [EITC] has been unavailable in the CNMI. He added, This is an issue we have brought up during the formation of the Governors Special Commission on Economic Opportunity. In order to build a stronger society we need all the resources we have at our disposal to encourage greater workforce participation rates among our people and provide them the tools they need to succeed. I thank Congressman Sablan for his efforts on this issue and will follow the progress of this legislation closely. Sablan said the commonwealth tried to provide the EITC to its people in the 1990s but had to discontinue the program because it was too expensive for the CNMI government. Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have an EITC program in place and pay for it using local funds. Sablans bill would cover the cost with federal funds. This would work in the same way that families in the Northern Marianas are now getting the refundable … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/many-cw-permits-expiring-dec-31-kilili-uscis-working-remedy-delay | WITH MANY CW PERMITS EXPIRING ON DEC. 31- Kilili, USCIS working to remedy delay | 2015-12-22 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune- A 48-year-old wait staff at a restaurant is having sleepless nights as his CW-1 permit has yet to be adjudicated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service less than a month before his current permit expires on Dec. 31, 2015. Sonny (not his real name) is one of probably hundreds of CW-1 permit holders who are on pins and needles waiting for USCIS decision on their renewal permits. Under USCIS rules, a CW-1 permit holder should stop work immediately after his permit expires. But Sonny, who hails from the Philippines, said that stopping from work is not an option as the father of six has living expenses to meet. Are we just going to stop eating and using electricity? How about the rent in our apartment and payment of utilities? How are we going to pay for gas for our cars? Whos going to pay for all of that? And besides its Christmas and the New Year. I really hope USCIS approves my permit soon, he told Saipan Tribune. For many businesses such as hotels, the idea of stopping as much as a third of their workforce from working on one of the busiest nights of the year, Dec. 31, is also not an option. As of Dec. 1, 2015, USCIS has approved a total of 9,195 beneficiaries under the CW-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker program and denied 1,092. The 9,195 counts against the 2015 cap of 12,999 set by the USCIS earlier in the year. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said he is aware of the anxiety not only on the part of CW-1 permit holders but their employers as well. He said a number of businesses have already approached him about the delay in the issuance of CW-1 renewal permits. The congressional office continues to work with employers who come seeking our help with their CW visa petitions. I cannot name the companies or petitioners because when anyone comes to us for assistance, their case is treated with complete confidentiality, he told Saipan Tribune in an email. He also confirmed what USCIS told Saipan Tribune about the current number of approved and denied CW-1 petitions. And I can repo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/fy16-funding-tax-extenders-approved | FY16 funding, tax extenders approved | 2015-12-21 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | FY16 funding, tax extenders approved Dec 20, 2015 On Friday, The House and Senate passed, and the President already signed, an appropriations and tax bill, providing $1.067 trillion in funding for the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2016 and extending a variety of tax provisions. Highlights of funding and tax provisions that benefit the Northern Marianas include: $22.5 billion for Pell Grants, which is the same as the 2015 enacted level. When combined with mandatory funding, these discretionary funds will enable the maximum grant to increase to an estimated $5,915, an increase of $140 in the 2016-2017 school year for NMC students. $6.35 billion to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in FY16. The amount is lower than the FY15 enacted level due to decreases in program participation and is expected to provide full benefits to participants. WIC provides nutritional foods and services to nutritionally at-risk low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children in the Northern Marianas. The Northern Marianas WIC program received $5.4 million in FY15. $638 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, an increase from the FY 2015 enacted level. The Northern Marianas received $456,074 in FY 2014 to help address the health needs of mothers, infants and children, including children with special health care needs and their families. Increases in funding for major housing programs: $19.63 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, an approximate increase of $324 million from the FY15 enacted level. Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance increases $890 to $10.62 billion. And the HOME Investment Partnership program is funded at $950 million, a $50 million increase from FY15.The Community De… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/nmi-educators-apply-now-loc-summer-institutes | NMI educators: Apply now for LOC Summer Institutes | 2015-12-21 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NMI educators: Apply now for LOC Summer Institutes Dec 20, 2015 The application period for the Library of Congress 2016 Summer Teacher Institutes is now open, and educators from the Northern Marianas are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is February 29, 2016. The highly acclaimed Summer Teacher Institutes provide educators with the tools and training to effectively utilize the Librarys rich collection of primary sources in the classroom. Educators will also be given the resources to share what they learn with their colleagues in their respective districts. Five weeklong institutes will be offered from June to July next year, including one institute focused on science, engineering, and technology. The week-long training is free, but participants are responsible for the costs of travel to Washington, DC, and room and board. To learn more about the Summer Teacher Institutes, and to apply, visit: https://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/teacherinstitute/. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/soudelor-commendations-added-congressional-record | Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record | 2015-12-21 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record Dec 20, 2015 In a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives last week, I gave an account of the damage we suffered in Typhoon Soudelor and the response that followed. And I gave thanks to all who made possible our remarkable rebound from adversity. More than four months after one of the worst typhoons in memory, the initial recovery is substantially complete, and long-term rebuilding is well under way. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency transitioned its recovery operations back to the Region IX office in San Francisco this week. Assistance from FEMA and other federal agencies will continue; and when all is said and done, the Northern Marianas will have received an estimated $100 million in federal disaster aid to help us get back on our feet. But it is the hard work and charity of so many individuals within our community and from outside who have really made our recovery possible. I cannot put a dollar value on that human effort; but I wanted to recognize and thank everyone and make a permanent memorial of their accomplishment in the official record of the U.S. Congress. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-18-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 18, 2015 | 2015-12-21 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: _________________________________________________________________________ Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record. In a statement to the U.S. House of Representativesthis week, I gave an account of the damage we suffered in Typhoon Soudelor and the response that followed. And I gave thanks to all who made possible our remarkable rebound from adversity. More than four months after one of the worst typhoons in memory, the initial recovery is substantially complete, and long-term rebuilding is well under way. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency transitioned its recovery operations back to the Region IX office in San Francisco this week. Assistance from FEMA and other federal agencies will continue; and when all is said and done, the Northern Marianas will have received an estimated $100 million in federal disaster aid to help us get back on our feet. But it is the hard work and charity of so many individuals within our community and from outside who have really made our recovery possible. I cannot put a dollar value on that human effort; but I wanted to recognize and thank everyone and make a permanent memorial of their accomplishment in the official record of the U.S. Congress. FY16 funding, tax extenders approved. The House and Senate today passed, and the President already signed,an appropriations and tax bill, providing $1.067 trillion in funding for the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2016 and extending a variety of tax provisions. Highlights of funding and tax provisions that benefit the Northern Marianas include: $22.5 billion for Pell Grants, which is the same as the 2015 enacted level. When combined with mandatory funding, these discretionary funds will enable the maximum grant to increase to an estimated $5,915, an increase of $140 in the 2016-2017 school year for NMC students. $6.35 billion to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in FY16. The amount is lower than the FY15 enacted level due… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/feature-nmi-gets-100-million-federal-disaster-aid | FEATURE: NMI gets $100 million in federal disaster aid | 2015-12-20 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- The following is a statement made to the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 15, 2015 and included in the U.S. Congressional Record. MISTER Speaker, on the night of August 2nd and through the early morning of August 3rd this year, Typhoon Soudelor lashed through the Northern Mariana Islands, causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, uprooting the lives of the people I represent here in Congress. Today, I want to reflect on that event, and on the exceptional grace and generosity that have made recovery possible. The typhoons impact was especially grave on Saipan, the most populated island in the Northern Marianas. Soudelor rendered hundreds of families homeless overnight. It also decimated infrastructure knocking out power and water systems, shutting down the ports, ravaging the college, schools and other public buildings. Survival is a way of life in our islands. We are accustomed to bracing ourselves through tropical storms and picking ourselves up when skies clear. But the sheer ferocity of Typhoon Soudelor caught us all off-guard. Even the National Weather Service failed to foresee the force of this storm. That there was no loss of life is testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of our people. And we are grateful to Providence for sparing us. As long as we live, those of us who experienced Soudelor will not forget the wreckage we saw the morning after. Nor will we forget the hardship that followed, the long hours in line for food and fuel and other necessities, the days of physical suffering and distress, the weeks without power and running water. Soudelor tested our infrastructure, our government, and our capacity as a community to deal with disaster. Now, however, four months after the storm, I can report that conditions are greatly improved, since that long and terrifying night in August. Electricity is restored, and residents have daily water service. Streets have been cleaned in our villages and commercial districts. Students are in school. Bus… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/24-hour-water | 24-hour water | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- NOW that 96 percent of Saipans population has access to 24-hour water and the work of the Water Task Force has been handed over to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, I would like to add my congratulations and thanks to everyone responsible. I join the Acting Governor in his praise of Mr. Pete Sasamoto and his Water Task Force colleagues for a job well done. Additionally, I want to acknowledge the partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has been a guiding hand throughout this process. I understand that Saipan was the only major population area in the U.S. without 24-hour water; and Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld, Pacific Islands Program Manager John McCarroll, and the staff at EPAs Region IX office in San Francisco partnered with the congressional office and we made it our mission to fix that. Achieving 24-hour water would not have been possible without a substantial increase in funding beginning in 2009. As EPA reported in its review of Consolidated Grants program accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2014, the achievement of having the public water supply system provide 24 hour service to 95 percent of its population[is] a result of the increase in [State Revolving Fund] funding . Before 2009 the Commonwealth was getting about $1 million annually from the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund grants that Congress provides. Beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 and in every fiscal year from 2010 to today, annual funding has always exceeded $6 million a 619 percent increase over pre-2009 levels and a seven year total of $51.6 million. I made this increase a priority when I came to office in 2009 and have worked to keep the change in place in every annual appropriation since then. In fact, in the fiscal 2016 appropriation that we expect to see enacted this week there should be an additional $6.5 million, bringing the eight year total for the Northern Marianas to $58.1 million. Without this increased funding from… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/5-day-spending-bill-keeps-government-open | 5-day spending bill keeps government open | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 5-day spending bill keeps government open Dec 15, 2015 The House passed a short-term appropriation bill last Friday and sent it to the President for signature into law. H.R. 2250 will keep the lights on in the federal government until midnight on December 16. Without enactment of H.R. 2250 funding would have ended that Friday. The President is expected to sign the bill, so critical federally-funded programs in the Northern Marianas will continue for now. Legislation providing funding for the rest of fiscal year 2016 is expected to be introduced on Monday. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/new-education-law-means-millions-nmi-schools | New education law means millions for NMI schools | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Millions of dollars in new funding for Northern Mariana Islands schools will result from the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed by President Obama on Thursday, December 12, 2015. The new law reforms education policy nationwide, but also contains proposals from my bill, H.R. 851, that apply specifically to the U.S. insular areas. Section 1014 of the law raises the set-aside of Title I-A grant funds going to the islands. The Congressional Research Service projects Northern Marianas funding will go up from the current $6.8 million to $11.1 million, beginning next October. Increasing school funding was a top goal when I came to office in 2009. Our annual Title I-A grant then was just $3.6 million, so funding will have tripled by 2017. The Every Student Succeeds Act also makes the Northern Marianas eligible for Preschool Development and Education Innovation and Research grants, two competitive programs now open only to states. Thanks to Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minnesota) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Virginia) for helping me get changes I proposed into the new law. And thanks to Congresswoman Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa) for working with me in a bipartisan fashion to make sure our island youth have the education they will need to succeed in life and to contribute to the prosperity of our communities 10, 20, 30 years into the future. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/500000-cnmi-coral-reef-conservation | $500,000 for CNMI Coral Reef Conservation | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $500,000 for CNMI Coral Reef Conservation Dec 13, 2015 The Commonwealth government was awarded $500,000 for its Coral Reef Conservation program this week. Congress provides the funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help with protecting coral reefs against the harmful impacts of global warming, ocean acidification, degradation of water quality, and other changes in the marine environment. The grant to the Northern Marianas was part of a total of $8.5 million announced. The Commonwealth will also benefit from grants to the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Nature Conservancy. See the complete list of awards here. Congratulations. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/rhodes-scholarships-open-insular-university-students | Rhodes scholarships open to insular university students | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Rhodes scholarships open to insular university students Dec 13, 2015 The prestigious Rhodes Scholarship is now open to scholars attending university in U.S. insular areas. Thanks to the efforts of Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi (D) this opportunity, previously offered only to students at universities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is now available to students throughout the U.S. The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded for graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. Thirty-two U.S. students between the ages of 18 and 24 are selected each year. The scholarship covers all university fees, a personal stipend, and airfare to and from Oxford. For more information, go tohttps://www.rhodesscholar.org/. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-every-student-succeeds-act-bring-millions-dollars-more-nmi-schools | Kilili: Every Student Succeeds Act to bring millions of dollars more to NMI schools | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety As a result of the Every Student Succeeds Act, public education in the Northern Mariana Islands is about to get a major boost, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced Thursday. Overall, the new law will increase Title I-A funding to the insular areas by 30 percent. The Northern Marianas, however, is expected to receive a 60 percent increase over its current funding. That will bring a total of $11.1 million to the Public School System in 2017. Further increases should continue through 2020. President Obama has indicated he will sign the Every Student Succeeds Act into law on Thursday. Public school officials have told me they will use this new money to hire more teachers and reduce student-teacher ratios in our schools, Congressman Sablan said. And we know from educational research that lower student-teacher ratios improve student performance. I remain convinced that education is key to the success of our people and our economy now, and 10, 20, 30 years into the future. Sablan has been working to strengthen education funding to the Northern Marianas since he first came into office in 2009. At that time, PSS was receiving just $3.6 million in Title I-A funds. The $11.1 million that PSS can now expect in 2017 represents a 208 percent increase. I am particularly grateful because this is the only change in the Title I-A funding formula that was included in the entire bill. This is one of the most difficult changes in law that I have worked on for the Northern Mariana Islands, said Sablan. It would not have been possible without the understanding and support of Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member Bobby Scott of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. I also owe special thanks to Ranking Member Marcia Fudge of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Earlier this year, Sablan introduced H.R. 851, which separated Title I-A funding for the insular areas and Bureau of Indian Education schools, and increased funds for both. Sablans proposals… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/air-force-divert-comments-due-december-15 | Air Force Divert comments due by December 15 | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Air Force Divert comments due by December 15 Dec 7, 2015 The public review period for the U.S. Air Force Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed divert airfield activities remains open until December 15. The purpose of the divert airfield is to give the Air Force backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event planes cannot use Andersen Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. The revised draft EIS, now open for comment, includes a Saipan-only, a Tinian-only, and a hybrid alternative that divides activities between the two islands. The original deadline of December 1 was extended by the Air Force at the request of Acting Governor Ralph Torres because of the disruption caused by Typhoon Soudelor. The revised draft EIS is available at https://www.pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/docs.html. Comments can be submitted at https://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/congress-passes-5-year-highway-bill-increases-nmi-funding | Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next five years are part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, passed by both the House and Senate on Thursday, December 3, 2015. The five-year, $305 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill retained a provision, Section 1115, to increase annual funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 to $42 million, which the Northern Mariana Islands shares with American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The $2 million increase in annual THP funds was contained in the House reauthorization bill, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act, but not the Senate bill, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act. I am thankful that conferees decided that funding increases, though relatively small, should apply to all areas of our country and not just the states. The measure now heads to the White House, and President Obama is expected to sign shortly. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/house-passed-education-bill-boost-funds-nmi-schools | House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools Dec 7, 2015 A major increase in federal education funding for our schools is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed the Every Student Succeeds Act last Wednesday and the Senate is expected to do the same this week. The bipartisan bill, S. 1177, includes a provision I have been working on intensely all year that increases Title I funding for the Northern Mariana Islands and other insular areas. Title I assists areas with a high percentage of students from low-income families. My provision is designed to give the insular areas about 30 percent more funding than we have been receiving. For the Northern Marianas, the Congressional Research Service estimates Title I to increase to $11.1 million in 2017, up by $4.3 million from the 2016 funding of $6.7 million. The change is contingent upon overall Title I funding increasing so that states, as a whole, do not lose funding because of the change for insular areas. But appropriations for education are expected to rise in 2017. Every Student Succeeds also makes the NMI eligible to compete for Preschool Development Grants and Education Innovation and Research Grants, two competitive grant programs previously open only to states. The President has signaled he will sign the bill into law. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-18 | Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 18 | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | As our community continues to heal from Typhoon Soudelor, FEMA and SBA made some important announcements this week. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) has relocated to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor on Isa Drive in Capitol Hill, Saipan. The DLOC hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Additionally, FEMA is winding down recovery operations on Saipan and closing the Joint Field Office on December 18, 2015. Approximately 20 personnel will remain until that time to coordinate the transition with the Commonwealth government and various volunteer agencies. Your congressional office will continue to work with residents requiring assistance with respect to FEMA issues. As of December 4, FEMA has granted more than $24 million in assistance to individuals and households and obligated nearly $5 million for public assistance. As of November 30, SBA has approved 361 home loans totaling approximately $13 million, and 104 business loans totaling more than $10 million. FHWA announces $609,000 in highway repair funding. The Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation has awarded the CNMI Department of Public Works $609,063 in Emergency Relief program grant funds. Emergency Relief funds may be issued for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways that are seriously impacted by natural disaster. Typhoon Soudelor caused widespread damage to traffic signal heads, poles, signs and guardrail across the island. Program funds will be used to help make permanent repairs necessary to restore highways to pre-disaster conditions. Congratulations to DPW. Volunteer debris cleanup in Kagman last Saturday. The Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts, or C.A.R.E., and United 4 Saipan continued their community cleanup efforts last Saturday, December 5 in Kagman from 8:30am - 12:00pm. Volunteers assistted in sorting storm debris that was then collected and disposed of by the CNMI Department of Public Works and the Saipan Mayors office. To help with the project, volunt… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/new-aafes-troop-store | New AAFES Troop Store | 2015-12-07 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | New AAFES Troop Store Dec 7, 2015 About 4,000 service members and families in the Northern Marianas can look forward to a new, improved Army & Air Force Exchange Troop Store on Saipan. The AAFES is expected to announce the winning bidder shortly. Construction of the 5,000-square-foot facility will take about one year. I have been working on expanding the store since my first days in Congress. A feasibility study in the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act was an early milestone. But the possibility of unexploded ordnance on the site has caused delays. Now the project is really moving forward. (Image credit: Building elevations drawing for the AAFES troop store, developed by EMCE Consulting Engineers and Architects Pacific, Inc. Additional plans and drawings are available here.) | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-07-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 04, 2015 | 2015-12-07 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding Air Force Divert comments due by December 15 Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 18 OPPORTUNITIES - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas Highlights in the Legislative Program House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools. A major increase in federal education funding for our schools is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed theEvery Student Succeeds Acton Wednesdayand the Senate is expected to do the same next week. The bipartisan bill, S. 1177, includes a provision I have been working on intensely all year that increases Title I funding for the Northern Mariana Islands and other insular areas. Title I assists areas with a high percentage of students from low-income families. My provision is designed to give the insular areas about 30 percent more funding than we have been receiving. For the Northern Marianas, the Congressional Research Service estimates Title I to increase to $11.1 million in 2017, up by $4.3 million from the 2016 funding of $6.7 million. The change is contingent upon overall Title I funding increasing so that states, as a whole, do not lose funding because of the change for insular areas. But appropriations for education are expected to rise in 2017. Every Student Succeeds also makes the NMI eligible to compete for Preschool Development Grants and Education Innovation and Research Grants, two competitive grant programs previously open only to states. The President has signaled he will sign the bill into law. Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding. Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next five years are part of theFixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, passed by both the House and Senateon Thursday. The five-year, $305 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill retained a p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-25-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 25, 2015 | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 25, 2015 Nov 29, 2015 In this issue: BREAKING NEWS: Three new academy slots now available. President Obama signed the2016 National Defense Authorization Actinto law this afternoon, adding three new slots for Northern Mariana Islands students at the U.S. service academies. Section 556 of the new law increases academy positions for NMI students by one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This is the second time openings for the Northern Marianas have been increased. I included language in the2010 Defense Authorization (527)doubling the total slots at the time from three to six. All but one of those are currently filled, a testament to the high caliber of applicants from our islands. With the Presidents action, we now have nine positions set aside for the Northern Marianas with four openings available now for applicants in this years admissions cycle. For information about applying for a congressional nomination to a service academy, visit the congressional website athttps://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominationsor contact yourlocal congressional office. The deadline to apply for my nomination isFriday, December 11, 2015. Erratum:In last week's e-newsletter, we mistakenly identified the school mascot of the Tinian Elementary School as the Stallion. The Colt is the mascot of Tinian Elementary School, while the Stallion is the mascot of the Tinian Junior Senior High School. Our apologies for the error. OPPORTUNITIES: Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas: Grants: 2016 Marine Education and Training Mini Grant Program- The National Marine Fisheries Service is soliciting competitive applications for the 2016 Pacific Islands Region Marine Educati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/three-new-academy-slots-now-available | Three new academy slots now available | 2015-11-29 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | President Obama has signed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act into law, adding three new slots for Northern Mariana Islands students at the U.S. service academies. Section 556 of the new law increases academy positions for NMI students by one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This is the second time we have been able to increase the openings for the Northern Marianas. I first included language in the 2010 Defense Authorization (Section 527) doubling the total slots at the time from three to six. All but one of those are currently filled, a testament to the high caliber of applicants from our islands. Now, with enactment of the 2016 Defense Authorization, we have nine positions set aside for the Northern Marianas; and four of those are immediately available for applicants in this years admissions cycle. For information about applying for a congressional nomination to a service academy, visit the congressional website at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply for my nomination is Friday, December 11, 2015. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-20-2015-1 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 20, 2015 | 2015-11-25 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: High school students invited to Service Academy Workshop. High school students interested in applying to a U.S. service academy are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the congressional office onWednesday, November 25, 10am - 11am at the Napu Room, Pacific Islands Club on Saipan. A congressional nomination is the first step in applying for the service academies, and by law I am able to nominate up to ten students per available slot for the Northern Marianas. There are currently two slots available for Northern Marianas students for the 2016-2017 school year one each at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Additional slots may soon open up for NMI students at the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Military Academy in West Point, New York, if theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016that was sent to President Obamas desk this week becomes law. For more information about the Service Academy Workshop, contact the congressional office at(670) 323-2647or email kilili@mail.house.gov. To learn more about requesting a congressional nomination to the service academies, visit https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations. Applications are dueDecember 11, 2015. Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 16: SBA Relocates Disaster Office to Capital Hill. The Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center relocates to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor, on Capitol Hill as of Monday, November 23. The Center, which has processed and approved $22.1 million in federal disaster loans to businesses, nonprofits, and individual residents, has been located at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe since Typhoon Soudelor. Although the deadline to apply for property damage loans has expired, businesses and private nonprofit organizations may still apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to provide working capital. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center is open8 a.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/push-dc-15k%E2%80%9335k-foreign-workers | Push in DC for 15K35K foreign workers | 2015-11-24 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune- A casino investor, among other business interests, are lobbying in Washington, D.C. for as much as 15,000 to 35,000 foreign nationals to be allowed employment as contract workers in the CNMI, according to Delegate Gregoro Kilili C. Sablan yesterday. That 35,000-worker demand, he said, would amount to about 65 percent of the CNMIs population and result in irrevocable changes to the Commonwealth that should be questioned. How much is enough for us? and Who will it benefit? are questions that should be asked, Sablan told reporters yesterday. The federal government in October set the annual limit for contract worker permits for next fiscal year at 12,999, a one-thousand drop from last year, as federal immigration officials looks to phase out the contract worker program that federal law mandates an end in 2019. In an interview with reporters yesterday at his office in Susupe, Sablan compared the $13 billion reported investment on the table to the The Wharf in Washington, D.C., a mega-project that he said would amount to several buildings, restaurants, apartments and condos, office streets, boat slips, 27 acres of land, 50 acres of waterall coming with six years of permitting. Its going to cost $1.5 billion. And here in the Northern Marianas, we are talking about $13 billion, he said. Sablan said there have been conversations in the Capitol about increasing the number of CW workers. Some have suggested 15,000 workers, he said, while others have gone up to as many as 35,000. Those are numbers being tossed at meby different business interests primarily, Sablan said when asked. When pressed for more details, he said, I am aware that a casino has retained lobbyists in D.C. Yes. To work on both the CW workers and the Chinese visa-waiver [program]. He was responding to a question from Saipan Tribune on whether Imperial Pacific CNMI (LLC)the owner of the Saipan casino that has reported project demands requiring more than 10,000 workerswere lobbying in the Capitol. However, as this develops, Sablan said he has … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/high-school-students-invited-service-academy-workshop | High school students invited to Service Academy Workshop | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | High school students interested in applying to a U.S. service academy are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the congressional office on Wednesday, November 25, 10am - 11am at the Napu Room, Pacific Islands Club on Saipan. A congressional nomination is the first step in applying for the service academies, and by law I am able to nominate up to ten students per available slot for the Northern Marianas. There are currently two slots available for Northern Marianas students for the 2016-2017 school year one each at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Additional slots may soon open up for NMI students at the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Military Academy in West Point, New York, if the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 that was sent to President Obamas desk this week becomes law. For more information about the Service Academy Workshop, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 or email kilili@mail.house.gov. To learn more about requesting a congressional nomination to the service academies, visit https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations. Applications are due December 11, 2015. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-%E2%80%93-week-16 | Typhoon Soudelor update week 16 | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | FEMAs Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton, Deputy Regional Administrator Ahsha Tribble, and Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio visited the congressional office this week. FEMA has issued more than $24 million in financial assistance to individuals and households to help replace or repair damaged property. The agency anticipates providing an additional $30 million to rebuild public infrastructure, $13 million for hazard mitigation, and additional grants to the Commonwealth for long-term disaster case management and crisis counseling.Though the agency is winding down operations in the NMI in December, Mr. Fenton reiterated FEMAs commitment to following through on the long-term recovery, mitigation, and planning work that will continue into 2016 and beyond, so that we are better prepared for the next storm. Thank you, FEMA, for all that you have done to help the people of the Northern Marianas get back on their feet. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX Pacific Islands Manager John McCarroll (left) and NMI Program Manager Carl Goldstein (right) gave me a Soudelor recovery update this week. Mr. McCarroll reported on one crisis that we escaped, a sewage backup. Because we increased the Clean Water Fund appropriations from Congress from about $600,000 to $3.4 million in each of the last six years, the vast majority of wastewater pump stations on Saipan has been upgraded and continued operating throughout the storm. Out of 40 pump stations the only 5 that failed were the ones that have not been upgraded. EPA also helped with hazard waste removal and restoration of the drinking water system in the weeks after Soudelor. Thank you. SBA Relocates Disaster Office to Capital Hill The Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center relocates to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor, on Capitol Hill as of Monday, November 23. The Center, which has processed and approved $22.1 million in federal disaster loans to businesses, nonprofits, and individual residents, has been… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-lauds-customs-division-its-anti-drug-efforts | Kilili lauds Customs Division for its anti-drug efforts | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune- U.S. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) honored the CNMI Division of Customs yesterday for their diligence against the spread of methamphetamine, or ice, in the Commonwealth, presenting division officials with a congressional commendation for the largest ice bust in CNMI history that took place last July. I am very grateful and happy. This is Congressman Kilili showing appreciation for our efforts at the ports of entry, Customs director Jose Mafnas told reporters. The Customs officers will be very happy that they are recognized for their efforts. It will push us to do our job more effectively. I thank all of them, Sablan said, also noting efforts of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and CNMI Department of Public Safety. I do acknowledge Customs because they are the ones who first made the interdiction. Thats very important, Sablan added. In July, Customs uncovered 12 kilos of ice in a 40-foot container from China. Mafnas said yesterday that the container was full of various violations, like pesticides, that he believed were meant to distract them from the 12 kilos of icean amount akin to a 25-lb bag of ricethat was hidden in an air compressor. When our law enforcement officers are able to prevent 12 kilos of crystal methamphetaminefrom entering our community, we need to stop and say thank you, Sablan said. Sablan also recently introduced legislation in Congress to allow the CNMI governor or Secretary of the Army to establish a National Guard unit. That unit, Sablan said, could be a partner in fighting drugs. The nice thing about this is that the Department of the Army will pay for that additional cost. It will not cost the Commonwealth, [or] the National Guard operational budget itself. It will be money set aside just for this additional work. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-13-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 13, 2015 | 2015-11-17 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill. The Senate passed a revised2016 National Defense Authorization Actthis week, retaining three new service academy slots for Northern Mariana Island students. President Obama had vetoed a previous 2016 NDAA over spending concerns. So the bill was revised to conform with the budget deal forged last month between Congress and the White House. The revised bill kept the increase in academy positions for NMI students, one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The President is now expected to sign the bill into law. There will then be nine permanent slots for the Northern Marianas at the service academies. Five are currently filled, so four openings will be available for applicants this year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from three to six inSection 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates and filled available openings. It was time to add more. For information on how to apply for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy go to https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply is December 11. We call for investigation of racial profiling. Race, ethnicity, or national origin should not be the primary reason for suspecting a person of committing a crime. Yet that appears to have happened to a number of Asian Americans who were wrongly arrested and charged with espionage. That is why I joined over 40 of my Democratic colleagues incalling on U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to launch an independent investigation on whether any federal agency has a pattern or practice of using these civil rights classifications to single out minorities for arrest and indictment. We also urge a full investigation into recent cases of Asian Americans arrested and indicted for spying only to have the charg… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/more-nmi-academy-slots-closer-senate-passes-defense-bill | More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill | 2015-11-15 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill Nov 15, 2015 The Senate passed a revised 2016 National Defense Authorization Act this week, retaining three new service academy slots for Northern Mariana Island students. President Obama had vetoed a previous 2016 NDAA over spending concerns. So the bill was revised to conform with the budget deal forged last month between Congress and the White House. The revised bill kept the increase in academy positions for NMI students, one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The President is now expected to sign the bill into law. There will then be nine permanent slots for the Northern Marianas at the service academies. Five are currently filled, so four openings will be available for applicants this year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from three to six in Section 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates and filled available openings. It was time to add more. For information on how to apply for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy go to https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply is December 11. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/supporting-access-higher-education-all | Supporting access to higher education for all | 2015-11-15 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Supporting access to higher education for all Nov 15, 2015 Earlier this month, 84 of my House Democratic colleagues and I filed a friend of the court brief, with the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting the idea that colleges and universities should be open to a broad range of students from many social, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. The case, Fisher v University of Texas at Austin, No. 14-981, looks at how the University decides who to admit. Our amicus brief urges the Supreme Court to uphold a lower courts decision in favor of the Universitys use of race and ethnicityamong many other factorsto help ensure a diverse student body. The Supreme Court ruled 7-1 in Fisher I that diversity in higher education was a compelling state interest that could justify race and ethnicity as factors among many in a carefully crafted admissions policy. I also joined an amicus brief in that case in the belief that a diverse learning environment benefits students, our workforce, and our economy. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-15 | Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 15 | 2015-11-15 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 15 Nov 15, 2015 Our community continues to recover from the devastation of Typhoon Soudelor with the assistance of U.S. taxpayers and the federal government, as well as groups of community volunteers, the local government, and countless acts of individual charity. FEMA seeks public input on changes to Individual Assistance With the experience of getting Individual Assistance from FEMA still fresh, people in the Northern Mariana Islands are especially qualified to comment on new rules proposed for how the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles this aid program. Congress required that FEMA review, update, and revise the factors it uses to measure the severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster in the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act in 2013; and FEMA has now published its proposals. Sharing the understanding you have gained from federal response to the storm and to our community's needs could help other Americans in similar situations in the future. Comments are due by January 11, 2016 and may be submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FEMA_FRDOC_0001-4824. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/veterans-day-nmi | Veteran's Day in the NMI | 2015-11-15 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Veteran's Day in the NMI Nov 15, 2015 Ceremonies honoring the contributions of all our veterans were held across the Northern Mariana Islands this week. On Tinian (top left), Major Adrian Evangelista, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and currently a pilot of a Marine MV-22B Osprey, posed with the JROTC cadets of his alma mater Tinian Jr. Sr. High School after giving the keynote address. On Rota (top right), Major Annan Mae Mendiola participated in the ceremony at the Tomb of Fallen Soldiers in Rota. On Saipan (bottom), veterans, government officials, and community members attended the laying of the wreath at American Memorial Parks Flag Circle, Court of Honor. Happy Veterans Day to all who served and thank you for your bravery. Thank you to all our Veterans!! | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/we-call-investigation-racial-profiling | We call for investigation of racial profiling | 2015-11-15 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | We call for investigation of racial profiling Nov 15, 2015 Race, ethnicity, or national origin should not be the primary reason for suspecting a person of committing a crime. Yet that appears to have happened to a number of Asian Americans who were wrongly arrested and charged with espionage. That is why I joined over 40 of my Democratic colleagues in calling on U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to launch an independent investigation on whether any federal agency has a pattern or practice of using these civil rights classifications to single out minorities for arrest and indictment. We also urge a full investigation into recent cases of Asian Americans arrested and indicted for spying only to have the charges dropped several months later for lack of evidence. It is important to protect our country against those who wish to do us harm. We must ensure, however, that racial profiling is not the basis for targeting any individual. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-invites-nmi-veterans-join-veterans-history-project | Kilili invites NMI veterans to join Veterans History Project | 2015-11-11 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety Washington, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - On this Veterans Day and in the weeks and months ahead veterans of the Northern Mariana Islands will be able to add the stories of their wartime service to the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced this week that the congressional office has launched an outreach initiative to promote the Project. Sablan will be helping veterans and members of the community who want the Northern Marianas to be included. The Veterans History Project has collected stories from about 100,000 veterans so far, but none from veterans currently residing in the Northern Marianas, Congressman Sablan said. We want to change that. Congress began the Veterans History Project in 2000 to honor Americas war veterans by collecting and preserving their remembrances of service to the country. The Project relies on volunteers nationwide to interview veterans and send their stories to the Library of Congress. The congressional office has already begun reaching out to veterans in the Northern Marianas and community groups to let them know about the Project and show them how to join, Sablan said. Students, researchers, Scout troops, civic groups, family members of veterans, neighbors, and friends anyone can participate. The first step to participating in the Veterans History Project is to learn more about it. The Project website, www.loc.gov/vets/, provides a field kit and other resources for conducting interviews, hosting community events, and submitting stories. Hard copies of these materials, and additional information and assistance are also available at the congressional offices on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The wartime service of Northern Marianas veterans is an important part of the history of our Commonwealth and our country, Congressman Kilili said. We can honor that service by chronicling our veterans experiences, learning from them, and preserving their stories for future generations. Rec… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-novermber-06-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 06, 2015 | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: College and Career workshops begin for NMI students. Making sure young people have the information they need to continue their education is why your congressional office began a series of workshops for Northern Marianas high school students this week. Beginning with Tinian Jr. Sr. High School and Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr. Sr. High School in Rota, the workshops include an overview of federal and local financial aid resources for college, offer student tips on using the U.S. Department of Educations College ScoreCard to help schools, highlight in-demand jobs and options for vocational training, and discuss opportunities for military service and congressional nomination to the U.S. service academies. Students are also encouraged to look at volunteer service through organizations such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps as a way to gain valuable experience and educational benefits while giving back to their communities and nation. As I explained to the students in a video message from Washington, DC, I believe any problem our community faces will be more easily solved, if we are all well-educated. For more information or to request a workshop for a school group, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 (Saipan), 433-2647 (Tinian), or 532-2647 (Rota) or email kilili@mail.house.gov. NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots. The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 this week, again, maintaining the increase of three more service academy slots for Northern Marianas students. President Obama vetoed the original bill last month because it increased defense spending above budget caps without any increase in domestic spending. The revised bill reduces defense spending, but retains the increased academy positions for NMI students. Once the revised bill is signed, we will have three positions at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs 9 in all with 4 openings for the c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/college-and-career-workshops-begin-nmi-students | College and Career workshops begin for NMI students | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | College and Career workshops begin for NMI students Nov 8, 2015 Making sure young people have the information they need to continue their education is why your congressional office began a series of workshops for Northern Marianas high school students this week. Beginning with Tinian Jr. Sr. High School and Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr. Sr. High School in Rota, the workshops include an overview of federal and local financial aid resources for college, offer student tips on using the U.S. Department of Educations College ScoreCard to help schools, highlight in-demand jobs and options for vocational training, and discuss opportunities for military service and congressional nomination to the U.S. service academies. Students are also encouraged to look at volunteer service through organizations such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps as a way to gain valuable experience and educational benefits while giving back to their communities and nation. As I explained to the students in a video message from Washington, DC, I believe any problem our community faces will be more easily solved, if we are all well-educated. For more information or to request a workshop for a school group, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 (Saipan), 433-2647 (Tinian), or 532-2647 (Rota) or email kilili@mail.house.gov. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/house-passes-highway-bill-ups-funding-nmi | House passes highway bill, ups funding for NMI | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House passes highway bill, ups funding for NMI Nov 8, 2015 Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1.2 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next six years are part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 the House passed this week. Section 1112 of the bill increases annual funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 to $42 million, from which the Department of Transportation gives the NMI and American Samoa ten percent each and Guam and the Virgin Islands forty percent each. I have introduced H.R. 3877, requiring Transportation to reassess this arbitrary distribution set in 1992. And Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and I offered the language of my bill as an amendment during floor debate on the surface transportation reauthorization. But Guam and the Virgin Islands objected; and 173 Republicans and 137 Democrats voted against our proposal to use quantifiable measures, such as road mileage, as the basis for sharing the funds. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/ndaa-passes-house-again-increase-nmi-academy-slots | NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots Nov 8, 2015 The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 this week, again, maintaining the increase of three more service academy slots for Northern Marianas students. President Obama vetoed the original bill last month because it increased defense spending above budget caps without any increase in domestic spending. The revised bill reduces defense spending, but retains the increased academy positions for NMI students. Once the revised bill is signed, we will have three positions at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs 9 in all with 4 openings for the coming year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from 3 to 6 in Section 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates, and those positions are almost full. So its time to add more. The bill now goes to the Senate, where quick passage is expected. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/share-your-story-national-veterans-history-project | Share your story with the national Veterans History Project | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | On this Veterans Day, Northern Marian Islands vets are invited to add their experiences to the Veterans History Project. Created by Congress in 2000, the Veterans History Project is a richand growingcollection of stories of veterans from all across the nation. The project relies on volunteersstudents, Scout troops, JROTC cadets, family members, neighbors, friendsto interview the veterans in their lives and submit their stories to the Library of Congress. About 100,000 veterans stories have been collected so far. 15,000 are available online. The collection includes first-hand accounts through audio or video interviews, written memoirs, photographs, manuscripts, letters, and even original works of art. If you want to participate, the Project website provides a field kit and other resources for conducting interviews, hosting community events, and submitting stories. For more information about how to get involved, visit www.loc.gov/vets or contact your congressional office at kilili@mail.house.gov or (670) 323-2647 (Northern Marianas), (202) 225-2646 (Washington, DC) or Toll-Free at (800) (877) 446-3465. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-epa-update | Typhoon Soudelor - EPA Update | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Typhoon Soudelor - EPA Update Nov 8, 2015 The Environmental Protection Agency reports that it continues to work closely with the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation on collection and disposal of damaged transformers. More than 650 transformers have already been assessed, evacuated of oil, and shipped off island for recycling. Special shipping containers are needed, however, for the larger transformers, and EPA has determined that the required equipment would take several weeks to arrive on island. EPA additionally reports having identified 8 sites on Saipan where transformers containing PCBs may have spilled. Assessment of these sites was complicated by Tropical Storm Champi, which caused flooding in some of these areas, so additional sampling and investigation are now underway. Meanwhile, EPA is also working with the Public School System to coordinate electronic waste collection, which has become more feasible as power has been restored to the schools and assessments, inventories and other procedures required for disposal of public equipment can now be conducted. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/190086-liheap-grant-nmi | $190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI | 2015-11-02 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI Nov 1, 2015 Households in the Northern Mariana Islands, who need help paying their CUC bills, will benefit from the $190,086 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds announced this week. The money is a partial payment of fiscal year 2016 LIHEAP, until Congress passes an appropriation for the entire year. This energy assistance goes to about 400 families in the NMI. The grant is four times higher than when I started work in Washington as a result of my efforts to get the Department of Health and Human Services to allocate the full amount authorized by law. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the decision to provide the maximum in 2014. With median household incomes less than half the national average and with the price of electricity in our islands two to four times more than most Americans pay, LIHEAP remains an important federal program for the Northern Marianas. The CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs administers locally. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/supporting-clean-extension | Supporting a clean extension | 2015-11-02 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Supporting a clean extension Nov 1, 2015 As of 3:00 a.m. Friday, October 30th, the House and Senate have both passed a Bipartisan Budget Agreement that increases the borrowing authority of the U.S. government, ensuring we can pay our bills after November 5. A week ago, I joined other Democratic Members in urging Speaker Boehner to lift the debt ceiling in a clean bill without any of the politically charged provisions that could result in America defaulting on our obligations. The Budget Agreement, negotiated by the outgoing Speaker in a final gesture of bipartisanship with the President, is not clean. But many of the provisions added are commendable, including an increase in both domestic and defense spending and relief for seniors on Medicare, who were facing as much as a 54 percent increase in their premiums starting in January. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/bill-help-train-northern-marianas-workers-fill-jobs-introduced | Bill to help train Northern Marianas workers fill jobs introduced | 2015-11-01 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Bill to help train Northern Marianas workers fill jobs introduced Nov 1, 2015 This week, along with 36 of my Democratic colleagues, I introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act, which is designed to train people for the jobs businesses need. Written by Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), H.R. 3862 sets up a competitive grant to fund partnerships between businesses and two-year colleges, like our Northern Marianas College, to address local shortages of skilled workers. The recent reduction in the number of foreign, CW workers allowed in the Northern Marianas means employers must find ways to hire more U.S. workers, if growth is to continue in our islands. The Community College to Career Fund Act would respond to that problem by helping NMC close the skills gap between local workers and businesses. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/house-democrats-introduce-working-families-resolution | House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution | 2015-11-01 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution Nov 1, 2015 In our local culture, family is a top priority. That is why I joined 108 House Democrats in introducing H. Res. 506, the Working Families Resolution. The resolution calls on Congress to pass legislation to increase wages, provide for paid family and medical leave when necessary, provide flexible, predictable, and stable work schedules, and give workers access to quality learning opportunities and affordable child care. October is National Work and Family Month, a time to call attention to the challenges working families face in balancing family and work responsibilities. We in the Northern Marianas are very fortunate to have extended family and friends we can call upon for help when family and work responsibilities conflict. Many have to do so more than they would like in order to earn enough for their families to live on. The Working Families Resolution outlines an agenda aimed at boosting wages, helping families achieve a better work-life balance, and removing barriers that prevent hard working families from getting ahead. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-13 | Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 13 | 2015-11-01 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Many people are feeling that life is returning to normal. But we will continue to include a recovery update in the weekly e-news as long as we are receiving questions from constituents about aspects of the repairs or as new problems arise that need answers. American Memorial Park restoration will take time As we reported on September 4, the National Park Service provided $120,000 in fiscal year 2015 emergency funds to help repair the damage to American Memorial Park with another $140,000 set aside from fiscal 2016. But damage was extensive and recovery is slow because the work is technical and sometime dangerous, according to National Park Service Superintendent Jim Richardson. Richardson estimates that the Park lost 90% of its trees in Typoon Soudelor. Three months later, the popular park pathway remains inaccessible, covered in debris. The tennis courts are also still closed. And mold associated with the storm has shut down the Visitors Center Auditorium. The good news is that the Visitors Center Museum and Gift Shop have reopened at regular hours - 9am to 6pm daily, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Public access to the Flag Circle and the marinas has also been cleared. The American Memorial Park Visitors Center Museum and Gift shop is open once again to the general public. FEMA accepting appeals to replace damaged appliances As power is restored, families are discovering electrical appliances that no longer work because they were damaged in the storm. FEMA has provided a way for those families to file appeals to their initial claims for assistance, so they can get help repairing or replacing the damaged appliances. You will need: A written appeal letter specifying that the appliances were damaged by the typhoon, but could not be tested until power was restored; A letter from the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation indicating the date when power was restored to your area; and A letter from a qualified technician certifying that the appliance(s) need to be repaired or replaced, that the damages we… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-30-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 30, 2015 | 2015-11-01 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ________________________________________________________________ $190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI. Households in the Northern Mariana Islands, who need help paying their CUC bills, will benefit from the $190,086 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds announced this week. The money is a partial payment of fiscal year 2016 LIHEAP, until Congress passes an appropriation for the entire year. This energy assistance goes to about 400 families in the NMI. The grant is four times higher than when I started work in Washington as a result of my efforts to get the Department of Health and Human Services to allocate the full amount authorized by law. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the decision to provide the maximum in 2014. With median household incomes less than half the national average and with the price of electricity in our islands two to four times more than most Americans pay, LIHEAP remains an important federal program for the Northern Marianas. The CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs administers locally. Supporting a clean extension. As of 3:00 a.m. this morning, the House and Senate have both passed a Bipartisan Budget Agreement that increases the borrowing authority of the U.S. government, ensuring we can pay our bills after November 5. A week ago, I joined other Democratic Members in urging Speaker Boehner to lift the debt ceiling in a clean bill without any of the politically charged provisions that could result in America defaulting on our obligations. The Budget Agreement, negotiated by the outgoing Speaker in a final gesture of bipartisanship with the President, is not clean. But many of the provisions added are commendable, including an increase in both domestic and defense spending and relief for seniors on Medicare, who were facing as much as a 54 percent increase in their premiums starting in January. Typhoon Update - Week 13: Many people are feeling that life is returning to normal. But we will continue to include a recovery update in the weekly e… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/9-m-awarded-water-sewer-environmental-protection | $9 m. awarded for water, sewer, environmental protection | 2015-10-26 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $9 m. awarded for water, sewer, environmental protection Oct 25, 2015 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a total fiscal year 2015 award of $9 million to the Northern Mariana Islands this week. The consolidated grant includes $6.7 million to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and sewer projects and $2.3 million to the Commonwealths Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality for environmental programs. The water and sewer money reflects the increase in funding that began after the Northern Marianas obtained representation in Congress and the funding formula was increased. The Commonwealth has received an additional $41 million as a result. That money is responsible for the achievement of having the public water supply system provide 24-hour service to 95 percent of its population up from 25 percent in 2006, according to EPA. This year the money that Congress has appropriated will be used for water storage tanks, waterline replacements, improvements to the sewer system, and work to make water and sewer infrastructure more able to withstand storms, like Typhoon Soudelor. Congratulations to CUC and BECQ. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/apply-today-nomination-us-service-academy | Apply today for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy | 2015-10-26 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Young women and men from the Northern Marianas, interested in a high quality education and committed to serving our country, can apply now for a congressional nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. At this time, there are two openings available: one at the Merchant Marine Academy and one at the Naval Academy. The first step in applying for a nomination is to fill out the form at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form. At the same time, applicants should open an application at their academy or academies of choice: the Merchant Marine Academy (https://www.usmma.edu/admissions) and/or the Naval Academy (https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/index.php).More information and nomination applications are available at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations and at the district offices on Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. While Members of Congress make nominations, the final selection from among nominees is made by academy admission officials.They look for strong grades in high school, high SAT or ACT scores, physical ability, and leadership potential. Requests for nomination are due December 11, 2015. Deadlines for completing academy applications are March 1, 2016 for the Merchant Marine Academy and January 31, 2016 for the Naval Academy. Those interested are strongly encouraged to start now. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-23-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 23, 2015 | 2015-10-26 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ________________________________________________________________ Apply today for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. Young women and men from the Northern Marianas, interested in a high quality education and committed to serving our country, can apply now for a congressional nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. At this time, there are two openings available: one at the Merchant Marine Academy and one at the Naval Academy. The first step in applying for a nomination is to fill out the form at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you.... At the same time, applicants should open an application at their academy or academies of choice: the Merchant Marine Academy (https://www.usmma.edu/admissions) and/or the Naval Academy (https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/inde...). More information and nomination applications are available at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you... and at the district offices on Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. While Members of Congress make nominations, the final selection from among nominees is made by academy admission officials. They look for strong grades in high school, high SAT or ACT scores, physical ability, and leadership potential. Requests for nomination are due December 11, 2015. Deadlines for completing academy applications are March 1, 2016 for the Merchant Marine Academy and January 31, 2016 for the Naval Academy. Those interested are strongly encouraged to start now. $9 m. awarded for water, sewer, envonmental protection. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a total fiscal year 2015 award of $9 million to the Northern Mariana Islands this week. The consolidated grant includes $6.7 million to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and sewer projects and $2.3 million to the Commonwealths Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality for environmental programs. The water and sewer money reflects the increase in funding that began after the Northern Marianas obtained representation in Congress and the funding formula was increased. The Commonwealth h… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/cms-open-enrollment-begins | CMS Open Enrollment Begins | 2015-10-25 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | CMS Open Enrollment Begins Oct 25, 2015 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Medicare Open Enrollment period for 2016 is open through December 7, 2015. If you are satisfied with your current coverage and feel it will meet your needs for 2016, you do not need to do anything. However, individuals who need to enroll or need additional information regarding their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in the Northern Marianas can visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY 1-877-486-2048. You may also view the 2016 Medicare & You handbook online at: www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/farm-service-agency-continues-helping-farmers-and-ranchers | Farm Service Agency continues helping farmers and ranchers | 2015-10-25 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Farm Service Agency continues helping farmers and ranchers Oct 25, 2015 The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports this week that 32 farmers and ranchers have now contacted the Agency for recovery assistance. 21 have requested FSA loan applications and a team of loan officers arrived on Saipan Monday to continue taking applications and process the requests for loan assistance. The team is on island through November 10. Call 670-234-0896 to schedule an appointment or e-mail Doreen Rivera at doreen.rivera@pb.usda.gov. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/increase-nmi-highway-funds-passes-house-committee | Increase in NMI highway funds passes House committee | 2015-10-25 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Increase in NMI highway funds passes House committee Oct 25, 2015 This week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 which includes an increase in federal-aid highway funding for the Northern Mariana Islands of $1.2 million over the next six years. H.R. 3763 also reauthorizes transit and highway safety programs worth another $1.2 million to the NMI annually. Authorization for surface transportation programs expires on October 29, next week, so the House is expected to move quickly on the Committee-approved bill so that negotiations can begin with the Senate, which passed its own version of a six-year transportation bill in July. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/insular-delegates-protect-close-funding | Insular Delegates: protect Close Up funding | 2015-10-25 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Insular Delegates: protect Close Up funding Oct 25, 2015 Congress funds the Close Up program in order to bring young people a real experience of how their government works and to gain a deeper understanding of our national history. So, insular area Delegates were concerned to learn that the Office of Insular Affairs at the Department of Interior has notified the Close Up Foundation that it will need to compete for federal grant funds this year. This is a change from what the Department proposed in its budget justification submitted to Congress earlier this year. In response, insular area Delegates have requested that the Department reconsider its action and maintain funding for Close Up at the $1.1 million amount specified to Congress. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/reminder-library-congress-online-conference-teachers-next-week | Reminder: Library of Congress online conference for teachers next week | 2015-10-25 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Library of Congress first online conference for teachers is slated for October 28-29, 6am to 10am CHST (October 27-28, 4pm 8pm EST), and educators in the Northern Marianas and across the nation are invited. This free, two-day conference will equip teachers to enhance student learning through the use of primary sources in the classroom, drawing on the Librarys extensive collections. For more information and to register for the conference, visit https://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/webinar/online-conference-2015.html. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/cw-cap-call-more-us-workers | CW cap is a call for more U.S. workers | 2015-10-22 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says that todays announced cap of 12,999 on the number of foreign, CW workers who can be permitted in the Northern Mariana Islands this fiscal year means that employers must continue to find more ways to hire U.S. workers, if growth is to continue. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services lowered the cap for fiscal year 2016 by 1,000 from the 2015 limit of 13,999 in a pre-publication notice today. Todays moderate reduction by USCIS reflects the agencys understanding that the need for labor to develop the Northern Marianas economy may grow and that there continues to be a need for access to foreign workers to accommodate that growth and current economic activity, Congressman Sablan said. USCIS has taken a reasonable approach consistent with the requirement set out in the ConsolidatedNatural Resources Act that federal immigration be implemented in a way that minimizes adverse effects and maximizes the potential for future growth. Todays action, however, also reminds us that the number of CW workers will continue to decrease over the next four years and that everyone in the Marianas business, government, and the educational system will have to work overtime to replace this foreign labor with U.S. workers or with foreign workers who have some status other than CW. That means workers with H or other employment-based visas. That means workers from the Freely Associated States, who have the ability to immigrate to and live in the Northern Marianas. The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 extended U.S. immigration law to the Northern Marianas and provided the special CW category of foreign workers for the islands during an initial transition period of five years. That initial period ended last December, but was extended through 2019 by enactment of Public Law 113-235 to allow more time for the program to be phased out. The CW program began with a cap of 22,417in 2009, based on the number of workers that had been permitted by the Com… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/%E2%80%98navy-order-supplemental-deis-small-victory-nmi%E2%80%99 | Navy order for supplemental DEIS small victory for NMI | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune- Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) calls the U.S. Department of Navys recent decision to order a supplemental environmental impact statement for live-fire training and bombing on Tinian and Pagan a win for the Northern Marianas. Those are small victories, but one after another it helps, Sablan said in an interview last week. And thats why people who disagree with the NEPA process need to understand that the NEPA process is making all of this reviews and re-reviews and change of plans possible, he said. The Navy two weeks ago called for a second round of review for the CNMI Joint Military Training or CJMT plans. Without the NEPA process, the military doesnt have to explain any of its actions, Sablan said. Whether its the [Marianas Islands Training and Testing EIS], or the [Divert Airfield Project EIS], or the CJMT, he added, referring to other voluminous impact statements that the CNMI has been forced to review in recent years. Two years ago, I was allowed to sit in with the [U.S. House of Representatives] Armed Services Committee and we were talking about some of these environmental impact studies and my suggestion then was why are you having different environmental impact studies? Whether its MITT, or CJMT, or the Divertwhy dont you just have one? So [that] its easier for us in the Northern Marianas to addressinstead of these different parts. This divide and conquer thing is not in the best interest of the Northern Marianas, Sablan added. The CJMT is the fifth major military training project proposed for the CNMI in recent years, among others, like the U.S. Air Forces proposed divert airfield project, the U.S. Navys expansive bombing and sonar training projects, and the Guam Buildup EIS, which when first announced included Tinian in its scope. Each of the five projects has involved the preparation of an EIS, Dentons, a firm hired by the CNMI to review the CJMT project, has said. None of the five EIS fully evaluates any alternatives located outside the CNMI. Based on the documents we have… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/air-force-wants-comment-new-divert-proposals | Air Force wants comment on new divert proposals | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Air Force wants comment on new divert proposals Oct 18, 2015 Because of public comment on its original proposal for using Saipan for a backup airfield, the U.S. Air Force today released a revised draft environmental impact statement with three new alternatives. All three scale down development and remove any fighter aircraft operations. As in the original 2012 draft EIS, the revision includes Saipan-only and Tinian-only alternatives. There is now, also, a hybrid alternative dividing activities between the two islands. The Air Forces goal is to have backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event its planes cannot use Anderson Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. On Wednesday, November 4, the Air Force will host an open house meeting on the revised draft EIS at Northern Marianas College, Building D-1, from 5 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, November 5, there will be an open house at Tinian Elementary School Cafeteria from 6 to 8 p.m. Public comment can be submitted at these meetings or online at https://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html. All comments must be received by December 1, 2015 (ChST). # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/air-force-wants-comment-new-divert-proposals-0 | Air Force wants comment on new divert proposals | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Air Force wants comment on new divert proposals Oct 19, 2015 Because of public comment on its original proposal for using Saipan for a backup airfield, the U.S. Air Force today releaseda revised draft environmental impact statementwith three new alternatives. All three scale down development and remove any fighter aircraft operations. As in the original 2012 draft EIS, the revision includes Saipan-only and Tinian-only alternatives. There is now, also, a hybrid alternative dividing activities between the two islands. The Air Forces goal is to have backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event its planes cannot use Anderson Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. On Wednesday, November 4, the Air Force will host an open house meeting on the revised draft EIS at Northern Marianas College, Building D-1, from 5 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, November 5, there will be an open house at Tinian Elementary School Cafeteria from 6 to 8 p.m. Public comment can be submitted at these meetings or online athttps://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html. All comments must be received by December 1, 2015 (ChST). # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/history-delegates-resident-commissioners-featured | History of delegates, resident commissioners featured | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | This weeks Edition for Educators on the House of Representatives official history website features Statutory Representatives, the Delegates and Resident Commissioners from U.S. territories whose positions were created by law rather than by the U.S. Constitution. Even before the Constitution was adopted, the Continental Congress, operating under the Articles of Confederation, adopted the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 that entitled a Delegate from todays Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to a seat in Congress. 175 people have since served in this capacity, representing areas that became states, independent nations, or remain Commonwealths and territories today. One, William Henry Harrison, became the ninth President of the United States. Another, Manuel Quezon, became the second President of the Philippines. Today, there are five Delegates and one Resident Commissioner, representing some five million Americans. The most recently created position is the Delegate for the Northern Mariana Islands. In addition to the history.house.gov website you can find more information about the history and status of Delegates in this report by the Congressional Research Service. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/no-cola-social-security-benefits-2016 | No COLA for Social Security benefits in 2016 | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | No COLA for Social Security benefits in 2016 Oct 18, 2015 As in 2010 and 2011, there will be no cost of living adjustment, or COLA, in 2016 for seniors and those receiving Supplemental Security Income. Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin wrote to me this week, officially informing me of the decision. Social Security is keeping the benefit unchanged nationwide because there has been no increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. I do not think that this CPI-W is a good basis for the COLA decision. Seniors on Social Security often spend more on medication and food than younger consumers do. That is why I have cosponsored H.R. 3351, the CPI-E Act of 2015, that would calculate the annual cost of living adjustment based on what seniors really spend. Social Security and SSI bring $28 million into the Northern Marianas economy each year and help some 3,600 seniors, disabled, and their families make ends meet. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-16-2015 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 16, 2015 | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ______________________________________________________________ Air Force wants comment on new divert proposals. Because of public comment on its original proposal for using Saipan for a backup airfield, the U.S. Air Force today released a revised draft environmental impact statement with three new alternatives. All three scale down development and remove any fighter aircraft operations. As in the original 2012 draft EIS, the revision includes Saipan-only and Tinian-only alternatives. There is now, also, a hybrid alternative dividing activities between the two islands. The Air Forces goal is to have backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event its planes cannot use Anderson Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. On Wednesday, November 4, the Air Force will host an open house meeting on the revised draft EIS at Northern Marianas College, Building D-1, from 5 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, November 5, there will be an open house at Tinian Elementary School Cafeteria from 6 to 8 p.m. Public comment can be submitted at these meetings or online at https://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html. All comments must be received by December 1, 2015 (ChST). No COLA for Social Security benefits in 2016 As in 2010 and 2011, there will be no cost of living adjustment, or COLA, in 2016 for seniors and those receiving Supplemental Security Income. Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin wrote to me this week, officially informing me of the decision. Social Security is keeping the benefit unchanged nationwide because there has been no increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. I do not think that this CPI-W is a good basis for the COLA decision. Seniors on Social Security often spend more on medication and food than younger consumers do. That is why I have cosponsored H.R. 3351, the CPI-E Act of 2015, that would calculate the annual cost of living adjustment based on what seniors really spend. Social Security and SSI bring $28 … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/fema-rebuilding-experts-provide-advice-saipan | FEMA Rebuilding Experts to Provide Advice in Saipan | 2015-10-14 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DC Office 2411 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2646, Toll Free: 1-877-446-3465 Fax: (202) 226-4249 Hours: M-F 9AM-6PM EST | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/becq-awarded-14m-coastal-coral-reef-management | BECQ awarded $1.4M for coastal, coral reef management | 2015-10-13 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | BECQ awarded $1.4M for coastal, coral reef management Oct 13, 2015 Announced this week: for fiscal years 2016-2017, the Commonwealths Bureau of Coastal and Environmental Quality will receive $934,000 for its coastal zone management program and $465,000 to support the Coral Reef Initiative. Congress provides the funds annually through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Coral reefs are critical to our local economy and way of life, attracting tourists to visit our islands, providing habitat for the fish we consume, and protecting our shores and coastal resources from storms and waves. But the reefs are under assault. This week theWashington Post reported a worldwide coral bleaching eventresulting from warming oceans. The Northern Marianas was one of the first places the bleaching was observed by NOAA and local scientists, underscoring the continuing need for Congress to fund programs like the Coral Reef Initiative. But we must do more to slow the global warming that is killing our reefs. That is why this weekI wrote with other Members to Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop urging that he hold a hearingon how we can manage federal public lands to reduce or capture the greenhouse gas emissions that are the primary cause of global warming. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/bipartisan-support-increases-odds-insular-education-funding | Bipartisan support increases odds for insular education funding | 2015-10-13 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Bipartisan support increases odds for insular education funding Oct 13, 2015 This week, Republican Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa became a cosponsor of my bill,H.R. 851,which increases federal education funding for the insular areas. Since I became a Member of Congress nearly seven years ago, I have been anticipating the opportunity to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), now known as No Child Left Behind, which has not been reauthorized since 2002. Now, both the House and the Senate have passed reauthorizations, and with bipartisan support the language of H.R. 851 could be incorporated in the House-Senate conference committee. The goal for the insular areas is a funding formula for the ESEA Title I-A grant for low-income students that is similar to that used for the 50 states. The Congressional Research Service estimates that, if enacted, my bill could increase federal funding for the Northern Marianas Public School System from this years $6.6 million to $14 million. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/saipan-troop-store-project-out-bid | Saipan Troop Store project out for bid | 2015-10-13 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Army & Air Force Exchange Service Troop Store located at the Army Reserve Center on Saipan has been long overdue for renovation and expansion. AAFES announced in 2010 that the 1,120-square-foot troop store was to undergo a 5,000-square-foot expansion, with construction to be completed in 2013. Late in the bid process, however, the Navy which controls the land, required that an Explosive Safety Survey be performed due to the possible presence of unexploded ordnance. In June this year, the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board provided final safety approval for construction support on the property and the expansion project can now go forward. The project is currently out for bid with proposals due onOctober 29. Once awarded, a one-year construction period will follow. The existing store, which serves about 4,000 active and reserve servicemembers, retirees, and their families, is small, deteriorating, and in need of a major overhaul. Our servicemembers and their families deserve better. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/teachers-invited-join-library-congress-online-conference | Teachers invited to join Library of Congress online conference | 2015-10-13 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Teachers invited to join Library of Congress online conference Oct 13, 2015 The worlds largest library, the Library of Congress, is hosting its first free online conference for teachers onOctober 28-29,6 a.m. to 10 a.m.CHST (October 27-28,4 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST). The two-day conference will feature 15 one-hour sessions facilitated by LOC specialists, instructional experts from the librarys Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium, and other recognized K-12 leaders. With an emphasis on finding and using primary sources and making the most of the librarys resources in the classroom, these sessions will cover a wide range of topics from literacy and historical thinking to working with visuals, historic newspapers, and cultural artifacts. Each session will be recorded, and teachers can earn certificates for participation. For more information and to register for the conference, visithttps://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/webinar/online-conference-2015.html. # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/care-program-director-position-description | C.A.R.E. Program Director Position Description | 2015-10-08 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Job Title: C.A.R.E. (Commonwealth Advocates in Recovery Efforts) Director Reports To: C.A.R.E. Steering Committee Location: Office will be located in Saipan Compensation: $20,000 - $26,000 Depending on Experience SUMMARY The C.A.R.E. Director, Commonwealth Advocates in Recovery Efforts, works to administer and manage the long-term disaster recovery program for the CNMI. The Program Director is responsible for coordination of planning, supervision and oversight of C.A.R.E.s disaster recovery efforts, meeting the organizations mission statement, goals and objectives. This includes creating partnerships with key stakeholders; overseeing work of the local organizations, relationship building within the nonprofit, charitable, faith-based, private sector, federal, local governmental agencies and the long term recovery community; responding to requests from the general public; ensuring proper data collection; and working with a variety of populations including homeowners, volunteers, sponsors and donors; and documenting best practices and methods for responding to future disasters. The Program Director is also responsible for developing new funding opportunities and working to raise the visibility of the program. The ideal candidate excels at working with many moving pieces at the same time, connecting dots within a larger context, and holding team members accountable for deliverables. The Program Director should be strategic in thinking, proactive in disposition, and naturally gifted at bringing people together to accomplish a goal. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES will include but are not limited to the following: Serve as an advocate for C.A.R.E. and its mission, to build a resilient community and to identify, facilitate, and deliver resources and long-term support to address the unmet needs of individuals and families impacted by disaster. Serve as liaison between C.A.R.E. and applicable federal, and local agencies, disaster relief agencies and other stakeholders. Convene and conduct regular meetings w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/fema-help-still-just-phone-call-away | FEMA help still just a phone call away | 2015-10-08 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | SAIPAN, CNMI Although the Disaster Recovery Center has closed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency remains just a phone call away. Typhoon Soudelor survivors who have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency can call the toll-free registration number to get help with their application process. Issues such as status updates, appeals and other questions can be checked by calling 800-621-3362. We want to emphasize that we are still here and still helping survivors, said Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Ryan Brown. We and our CNMI partners will continue helping survivors throughout their recovery process. If you need to fax documents regarding your application, the CNMI is providing this service at the following locations: Saipan Mayors Office Beach Road, Chalan Laolao Joeten Kiyu Public Library Beach Road, Susupe The Aging Center Sugar King Road, Garapan This service will be available at all locations weekdays, starting Tuesday, Oct. 13, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ChST. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/last-day-register-disaster-unemployment-assistance-october-19 | Last Day to Register for Disaster Unemployment Assistance - October 19 | 2015-10-06 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands October 19, 2015 is the last day for workers in Saipan to file for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is available to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and qualified aliens who lost their jobs and self-employed individuals who have been unable to work due to damage sustained from Typhoon Soudelor. CW-1 Workers and Freely Associated States (FAS) citizens do not qualify as being in an eligible immigration status and therefore they are not eligible for DUA. Individuals in Saipan who lost work as a direct result of Typhoon Soudelor may apply for DUA either in person, by mail or by phone. DUA applications and other forms may be obtained at either of the following location(s): CNMI DOL Workforce Investment Agency Division Capitol Hill, Saipan, Bldg. No. 1215 CNMI DOL Employment Services Division Capitol Hill, Saipan, Bldg. No. 1334 Individuals applying by phone should have their social security number available when calling as well as the name and address of their last employer or prospective employer or basic information about their business if self-employed. Phone applications can be made by calling any of the following numbers Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm: 670-664-3156 670-664-1704 670-322-0996 670-664-3157 670-664-1705 670-322-4365 670-664-3190 670-664-1707 670-664-3195 670-664-1708 670-664-3196 670-664-1757 670-664-3197 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/17-marianas-species-danger-extinction | 17 Marianas species in danger of extinction | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Siboyan halom tano, ababbang, payeyi, and 13 other plant and animal species found only in the Mariana Islands will be listed as endangered or threatened under terms of the Endangered Species Act onNovember 2. A 17th species, fadang, which also occurs in Palau and Yap, will be listed for protection, too. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishedthe Final Ruleon the listings earlier this month after a public comment period that began in October 2014. As a result of the comment and new data brought forward by Commonwealth Department of Land and Natural Resources biologists, five plant species that were originally proposed for endangered status will now be listed as threatened. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, factors that threaten these indigenous species with extinction include habitat loss and degradation due to development, military activities, and urbanization; the introduction and spread of nonnative animals and plants; the effects of future climate change; and impacts from live-fire military training and recreational vehicles. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/federal-programs-funded-through-december-11 | Federal programs funded through December 11. | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Federal programs funded through December 11. Oct 5, 2015 Concerns in the Northern Marianas about a cut-off of food stamps and other federal programs were put to rest temporarilyon Wednesday, when the President signed ashort-term funding bill good throughDecember 11. Fiscal year 2016 began on October 1. Without this continuing resolution, which the Senate passedon Tuesdayand the House on Wednesday, September 30, the government would have shut down. The CR cuts spending across-the-board by 0.2 percent consistent with the sequestration requirements of theBudget Control Act of 2011, but otherwise most federal programs and services continue at the fiscal 2015 level. Between now andDecember 11just 10 weekswe will need to reach a bipartisan agreement on appropriations for the rest of fiscal 2016. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/following-through-submerged-lands-conveyance | Following through on submerged lands conveyance | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Following through on submerged lands conveyance Oct 5, 2015 Completing conveyance of the waters and submerged lands around the Northern Mariana Islands remains an important goal, so I used the opportunity of a hearing on Marine National Monuments this week to get a status report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Title for most of our islands has already been transferred from the federal government to the Commonwealth pursuant toU.S. Public Law 113-34. Conveyance of submerged lands around Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion wastemporarily withheld by the President in 2014 pending an agreement on coordination of managementfor the waters around those three islands and the surrounding Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Dr. Holly Bamford of NOAA responded to my inquiry at the hearing that a draft agreement was now in the hands of the Commonwealth, though Typhoon Soudelor may have delayed the CNMI review. Commonwealth and federal officials first began meeting in June 2014 to work on the management agreement. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/national-guard | House okays increase in NMI service academy opportunities | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Young people from the Northern Mariana Islands will have three added opportunities to attend a U.S. service academy under a provision of the2016 National Defense Authorization Actthe House passedon Thursday. The House-Senate conference committee agreed earlier this week to include the increase from two slots to three for the Northern Marianas at the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy at West Point, and at the Naval Academy. The provision was in the version of the NDAA approved by the House in May, but not in the Senate version. I wrote to the Armed Services Chairs and Ranking Members during negotiations, encouraging them to keep the House language, which they did. This is the second time openings for the Northern Marianas have been increased. I included language in the2010 Defense Authorization (527)upping slots from one to two. Today, all but one of those positions are filled because of the high caliber of applicants from the Northern Marianas. If the Senate now approves the conference committee bill and the President signs, we will immediately have four academy slots open for the Northern Marianas. Information about applying for nomination to a service academy is available on thecongressional website. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/national-guard-bill-nmi-introduced | National Guard bill for the NMI introduced | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | This week I introduced legislation,H.R. 3649, to establish a National Guard unit for the Northern Mariana Islands. Having our own National Guard would give the Governor of the Commonwealth another resource for times of natural disaster or other emergency. A Northern Marianas Guard would contribute to security in the Asia-Pacific region and provide an opportunity for training and employment to our residents. In 2013-2014, seventeen people from the NMI were called to active duty in Afghanistan as part of the Guam National Guard. A Northern Marianas National Guard unit has been a goal for many years. In 2002 the NMI Legislature enactedthe necessary Commonwealth lawsupporting establishment of the Guard. I introducedH.R. 2773in 2011 to make the necessary changes in federal law, but was advised to obtain a feasibility study first. So, I included the study requirement in the2014 National Defense Authorization Act; andthe report, released in August, concluded that a National Guard in the Northern Marianas is feasible, prompting this weeks reintroduction of legislation. There are currently 54 National Guard units, one for each state and for Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/pss-receives-250000-prep-grant | PSS receives $250,000 PREP Grant | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | PSS receives $250,000 PREP Grant Oct 5, 2015 Young people in the Northern Marianas will learn more about how to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections as a result of a $250,000 grant awarded to the Public School System. Congress provides the funds through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, to help those between the ages of 10 and 21, who are from minority groups, live in areas with high teen birth rates, are homeless or in foster care, or who are already pregnant or parenting. These at-risk youth receive information about the effectiveness of both abstinence and contraception. The Competitive Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Congratulations, PSS. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/standing-minimum-wage-increases | Standing up for minimum wage increases | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | (Link to video) Unlike the Northern Mariana Islands, where minimum wage has been going up 50 every other year, American Samoa has not had an increase since 2009. This week, the Delegate from American Samoa, Aumua Amata Radewagen (R), had a bill on the House floor to delay the increase in her district for another year. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I managed the bill,H.R. 2617, for the Democratic side. I took the opportunity toreview the minimum wage increases in the NMIand how they have impacted our economy. Our wage has almost doubled from $3.05/hr to $6.05/hr, since 2007. We had economic problems at the beginning of that time from the loss of the garment industry and a drop in tourism. More recently, though, even with wages rising, our economy began to grow. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysisattributed the economic growth in the Marianas to the pickup in tourism, but also to increased consumer spending, which is a result of rising wages. H.R. 2617 passed the House on a voice vote, but wasamended in the Senate to raise the minimum by 40this week and then every third year until reaching the national minimum wage rate. The bill now goes to the President. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-%E2%80%94-week-9 | Typhoon Soudelor Update Week 9 | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Typhoon Soudelor Update Week 9 Oct 5, 2015 Recovery continues. As the immediate emergency issues are put largely behind us, attention shifts to some of the longer term problems that we need to cope with. FEMA dates to remember: Monday, October 5: Last day to register for FEMA disaster assistance. Typhoon survivors who have not yet registered can apply for help online atwww.DisasterAssistance.govor by calling1-800-621-3362. People with speech or hearing disabilities who use TTY may call1-800-462-7585. Friday, October 9: Disaster Recovery Center at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe closes. Saturday, October 3 - Sunday, October 4: Free rebuilding advice for survivors. FEMA mitigation outreach teams will be at True Value on Beach Road, Garapan, 10am - 4pm on Saturday, and9am- 1pm on Sunday. Monday, October 5 - Sunday, October 18: Free rebuilding advice for survivors. FEMA mitigation outreach teams will be at Ace Hardware on Beach Road, Susupe,10am - 4pmweekdays and Saturdays, and 9am - 1pm on Sundays. Molda growing problem.Many people are reporting problems with mold buildup as a result of the high humidity and lack of air conditioning that resulted from the storm. This is a common occurrence after natural disasters with flooding or other forms of water damage. Mold grows on damp surfaces such as wood, tile, fabric, and food. It destroys organic material and can potentially cause mild to severe health problems. It will continue to spread until it is cleaned properly. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers astep-by-step guide for cleaning away mold. The handbook also provides tips for mold prevention. Water restoration continues.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 107 wellsup from 95 wells last weekare now pumping 10.5 million gallons daily. Th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-no-wage-hike-delay | Kilili: No to wage hike delay | 2015-10-02 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- THE islands businesses are already preparing for another round of federally mandated minimum wage increase in 2016, says U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan who believes that a postponement may not be necessary. Sablan is supporting H.R. 2617, a bill authored by U.S. Congresswoman Amata Radewagen of American Samoa, which calls for the delay in the minimum wage increase in American Samoa. But Sablan said the CNMI is not part of the bill. I did support the measure, which passed in the House on Monday. A delay in the next wage hike may be appropriate for American Samoa, but I do not believe that a similar delay for the Northern Marianas is warranted at this time, he added. In his statement in the U.S. House on Monday, Congressman Sablan said: I would not want to imply a further delay for the Northern Marianas is called for at this time. He added, Household median income in the Marianas was just $20,000 in the last census compared to $53,000 nationwide. For that reason, I have always supported the decision made in the 110th Congress to raise the minimum wage in the Marianas to the U.S. level in a series of graduated steps. When U.S. P.L. 110-28 was enacted, the minimum wage in the CNMI was $3.05 an hour. It is now $6.05 an hour and will increase by 50 cents every other year until it reaches the federal level of $7.25 an hour. That doubling of the [local] minimum wage has occurred during a period of economic difficulty for the Mariana Islands, Sablan said. Gross domestic product was dropping by 8 percent, 12 percent, 19 percent in the first three years of minimum wage increase. I should say, however, that these drops had nothing to do with the wage but everything to do with the loss of [garment] manufacturing because of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and because of a loss of tourism. Citing the most recent GDP data, Sablan said the CNMI has now grown by 4.4 percent, reflecting a growth in tourism especially an increase in arrivals from China. He said there is also a growth in… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-proposes-national-guard-northern-marianas | Kilili proposes a National Guard for the Northern Marianas | 2015-10-01 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has introduced legislation to establish a National Guard unit for the Northern Mariana Islands. A National Guard for the Northern Marianas is consistent with Americas commitment to enhancing security and stability in the Asia-Pacific, Congressman Sablan said. A National Guard unit is critical, too, for responding quickly and effectively to emergencies within the commonwealth, including natural disasters. We pray we never have to experience another disaster like Typhoon Soudelor, he added. But if we do, we will be better prepared to respond if we have our own National Guard to call to service. Sablans bill, H.R. 3649, follows on the heels of a study by the National Guard Bureau, which concludes that a National Guard for the commonwealth is feasible, but would require several major actions, including changes to the federal law that governs the National Guard. The study was mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, and was released on August 19, 2015. H.R. 3649 would amend Titles 10, 32, and 37 of the United States Code to authorize the establishment of National Guard units in the Northern Mariana Islands. This bill is the next important step in the process of establishing our own National Guard that is on par with the existing units of other states and territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sablan said. The Northern Marianas government has already taken the first important step, which is enacting a local law to organize a militia for the commonwealth. That law, Public Law 13-32, the Northern Mariana Islands National Guard Act, was enacted in 2002. Members of the National Guard can be called to active service by the governor of their state or territory to respond to disaster and civil disorder. They can also be called to federal active duty by the President of the United States to enforce laws, defend against invasion or insurrection, or provide support for military operations. National Guardsm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-proposes-extending-terms-insular-federal-court-judges | Kilili proposes extending terms of insular federal court judges | 2015-09-28 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has introduced legislation to extend the term of office for U.S. District Court judges in insular areas from 10 to 15 years. The U.S. Territorial Federal Judges Improvement Act of 2015 is co-sponsored by U.S. Congresswomen Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, and Stacey Plaskett, D-U.S. Virgin Islands. Judges are expected to interpret the law and hand down their decisions without fear or favor, and regardless of public criticism or reprisal from the elected branches, Congressman Sablan said. Longer terms are conducive to this standard of justice. Sablan also is seeking the extended term to put the insular judges on a similar footing as other U.S. judges. The fifteen years I am proposing for our insular U.S. District Court judges is the same term as other legislatively-established court judges, such as those of the U.S. Tax Court and Court of Federal Claims, Sablan added. The U.S. Territorial Federal Judges Improvement Act of 2015 would apply to current federal district court judges in the Northern Marianas, Guam, and the Virgin Islands whose terms have not expired and to judges who are confirmed after the legislations date of enactment. Like all U.S. District Court judges, the judges serving in the insular areas are nominated by the president, usually with recommendations from the members of Congress who represent the state in which the court is located. The presidents nominee must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In January 2011 Congressman Sablan recommended Ramona V. Manglona to President Obama to fill the court seat in the Northern Mariana Islands. The president accepted the recommendation, made the nomination, and Manglona was confirmed by the Senate in July 2011. Now Chief Judge Manglona is the first person from the Northern Marianas to be so nominated and confirmed to the federal bench in the islands. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/16-million-federal-justice-grants-awarded | $1.6 million in federal justice grants awarded | 2015-09-25 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $1.6 million in federal justice grants awarded Sep 25, 2015 $1,320,321 for crime victims assistance, public safety programs The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a total of $1,320,321 to the Criminal Justice Planning Agency for programs that help victims of crime and support public safety programs. CJPA will solicit proposals from individuals/groups in the NMI to apply for these federal funds: $531,675 for CJPAs Victim Assistance Program. The grant supports direct services to crime victims including information and referral services, crisis counseling, temporary housing, criminal justice advocacy support, and other assistance needs. CJPA administers the funds to state and community-based victim service program operations. A portion of the funds will be used to support training and technical assistance for victim assistance grantees and others who work with crime victims. $587,228 for CJPAs STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. The grant will be used to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes and to develop and strengthen victim services. $201,418 for CJPAs Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The grant will support multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces, crime prevention programs, law enforcement programs, anti-domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment and justice information sharing initiatives. $74,083 for juvenile delinquency prevention The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $74,083 in grant funding to CJPA to support local delinquency and intervention efforts and juvenile justice system improvements. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program grant funds will also support the Juvenile Justice Specialist. $213,978 awarded to the Northern Mar… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/disaster-unemployment-assistance-now-available | Disaster unemployment assistance now available | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Disaster unemployment assistance now available Sep 21, 2015 FEMA announced this week that unemployment assistance will be available for workers who lost their jobs and for self-employed individuals who have been unable to work due to Typhoon Soudelor. FEMA officials initially said that they could not extend the assistance because the Commonwealth does not have an unemployment insurance law or state agency. But Congress authorized these benefits in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Relief Act and your congressional office requested that FEMA reconsider. The unemployment assistance will now be provided using Hawaiis Employment Security Law per20 CFR Part 625. Individuals must file applications by October 19, 2015 in person at the Workforce Investment Agency office, Building 1215 on Capitol Hill, Saipan. Application forms areavailable onlineand at the WIA office. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/275-million-federal-grants-awarded | $2.75 million federal grants awarded | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | 82 Section 8 homes to go solar Pacific Wind and Solar of Saipan will get $1,359,489 to install solar power systems on Northern Marianas Housing Corporation low-income housing. 82 homes will be equipped with enough commercial-grade solar panels to generate 3 kilowatts of electricity, about 70 percent of the need for each household. The money that residents will save on their CUC bills can stay in our local economy, instead of paying for foreign oil. Congress funds theHigh Energy Costprogram each year to help communities, such as the Northern Marianas, where the price for home energy exceeds 275 percent of the national average. Grants are available to businesses, non-profit groups, and local government. $382,000 for new transformers will save CUC a quarter of a million dollars yearly The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation will be able to buy and install 63 replacement transformers with $382,000 received this week, also from theHigh Energy Cost Grant program. The transformers being replaced have too much capacity, which results in line losses of up to 30 percent. Right-sizing the transformers is expected to reduce costs by $265,735 per year, a saving that CUC can pass on to consumers. In addition to lowering CUC bills consumers, making the system more efficient means burning less of the fossil fuel that contributes to global warming and the severe weather conditions that warming produces. $390,000 FAA grant awarded for Tinian Airport The Commonwealth Ports Authority is receiving $390,348 to improve the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting building at Tinian International Airport. The funds, administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will also be used to upgrade the ARFF vehicle water refill system. Congratulations to CPA. $350,000 for Karidat The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women has awarded $350,000 to Karidat Social Services. Congress provides the funding to help victims of sexual assault or domestic violence get the counseling, jobs or job training, child care, transportation, a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/soudelor-recovery-update-week-7 | Soudelor Recovery Update - Week 7 | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Disaster unemployment assistance now available. FEMA announced this week that unemployment assistance will be available for workers who lost their jobs and for self-employed individuals who have been unable to work due to Typhoon Soudelor. FEMA officials initially said that they could not extend the assistance because the Commonwealth does not have an unemployment insurance law or state agency. But Congress authorized these benefits in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Relief Act and your congressional office requested that FEMA reconsider. The unemployment assistance will now be provided using Hawaiis Employment Security Law per20 CFR Part 625. Individuals must file applications by October 19, 2015 in person at the Workforce Investment Agency office, Building 1215 on Capitol Hill, Saipan. Application forms areavailable onlineand at the WIA office. Water restoration, hazardous waste collection continue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 89 wellsup from 77 wells last weekare now pumping 6.7 million gallons daily. This is 65 percent of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation production capacity. Intermittent water distribution is serving more than 95% of the Saipan population. EPA and the Commonwealth Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality continue to run their hazardous waste collection program. Anyone with white goodsappliances, electronics, non-green wastemay bring those items to the old Kobler Air Field on Fridays and Saturdays for disposal. The collection site is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Typhoon survivors can get legal help. Micronesian Legal Services Corporation can help provide legal advise to survivors, who are unable to afford their own lawyer. These services are paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and are available to all survivors regardless of immigration status. Some of the common types of disaster-related legal needs MLSC assists with include appeals of FEMA decisions, landlord-tenant disputes, tenants' rights, adult guardianship, immigratio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/typhoon-readiness-college-prep-info-added-sablanhousegov | Typhoon readiness, college prep info added to sablan.house.gov | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Typhoon readiness, college prep info added to sablan.house.gov Sep 21, 2015 Typhoon Soudelor was a sobering reminder of the need to be prepared for storms and other disaster situations.With typhoon season still here and El Nio weather effects likely to increase storm intensity in the coming months it would be wise to prepare now and protect yourself and your family from harm. Your congressional office has put together a list of supplies you may want to keep on hand and information about where and how you can get help the next time danger strikes.Click here. Now is the time of year for college application.To help and encourage high school seniorsand people of all agesthinking about taking their education to the next level, your congressional office has added new material to ourResources for Collegewebpage. You will find compelling analysis of how college adds to lifetime earnings, a College Scorecard to help you to decide which school fits your interests and needs, and information about how the federal government can cover some of the cost. Education is the key to the economic and cultural well-being of each of as individuals and of our community as a whole 10, 20, 30 years into the future.Check it out. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/18m-federal-funds-solar-cuc-efficiency | $1.8M in federal funds for solar, CUC efficiency | 2015-09-20 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune- Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) announced yesterday that Pacific Wind and Solar will get $1,359,489to install solar power systems on Northern Marianas Housing Corp. homes on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, while the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. will receive $382,000 to buy 63 pole-mounted transformers. Congress appropriates the funds to the Department of Agriculture each year to assist remote areas such as the Northern Mariana Islands that have very high electricity costs. Congress provides the money, Sablan said, but it takes well done, competitive grant applications to bring the money to the Marianas. I congratulate Mr. Brian Clayton and the team at Pacific Wind and Solar and Mr. Greg Burkett and everyone at CUC, who are helping our community make electricity more affordable. Pacific Wind and Solar, a Saipan-based company, will use the money to install solar arrays on 82 homes. Each home will have 12 250-watt commercial-grade solar panels, generating a total of 3 kilowatts of power. This is expected to cover about 70 percent of all electricity needs for the people in those households. The project will benefit 32 families in Koblerville Estates, 48 families in Mihaville Estates in Garapan, 20 families in Broadway Estates on Tinian, and 17 families at Blue Bay Homes in Songsong Village on Rota. CUC will use its money to replace 63 pole-mounted electric transformers. The transformers are oversized for the businesses they serve, which results in line losses of up to 30 percent. Right-sizing the transformers is expected to save $265,735 per year, a saving that can be passed on to consumers. The funds come through the High Energy Cost Grant program, administered by Rural Development at the Department of Agriculture. High Energy Cost Grants may be used to improve energy generation, transmission or distribution facilities in communities where the average residential cost for home energy exceeds 275 percent of the national average. The grants are available to businesses, non-profit groups, states, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-recognizes-rotarians-humanitarian-work | Kilili recognizes Rotarians' humanitarian work | 2015-09-20 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety- THE example set by Rotary Club on Saipan through the years has shaped volunteerism in the islands post-Typhoon Soudelor period, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said on Tuesday. The Rotarians guest speaker during their meeting at the Hyatts Giovannis, Sablan praised the clubs humanitarian work that included its relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Jean on April 11, 1968. Until Soudelor made landfall on Saipan on Aug. 2, 2015, Jean was the last typhoon that slammed into the island. The Rotary Club has a long history of humanitarian service here, Sablan said. One of your very first projects, as some of you may remember, was coordinating relief for dozens of families who lost their homes to Typhoon Jean. He said it was in 1968 when the local chapter of the Rotary was organized. The compassion and generosity you have shown over almost half a century now lifting spirits, educating young minds, helping people up from poverty or after disasters here in the Marianas and throughout our region and the world that is a record every Rotarian should be so proud of, Sablan added. He said in the wake of Typhoon Soudelor, everyone saw the outpouring of volunteerism and community spirit. Sablan said the example shown by Rotary Club for close to 50 years on Saipan giving selflessly when help is needed may have shaped the thinking of those involved in the relief efforts today. They may not be Rotarians. But they must have learned some of that humanity from watching Rotarians at work, he added. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/17-million-awarded-solar-energy-efficiency | $1.8 million awarded for solar, CUC efficiency | 2015-09-16 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today that Pacific Wind and Solar will get $1,359,489to install solar power systems on Northern Marianas Housing Corporation homes on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, and the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation will receive $382,000 to buy 63 pole-mounted transformers. Congress appropriates the funds to the Department of Agriculture each year to assist areas, such as the Northern Mariana Islands, that have very high electricity costs. Congress provides the money, Congressman Sablan said, But it takes well-done, competitive grant applications to bring the money to the Marianas. I congratulate Mr. Brian Clayton and the team at Pacific Wind and Solar and NMHC, and Mr. Greg Burkett and everyone at CUC, who are helping our community make electricity more affordable. Pacific Wind and Solar, a Saipan-based company, will use the money to install solar arrays on 82 homes. Each home will have twelve, 250 watt commercial-grade solar panels, generating a total of 3 kilowatts of power. This is expected to cover about 70 percent of all electricity needs for the people in those households. 32 families in Koblerville Estates will benefit, 48 families in Mihaville Estates in Garapan, 20 families in Broadway Estates on Tinian, and 17 families at Blue Bay Homes in Songsong Village. CUC's will use its money to replace 63 pole-mounted electric transformers. The transformers are oversized for the businesses they serve, which results in line losses of up to 30 percent. Right-sizing the transformers is expected to save $265,735 per year, a saving that can be passed on to consumers. The funds come through theHigh Energy Cost Grantprogram, administered by Rural Development at the Department of Agriculture. High Energy Cost Grants may be used to improve energy generation, transmission or distribution facilities in communities where the average residential cost for home energy exceeds 275 percent of the national average. The grants are available to bus… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/drop-locations-household-hazardous-waste-appliances-electronics-typhoon-cleanup | Drop-Off Locations for Household Hazardous Waste, Appliances, & Electronics from Typhoon Cleanup | 2015-09-13 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Drop-Off Locations for Household Hazardous Waste, Appliances, & Electronics from Typhoon Cleanup Sep 13, 2015 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana IslandsBureau of Environmental Quality are accepting household hazardous waste, appliances, and electronics at two drop-off locations: Lower Base Transfer Station (Mon - Sat, 7:30am - 4:00pm) Kobler Airfield (Fri and Sat onlythrough Oct 3,9am - 5pm) Click on the flyer below for more information. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/fema-seeks-local-help-assist-disaster-recovery-through-job-fair | FEMA & CNMI DOL holding disaster job fair at NMC | 2015-09-11 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan, CNMI FEMA has joined forces with the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Department of Labor (DOL) to recruit individuals to work in temporary, full-time positions available locally with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The DOL, in conjunction with the FEMA local hire program, will host a job fair at the Northern Marianas College on Sept. 14-17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room A8. The purpose of this fair is to give local residents who have no Internet connectivity the opportunity to apply for the temporary jobs with FEMA. The CNMI Transit Authority will provide free transportation to and from the Northern Marianas College during the event. Shuttle service starts at 8 a.m. and will pick up and drop off job applicants until 2 p.m. at the following locations: In the As Matuis/San Roque area, Welcome Market In the Tanapag area, IMart In the Garapan area, Paseo de Marianas In the Capitol Hill area, Sarah Market In all three Kagman areas, Kagman Market In the San Antonio area, Basketball Court In the Koblerville area, Basketball Court In the Dandan area, Dandan Middle School Call COTA for more information or, if you need special assistance and cannot get to one of these locations. 664-COTA/2980 or 483-4844. At the fair staff from the DOL will assist with resume writingl and a FEMA representative will help make sure resumes are routed to the correct location. FEMA routinely offers employment to residents in disaster areas to support the local economy and provide jobs to those who may have lost employment due to the disaster. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, 18 years of age or older. Individuals will be required to pass a background investigation that includes finger printing and a credit check. Job descriptions are available at https://www.wia.gov.mp/ and at https://www.marianaslabor.net/. CNMI residents may apply by e-mail: fema-dr-4235-mp-hire-me@fema.dhs.gov. FEMA is committed to employing a highly qualified workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation. All applicants will r… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/house-looks-medicaid-fraud-units-territories | House looks at Medicaid fraud units for territories | 2015-09-11 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | House looks at Medicaid fraud units for territories Sep 11, 2015 Included in the Presidents fiscal 2015 budget proposal and introduced as legislation in the House this week by Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-Pennsylvania) is a response to the lack of Medicaid Fraud Control Units in any of the five U.S. insular areas. Mr. Pitts bill, H.R. 3444, also received a hearing today before the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which Mr. Pitts chairs. Since 1995, Federal law has required every state and territory to have a fraud unit. But neither American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, nor the U.S. Virgin Islands governments have done so. The reason is simple: federal Medicaid funding for all these areas is capped at a set amount each year, so anything spent on fraud control would take away money for medical care. Mr. Pitts bill removes that disincentive by counting the cost of fraud control separate from the capped Medicaid grant. And President Obamas budget proposal set aside $10 million in federal funds over a ten period to pay for Medicaid Fraud Control Units in the non-state areas. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/pacific-ombudsman-humanitarian-law-receives-144000 | Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law receives $144,000 | 2015-09-11 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law receives $144,000 Sep 11, 2015 The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women has awarded $144,000 to the Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law. The Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Assistance Program grant will fund the development of a comprehensive plan for responding to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in the Northern Mariana Islands. Through this 24-month rural planning grant, the Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law will work with its project partners, Guma Esperansa and Karidat Social Services, to develop the plan. Congratulations to the Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/white-house-selects-northern-marianas-student-e3-ambassador-0 | White House selects Northern Marianas student as E3! Ambassador | 2015-09-10 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands Northern Marianas College senior Riya Nathrani is one of the 23 young leaders nationwide to be chosen to serve for a year as an E3! Ambassador for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The White House announced Nathranis selection this week. Ms. Nathrani is currently an intern at the Northern Mariana Islands congressional office on Saipan and also worked at the office at the U.S. Capitol this summer under the auspices of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. With her intelligence, quiet leadership, and compassionate advocacy, Ms. Nathrani has been a tremendous asset to the congressional office and to our community, said Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan. Her selection as one of 13 APAICS interns this summer and now as an E3! Ambassador, along with other young leaders in academia, public service, and the business world, reminds all of us in the Northern Marianas that though our islands are small our dreams can be enormousand that our young people have the same capacity for excellence as their peers anywhere in the United States. E3! Ambassadors, who are between the ages of 18 and 30, commit to Educate, Engage, and Empower a new generation of young leaders from their Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The Ambassadors devote at least 10 hours a month speaking at events, facilitating workshops, or conducting outreach via print and social media to raise awareness about federal programs and resources available to Asian and Pacific Americans. In doing so, the Ambassadors work with more than 250 federal officials representing over 44 agencies and sub-agencies across the nation. We are expected to focus our advocacy efforts around four issue areas: education, mental health, pathways to public service, and immigration, Ms. Nathrani says. I plan to concentrate especially on the immigration issues facing so many young people in the islands, and I will emphasize the value of education as a tool to achieve a better life. R… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/answers-your-questions-how-can-i-safely-dispose-hazardous-waste | Answers to Your Questions: How can I safely dispose of hazardous waste? | 2015-09-09 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Independent | Senate | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Chris Reiner, EPA 670-483-5593 Ray Masga, BECQ 670-664-8500 CNMI News Desk: (670) 237-8040; (670) 237-8041 FEMA News Desk: (670) 237-2370 Drop Off Location for Household Hazardous Waste and Large Appliances from Typhoon Soudelor Cleanup Beginning September 11, 2015, on Fridays and Saturdays at old Kobler Air Field Saipan, MP A new drop-off location for household hazardous waste, large appliances (white goods) and electronics, run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, will begin on Friday, September 11. Residents can bring their household hazardous waste, white goods and electronics damaged as a result of Typhoon Soudelor to the old Kobler Air Field (near As Gono green waste drop off station) on Fridays and Saturdays in September, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. EPA will also continue to collect household hazardous waste at the Lower Base Transfer Station, Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Once the EPA collection operations are complete, normal disposal activities will resume and residents will be responsible for the disposal of these white goods and electronics. FEMA and CNMI have called on the EPA to implement a program to collect and properly manage household hazardous chemicals and materials. This program is intended to collect materials damaged as a result of Typhoon Soudelor. Household hazardous waste includes cleaners, pesticides, lawn and garden products, workshop and paint supplies, automotive supplies, batteries, solvents, thermometers, fluorescent lights, and flammable products such as oil, gas and propane. Another way to identify household hazardous waste is from labels that say things like: Caution, Warning, Danger, Poison, Toxic, Flammable, or Corrosive. Improper disposal of these materials increases the risk of contaminating air, water and soil. For example, materials placed in drains flow directly to septic tanks or sewage treatment plants or directly into the ocean, polluting the ocean and potentially harming sensitive co… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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