Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
- url
- Link to the original release on the member's official site
- text
- Extracted body text (may be empty if the page could not be fetched)
- has_text
- 1 if body text was successfully extracted
- date_source
- How the publication date was determined
- bioguide_id
- Bioguide ID of the member
131 rows where state = "MP" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending
This data as json, CSV (advanced)
| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://sablan.house.gov/%E2%80%98torres-supported-hr-339%E2%80%99 | Torres supported HR 339 | 2017-12-27 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune Contrary to a statement that he did not support the intent of House Resolution 339, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) pointed out that Gov. Ralph DLG Torres did support the measure during deliberations by the U.S. Congress during the second quarter of 2017. Quoting Torres testimony during the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on H.R. 339 last April 27, 2017, Sablan said in a statement that Torres backed the provision that bars construction workers from using the CW-1 program. Two years ago, I requested the U.S. [Citizenship] and Immigration Services to review the issuance of CW permits to individuals in the construction trades. In my view, CW permits were only for job categories not available under existing visa classifications, and that construction workers could be sourced through H-2B visas, Torres wrote in his written testimony. As we look back at the CW permits issued in the last two years, it is evident that a large majority of the new permits that have led to the shortage have been in the construction trades. Removing construction workers from the eligible job categories for the CW permit will force employers to go to better suited visa classifications and alleviate the limited CW permits for occupations that are crucial for the overall economy and the needs of the people, he added. Last week, Torres told Saipan Tribune that the repercussions of H.R. 339 were something that he did not support. He added that the outcome of enacting HR 339 into law was devastating to everybody here on the island. Torres issued the statement after Saipan Tribune requested for comments on USCIS decision to classify general maintenance workers as construction occupations. In a separate statement over the holidays, Sablan clarified that Torres was in support of the provision that barred construction workers from the CW-1 program at the time and without reservation. H.R. 339s bar on the use of CW permits for new construction workers never changed from introduction of the b… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/crisis-averted-becq | Crisis averted at BECQ | 2017-12-26 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Crisis averted at BECQ Dec 25, 2017 Calling it a crisis earlier this year, Governor Ralph Torres and BECQ Administrator Frank Rabauliman said President Trumps proposal to cut spending at the Environmental Protection Agency would have direct and possibly irreversible effects on the environment and public health in the CNMI. Fortunately, along with many members of Congress, I pushed back in our annual appropriation process by prioritizing EPA funding and blocked the Presidents cuts. EPA announced the Marianas Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality has received an additional $1.3 million, bringing the total for the year to $2.3 million, almost 100 percent of BECQs annual operating funds. Environmental protection is targeted for cuts by the Trump administration. But for this year: crisis averted. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/marianas-vets-clinic-study-okayed | Marianas vets clinic study okayed | 2017-12-26 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas vets clinic study okayed Dec 25, 2017 The House Veterans Affairs' Committee voted in favor of my amendment requiring a report on the feasibility of putting a VA-staffed health clinic in the Marianas. We are one of the few areas of the country without easy access to a clinic. Getting one is my top priority now that I am a member of the Veterans Affairs' Committee. My amendment becomes part of the bill making the Choice program permanent. Choice pays for veterans in areas like ours, where vets have to travel by plane to get to a VA clinic, to go to private health care providers instead. We helped about 70 local doctors and clinics sign on to Choice this year as part of our outreach effort for Marianas veterans. And we worked to make sure veterans know that Choice is now an option for them and understand how to use the system. The Choice bill, H.R. 4242, should go to the full House for a vote in January. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/no-pay-cuts-federal-workers | No pay cuts for federal workers | 2017-12-26 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | No pay cuts for federal workers Dec 25, 2017 On behalf of the hundreds of federal employees in the Northern Marianas, I opposed any further cuts to their pay or benefits, as Congress begins looking around for ways to pay for the new tax cut law. Our federal workers, who could often make more in the private sector, embody the work ethic and commitment to service that makes America great. They have already seen pay and benefit cuts of $182 billion since 2011. We can not ask more of them, particularly not to offset the $1.5 trillion cut in taxes the President signed. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/tax-bill-signed-effect-nmi | Tax bill signed: effect on NMI? | 2017-12-26 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Tax bill signed: effect on NMI? Dec 25, 2017 Without the requested data from the Commonwealth government, I cannot report on the specific effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed on a purely Republican vote in Congress and signed by the President. Two things are clear, however: 2018 is the year the Commonwealth government will have to start making up for the lost income tax revenue and cuts in federal grants, resulting from the Trump tax cuts. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/147140-stop-snake | $147,140 to stop the snake | 2017-12-25 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $147,140 to stop the snake Dec 25, 2017 Funding to fight invasive species, like the Brown Tree Snake, is something I always support when we make the annual appropriation decisions in Congress. The snake has caused significant damage to Guam and its spread puts the rest of the Marianas at economic and environmental risk. $147,140 of this years funding will be transferred from the Interior Department to the Agriculture Departments Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services Interior announced today. APHIS is engaged at interdiction work at the commercial port on Guam, work that is essential to prevent the spread of the brown tree snake to our islands. So far this fiscal year, over $900,000 has been spent in the Pacific to stop the snake. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/standing-bureaucrats | Standing up to bureaucrats | 2017-12-25 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Standing up to bureaucrats Dec 25, 2017 As Ranking Member on the Health, Employment, Pension and Labor Subcommittee, I am responsible for leading on national labor issues. That is why, along with Democratic Senators Patty Murray of Washington, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Margaret Wood Hassan of Nevada, and my House colleagues Bobby Scott of Virginia and Donald Norcross of New Jersey, I questioned recent actions of the National Labor Relations Board and demanded more information. The job of the NLRB is to protect the rights of private sector employees to act together to improve their wages and working conditions. Earlier this month, however, when the expiring term of one Member threatened the Republican 3-2 majority, the Board issued a spate of dubious anti-worker and anti-union rulings that reversed previous Board decisions. The Board acted without sufficient findings of fact or opportunity for public input. Such high-handed action by federal bureaucrats has to be challenged. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/we-fixing-cw-misclassifications | We are fixing CW misclassifications | 2017-12-25 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | We are fixing CW misclassifications Dec 25, 2017 Three constituents have asked their congressional office for help on CW permit applications misclassified as for construction workers. Two cases have been resolved and permits issued. The third is pending. So, I wrote to Governor Ralph Torres and the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation to let them know we could help on any similar case they wanted to bring to me. The Governor and NMBAC representatives met me and said the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is denying applications for gardeners, hotel maintenance workers, and CUC engineers, because they are misclassified as permits for construction workers. U.S. Public Law 115-53, which President Trump signed in August, bars the use of CW permits for new construction workers. I wrote this law to protect our local businesses, who could not renew CW permits they depend on, after some 5,000 new Chinese construction workers used up the permits beginning in 2016. So, I want to be sure local businesses are not harmed by any misapplication of the law. Start here if you need help. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-22-2017 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 22, 2017 | 2017-12-25 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ____________________________________________________________________________ Marianas vets clinic study okayed The House Veterans Affairs' Committee voted in favor of my amendment requiring a report on the feasibility of putting a VA-staffed health clinic in the Marianas. We are one of the few areas of the country without easy access to a clinic. Getting one is my top priority now that I am a member of the Veterans Affairs' Committee. My amendment becomes part of thebill making the Choice program permanent. Choice pays for veterans in areas like ours, where vets have to travel by plane to get to a VA clinic, to go to private health care providers instead. We helped about 70 local doctors and clinics sign on to Choice this year as part of our outreach effort for Marianas veterans. And we worked to make sure veterans know that Choice is now an option for them and understand how to use the system. The Choice bill, H.R. 4242, should go to the full House for a vote in January. Crisis averted at BECQ Calling it a crisis earlier this year, Governor Ralph Torres and BECQ Administrator Frank Rabauliman said President Trumps proposal to cut spending at the Environmental Protection Agency would have direct and possibly irreversible effects on the environment and public health in the CNMI. Fortunately, along with many members of Congress, I pushed back in our annual appropriation process by prioritizing EPA funding and blocked the Presidents cuts. Today EPA announced the Marianas Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality has received an additional $1.3 million, bringing the total for the year to $2.3 million, almost 100 percent of BECQs annual operating funds. Environmental protection is targeted for cuts by the Trump administration. But for this year: crisis averted. Tax bill signed: effect on NMI? Without therequested data from the Commonwealth government, I cannot report on the specific effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed on a purely Republican vote in Congresson Wednesdayand signed by the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-already-working-uscis-misclassification-cws | Kilili working with USCIS on misclassification of CWs | 2017-12-23 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune WASHINGTON, D.C.- Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) will take any specific cases of CNMI-Only Transitional Worker applicants misclassified as new construction workers to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for review. USCIS has already issued permits for applications initially rejected, after the congressman worked with the applicant and the agency to get further consideration. Sablan explained this success in a letter to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres yesterday and asked the governor to send any similar cases to the congressional office for assistance. Sablan also sent a copy of his letter to Torres to the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corp. In the letter, Sablan said he agreed with Torres that the bar on gardeners, hotel maintenance workers, and even Commonwealth Utility Corp. engineers appears inconsistent with the intent of Public Law 115-53. Please send me these specific cases or any others in which a permit applicant believes that misclassification as a new construction worker has occurred. I will promptly refer the case to USCIS as a congressional inquiry to help ensure it receives timely and thorough review, he wrote. Sablan added that the congressional office in fact has already managed three such cases. In two the misclassification was corrected and the permits awarded. A decision in the third case is pending. As you know, the intent of Public Law 115-53 was to protect our local business people, who depend on CW workers, from the flood of new construction workers that began in 2016 and used up as many as 5,000 CW permits. I will continue to do all I can to prevent harm to our local business community or legacy CW workers, as I have with the cases already brought to me for help, Sablan ended his letter to Torres. To obtain congressional assistance on immigration or any other matter regarding the federal government, contact the congressional office on Saipan, Tinian, or Rota or go to https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/help-federal-agency. All cases are handle… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/regarding-hr-339-northern-marianas-economic-expansion-act | Regarding HR 339, the Northern Marianas Economic Expansion Act | 2017-12-23 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Sablan issued the following statement Thursday in response to media inquiries this week: Greetings, Thank you for your requests for a response to recent statements made this week by Governor Torres, that he did not support H.R. 339, the Northern Marianas Economic Expansion Act, which President Trump signed in August, and that some workers are being denied CW permits because USCIS is now misclassifying them as new construction workers. The Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation, the lobbying arm of the Governors Strategic Economic Development Council, has issued similar statements. First, here is what the Governor testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during a hearing on H.R. 339 on April 27, 2017: Two years ago, I requested that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review the issuance of CW permits to individuals in the construction trades. In my view, CW permits were only for job categories not available under existing visa classifications, and that construction workers could be sourced through H2-B visas. As we look back at the CW permits issued in the last two years, it is evident that a large majority of the new permits that have led to the shortage have been in the construction trades. Removing construction workers from the eligible job categories for the CW permit will force employers to go to better suited visa classifications and alleviate the limited CW permits for occupations that are crucial for the overall economy and the needs of the people. The Governor supported passage of H.R. 339 at that time and without reservation. The only subsequent change in the bill before it became law was to set the number of extra CW permits for FY17 at 350 and to set aside some of those for health workers, a need the Governor highlighted, and for power plant operators. H.R. 339s bar on the use of CW permits for new construction workers never changed from the introduction of the bi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-has-been-working-uscis-misclassification-cws | Kilili has been working with USCIS on misclassification of CWs | 2017-12-21 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan will take any specific cases of CW applicants misclassified as new construction workers to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for review. USCIS has already issued permits for applications initially rejected, after the Congressman worked with the applicant and the agency to get further consideration. Sablan explained this success in a letter to Governor Ralph Torres today and asked the Governor to send any similar cases to the congressional office for assistance. The Congressmans letter, ccd to the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation, reads as follows: Dear Governor Torres: When we met in Washington last week, along with the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation, a number of you expressed concern about how the Trump administration is implementing U.S. Public Law 115-53. You said there are cases in which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is wrongfully denying applications for Commonwealth-only Transitional Worker permits for gardeners, hotel maintenance workers, and Commonwealth Utility Corporation engineers because the new law bars the use of CW permits for new construction workers. I agree this interpretation appears inconsistent with the intent of the law. Please send me these specific cases or any others in which a permit applicant believes that misclassification as a new construction worker has occurred. I will promptly refer the case to USCIS as a congressional inquiry to help ensure it receives timely and thorough review. In fact, the congressional office has already managed three such cases. In two the misclassification was corrected and the permits awarded. A decision in the third case is pending. As you know, the intent of Public Law 115-53 was to protect our local business people, who depend on CW workers, from the flood of new construction workers that began in 2016 and used up as many as 5,000 CW permits. I will continue to do all I can to prevent harm to our local business community or legacy CW w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/125k-agricultural-grant-nmc | $125K agricultural grant for NMC | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $125K agricultural grant for NMC Dec 17, 2017 Congratulations to Northern Marianas College on receiving a $124,827 grant from the U.S. Department Agriculture to begin offering distance learning courses in food and agricultural science. The funds from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture will allow NMC students to begin studies in these areas in the fall of 2018. NMC President Dr. Carmen Fernandez said that the college ... has been working to grow the number of courses that can be accessed from home or from any other place with internet connectivity. By expanding online courses to food and agricultural sciences, NMC can provide wider educational opportunities to its students and may spark interest in future career-related studies. The grants are made to strengthen agricultural education in the insular areas, in the hope that more students will pursue food and agricultural science careers, and help educational institutions meet their unique needs. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/citizenship-application-now-online | Citizenship application now online | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Citizenship application now online Dec 17, 2017 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that eligible individuals may now file applications for naturalization (Form N-400) through the USCIS website. Online applicants will be able to receive alerts and be prompted to upload required evidence based on their answers to form questions. Among the advantages to online filing are applicants can pay fees, upload evidence, get real-time case information, and communicate with USCIS. Those applying for citizenship based on military service, who are requesting a fee waiver or reduced fees, or are outside the U.S. are ineligible to file the N-400 online. To create a USCIS account to file the N-400, Application for Naturalization, go tohttps://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/clearing-air | Clearing the Air | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Clearing the Air Dec 17, 2017 Governor Ralph Dlg. Torres and members of the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation met with me in Washington on Monday. Afterwards, the business leaders said they were unhappy with my work to make sure our economy has a sufficient workforce. As I explained at the meeting, I am not free to discuss details of the discussions of the bicameral, bipartisan congressional working group that is drafting legislation addressing the labor issue. I have held numerous listening sessions with a wide variety of groups and individuals in the Marianas over the last year, however, so I understand what people want and what our economy needs. Of course, no legislation can please everybody, but everyone will have further opportunity to comment once a bill is introduced and scheduled for a hearing.See my complete response here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/defense-bill-now-law | Defense bill now law | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The President signed theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 conference reportinto lawon Tuesday. In all, the NDAA authorizes $700 billion for defense spending, raises military pay by 2.4 percent, and increases troop levels across the services. Among the provisions of particular interest to the Marianas: Unlimites H visas safe After intervention by the congressional office, a technical error in the Senate version of the 2018 NDAA, threatening the Marianas unlimited access to foreign workers using H visas,has been corrected. H visas are used for temporary and seasonal workers in various categories, including professional occupations, agriculture, or construction. In addition to preserving the Marianas exemption from the numerical limit on H visas that applies nationwide and is usually oversubscribed the 2018 NDAA creates a new subcategory of the H-2B visa and allows up to 4,000 for services or labor directly associated with the military build-up. This provision only applies to the Northern Marianas if and when the current immigration transition period ends and the Commonwealth government agrees on the terms of the build-up. $12.9M for Tinian divert The 2018 NDAA also includes an additional $12.9 million for the Air Force divert airfield project on Tinian. Together with $9 million that Congress authorized in the 2017 NDAA,a total of $21.9 million is now availableto lease the additional 142 hectares on the north side of Tinian airport needed for the divert project. Thedecision to site the divert fieldand support facilities on Tinian was made last December with the approval of Tinian leadership and Governor Torres and my support. Palau agreement approved After a seven-year wait, the agreement to extend Palaus Compact of Free Association through 2024 was formally approved when the conference report was enacted into law. I have been an outspoken proponent of the strategic importance of Palau to the United States and of the need to keep Americas commitment to this trusted ally. In April, my bill to … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/end-net-neutrality-bad-marianas | End of net neutrality is bad for the Marianas | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | End of net neutrality is bad for the Marianas Dec 17, 2017 For us in the Marianas, who already suffer from slower internet speeds than the rest of the country, Thursday'sdecision by the Federal Communications Commission to end net neutrality is bad news. It means internet service providers will be able charge more for certain content and end the free and open, level playing field the internet has always been. Because of our remote location, as individuals we rely on this equal access on the internet to get information and connect to friends and family. Our local businesses, too, need unlimited connections to Asia, the U.S., and the rest of the world, to stay economically competitive. Democrats in Congress are planning legislation to reverse the FCC decision. I will be part of that effort. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/gop-denies-nmc-grad-college-options | GOP denies NMC grads college options | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | After a 13-hour markupon Tuesday, the Education and the Workforce Committee passed a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act,H.R. 4508. Approved along strict party lines, the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act will make college more expensive and gives for-profits unprecedented access to student aid funds.I offered an amendmentto the bill that would provide federal funds for community college graduates in the Northern Marianas and American Samoa, the only two areas in the country without four-year institutions, to make up the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities across the country. Most students in these two territories who want more than a two-year degree must leave to further their education. Although two Republican committee members voted in favor of my amendment along with all Democratic members, it was narrowly defeated 19-21. I plan to continue working on the proposal before the Higher Education Act is ultimately reauthorized. In all, 40 amendments were offered by Democrats during markup in an attempt to improve the Republican bill, nearly all of them voted down. Highlights among the Democratic amendments: Pell Grants increases the maximum Pell Grant award, makes Pell Grant funding completely mandatory, and indexes Pell Grants to inflation. FAFSA Simplification simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process to ensure increased completion and maximum benefit to low-income students and families Public Service Loan Forgiveness reinstates program to allow eligible borrowers who work in public service to have their student loans forgiven after 10 years of payments Student Loan Refinance allows students to refinance student loans at the same low rates offered to new borrowers Teacher Assistance restores Teacher Quality Partnership Grants and TEACH Grants, two programs eliminated in H.R. 4508 Campus-Based Aid strikes repeal of FSEOG for very low-income students, reauthorizes Perkin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/how-federal-tax-hurts-us | How federal tax hurts us | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | How federal tax hurts us Dec 17, 2017 We do not pay federal income taxes in the Marianas, so why am I opposed to H.R. 1, the Republican tax bill now on the verge of passage? First, the Commonwealth Government will lose revenues. The Commonwealth income tax code mirrors the federal internal revenue code. So, if H.R. 1 reduces federal revenues,as the bipartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimates, then the Commonwealth will also suffer lower revenues. Second, when the federal government cuts its revenues by $1.445 trillion, as H.R. 1 will do, then Congress will have to cut spending or allow our national debt to grow. Speaker Paul Ryan has already signaled that he intends to cut spending. Specifically, he wants to cut entitlement programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, which serve upwards of 18,000 of us in the Marianas. But there will also be pressure to cut other federal programs in education, housing, help for the disabled, and infrastructure from which the Commonwealth government typicallyreceives more than $100 millionannually. The only way to make up those revenue losses will be for the Commonwealth to raise taxes locally. I am not opposed to tax reform in principle, but it must be revenue neutral to prevent these harms to the people I represent. H.R. 1 does not meet that test, so I oppose it. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-gop-denies-nmc-grads-college-options | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - GOP denies NMC grads college options | 2017-12-17 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: December 8, 2017 _______________________________________________________________________ GOP denies NMC grad college options After a 13-hour markup on Tuesday, the Education and the Workforce Committee passed a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act,H.R. 4508. Approved along strict party lines, the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act will make college more expensive and gives for-profits unprecedented access to student aid funds.I offered an amendment to the bill that would provide federal funds for community college graduates in the Northern Marianas and American Samoa, the only two areas in the country without four-year institutions, to make up the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities across the country. Most students in these two territories who want more than a two-year degree must leave to further their education. Although two Republican committee members voted in favor of my amendment along with all Democratic members, it was narrowly defeated 19-21. I plan to continue working on the proposal before the Higher Education Act is ultimately reauthorized. In all, 40 amendments were offered by Democrats during markup in an attempt to improve the Republican bill, nearly all of them voted down. Highlights among the Democratic amendments: Pell Grants increases the maximum Pell Grant award, makes Pell Grant funding completely mandatory, and indexes Pell Grants to inflation. FAFSA Simplification simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process to ensure increased completion and maximum benefit to low-income students and families Public Service Loan Forgiveness reinstates program to allow eligible borrowers who work in public service to have their student loans forgiven after 10 years of payments Student Loan Refinance allows students to refinance student loans at the same low rates offered to new borrowers Teacher Assistance restores Teacher Quality Partnership Grant… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/lets-clear-air | Let's Clear the Air | 2017-12-15 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — I APPRECIATE that the members of the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation or NMBA took the time to meet with me during their lobbying trip to Washington. It is regrettable that NMBA came away from our meeting disappointed. Unfortunately, I cannot please everybody. But I do try to listen to the diverse and often conflicting voices that make up our community, many of which claim to speak in the best interests of all the people of the Marianas, and some of which sometimes say they want one thing and then change their minds later. It’s not easy, but I signed on to work for the people of the Marianas. NMBA, as I understand it, is the lobbying arm of the governor’s Strategic Economic Development Council. They came to Washington to advocate for their legislative proposals — a lengthy list of requests. Some of their requests I have already gotten done. For example, they asked to bar construction workers from the CW program — that was accomplished with the enactment of H.R. 339, the Northern Marianas Economic Expansion Act, thanks in large part to the support of the governor and the business community. They also asked for a report from the Government Accountability Office on the Marianas’ economic prospects, including the impacts of ending the Commonwealth-Only Transitional Worker or CW program. I requested that report last year, and GAO released the results of their study in May this year. Some of NMBA’s requests, however, will be difficult to sell in this anti-foreign worker, Republican administration and Congress. I have explained this reality to NMBA repeatedly. For example, increasing the CW cap to 18,000 (nearly doubling the number currently in effect) will be a very heavy lift, especially given the relatively high number of unemployed U.S. citizens and residents according to the commonwealth government’s own data, and the commonwealth government’s record of waiving its own requirements for U.S. hires. Furthermore, splitting the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program, although desired by certain… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili%E2%80%99s-work-palau-compact-pays | Kililis work on Palau Compact pays off | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune - WASHINGTON, D.C.— President Trump signed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act yesterday, including an extension of the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau. Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) has been working for several years to get the 15-year extension enacted into law. It was originally negotiated by the U.S. and Palau in 2010, but never formally approved. “Because of the strategic importance of Palau to the security of all of us in the Western Pacific, I have worked hard to win approval of the extension of the Compact of Free Association,” Sablan said. “Peace and stability are the underpinnings for the economic health of our region. “And because I am the only Micronesian in the U.S. Congress, I also feel a special responsibility to help people throughout the island Pacific, whenever I can.” The annual Defense bill emerged as a route to approval of the Compact in 2016. Sablan had introduced legislation approving the Compact and authorizing multi-year funding. He arranged hearings for his bill before House Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources subcommittees. Then, working with Pacific representatives Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai’i), he was able to win the support of the Defense Department for inclusion of the Compact approval in the 2017 Defense bill. Although that effort was not successful, Sablan again introduced Compact legislation this year, again got a hearing on the bill, and won approval in the House Natural Resources Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah). Bishop is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which writes the annual Defense authorization. “Focusing on Compact approval as a matter of strategic importance to the United States was key, I think, to getting it through Congress and signed into law today,” Sablan commented. “Although Congress has appropriated the funding amounts negotiated with Palau year-after-year, we were not giving Palau the assurance of long-term commitment t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-125k-agricultural-grant-nmc | Kilili: $125K agricultural grant for NMC | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has announced that Northern Marianas College received a federal grant of $124,827 to develop distance learning courses in food and agriculture science. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Distance Learning Grant will allow NMC to expand its online offerings to include courses in food and agricultural science. In the fall of 2018, NMC will begin offering these types of courses for the first time in its history. “NMC continues to expand its reach to provide quality education to students in the Northern Marianas,” said Congressman Sablan. “By expanding online courses to food and agricultural sciences, NMC will be able to provide wider educational opportunities to its students and may spark interest in further career-related study in this area.” According to NMC President Dr. Carmen Fernandez, “Because of the flexibility that online courses offer to students pursuing their college degree, Northern Marianas College has been working to grow the number of courses that can be accessed from home or from any other place with internet connectivity. “We are extremely grateful that the NIFA grant will allow the college to expand its online offerings to include food and agricultural science courses so that career and training opportunities in these areas can also grow,” Fernandez said. The online courses will be available to students on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. The two-year grant provides funding for course development, recruitment and hiring of instructors, staff training, and procurement of necessary supplies, including laboratory kits for every student who registers and enrolls in an online food and agricultural science course. The NMC grant is one of a series made to the Insular Areas to strengthen agricultural education. NIFA Executive Director Sonny Ramaswamy said that “these programs will help insular areas institutions meet their unique needs. NIFA… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili%E2%80%99s-work-palau-compact-pays | Kililis work on Palau Compact pays off | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – President Trump signed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act today, including an extension of the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of Palau. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has been working for several years to get the fifteen-year extension enacted into law. It was originally negotiated by the U.S. and Palau in 2010, but never formally approved. “Because of the strategic importance of Palau to the security of all of us in the Western Pacific, I have worked hard to win approval of the extension of the Compact of Free Association,” Sablan said. “Peace and stability are the underpinnings for the economic health of our region. “And because I am the only Micronesian in the U.S. Congress, I also feel a special responsibility to help people throughout the island Pacific, whenever I can.” The annual Defense bill emerged as a route to approval of the Compact in 2016. Sablan had introduced legislation approving the Compact and authorizing multi-year funding. He arranged hearings for his bill before House Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources subcommittees. Then, working with Pacific representatives Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai’i), he was able to win the support of the Defense Department for inclusion of the Compact approval in the 2017 Defense bill. Although last year’s effort was not successful, Sablan again introduced Compact legislation this year, again got a hearing on the bill, and won approval in the House Natural Resources Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah). Bishop is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which writes the annual Defense authorization. “Focusing on Compact approval as a matter of strategic importance to the United States was key, I think, to getting it through Congress and signed into law today,” Sablan commented. “Although Congress has appropriated the funding amounts negotiated with Palau year-after-year, we were not giving Palau the assurance of long-term commitment that approval of the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-125k-agricultural-grant-nmc | Kilili: $125K agricultural grant for NMC | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today that Northern Marianas College received a federal grant of $124,827 to develop distance learning courses in food and agriculture science. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Distance Learning Grant will allow NMC to expand its online offerings to include courses in food and agricultural science. In the fall of 2018, NMC will begin offering these types of courses for the first time in its history. “NMC continues to expand its reach to provide quality education to students in the Northern Marianas,” said Congressman Sablan. “By expanding online courses to food and agricultural sciences, NMC will be able to provide wider educational opportunities to its students and may spark interest in further career-related study in this area.” According to NMC President Dr. Carmen Fernandez, “Because of the flexibility that online courses offer to students pursuing their college degree, Northern Marianas College has been working to grow the number of courses that can be accessed from home or from any other place with internet connectivity. “We are extremely grateful that the NIFA grant will allow the College to expand its online offerings to include food and agricultural science courses so that career and training opportunities in these areas can also grow,” Fernandez said. The online courses will be available to students on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. The two-year grant provides funding for course development, recruitment and hiring of instructors, staff training, and procurement of necessary supplies, including laboratory kits for every student who registers and enrolls in an online food and agricultural science course. The NMC grant is one of a series made to the Insular Areas to strengthen agricultural education. NIFA Executive Director Sonny Ramaswamy said that “… these programs will help insular areas institutions meet their unique needs. NIFA Investments are helping to increase the number an… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/trump-cut-cnmi-foreign-labor-force-half | Trump to cut CNMI foreign labor force in half | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The Guam Daily Post - Guam's neighbor to the north, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, faces a foreign labor crisis that its officials fear could disrupt its economy. In part to address the issue, CNMI Gov. Ralph Torres and his staff joined members of the Marianas business community for a meeting with Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan in Washington on Monday. All agreed that the Trump administration decision to reduce the number of transitional, nonimmigrant foreign worker permits this year to 9,998 was not what they wanted, Sablan stated in a news release. The cap in 2017 was 12,998, a significant drop from 22,417 in 2011, numbers from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service state. Sablan asked the governor to use his ties with President Donald Trump to roll back a further cut to 4,999, already announced for October next year. Trump has had a meeting with the CNMI governor in the White House. "In Congress, we are making good progress on consensus legislation that will ensure the Marianas economy has the labor it needs," Sablan told the group, "but the Trump administration decision to cut to 4,999 permits in October cuts in half the time we have to act and makes it even more difficult to get a long-term solution into law. "Short term, the decision is also very bad for our economy," Sablan stated. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-pushes-college-access-cnmi-samoa-students | Kilili pushes college access for CNMI, A. Samoa students | 2017-12-13 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C. - During a committee drafting session on the Higher Education Act yesterday, Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) proposed creating a federal program to help pay for the last two years of college for graduates of Northern Marianas College or American Samoa Community College. Sablan made the case that the Northern Marianas and American Samoa are the only U.S. jurisdictions without a four-year public college, where students may complete a baccalaureate degree. He compared his proposal to the program for students from the District of Columbia, who receive federal assistance to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities anywhere in the United States. Two Republicans voted with all Democrats on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, but the Sablan amendment was narrowly defeated, 19-20. “Education continues to be my No. 1 priority in Congress,” Sablan said. “And the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act now underway provides me the opportunity to help make college more affordable for students from the Marianas.” “I want to thank my Republican friends, Duncan Hunter of California and Dr. Phil Roe of Tennessee, for voting with me on my amendment. Even though we were not successful in committee, we can still bring this up again in the Rules Committee and when the bill comes to the floor for a vote.” The Higher Education Act was last reauthorized in 2008, before Sablan was elected to Congress. He had been working in the run-up to yesterday’s session to have his four-year college proposal incorporated into the Republican base bill. But, even though his proposal would have also helped American Samoan students, represented in Congress by Republican Amata Aumua Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), the Republican-led committee was unwilling to add a new program and new costs. So Sablan offered his plan as an amendment yesterday. “Nonresident students spend an average of $14,480 more per year in out-of-state tuition and fees than their resident peers at public fou… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/congressman-sablan-governor-torres-meet | Congressman Sablan, Governor Torres meet | 2017-12-12 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Sablan, Governor Torres meet Dec 11, 2017 Governor Ralph Dlg. Torres and his staff joined members of the Marianas business community for a meeting with Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan in Washington on Monday. All agreed that the Trump administration decision to cut the number of CW permits this year to 9,998 was not what they wanted. Looking ahead, Sablan asked the Governor to use his influence with the President to roll back a further cut to 4,999, already announced for next October. “In Congress, we are making good progress on consensus legislation that will ensure the Marianas economy has the labor it needs,” Sablan told the group. “But the Trump administration decision to cut to 4,999 permits in October cuts in half the time we have to act and makes it even more difficult to get a long-term solution into law. Short-term, the decision is also very bad for our economy.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/ahead-nmbac-washington | Ahead: NMBAC in Washington | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Ahead: NMBAC in Washington Dec 11, 2017 Next week, the Northern Marianas Business Alliance Corporation is in Washington to talk about island workforce issues. We are scheduled to meet on Monday. I am looking forward to briefing NMBAC on progress the bicameral, bipartisan congressional working group is making to ensure we have sufficient labor to keep the Marianas economy going strong and to ensure that more and more local, U.S. workers join the labor force. It is not easy to find policies that are acceptable across a wide range of ideologies and also have a chance of passage by the House and the Senate in the coming year. But the same group worked successfully on passage of my bill, H.R. 339, the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act, which the President signed into law in August. So I am optimistic that we can also be successful putting together a long-term solution for our labor needs. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/fy18-more-days-indecision | FY18: more days of indecision | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | FY18: more days of indecision Dec 11, 2017 Sixty-eight days into fiscal year 2018, leadership is kicking the can down the road on making the necessary spending decisions – for the second time. Thursday’s votes in the House and the Senate keep the government open until December 22. In caucus, in committee, in conversation with Members on both sides of the aisle, I continue to press for action on what I see as our most urgent national priorities: · Parity between defense spending and the domestic budget, where almost all the funding for the Marianas comes from, · Funding for veterans and the fight against opioids, · Renewal of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Community Health Center spending, and · Passage of the DREAM Act. Let us hope the extra days until December 22 are enough to reach agreement, so we will not have to kick the can into January. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/trump-fcc-attacks-net-neutrality | Trump FCC attacks net neutrality | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Trump FCC attacks net neutrality Dec 11, 2017 We all know the frustration of waiting for a webpage to load or a video to buffer because of a slow internet connection. That is why I worked to convince Netflix to provide streaming service to our islands just like on the mainland. And that is why I am strongly opposed to the Trump Federal Communications Commission plan that will allow internet service providers to intentionally slow down content they do not want you to see or make it more expensive. The Obama administration put in place “net neutrality” rules that assured a free and open internet. So, no matter how you wanted to use the internet—for classroom learning applications, telemedicine, online shopping, or e-mail—you got the same level of service. The Trump FCC votes on December 14 to end net neutrality. I signed onto a letter to the FCC asking for the vote to be delayed and for more time for Americans to weigh in with their opinion on this issue. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-8-2017 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 8, 2017 | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ____________________________________________________________________________ Trump FCC attacks net neutrality We all know the frustration of waiting for a webpage to load or a video to buffer because of a slow internet connection. That is why I worked to convince Netflix to provide streaming service to our islands just like on the mainland. And that is why I am strongly opposed to the Trump Federal Communications Commission plan that will allow internet service providers to intentionally slow down content they do not want you to see or make it more expensive. The Obama administration put in place “net neutrality” rules that assured a free and open internet. So, no matter how you wanted to use the internet—for classroom learning applications, telemedicine, online shopping, or e-mail—you got the same level of service. The Trump FCC votes on December 14 to end net neutrality. I signed onto a letter to the FCC asking for the vote to be delayed and for more time for Americans to weigh in with their opinion on this issue. Working for island family values Caring for family—especially our elders—is a hallmark of island culture. Millions of our fellow Americans feel the same way and face difficult choices between going to work and caring for loved ones. That is why I am backing three important pieces of legislation. Together, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, Healthy Families Act, and Schedules That Work Act mean that workers will not lose their job when called to care for a loved one. Meanwhile, 8 state legislatures and 32 local governments have not waited for the federal government to act; they have already taken the initiative to enact laws providing these protections for working families. But now, there is a corporate-backed move to use federal legislation to go around these local laws. As Ranking Member on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee, I spoke out against overriding local self-government like this at a hearing on Wednesday. And I will keep working for legislatio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/working-island-family-values | Working for island family values | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Working for island family values Dec 11, 2017 Caring for family—especially our elders—is a hallmark of island culture. Millions of our fellow Americans feel the same way and face difficult choices between going to work and caring for loved ones. That is why I am backing three important pieces of legislation. Together, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, Healthy Families Act, and Schedules That Work Act mean that workers will not lose their job when called to care for a loved one. Meanwhile, 8 state legislatures and 32 local governments have not waited for the federal government to act; they have already taken the initiative to enact laws providing these protections for working families. But now, there is a corporate-backed move to use federal legislation to go around these local laws. As Ranking Member on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee, I spoke out against overriding local self-government like this at a hearing on Wednesday. And I will keep working for legislation that reflects our island culture and family values. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/democrats-promote-paid-sick-leave-and-paid-family-and-medical-leave-proposals-hearing | Democrats Promote Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family and Medical Leave Proposals at Hearing | 2017-12-08 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Education and the Workforce Democratic Committee, WASHINGTON – TODAY, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing to examine workplace leave proposals. Millions of working people across the country lack access to the flexible workplace policies that help them balance work and family. In 2016, only 13 percent of private-industry employees had access to paid family leave through their employers, 37 million workers did not earn a single paid sick day, and approximately 41 percent of hourly workers received their work schedules only seven days in advance. “The American people have embraced the need for paid leave policies as a core economic issue,” said Congressman Gregorio Sablan (MP-AL), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. “Workers should not be forced into economic hardship in order to take care of themselves or their families. Our federal laws must provide guaranteed benefits to help working people balance work and family.” Committee Democrats raised concerns about a corporate-backed proposal that would allow employers to establish workplace flexibility plans to avoid compliance with state and local governments’ laws requiring earned sick days, paid leave, and predictable scheduling. This proposal, Workflex in the 21st Century Act (H.R. 4219), is promoted under the guise of “flexibility,” but fails to provide guaranteed benefits to workers. “The American people overwhelming support paid leave legislation. Yet, Congress has failed to respond to this call. Eight states and thirty-two localities have stepped in to provide sick leave and five states provide family and medical leave,” said Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03). “Rather than supporting reasonable cost-effective proposals, corporate interests are proposing legislation that would exempt businesses from the requirements of a state or local government’s paid leave laws and allow voluntary employer sponsored programs which provide less generous benefits. There should be room for bipartis… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/bunts-anderson-villarmero-win-app-challenge | Bunts-Anderson, Villarmero win App Challenge | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Bunts-Anderson, Villarmero win App Challenge Dec 3, 2017 Congratulations to Chenoa Bunts-Anderson and Daniel Villarmero of Marianas High School, the winners of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge. Twenty two students from the Northern Marianas entered this year's Congressional App Challenge, competing as individuals or teams of up to four. Thirteen apps were submitted with selection of the winning entries made by tech industry experts. From these submissions, The Student Companion, by Daniel Villarmero and Chenoa Bunts-Anderson of Marianas High School, was chosen as this year’s winner. Mount Carmel School students Joanie Paraiso, Tawnie Manibusan and Cassidy Torres took second and third place for their apps The Thought Bubble and Pocket Homework, respectively. The App Challenge is open to all elementary and secondary students and is intended to encourage student creativity and participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/combating-sexual-harassment | Combating sexual harassment | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Combating sexual harassment Dec 3, 2017 Delegate Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and I have teamed up to co-sponsor the ME TOO Congress Act, a bill that makes sexual harassment complaints in Congress easier for victims to file and for the public to see. Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California), the ME TOO Congress Act also makes Members of Congress personally liable for any settlement payments arising from harassment claims and requires Members and their staff to take annual anti-harassment training. To make this a truly bipartisan effort, Ms. Speier asked that co-sponsors come on board as a pair, one Democrat, one Republican – the Noah’s Ark system. I thank my Republican colleague, Ms. Radewagen, for accepting my invitation to join me in supporting the effort to lift the veil of secrecy that has existed here in Congress for too long on sexual harassment and to make it easier for victims to come forward. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-and-radewagen-team-anti-sexual-harassment-bill | Kilili and Radewagen team up on anti-sexual harassment bill | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) and his insular area colleague Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-A. Samoa) have teamed up to co-sponsor the Me Too Congress Act, a bill that makes sexual harassment complaints in Congress easier for victims to file and for the public to see. Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) earlier this month, the Me Too Congress Act also makes members of Congress personally liable for any settlement payments arising from harassment claims and requires members and their staff to take annual anti-harassment training. “To make this a truly bipartisan effort, Ms. Speier asked that co-sponsors come on board as a pair, one Democrat, one Republican,” Sablan explained. “The Noah’s Ark system. “I want to thank my Republican colleague, Ms. Radewagen, for accepting my invitation to join me in supporting the effort to lift the veil of secrecy that has existed here in Congress for too long on sexual harassment and to make it easier for victims to come forward.” “There’s simply no place for harassment in the halls of Congress, or anywhere else,” said Amata. “I welcome this bipartisan effort to help protect employees. We want the highest professional standards of decency practiced in the U.S. Capitol.” In dramatic testimony before introducing her legislation, Speier reported her own experience as a congressional staff person in the 1970s, being sexually harassed by her chief of staff. She said that she knew of two sitting members of Congress guilty of the behavior and revealed the existence of a special House account from which payments have been made to victims of harassment. Shortly after, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) issued a directive, effective House-wide, requiring sexual harassment training. And on Thursday last week, the House voted to confirm this requirement. “I already require everyone in the Marianas congressional office—including myself—to take the sexual harassment training offered by the chief administrative officer of the Ho… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/support-firefighter-programs | Support firefighter programs | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Support firefighter programs Dec 3, 2017 Ensuring our firefighters have the resources and flexibility needed to do their jobs is among the reasons I joined the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and 152 of my colleagues on a letter urging House leadership to act on S. 829, a bill to reauthorize the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs. AFG helps local firefighters obtain training and equipment, including protective gear and emergency vehicles. SAFER grants enable local fire departments to comply with national standards. Our local fire department have received over $2 million AFG and SAFER funds in the past to help our firefighters prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters. S. 829 would make the programs permanent and extend current authorization levels. Without House action, the AFG and SAFER programs will end on January 2, 2018. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-1-2017 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 1, 2017 | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: ____________________________________________________________________________ Bunts-Anderson, Villarmero win App Challenge Twenty two students from the Northern Marianas entered this year's Congressional App Challenge, competing as individuals or teams of up to four. Thirteen apps were submitted with selection of the winning entries made by tech industry experts. From these submissions, The Student Companion, by Daniel Villarmero and Chenoa Bunts-Anderson of Marianas High School, was chosen as this year’s winner. Mount Carmel School students Joanie Paraiso, Tawnie Manibusan and Cassidy Torres took second and third place for their apps The Thought Bubble and Pocket Homework, respectively. The App Challenge is open to all elementary and secondary students and is intended to encourage student creativity and participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. Support firefighter programs Ensuring our firefighters have the resources and flexibility needed to do their jobs is among the reasons I joined the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and 152 of my colleagues on a letter urging House leadership to act on S. 829, a bill to reauthorize the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs. AFG helps local firefighters obtain training and equipment, including protective gear and emergency vehicles. SAFER grants enable local fire departments to comply with national standards. Our local fire department have received over $2 million AFG and SAFER funds in the past to help our firefighters prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters. S. 829 would make the programs permanent and extend current authorization levels. Without House action, the AFG and SAFER programs will end on January 2, 2018. Combating sexual harassment Delegate Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and I have teamed up to co-sponsor the ME TOO Congress Act, a bill that makes sexual harassment complaints in Congress e… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-villarmero-bunts-anderson-win-nmi-congressional-app-competition | Kilili: Villarmero, Bunts-Anderson win NMI Congressional App Competition | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - Daniel Villarmero and Chenoa Bunts-Anderson of Marianas High School are the winners of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced Thursday. The Villarmero and Bunts-Anderson team bested 12 other submissions in the Northern Mariana’s district-level competition. “All of this year’s entries to the App Challenge were very creative and innovative — a great showing for the promise of STEM education in the Northern Marianas,” Congressman Sablan said. “Every one of the students who dreamed up a concept and programmed an app can be proud of their work.” Selection of the winning entry was made by judges Renee Bochman of the tech company LevelTrigger and Marc Boumedine of the University of the Virgin Islands. Villarmero and Bunts-Anderson’s app, called “The Student Companion,” is web-based and gives students a set of tools to help with their studies. Tools include a task manager with reminders, and a relaxation page that utilizes calming images and soothing music to help students rest during study breaks. The two Marianas High School seniors worked as a team on “The Student Companion,” as did most of the 22 students who entered their work in the App Challenge. Daniel and Chenoa will now receive national recognition and their app will be eligible for display in the U.S. Capitol. Along with winners of the App Challenge from across the country, the Marianas team will also be invited to attend the House of Code reception, scheduled for early spring next year in Washington D.C., where they will be honored for their work. Also receiving notable mentions: in second place, The Thought Bubble by Joanie Paraiso of Mount Carmel School, is an app that assists creative writers with writing tips and story ideas. In third place, Pocket Homework by Tawnie Manibusan and Cassidy Torres of Mount Carmel School, is an assignments tracking application specifically designed for student’s smart phones. This is th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-walberg-focus-national-pension-crisis | Kilili, Walberg focus on national pension crisis | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) — U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, ranking member on the House Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, led a hearing Wednesday on the financial challenges facing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The PBGC is a federal agency that insures private-sector retirement plans nationwide. Plans pay a premium for the insurance; but, as more plans are revealed to be underfunded, demands on PBGC to provide backup have exceeded the financial capacity of the agency to protect retirees. “I believe we should be guided by the simple principle that it is not the fault of the workers or the retirees’ that their pension plans are on the brink of insolvency,” Congressman Sablan noted in his opening statement at the hearing. “These Americans worked a lifetime and earned their pensions. American workers don’t want a bailout, they just want the pension promise that was made to them to be upheld.” According to the PBGC’s annual report for 2017, the multiemployer pension programs backed by the government insurer have $2 billion in assets to cover $67 billion in pension liabilities — an increase of $6 billion year-over-year. The agency is looking to Congress for help before it runs out of money in 2025. A pension collapse could have a negative ripple effect throughout the U.S. economy. Multiemployer plans are set up by two or more employers and a union, typically in the same or related industries, such as construction or transportation. The plans are run by a board of trustees, with an equal number of employer and union trustees. After almost a year of work, meeting with pension managers and with employee and retiree representatives, Congressman Sablan became an original co-sponsor of a legislative solution that could prevent multiemployer plans from failing, while safeguarding retirees’ hard-earned pensions. Wednesday’s hearing was an opportunity for PBGC’s Director W. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/new-fafsa-bill-would-help-low-income-students-access-financial-aid | New FAFSA Bill Would Help Low-Income Students Access Financial Aid | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | CLASP — As college costs continue to rise, millions of low-income students, particularly students of color, are struggling to make ends meet. The Simple FAFSA Act, introduced last week, would increase support for working students, streamline the financial aid process, and expand access to more low-income students. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Susan Davis (D-CA), Gregorio Sablan (D-NMI-AL), and Ami Bera (D-CA). CLASP applauds many of the bill’s provisions: The bill increases support for working students. The bill reduces the “work penalty,” enabling working students to keep a greater share of their earnings, complete their degrees more quickly, and reduce their student loan debt. It increases by 35 percent the Income Protection Allowance (IPA), a method used to determine the amount of income students can earn that isn’t counted against their eligibility for Pell and other need-based federal financial aid programs. In addition to increases for student parents, the new IPA will be: $9,010 for a dependent student; $14,010 for an independent student who has no dependents and is single, separated, or married to a spouse who’s enrolled in college; and $22,460 for an independent student who has no dependents and is married to a spouse not enrolled in college. This bill makes it easier for low-income students to apply—and qualify—for federal student aid. It would reduce the number of questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), placing applicants into one of three pathways based on their finances. CLASP strongly supports removing the income verification requirement for applicants who have received benefits from a means-tested federal program over the prior two years. This includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Under this bill, benefit recipients can s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-radewagen-team-anti-sexual-harassment-bill | Kilili, Radewagen team up on anti-sexual harassment bill | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and his insular area colleague Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) have teamed up to co-sponsor the ME TOO CONGRESS Act, a bill that makes sexual harassment complaints in Congress easier for victims to file and for the public to see. Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California) earlier this month, the ME TOO CONGRESS Act also makes Members of Congress personally liable for any settlement payments arising from harassment claims and requires Members and their staff to take annual anti-harassment training. “To make this a truly bipartisan effort, Ms. Speier asked that co-sponsors come on board as a pair, one Democrat, one Republican,” Sablan explained. “The Noah’s Ark system. “I want to thank my Republican colleague, Ms. Radewagen, for accepting my invitation to join me in supporting the effort to lift the veil of secrecy that has existed here in Congress for too long on sexual harassment and to make it easier for victims to come forward.” “There’s simply no place for harassment in the halls of Congress, or anywhere else,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “I welcome this bipartisan effort to help protect employees. We want the highest professional standards of decency practiced in the U.S. Capitol.” In dramatic testimony before introducing her legislation, Rep. Speier reported her own experience, as a congressional staff person in the 1970s, being sexually harassed by her Chief of Staff. She said that she knew of two sitting Members of Congress guilty of the behavior and revealed the existence of a special House account from which payments have been made to victims of harassment. Shortly after, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) issued a directive, effective House-wide, requiring sexual harassment training. And yesterday the House voted to confirm this requirement. “I already require everyone in the Marianas congressional office—including myself—to take the sexual harassment training offered by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House,” S… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-villarmero-bunts-anderson-win-nmi-congressional-app-competition | Kilili: Villarmero, Bunts-Anderson win NMI Congressional App Competition | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Daniel Villarmero and Chenoa Bunts-Anderson of Marianas High School are the winners of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced today. The Villarmero and Bunts-Anderson team bested 12 other submissions in the Northern Mariana’s district-level competition. “All of this year’s entries to the App Challenge were very creative and innovative—a great showing for the promise of STEM education in the Northern Marianas,” Congressman Sablan said. “Every one of the students who dreamed up a concept and programmed an app can be proud of their work.” Selection of the winning entry was made by judges Renee Bochman of the tech company LevelTrigger and Marc Boumedine of the University of the Virgin Islands. Mr. Villarmero and Ms. Bunts-Anderson’s app, called “The Student Companion,” is web-based and gives students a set of tools to help with their studies. Tools include a task manager with reminders, and a relaxation page that utilizes calming images and soothing music to help students rest during study breaks. The two Marianas High School seniors worked as a team on “The Student Companion,” as did most of the 22 students who entered their work in the App Challenge. Daniel and Chenoa will now receive national recognition and their app will be eligible for display in the U.S. Capitol. Along with winners of the App Challenge from across the country, the Marianas team will also be invited to attend the House of Code reception, scheduled for early spring next year in Washington D.C., where they will be honored for their work. Also receiving notable mentions: in second place, The Thought Bubble by Ms. Joanie Paraiso of Mount Carmel School, is an app that assists creative writers with writing tips and story ideas. In third place, Pocket Homework by Ms. Tawnie Manibusan and Ms. Cassidy Torres of Mount Carmel School, is an assignments tracking application specifically designed for student’s smart phones. This is the third year that Marianas students have accepted K… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-walberg-focus-national-pension-crisis | Kilili, Walberg focus on national pension crisis | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) led a hearing today on the financial challenges facing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The PBGC is a federal agency that insures private-sector retirement plans nationwide. Plans pay a premium for the insurance; but, as more plans are revealed to be underfunded, demands on PBGC to provide backup have exceeded the financial capacity of the agency to protect retirees. “I believe we should be guided by the simple principle that it is not the fault of the workers or the retirees’ that their pension plan is on the brink of insolvency,” Congressman Sablan noted in his opening statement at the hearing. “These Americans worked a lifetime and earned their pension. American workers don’t want a bailout, they just want the pension promise that was made to them to be upheld.” According to the PBGC’s annual report for 2017, the multiemployer pension programs backed by the government insurer have $2 billion in assets to cover $67 billion in pension liabilities—an increase of $6 billion year-over-year. The agency is looking to Congress for help before it runs out of money in 2025. A pension collapse could have a negative ripple effect throughout the U.S. economy. Multiemployer plans are set up by two or more employers and a union, typically in the same or related industries, such as construction or transportation. The plans are run by a board of trustees, with an equal number of employer and union trustees. After almost a year of work, meeting with pension managers and with employee and retiree representatives, Congressman Sablan became an original co-sponsor of a legislative solution that could prevent multiemployer plans from failing, while safeguarding retirees’ hard-earned pensions. Today’s hearing was an opportunity for PBGC’s Director W. Thomas Reeder, Jr. to comment on the multiemployer problem in general and on spe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/537201-hire-police | $537,201 to hire police | 2017-11-27 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $537,201 to hire police Nov 26, 2017 Congratulations to the Commonwealth Department of Public Safety on successfully applying for $537,201 from the Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. Congress established the program to help law enforcement agencies across the country increase their capacity to fight crime and advance public safety by hiring more police officers. DPS was one of 179 police departments awarded the funding from the more than 1,100 applications submitted. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/cw-cap-announced | CW cap announced | 2017-11-27 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Wednesday morning, when the CW foreign worker caps were announced (FY18: 9,998; FY19: 4,999; FY20: 2,499), I was at Hopwood celebrating Education Day. When people ask me, what is my long-term solution to our need for a skilled workforce, I point to those school kids. And I have focused on helping them get educated throughout my nine years in Congress. In my first term, I worked on the law that raised Pell grants and made more students eligible. So, today, most students at NMC go for free with a Pell grant. I changed the funding formula for the federal Title I grant to PSS. This year, PSS is getting $4.5 million more as a result and that money continues year-after-year. And my Northern Marianas Economic Expansion Act, signed by President Trump in August, raised the education fee that employers of CW workers pay. Governor Torres is putting that money into the scholarship fund to send our kids to college. We graduate about 900 students every year. It will take a decade or more to replace most foreign workers with U.S. workers, but it is not an impossible goal. Meanwhile, we still need foreign workers. And we have a President who, as a candidate, promised to get tough on immigration and protect American workers and who, as President, followed through with Executive Order 13788, which is cited in the CW cut announced this week. Whether you supported the Trump candidacy or not, no one should be surprised by his action. But it makes the job of continuing the CW program beyond 2019 very difficult. Fortunately, last month the President signed into law my legislation that bars the use of CW permits for new construction workers, USPL 115-53. Taking construction workers off the table means that 9,998 CW permits should be enough for our local businesses. They needed 9,715 CW workers in 2015. The new cap covers that. They needed 9,856 non-construction CW workers in 2016. The new cap covers that. I want to thank Governor Torres and the business community for supporting my legislation. There have been complaints, I know. The law… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-happy-thanksgiving-day | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - Happy Thanksgiving Day | 2017-11-27 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: November 22, 2017 __________________________________________________________________________ CW cap announced Wednesday morning, when the CW foreign worker caps were announced (FY18: 9,998; FY19: 4,999; FY20: 2,499), I was at Hopwood celebrating Education Day. When people ask me, what is my long-term solution to our need for a skilled workforce, I point to those school kids. And I have focused on helping them get educated throughout my nine years in Congress. In my first term, I worked on the law that raised Pell grants and made more students eligible. So, today, most students at NMC go for free with a Pell grant. I changed the funding formula for the federal Title I grant to PSS. This year, PSS is getting $4.5 million more as a result and that money continues year-after-year. And my Northern Marianas Economic Expansion Act, signed by President Trump in August, raised the education fee that employers of CW workers pay. Governor Torres is putting that money into the scholarship fund to send our kids to college. We graduate about 900 students every year. It will take a decade or more to replace most foreign workers with U.S. workers, but it is not an impossible goal. Meanwhile, we still need foreign workers. And we have a President who, as a candidate, promised to get tough on immigration and protect American workers and who, as President, followed through with Executive Order 13788, which is cited in the CW cut announced this week. Whether you supported the Trump candidacy or not, no one should be surprised by his action. But it makes the job of continuing the CW program beyond 2019 very difficult. Fortunately, last month the President signed into law my legislation that bars the use of CW permits for new construction workers, USPL 115-53. Taking construction workers off the table means that 9,998 CW permits should be enough for our local businesses. They needed 9,715 CW workers in 2015. The new cap covers that. They needed 9,856 non-construction CW workers in 2016. The new cap covers that. I want… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-remains-optimistic-cw-1-extension | Kilili remains optimistic with CW-1 extension | 2017-11-26 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — The 3,000 cut in CNMI-Only Transitional Worker slots for fiscal year 2018 was devastating news to business owners and elected leaders alike, but Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) remains optimistic that the CW-1 program would be extended beyond 2019. The CW-1 program, which handles the CNMI’s foreign labor workforce, is slated to end in 2019. The program has already been extended once, back in 2014. In a news briefing last week, Sablan said he remains confident in the program being extended anew. “The working group agrees that there needs to be an extension; that has already been agreed to. It’s not a matter of how long, but a matter of how many,” said Sablan, He said he has been working on legislation to extend the CW-1 program. The legislation, which would most likely originate from the U.S. Senate, already has boundaries set up for discussion by a working group led by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The problem Sablan sees is that the group does not include Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. According to Sablan, he and Murkowski have reached an agreement that Torres would be included in the working group; however, the U.S. senator has yet to invite the governor to join. “We have agreed that the Governor’s Office would be part of the working group. When that invitation is extended is not my call, but I have asked and she agreed. The chairwoman could call the governor next week, today, next year, I don’t know, but I continue to insist that the governor be part of the working group,” he said. “The working group has set a parameter, a framework of what we can do in the bill, what we can include and not include, and it is a working progress,” said Sablan, adding that they have yet to come up with a bill. “…But we are discussing what is possible to do in the extension: a longer term extension? How do we handle long-term workers? Do we give them a longer term visa here? Open up a whole new visa category for them and not count that toward the CW-1 visa cap? What is the visa cap? How do we reduc… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/%E2%80%98cuts-line-trump-administration-goals | Cuts in line with Trump administration goals' | 2017-11-25 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said yesterday that the massive cuts in the Commonwealth’s CW-1 slots are in line with President Donald J. Trump’s goals of reducing reliance on foreign workers. Citing Executive Order 13788 on “Buy American, Hire American” that was issued in April 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced late Tuesday night that the numerical caps for CW-1 slots would be 9,998 for fiscal year 2018, 4,999 for fiscal year 2019, and 2,499 for the first three months of fiscal year 2020. “As a candidate, [Trump] promised to get tough on immigration and protect the American workers. Everyone who supported him heard him say that. As today’s [Federal Register] says, ‘This cut is consistent with the general policy in Executive Order 13788: Buy American, Hire American, issued in April…2017,’” Sablan said in a news briefing yesterday. “Those information are directly quoted from that executive order and in today’s USCIS order, so no one should be surprised that the Trump administration is cutting back [on the number of] foreign workers in the Marianas.” Sablan gives credit to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for reducing the cut from a reported 6,000 to 3,000. According to a statement from the administration, Torres met with Trump and his top advisers on several occasions in October and November 2017 to discuss various issues in the CNMI, including the CNMI Transitional Workers Program. “On Nov. 3, 2017, I spoke with President Trump and White House chief of staff John Kelly in Hawaii to request assistance to not reduce the number by half. On Nov. 7, 2017, I spoke with the White House Domestic Policy Council and wrote letters to [Kelly]. I also corresponded with his staff on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9,” said Torres in a separate statement. Though the situation looks grim, Sablan noted that prior to the surge of construction workers in early 2006, foreign workers on Saipan numbered only about 9,715 in 2005. “Fortunately, the Trump administration passed my legislation that bars th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-step-ahead-sex-harassment-training | Kilili is a step ahead on sex harassment training | 2017-11-20 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) had already required everyone in the Marianas congressional office to take anti-sexual harassment training, when Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) sent word Tuesday that the training would now be mandatory for all members and staff of the U.S. House of Representatives. Ryan’s announcement came on the same day that Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California) testified at a hearing of the House Committee on Administration that two sitting members, a Republican and a Democrat, have engaged in sexual harassment and that the House has paid out some $15 million to victims. “Even though our employee handbook that governs the conduct of the Marianas office explicitly prohibits any form of sexual harassment and sets out the actions to take by anyone who has been harassed, it was my belief that more active measures were needed,” Sablan said. “So I required that all of the congressional staff take the training the chief administrative officer of the House makes available online and provide my chief of staff with their certification of completion. “I completed the course, too,” Sablan added. “We all have to heighten our awareness of how sexual harassment can occur and make sure that everyone feels safe in their work environment.” The Marianas congressional office’s employee handbook, which is provided to every staff when they join the office, sets out what to do in the event of harassment. “It is the intention of the office to stop harassment before it rises to the level of a violation of law,” the handbook reads. “Any employee who believes that he/she has been subjected to or has witnessed actions that violate this policy should promptly make a report to the office management in order for management to immediately investigate and take corrective action where appropriate.” In her testimony, Speier also revealed that, while working in a congressional office in the 1970s, she herself had been sexually assaulted by the office chief of staff. “Sexual harassment—or harassmen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/governor-asked-tax-data | Governor asked for tax data | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Governor asked for tax data Nov 17, 2017 To understand the impact of tax legislation now being debated in Congress, I have asked Governor Ralph Torres for data on how many Marianas tax filers use ten tax deductions or credits proposed to be cut, and the dollar value of each. House Republicans passed their bill, H.R. 1, on Thursday. The Senate is expected to act on its alternative later this month. Here is the complete list of credits and deductions I asked the Governor to help me with: Deduction for teachers, allows them to reduce their taxable income by up to $250 for professional training or classroom supplies. 1040CM, line 23. Deduction for moving expenses, important to encourage former residents and other U.S. workers to come to the Marianas for work. 1040CM, line 26. Student loan interest deduction, which helps reduce the cost of higher education. 1040CM, line 33. Dependent care cost credit, for families paying for daycare for children or who are caring for aging parents. 1040CM, line 49. Personal exemption, allows for $4,050 to be deducted from income for the individual taxpayer, their spouse, and each dependent. 1040CM, line 42. Senior exemption, increases the personal exemption by $1,550 for single filers and $2,500 for married couples. 1040CM, line 39. Adoption tax credit, allows taxpayers to claim a credit of $13,570 per eligible child they adopt. 1040CM, line 54. Medical expense deduction, used by taxpayers with high costs due to a disability, long-term care, or dental expenses. Schedule A, line 2. A $500,000 limit on homes eligible for the mortgage interest deduction. Schedule A, line 10. Elimination of the casualty loss deduction for damage, destruction, or loss of property as a result of a typhoon or other disaster. Schedule A, line 20. Losing these credits a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/lowering-cost-college | Lowering the cost of college | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Lowering the cost of college Nov 17, 2017 Applying for federal financial aid for college is so time-consuming and complicated that thousands of families do not even bother—yet most post-secondary students are eligible for some federal aid. In fact, $2.7 billion in Pell Grants goes unclaimed every year because students don’t complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. So I am helping lead the effort to make it easier by introducing H.R. 4416, the Simple FAFSA Act of 2017, along with Rep. Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), and other Democratic members of the Education and the Workforce Committee. Our bill reduces the number of questions on the FAFSA; requires only a one-time application for a multi-year Pell Grant, and allows very low income students and families - like many in the Marianas - to qualify for a full Pell Grant automatically. We want to make college more accessible and affordable for all Americans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/step-ahead-anti-harassment | A step ahead on anti-harassment | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | A step ahead on anti-harassment Nov 17, 2017 Even before Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California) made her dramatic testimony about sexual harassment in Congress on Tuesday, I had already required everyone in the Marianas congressional office—including myself—to take anti-sexual harassment training. Rep. Speier said that two sitting Members of the House, a Republican and a Democrat, have engaged in sexual harassment and that the House has paid out some $15 million to victims. She said that she, too, had been a victim, when working here as a staff person in the 1970s. No one should have to face that kind of threat in the workplace or anywhere else. Our office Employee Handbook explicitly prohibits any form of sexual harassment and explains what to do if harassed. But I decided more active measures were needed and required that we all take the online training offered by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House. I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 4155, which requires each congressional office to inform employees of their rights and protections against harassment under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/tax-bill-harms-veterans | Tax bill harms veterans | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Tax bill harms veterans Nov 17, 2017 The Republican tax bill that passed the House hurts veterans, active duty service members, and their families in a number of ways. The bill gets rid of the Work Opportunity Tax credit now available to employers, when they hire a veteran who has a service-connected disability, is unemployed, or receives food stamps. Also repealed is the Disabled Access Credit, which helps small businesses provide access to veterans and others with disabilities. The bill eliminates the education loan deduction, making schooling more expensive for those who have to take out a student loan to supplement GI Bill benefits. And active duty service members stand to lose from the change to the capital gains tax exemption, requiring residence in a home for five years to be eligible. Military families that relocate more frequently would no longer qualify for this tax break. Because the Commonwealth tax code mirrors the federal Internal Revenue Code these changes apply to tax filers in the Marianas. H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed the House on a party line vote, 227-205. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-veterans-day-marianas | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - Veterans Day in the Marianas | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: November 17, 2016 ________________________________________________________________________ Tax bill harms veterans The Republican tax bill that passed the House Thursday hurts veterans, active duty service members, and their families in a number of ways. The bill gets rid of the Work Opportunity Tax credit now available to employers, when they hire a veteran who has a service-connected disability, is unemployed, or receives food stamps. Also repealed is the Disabled Access Credit, which helps small businesses provide access to veterans and others with disabilities. The bill eliminates the education loan deduction, making schooling more expensive for those who have to take out a student loan to supplement GI Bill benefits. And active duty service members stand to lose from the change to the capital gains tax exemption, requiring residence in a home for five years to be eligible. Military families that relocate more frequently would no longer qualify for this tax break. Because the Commonwealth tax code mirrors the federal Internal Revenue Code these changes apply to tax filers in the Marianas. H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed the House on a party line vote, 227-205. Governor asked for tax data To understand the impact of tax legislation now being debated in Congress, I have asked Governor Ralph Torres for data on how many Marianas tax filers use ten tax deductions or credits proposed to be cut, and the dollar value of each. House Republicans passed their bill, H.R. 1, on Thursday. The Senate is expected to act on its alternative later this month. Here is the complete list of credits and deductions I asked the Governor to help me with: Deduction for teachers, allows them to reduce their taxable income by up to $250 for professional training or classroom supplies. 1040CM, line 23. Deduction for moving expenses, important to encourage former residents and other U.S. workers to come to the Marianas for work. 1040CM, line 26. Student loan interest deduction, which helps reduce the cost of… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/birth-tourism-serious-concern-says-kilili | Birth tourism a serious concern, says Kilili | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said birth tourism is a serious concern for the CNMI “because it could threaten…the parole program that makes Chinese and Russian tourism possible for us.” Birth-tourism may also involve criminal activity and overstaying, “which cannot be tolerated and which gives the Marianas a bad name,” he added. He said the Trump administration has its eye on birth-tourism in the CNMI. In a way, this is unfair — birth tourism is a problem everywhere in the U.S., not just the Marianas, Kilili said. “I have also been saying for years that the commercial airlines need to do a better job of prescreening — the same way our charters do — to keep birth tourists out. Former Gov. Eloy Inos and I asked the Department of Homeland Security to help with this, but under President Barack Obama, the agency said it did not have the legal authority. Maybe we will see a change with the Trump administration.” At the same time, Kilili said he is “very pleased to learn that the United States Attorney’s Office filed an indictment against an individual who promoted birth tourism, was working without a worker visa, hiring tourists as workers, and potentially money laundering.” From 2011 to 2017 the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s Vital Statistics Office recorded an increase in births involving mostly women from China. In 2011 there were 221 births involving mothers who were tourists. In 2012 there were 319; in 2013, 287; in 2014, 314; in 2015, 379; in 2016, 482; and from January to October 2017, the figure was 465. Under the American Constitution, U.S. citizenship is automatically conferred on children born in the U.S. On Dec. 30, 2016, the Los Angeles Times published a news report titled, “Why birth tourism from China persists even as U.S. officials crack down.” It stated that “even as middle class incomes in China enjoy explosive growth, and 96 percent of Chinese people in a recent Pew Research poll say their lives are better than those of their parents, an unknown number of ‘birth … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/tax-bill-nears-kilili-asks-torres-marianas-data | As tax bill nears, Kilili asks Torres for Marianas data | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) has asked Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for his help in analyzing the impact of tax legislation now being debated in Congress. In a letter to Torres last week, Sablan requested data on the number of Marianas tax filers using 10 different tax deductions or credits that are proposed to be cut. He also asked for the total dollar value of each of the deductions or credits. The Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has already made public its bill, H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Republicans in the Senate are expected to release their legislation soon. President Donald J. Trump has set a deadline of this year for passage of a tax bill. “As a mirror tax jurisdiction, any changes to the personal income tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applies to the Marianas and to taxpayers in the Marianas,” Sablan said. “I need to know exactly which of the proposed changes hurt Marianas taxpayers, which do not, and what the total impact will be, if H.R. 1 is enacted.” Among the deductions that are on the chopping block are the deduction for teachers that allows them to reduce their taxable income by up to $250 for professional training or supplies purchased for the classroom and the deduction for student loan interest that helps reduce the cost of higher education. “I am also concerned about the loss of the tax credit for the cost of dependent care assistance,” Sablan said. “Right now, families that pay for day care for their children, so parents can go to work, and families caring for aging parents can deduct some of those expenses from their taxes. The House tax bill takes that credit away.” Another deduction taxpayers can take to reduce taxable income is the moving expense deduction. “Being able to deduct moving expenses is an important incentive when we try to convince people to return home to the Marianas to work,” Sablan explained. “Loss of that deduction could undercut our effort to bring more U.S. workers into our labor force.” Sablan said he… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-confident-cw-extension | Kilili confident of CW extension | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) remains confident that an extension would be secured for the CW-1 program, which is set to end in 2019. The tricky part is how to “write this legislation where even if we don’t get a high number of CW-1s, we would continue to have a pool of workers in the Marianas,” Sablan said in a news briefing yesterday. The CW-1 program, or the CNMI Transitional Worker program, allows the CNMI to hire foreign workers; it has been in place since 2009. It was set to expire in 2014 but was extended to Dec. 31, 2019. As of publication, U.S. Congress has yet to allow extensions for the CW-1 program but Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Sablan both noted that an extension proposal is in the works. Sablan added that in order to continue providing the workforce necessary for the growing economy and to “do some justice” to some “long-term guest workers,” a new visa category could be created. “[The new visa category] would be for those individuals who have been here for a long period of time,” said Sablan, adding that the new category could be something that need not be renewed annually, unlike the CW-1 visa. “…Move [the longtime workers] into this new category where their visas have to be approved every three years rather than every year and probably allow their dependents to be able to work,” he said, also noting that the new visa category would not be counted as CW-1, therefore not contributing to the numerical limit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services sets every fiscal year. Though nothing is final yet, Sablan noted that discussions are occurring with a “working group,” which includes Torres’ office, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), as well as other bicameral and bipartisan members of Congress. “We are hoping to get this done by 2018 but if necessary, 2019, but I am confident that we can get this done,” said Sablan. USCIS has yet to release a numerical limit on CW-1 visas for fiscal year 2018. It is required by law to set a limit every fiscal year. A previous USCIS statement sa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/tax-bill-nears-kilili-asks-governor-marianas-data | As tax bill nears, Kilili asks Governor for Marianas data | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has asked Governor Ralph DLG. Torres for his help in analyzing the impact of tax legislation now being debated in Congress. In a letter to the Governor last week, the Congressman requested data on the number of Marianas tax filers using ten different tax deductions or credits that are proposed to be cut. The Congressman also asked for the total dollar value of each of the deductions or credits. The Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has already made public its bill, H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Republicans in the Senate are expected to release their legislation soon. President Trump has set a deadline of this year for passage of a tax bill. “As a mirror tax jurisdiction, any changes to the personal income tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code apply to the Marianas and to taxpayers in the Marianas,” Congressman Sablan said. “I need to know exactly which of the proposed changes hurt Marianas taxpayers, which do not, and what the total impact will be, if H.R. 1 is enacted.” Among the deductions that are on the chopping block are the deduction for teachers that allows them to reduce their taxable income by up to $250 for professional training or supplies purchased for the classroom and the deduction for student loan interest that helps reduce the cost of higher education. “I am also concerned about the loss of the tax credit for the cost of dependent care assistance,” Sablan said. “Right now, families that pay for day care for their children, so parents can go to work, and families caring for aging parents can deduct some of those expenses from their taxes. The House tax bill takes that credit away.” Another deduction taxpayers can take to reduce taxable income is the moving expense deduction. “Being able to deduct moving expenses is an important incentive when we try to convince people to return home to the Marianas to work,” Sablan explained. “Loss of that deduction could undercut our effort to bring more U.S. w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/gao-updates-kilili-agent-orange-investigation | GAO updates Kilili on Agent Orange investigation | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) — U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says that the Government Accountability Office remains on track with the Agent Orange investigation the congressman requested in April. Responding to constituent concern about exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant widely used by the U.S. in the Vietnam War, Sablan enlisted GAO to report on any possible contamination in the Marianas. He made the request together with Madeleine Z. Bordallo, D-Guam, and Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, who are also concerned that the toxic chemical may have affected people they represent. “We want to know where the U.S. stored, transferred, and used Agent Orange or its component chemicals and of any contamination of those sites that may have occurred or may be occurring,” Sablan said. “The U.S. has already acknowledged that anyone exposed to this toxic herbicide can be presumed to have long-term health risks. “If there was any Agent Orange in the Marianas, we need to know about it. Our Vietnam-era veterans, and other military personnel and civilians, deserve to have certainty about this concern and to get the help that they are entitled to, if they were exposed.” Last Friday, in a communication to Sablan GAO affirmed its commitment to examine issues related to Agent Orange, including where it was located and its health and environmental risks. GAO said that it expects the review to be completed by Spring 2018. Over 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were used in the Vietnam war, but the defoliant was also used in Korea along the demilitarized zone and at military facilities in the U.S. and other countries. Air Force and Air Force Reserve members who worked around C-123 aircraft may also have been exposed. The C-123 was used to transport Agent Orange and for aerial spraying of the herbicide. According to the Veterans Administration there is a legal presumption that “certain diseases are a result of exposure to these herbicides. This ‘presumptive policy’ simplifies the p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-unlimited-h-visas-safe | Kilili: Unlimited H visas safe | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — Intervention by Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) in the House/Senate agreement on the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act has kept safe the unlimited access to H visas available to Northern Marianas’ businesses. The agreement, released on Friday, keeps intact the provision that exempts the Northern Marianas from the cap on the number of H visas for temporary foreign workers that applies elsewhere in the U.S. In 2014, Sablan included an extension of this Marianas’ exemption for an additional five years in Public Law 113-235. “Whether through technical error or intentionally, the Senate version of the 2018 NDAA left out the words ‘or to the Commonwealth’ in a provision that addressed the military’s need for labor on Guam,” Sablan explained. “So we had to make sure that when the House and Senate reconciled their respective versions of the annual defense bill, those four words remained in place in existing law. “And we were successful. The Northern Marianas continues to have unlimited access to H visas.” H visas are used for temporary and seasonal workers in various categories, including professional occupations, agriculture, or construction. In Guam, the U.S. has long relied on contractors, who use H-2B visas to hire foreign workers for construction of military projects. Recently, however, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has been rejecting applications from Guam employers for renewal of these H-2B visa holders. In response, the 2018 NDAA creates a new subcategory of the H-2B visa that allows for up to 4,000 foreign workers in Guam for services or labor directly associated with the ongoing military buildup. The workers may also be used by military contractors in the Northern Marianas, if and when the current exemption from the cap on H visas expires in 2019 and, only if the Commonwealth government reaches an agreement with the U.S. military on terms of the buildup in the Northern Marianas. “I am very grateful to the committee and congressional offices and administrati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/129m-tinian-divert | $12.9M for Tinian divert | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $12.9M for Tinian divert Nov 12, 2017 The conference report also includes an additional $12.9 million for the Air Force divert airfield project on Tinian. Together with $9 million that Congress authorized in the 2017 NDAA, a total of $21.9 million is now available to lease the additional 142 hectares on the north side of Tinian airport needed for the divert project. The decision to site the divert field and support facilities on Tinian was made last December with the approval of Tinian leadership and Governor Torres and my support. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/apply-now-service-academy-nomination | Apply now for a service academy nomination | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) is once again accepting applications for nominations to the U.S. service academies. The deadline to apply for a congressional nomination is Dec. 8, 2017, for the school year beginning in the fall of 2018. “Every year, young people in the Marianas have the opportunity to obtain a congressional nomination to attend one of the service academies,” Sablan said. “For students who are interested in attaining a fully funded, world-class college education and serving in our nation’s armed forces, the educational and career opportunities offered by the service academies are unparalleled.” Service academy cadets and midshipmen graduate as commissioned officers and are committed to serve at least five years in the armed forces thereafter. To be eligible for a congressional nomination and service academy appointment, an individual must be a U.S. citizen, a high school graduate, from 17 to 23 years old, unmarried, with no dependents. Highly qualified applicants should be able to demonstrate a well-rounded record of academic excellence, physical fitness, leadership, and service. Five slots are currently available for Marianas students: two at the Military Academy in West Point, New York; one at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; one at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and one at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. The congressional office has been conducting a series of service academy outreach sessions at high schools throughout the Marianas since August. In September the congressional office hosted Service Academy Nights on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota that featured presentations by Coast Guard Academy graduates Lt. Christine Igisomar and Lt. Jonathan Girot, as well as video testimonials from Air Force cadets Jordan Butcher and Eufemio Feria, and West Point graduate 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Lee. Army Lt. Col. Lawrence Camacho, who chairs Drexel University’s military science department, also presented and answered questions about… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/house-senate-agree-defense-bill | House, Senate agree defense bill | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | The House and Senate Armed Services Committees issued their conference report this afternoon reconciling between the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2018. The bill, H.R. 2810, now goes to the House and the Senate for an up-or-down vote in each chamber. Among provisions of particular interest to the Marianas: - Unlimited H visas safe After intervention by the congressional office, a technical error in the Senate version of the 2018 NDAA, threatening the Marianas’ unlimited access to foreign workers using H visas, has been corrected. H visas are used for temporary and seasonal workers in various categories, including professional occupations, agriculture, or construction. In addition to preserving the Marianas’ exemption from the numerical limit on H visas that applies nationwide and is usually oversubscribed the 2018 NDAA creates a new subcategory of the H-2B visa and allows up to 4,000 for services or labor directly associated with the military build-up. This provision only applies to the Northern Marianas if and when the current immigration transition period ends and the Commonwealth government agrees on terms of the build-up. - $12.9M for Tinian divert The conference report also includes an additional $12.9 million for the Air Force divert airfield project on Tinian. Together with $9 million that Congress authorized in the 2017 NDAA, a total of $21.9 million is now available to lease the additional 142 hectares on the north side of Tinian airport needed for the divert project. The decision to site the divert field and support facilities on Tinian was made last December with the approval of Tinian leadership and Governor Torres and my support. - Palau agreement approved After a seven-year wait, the agreement to extend Palau’s Compact of Free Association through 2024 will finally be approved when the conference report is enacted into law. I have been an outspoken proponent of the strategic importance of Palau to the United States and of the need to keep America’s com… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/investigating-agent-orange-sites | Investigating Agent Orange Sites | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Investigating Agent Orange Sites Nov 12, 2017 Responding to constituent concern about exposure to the Agent Orange defoliant widely used by the U.S. in the Vietnam War, in April I enlisted the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate. Representatives Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam), and Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) joined me in the request. We want to know where the U.S. stored, transferred, and used Agent Orange or its components and of any associated site contamination. GAO affirmed their commitment to examine issues related to Agent Orange, including where it was located and its health and environmental risks. GAO expects their review to be completed by Spring 2018. Over 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were used during the war. It has been linked to serious health problems in veterans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-funding-tinian-divert-project-now-219m | Kilili: Funding for Tinian divert project now $21.9M | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Kilili: Funding for Tinian divert project now $21.9M Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa Nov 13, 2017 Marianas Variety — TOTAL funding for the Tinian Divert Airfield Project is now $21.9 million, according to the office of U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan. The original funding for the project was $9 million which was authorized by the U.S. Congress under the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Congress has increased the allocation by adding $12.9 million. The decision to locate the divert airfield on Tinian was finalized last year with the approval of the island’s leadership and Gov. Ralph Torres. However, the project did not move forward as there were still concerns that needed to be clarified particularly those related the CNMI Joint Military Training or CJMT issues. Torres and the Department of Defense recently agreed to shelve CJMT discussions for a while so they can focus exclusively on the divert project and move forward with the construction of divert facilities on Tinian. The Commonwealth Ports Authority has approved the U.S. Air Force layout plan for the airport which will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration for review and approval. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/palau-agreement-approved | Palau agreement approved | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Palau agreement approved Nov 12, 2017 After a seven-year wait, the agreement to extend Palau’s Compact of Free Association through 2024 will finally be approved when the conference report is enacted into law. I have been an outspoken proponent of the strategic importance of Palau to the United States and of the need to keep America’s commitment to this trusted ally. In April, my bill to extend the Compact, H.R. 2085, passed the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously; and the extension of the Compact has now been included in the larger, must-pass NDAA. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/gao-updates-kilili-agent-orange-investigation | GAO updates Kilili on Agent Orange investigation | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says that the Government Accountability Office remains on track with the Agent Orange investigation the Congressman requested in April. Responding to constituent concern about exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant widely used by the U.S. in the Vietnam War, Sablan enlisted GAO to report on any possible contamination in the Marianas. He made the request together with Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) and Ron DeSantis (R-Florida), who are also concerned that the toxic chemical may have affected people they represent. “We want to know where the U.S. stored, transferred, and used Agent Orange or its component chemicals and of any contamination of those sites that may have occurred or may be occurring,” Sablan said. “The U.S. has already acknowledged that anyone exposed to this toxic herbicide can be presumed to have long-term health risks. “If there was any Agent Orange in the Marianas, we need to know about it. Our Vietnam-era veterans, and other military personnel and civilians, deserve to have certainty about this concern and to get the help that they are entitled to, if they were exposed.” Last Friday, in a communication to Sablan GAO affirmed its commitment to examine issues related to Agent Orange, including where it was located and its health and environmental risks. GAO said that it expects the review to be completed by Spring 2018. Over 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were used in the Vietnam war, but the defoliant was also used in Korea along the demilitarized zone and at military facilities in the U.S. and other countries. Air Force and Air Force Reserve members who worked around C-123 aircraft may also have been exposed. The C-123 was used to transport Agent Orange and for aerial spraying of the herbicide. According to the Veterans Administration there is a legal presumption that “certain diseases are a result of exposure to these herbicides. This ‘presumptive policy’ simplifies the process for receiving compensation for these diseases … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-unlimited-h-visas-safe | Kilili: unlimited H visas safe | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Northern Mariana Islands – Intervention by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan in the House/Senate agreement on the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act has kept safe the unlimited access to H visas available to Northern Marianas’ businesses. The agreement, released on Friday, keeps intact the provision that exempts the Northern Marianas from the cap on the number of H visas for temporary foreign workers that applies elsewhere in the U.S. In 2014, Sablan included an extension of this Marianas’ exemption for an additional five years in Public Law 113-235. “Whether through technical error or intentionally the Senate version of the 2018 NDAA left out the words ‘or to the Commonwealth’ in a provision that addressed the military’s need for labor on Guam,” Sablan explained. “So, we had to make sure that when the House and Senate reconciled their respective versions of the annual defense bill those four words remained in place in existing law. “And we were successful. The Northern Marianas continues to have unlimited access to H visas.” H visas are used for temporary and seasonal workers in various categories, including professional occupations, agriculture, or construction. In Guam, the U.S. has long relied on contractors, who use H-2B visas to hire foreign workers for construction of military projects. Recently, however, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has been rejecting applications from Guam employers for renewal of these H-2B visa holders. In response, the 2018 NDAA creates a new subcategory of the H-2B visa that allows for up to 4,000 foreign workers in Guam for services or labor directly associated with the on-going military build-up. The workers may also be used by military contractors in the Northern Marianas, if and when the current exemption from the cap on H visas expires in 2019 and, only if the Commonwealth government reaches an agreement with the U.S. military on terms of the build-up in the Northern Marianas. “I am very grateful to the committee and congressional offices and admini… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/unlimited-h-visas-safe | Unlimited H visas safe | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Unlimited H visas safe Nov 12, 2017 After intervention by the congressional office, a technical error in the Senate version of the 2018 NDAA, threatening the Marianas’ unlimited access to foreign workers using H visas, has been corrected. H visas are used for temporary and seasonal workers in various categories, including professional occupations, agriculture, or construction. In addition to preserving the Marianas’ exemption from the numerical limit on H visas that applies nationwide and is usually oversubscribed the 2018 NDAA creates a new subcategory of the H-2B visa and allows up to 4,000 for services or labor directly associated with the military build-up. This provision only applies to the Northern Marianas if and when the current immigration transition period ends and the Commonwealth government agrees on terms of the build-up. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vets-committee-wants-islands-reports | Vets Committee wants islands reports | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Vets Committee wants islands reports Nov 12, 2017 I requested a special waiver to sit on the House Veterans Affairs Committee in this Congress, and used my membership to successfully offer an amendment to H.R. 4243, requiring the VA to report back to the Committee on services to island vets. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs must report on how it provides hospital care, medical, mental health, and geriatric services to veterans in the Marianas and other U.S. insular areas under terms of my amendment to the VA Asset and Infrastructure Review Act of 2017. The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee agreed to my amendment during mark-up of the bill. Originally limited to Pacific veterans in the Marianas, American Samoa, and Guam, I revised my amendment at the request of Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico) to include her district and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. The required report will give Congress a roadmap for removing barriers to access and providing our island veterans with quality VA care at home. At the mark-up, Chairman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tennessee) talked about our meeting beforehand on this issue and reiterated his commitment to visit personally and see how veterans are faring throughout America. The Chairman agreed to hold a hearing in 2018 on helping insular veterans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/vietnam-war-veterans-finally-get-recognition | Vietnam War veterans finally get recognition | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — AFTER more than 50 years, about 40 Vietnam War veterans in the CNMI received recognition during the Veterans Day commemoration on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, at American Memorial Park. The Vietnam War ended in 1975, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said in an interview. “Many of the servicemembers that went to Vietnam were drafted and yet when they came home there was no parade or anything — nothing.” The theme for this year’s Veterans Day was, “Honoring all who served in times of war — in time of peace.” Kilili said it was about time that the Vietnam War veterans were recognized. “It is just a way to say thank you to them and welcome them home, after more than 50 years.” Oscar C. Torres, executive officer of the CNMI Military and Veterans Affairs Office, said it was only proper for the U.S. and the CNMI governments to honor the Vietnam War veterans. “Many [Americans] did not really appreciate what they did,” he said, referring to the veterans. “Nobody wanted the Vietnam War.” Torres said the recognition for Vietnam War veterans started last year. One of them, Saipan Mayor David Apatang, recalled that during the war, “there were a lot of other problems in the U.S., and the war was never supported — people were demonstrating against it.” Apatang said he is thankful to then-President Barack Obama for recognizing the Vietnam veterans in 2012. “A lot of vets that came back from Vietnam are still suffering from various kinds of ailments. Finally, President Donald Trump is taking care of the veterans.” Apatang was deployed as an infantryman to Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 and from 1970 to 1971. “It is an experience that we usually don’t discuss. It is hard for many of us to come out and disclose our feelings,” he said. Robert “Cal” Colavechio, another Vietnam War veteran, said he was thankful that they were finally being given national recognition. “Times have changed and I hope it will stay that way,” he added. In her keynote speech, District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-9-2017 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 9, 2017 | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: Honoring Veterans Day Speaking up for veterans Vets committee wants islands report Echo Company: Go For Broke! Investigating Agent Orange sites Veterans Benefits coming to NMI Unlimited H visas safe $12.9M for Tinian divert Palau Compact approved Service Academy days on Saipan, Rota Academy Nominations Open Wind energy study okayed ANA grantees visit Prevailing wage study now in use School meals discussed Long may you run, Bishop Ryan OPPORTUNITIES LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS ____________________________________________________________________________ Vets Committee wants islands reports The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs must report on how it provides hospital care, medical, mental health, and geriatric services to veterans in the Marianas and other U.S. insular areas under terms of my amendment to the VA Asset and Infrastructure Review Act of 2017. The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee agreed to my amendment on Wednesday during mark-up of the bill. Originally limited to Pacific veterans in the Marianas, American Samoa, and Guam, I revised my amendment at the request of Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico) to include her district and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. The required report will give Congress a roadmap for removing barriers to access and providing our island veterans with quality VA care at home. At the mark-up, Chairman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tennessee) talked about our meeting beforehand on this issue and reiterated his commitment to visit personally and see how veterans are faring throughout America. Last month, the Chairman agreed to hold a hearing in 2018 on helping insular veterans. Investigating Agent Orange Sites Responding to constituent concern about exposure to the Agent Orange defoliant widely used by the U.S. in the Vietnam War, in April I enlisted the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate. Representatives Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam), and Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) joined me in the request. We want to kno… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/prevailing-wage-study-now-use | Prevailing wage study now in use | 2017-11-12 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Prevailing wage study now in use Nov 12, 2017 The Commonwealth’s 2016 Prevailing Wage and Workforce Study is now in use by the U.S. Department of Labor for making prevailing wage determinations for H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and H-2B visas, or permanent labor certification programs. I received confirmation of this in a letter today from Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Nancy M. Rooney. Prevailing wage certifications are required to ensure that foreign workers entering under these visa categories are not competing unfairly with U.S. workers or driving down wages by working for less than is generally paid for a particular job in a particular geographic location. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/committee-okays-kilili-wind-energy-amendment | Committee okays Kilili wind energy amendment | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – The House Natural Resources Committee agreed to amend a national energy bill today to include a feasibility study for offshore wind energy in the Marianas. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan offered the amendment during the mark-up of H.R. 4239, the SECURE American Energy Act. If the study demonstrates that wind energy is a feasible alternative for electrical generation in the Marianas, the bill authorizes offshore leases to be offered. “I want to thank Chairman Rob Bishop for his co-sponsorship of my amendment,” Congress Sablan said. “Lowering the cost of electricity is important for businesses and family households in the Marianas, so we have to use every opportunity to find ways to do that.” The Sablan amendment instructs the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to conduct the economic feasibility study and submit the results to Congress within 180 days of enactment of the SECURE Act. If the study finds that the use of wind energy is feasible, a lease is to be offered no later than one year after enactment. A 2017 study of unsubsidized levelized cost of energy by the investment firm Lazard found the cost of offshore wind to be $113 per MWh as compared to $197 for diesel reciprocating engine generation in remote locations. The 2013 Renewable Energy Integration Study commissioned by the Commonwealth Utility Corporation found possibilities for significant cost savings with the addition of renewable energy to the CUC system. Up to 8,000 kW of energy from wind or solar generation could be added to the CUC system without requiring any storage system to smooth the input from these energy sources into the Saipan distribution grid, the study found. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/health-services-veterans-focus-kilili | Health services for veterans a focus for Kilili | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – In pursuit of his goal to have a Veterans Affairs medical clinic serving veterans in the Northern Mariana Islands, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan successfully added a requirement for a needs assessment to legislation approved by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee today. The legislation, H.R. 4243, establishes a commission to make recommendations on modernization or realignment of VA health facilities. Sablan’s amendment specifically requires that the VA’s capacity to provide hospital care, medical, mental health, and geriatric services for veterans in the Marianas and other U.S. insular areas also be looked at. Chairman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tennessee) acknowledged Sablan’s concern during the Committee meeting. “We have discussed in my office the issues that you are dealing with,” the Chairman said. “So, Mr. Sablan, I understand very well where you are coming from and the lack of services that you have. “You have my commitment to try to help you,” Roe added. “I very much appreciate Chairman Roe’s willingness to pay attention to the lack of veterans services in the Marianas,” Congressman Sablan said. “And I remain optimistic about the Chairman’s commitment to me and other Pacific area representatives to hold a hearing on our veterans next year.” Roe talked about his interest in going personally to other areas of the country to get a feel for how veterans are being served. “I know what my own VA looks like at home, but I want to go to others,” he explained. “I’ve been to both Democrat districts and Republican districts to look. And I’ll continue to do that as long as I am Chairman.” Sablan’s study provision was originally directly solely at the situation of Pacific area veterans in the Marianas, Guam, and American Samoa. But the Congressman expanded the study’s scope, during the Committee mark-up, to include Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. He made the change at the request of Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico). “Representatives of the non-state areas hav… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/%E2%80%98cnmi-legislature-should-decide-about-cockfighting%E2%80%99 | CNMI Legislature should decide about cockfighting | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) issued the following statement yesterday in response to the introduction of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would outlaw cockfighting in the Marianas and the other non-state areas of the U.S. “Whether to continue allowing cockfighting in the Marianas is a question best left to our local legislators to answer. “Federal law already bars the interstate shipment of fighting cocks, which is a legitimate exercise of federal authority. But cockfighting that is strictly confined to the Marianas, [that] stays within our borders and involves no federal interests, should remain a matter for local decisionmakers. “I want to thank those in the Democratic caucus who consulted with me before deciding whether to cosponsor this bill, especially those who decided not to cosponsor as a result of our discussion. Because I know that animal fighting is hard to defend and understand in other parts of our country.” “I was able to explain that this is a culturally accepted practice in the Marianas that is best regulated by local law. And, if the bill does move forward in Congress, I will continue to make the case that this is a decision for the Commonwealth Legislature.” (PR) | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/veterans-congress-speak-out-against-invading-north-korea | Veterans in Congress speak out against invading North Korea | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Pacific Daily News — Veterans in Congress are concerned about the possibility of a ground invasion of North Korea, which they said could kill millions of people. They have asked President Trump to tone down his rhetoric. "It could kill millions of South Koreans and put troops and civilians in Guam and Japan at risk," they stated Monday. California Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, along with 15 fellow veterans from the House and Senate, issued the bipartisan joint statement. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Del. Gregorio Sablan is one of the congressmen who joined in the statement. The statement comes after a letter from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a report from the Congressional Research Service on the military action against North Korea. North Korea has made a number of threats against Guam as tensions between Pyongyang and the United States and its allies have increased in recent months. Trump has previously threatened North Korea to "get their act together" or face extraordinary trouble and has also said the country could face "fire and fury". The letter from the Joint Chiefs of Staffs states that the only way to destroy North Korea's nuclear arsenal is through a ground invasion, according to the congressmen who issued the statement. “That is deeply disturbing and could result in hundreds of thousands, or even millions of deaths in just the first few days of fighting," they stated. The congressmen said, as veterans, they have defended the nation and remain committed to the country's security. "We also understand that entering into a protracted and massive ground war with North Korea would be disastrous for U.S. troops and our allies," they said. The Joint Chiefs said they have no reason to believe North Korea would resist using its stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons, the congressmen stated. A nonpartisan report by the Congressional Research Service indicates conflict on the peninsula could impact as many as 25 million people on either side of the border, including more than 100,000 U.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-bill-adds-425-million-extend-e-nap | Kilili bill adds $42.5 million to extend E-NAP | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) has introduced legislation that adds $42.5 million to the Enhanced-Nutrition Assistance Program, or E-NAP. E-NAP began in June and made more Marianas households eligible for food stamps and increased monthly benefits. Sablan’s bill, H.R. 4216, extends the program through 2023. “Long-term, our goal is equal treatment with the rest of America by inclusion in SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” said Sablan. “The $32.5 million we added in the Agricultural Act of 2014 that has made E-NAP possible was a step in the right direction. Extending E-NAP for another five years keeps us on track to reaching our goal.” E-NAP allows people with higher incomes to qualify for food assistance. A total of 314 households have been added so far, representing about 1,034 individuals. “The increase has been gradual,” Sablan said. “Seventy-one new households joined in June, another 91 in July, 87 in August, and 75 in September. “As the word gets out, people who do not think they would be eligible will step forward to apply. Still, the number of households that signed up for E-NAP is fewer than expected, when initial projections for use of Sablan’s Agricultural Act funding were submitted by the Commonwealth’s Nutrition Assistance Program office. “It may be that the improved economy simply means that fewer people need the help,” said Sablan. “But it could also be that families have not heard that there are new income standards and those who may not have been eligible before may now be able to get this extra assistance buying food.” “People should check with the NAP office to be sure,” he added. In addition to making households at higher income levels eligible, E-NAP has also raised benefits. For a household of four on Saipan, benefits have gone up from $515 per month to $686. On Tinian, the increase was from $568 to $744. On Rota, benefits went from $719 to $897. Tinian and Rota have received higher benefits than Saipan since 2014. Adv… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/legislature-should-decide-about-cock-fighting | Legislature should decide about cock fighting | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Legislature should decide about cock fighting Nov 6, 2017 Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan issued the following statement in response to the introduction of a bill in the House of Representatives that would outlaw cock fighting in the Marianas and the other non-State areas of the U.S. “Whether to continue allowing cock fighting in the Marianas is a question best left to our local legislators to answer. “Federal law already bars the interstate shipment of fighting cocks, which is a legitimate exercise of federal authority. But cock fighting that is strictly confined to the Marianas, stays within our borders, and involves no federal interests should remain a matter for local decision-makers. “I want to thank those in the Democratic Caucus who consulted with me before deciding whether to cosponsor this bill, especially those who decided not to cosponsor as a result of our discussion. Because I know that animal fighting is hard to defend and understand in other parts of our country.” “I was able to explain that this is a culturally accepted practice in the Marianas that is best regulated by local law. And, if the bill does move forward in Congress, I will continue to make the case that this is a decision for the Commonwealth Legislature.” -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/250000-fight-drugs | $250,000 to fight drugs | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $250,000 to fight drugs Nov 5, 2017 The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation is receiving a second year of funding through the Opioid State Targeted Response program. The Department of Health and Human Services announced the decision to continue funding for all states and territories at the same level as last year. Mr. Herbert Sablan, Substance Abuse Treatment Supervisor at the Community Guidance Center’s Recovery Clinic, said, “the benefit of the Opioid State Targeted Response, put forth by our current administration, provides the CNMI the opportunity for us to work within our community, and specifically private and government entities in primary care and behavioral healthcare integration, so that we can identify, treat, and support individuals who are living with prescription abuse or opioid use disorders.” Thank you. And keep up the good work! | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/bill-extends-e-nap-5-years | Bill extends E-NAP for 5 years | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Bill extends E-NAP for 5 years Nov 5, 2017 I introduced H.R. 4216 to extend the Enhanced Nutrition Assistance Program in the Marianas through 2023. E-NAP is the result of the $32.5 million I included for the Marianas in the 2014 Agricultural Act. The funding has allowed the Commonwealth government to add more households to the existing food stamp program and raise benefits. But funding ends this year, fiscal 2018, so more is needed to continue. So far, an additional 314 households have been added to E-NAP, or approximately 1,036 individuals. Benefits have gone up for a household of four on Saipan from $515 per month to $686. On Tinian, the increase was from $568 to $744. On Rota, benefits went from $719 to $897. Tinian and Rota receive higher benefits because of the higher cost of food there. I advocated for this benefit differential with the Food and Nutrition Service at the House Agriculture Committee and it went into effect in 2014. If enacted, H.R. 4216 would provide $42.5 million more for food aid in the Marianas. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-3-2017 | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 3, 2017 | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: _____________________________________________________________________________ Bill extends E-NAP for 5 years I introduced H.R. 4216 on Thursday to extend the Enhanced Nutrition Assistance Program in the Marianas through 2023. E-NAP is the result of the $32.5 million I included for the Marianas in the 2014 Agricultural Act. The funding has allowed the Commonwealth government to add more households to the existing food stamp program and raise benefits. But funding ends this year, fiscal 2018, so more is needed to continue. So far, an additional 314 households have been added to E-NAP, or approximately 1,036 individuals. Benefits have gone up for a household of four on Saipan from $515 per month to $686. On Tinian, the increase was from $568 to $744. On Rota, benefits went from $719 to $897. Tinian and Rota receive higher benefits because of the higher cost of food there. I advocated for this benefit differential with the Food and Nutrition Service at the House Agriculture Committee and it went into effect in 2014. If enacted, H.R. 4216 would provide $42.5 million more for food aid in the Marianas. $250,000 to fight drugs The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation is receiving a second year of funding through the Opioid State Targeted Response program. The Department of Health and Human Services announced the decision this week to continue funding for all states and territories at the same level as last year. Mr. Herbert Sablan, Substance Abuse Treatment Supervisor at the Community Guidance Center’s Recovery Clinic, said, “the benefit of the Opioid State Targeted Response, put forth by our current administration, provides the CNMI the opportunity for us to work within our community, and specifically private and government entities in primary care and behavioral healthcare integration, so that we can identify, treat, and support individuals who are living with prescription abuse or opioid use disorders.” Thank you. And keep up the good work! Equal funding for beaches, parks A ten-fold increase in fu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/181k-combat-coconut-rhinoceros-beetle | $181k to combat Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle | 2017-11-05 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | $181k to combat Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Nov 5, 2017 The Commonwealth Department of Land and Natural Resources is receiving $181,048 to combat the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) recently discovered on Rota. The Interior Department announced the award. DLNR will work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the University of Guam’s Biosecurity Extension Program to contain and eradicate this invasive pest that has caused significant damage to coconut palms in Palau, Guam, and Hawaii. Native to Africa and Asia, the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle can thrive on Pacific islands where it has no natural enemies. The beetle was discovered October 4 on Rota and is suspected to have been introduced from Guam within the last five months. Congratulations to DLNR, and thank you for your work to protect our fragile island ecosystems from invasive species. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/ead-filers-get-auto-ss-card | EAD filers get auto SS card | 2017-11-05 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | EAD filers get auto SS card Nov 5, 2017 Noncitizens residing in the Marianas, applying for an Employment Authorization Document on Form I-765, no longer have to apply in-person for a Social Security card. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now processes the EAD application, then transmits the approval to the Social Security Administration electronically. Once the approval is received, SSA issues an original or replacement card and mails it to the address listed on the I-765. The Social Security card should arrive within seven business days of receipt of the approved EAD. The Social Security Administration has more information here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/equal-funding-beaches-parks | Equal funding for beaches, parks | 2017-11-05 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Equal funding for beaches, parks Nov 5, 2017 A ten-fold increase in funding for public parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and beach areas is the goal of a bill I cosponsored with fellow non-state area representatives. Authored by Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) the LWCF Parity for Territories and DC Act would provide our jurisdictions the same share of the Land and Water Conservation Act funds as states receive. This would increase the Marianas current $75,000 allocation to over $800,000 per year. Studies show that every $1 that goes into these improvements generates a $4 economic return. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/governor-thanks-hr-339-support | Governor: Thanks for H.R. 339 support | 2017-11-05 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | I sent Governor Ralph DLG. Torres a letter of thanks for his strong support of H.R. 339, my bill increasing the number of CW permits available for the Marianas in 2017. President Trump signed it into law in August. Public Law 115-53 also blocks the use of CW permits for new construction work to protect local businesses unable to renew their legacy workers. And it adds extra money for training local workers. The Governor testified to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in April that the bill was “necessary and important.” And he agreed that “construction workers could be sourced through H2-B visas.” This could prove crucial, if the Trump administration deeply cuts CW permits for 2018. Many CW permits are now being used by temporary construction workers, who could get the H-2B visa instead. I have advocated for a CW cut of just one for 2018—to 12,997. That would be consistent with what the Obama administration had been doing. Other community leaders, who provided letters of support for H.R. 339, also received letters of thanks, including Ms. Velma Palacios, President of the Board of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Gloria Cavanagh, Chairman of the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands; Mr. Alexander A. Sablan of the CNMI Strategic Economic Development Council; and Ms. Esther L. Muna, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation. As a memento, they are also receiving a photo of the new law, signed by President Trump, framed with the pen that the President used. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/stop-hiding-monument-decisions | Stop hiding monument decisions | 2017-11-05 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Stop hiding monument decisions Nov 5, 2017 The lack of transparency surrounding President Trump’s review of our National Monuments and Marine Sanctuaries continues. I signed on to a congressional letter to the President requesting that the public be allowed to see a Commerce Department report reviewing 11 National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine National Monuments. The Marianas Trench Marine National Monument is among the areas. This secret process has extended for months and has further delayed release of a management plan for the Marianas Trench, closing in on seven years overdue. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/congressman-kilili-scores-100-food-policy | Congressman Kilili scores 100% on food policy | 2017-11-03 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - Food Policy Action announced its 2017 Congressional Scorecard on Wednesday, awarding a perfect 100 percent to U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan for his work and advocacy on improving nutrition and making food available to those in need. “Making sure that people in the Marianas — especially children — have the food they need to grow and to live healthy lives has been at the forefront of my agenda since my first days in office,” Sablan said. “I appreciate this recognition of my work from Food Policy Action, but more important is knowing that because of these efforts kids and others in need in the Marianas are being fed.” Most recently, Sablan’s inclusion of $32.5 million for the Marianas in the 2014 Agricultural Act has allowed the commonwealth government to add more households to the Nutrition Assistance Program. There were 2,395 households enrolled in May of this year. With new eligibility standards 2,709 households were enrolled in September. This increase of 314 households translates into approximately 1,036 more individuals now receiving food assistance, as a result of the money Sablan worked for. Benefits have also been increased. For a household of four on Saipan, benefits were raised from $515 per month to $686. On Tinian, the increase was from $568 to $744. On Rota, benefits went from $719 to $897. Tinian and Rota receive higher benefits because of the higher cost of food there. Sablan advocated for this benefit differential, which went into effect in 2014. Sablan’s work on food aid began in 2009, when he succeeded at getting the secretary of Agriculture to increase the Marianas annual Nutrition Assistance Program block grant from $10.7 million annually to $12.1 million. He won an additional $1 million in fiscal year 2012 and the $32.5 million now in use in 2014. “The ultimate goal is to include the Marianas in the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP,” said Sablan. “And the next farm bill,… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-thanks-governor-support-hr-339 | Kilili thanks governor for support of HR 339 | 2017-11-01 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan on Wednesday released his letter of thanks to Gov. Ralph D.L.G. Torres for the Governor’s support of Sablan’s bill, H.R. 339, increasing the number of CW permits available for the Marianas in 2017. The legislation was signed into law by President Trump in August. The new Public Law 115-53 also blocks the use of CW permits for new construction work to protect local businesses unable to renew their legacy workers. And Sablan’s law adds extra money for training local workers. “It was not easy to get a bill dealing with foreign labor issues enacted in this Congress,” Congressman Kilili wrote to the governor. “Your letter of support for the legislation and your participation in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing held in April contributed significantly to our success.” Governor Torres testified in person at a committee hearing. “HR. 339 is a necessary and important piece of legislation that will improve our capacity to transition into the U.S. immigration system, and provide the CNMI the short-term relief it needs to retain critical employees for the economy and provide for the well-being of our population, especially in our health care system,” the governor said. He also addressed the surge of construction workers using up CW permits. “Removing construction workers from the eligible job categories for the CW permit will force employers to go to better suited visa classifications and alleviate the limited CW permits for occupations that are crucial for the overall economy and the needs of the people,” Governor Torres told the U.S. Senate committee. “In my view, CW permits were only for job categories not available under existing visa classifications… construction workers could be sourced through H2-B visas,” the governor added. In his letter on Wednesday, Congressman Sablan told the governor that the enactment of H.R. 339 was a good indication that efforts to address t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/pacific-veterans-will-get-congressional-hearing | Pacific veterans will get congressional hearing | 2017-11-01 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP) announced Friday that Pacific area veterans, whose needs are often neglected, will get a congressional hearing next year. The hearing decision is the result of a request from Sablan, Delegate Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), and Delegate Madeleine Z Bordallo (D-Guam) to Dr. Phil Roe (R-Tennessee), who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The three Pacific delegates made the request on Oct. 11 and Roe responded 13 days later. “I would be pleased to work with you to schedule a hearing on Pacific insular area veteran access to care in the second session of the 115th Congress,” Roe wrote in response. “Ensuring that all our nation’s veterans have access to the healthcare and other services they need to live healthy, full lives is my top priority as chairman. “Pacific insular area veterans—and in particular veterans in American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Independent State of Samoa, and the Freely Associated States—face a number of barriers to timely, accessible VA care and benefits,” Roe added. Sablan said he is most grateful to Roe for responding affirmatively to the request for a hearing. “I joined the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in this Congress because it had become clear to me that veterans in the Marianas and throughout the Pacific, who are at the very end of a long supply chain, were simply not getting the attention and services they have earned. “From my first day on the committee, Dr. Roe has been interested in the story I brought of Pacific veterans struggling to get even the basics in healthcare and other benefits—and he promised to help. “An oversight hearing next year would be a great opportunity for the Veterans’ Affairs Committee to learn even more about the barriers facing veterans living in the U.S. Pacific insular areas and to go to work on reducing those barriers. Sablan obtained a special waiver from the Democratic Caucus to be on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/walberg-kilili-introduce-retirement-plan-modernization-act | Walberg, Kilili introduce Retirement Plan Modernization Act | 2017-10-31 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Marianas Variety — WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) - U.S. Congressmen Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, and Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Ind-MP, on Thursday introduced the Retirement Plan Modernization Act, bipartisan legislation to help make it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans while keeping fees down for employees. H.R. 4158 helps small businesses better manage the administrative expenses of retirement plans by providing a long-overdue update to the automatic IRA rollover limit for former employees’ assets. “Far too many families in Michigan are struggling to save for their retirement years,” said Congressman Walberg. “Often businesses will cite not having enough resources to administer a plan, as a key reason for not offering retirement benefits. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense step in our efforts to empower every American to retire with financial security and peace of mind. By reducing administrative costs, we can help more small businesses offer retirement benefits and ensure employees are not needlessly stuck paying higher fees.” “Our legislation reduces administrative costs in retirement plans for active employees and updates a two decade old standard for automatic rollovers,” said Congressman Sablan. “Chairman Walberg and I continue to work together to find bipartisan agreement on practical fixes like this that benefit employers and employees throughout America.” “The chamber thanks Chairman Walberg and ranking member Sablan for introducing the bipartisan Retirement Plan Modernization Act. Increasing the cash-out limit is long overdue. It has not been touched in 19 years and is not subject to indexing, unlike many other limits in the retirement system. Updating both of these flaws will streamline retirement plan administration and reduce burdens for employers, especially small businesses,” said Randy Johnson, senior vice president of labor, immigration, and employee benefits at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Increasing the threshold for employers to cash-out retirement plan accounts b… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/cw-cap-delay-hurts-business-workers | CW cap delay hurts business, workers | 2017-10-29 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | CW cap delay hurts business, workers Oct 29, 2017 Four weeks into fiscal year 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not yet announced the cap on the number of CW-1, Marianas-only foreign worker, permits to be issued for the year. I cannot speculate on why the Trump administration has not made this decision on time. But I do know that the delay is harmful to Marianas businesses and workers, who are waiting for the decision to find out whether they will get 2018 CW permits applied for. My position is that the 2018 cap should go down by one—just one—to 12,997. That would be the safest decision for the Northern Marianas economy right now. The Government Accountability Office report that I commissioned found that drastic cuts in the number of CW workers would likely result in drastic cuts in economic activity in the Marianas. Conversely, the 37 percent increase in workers in 2016 was matched by a 29 percent increase in GDP. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/troop-store-grand-opening-postponed | Troop Store grand opening postponed | 2017-10-29 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Troop Store grand opening postponed Oct 29, 2017 The grand opening of the expanded Army and Air Force Exchange Services Troop Store in Tanapag has been pushed back due to construction delays contrary to our report in last week's e-news. The AAFES troop store held a soft opening in August and a formal ribbon cutting ceremony was scheduled to occur on October 26. The store will remain open while work is underway. We apologize for the error. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/va-should-study-medical-marijuana | VA should study medical marijuana | 2017-10-29 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | VA should study medical marijuana Oct 29, 2017 House Veterans' Affairs Committee Democrats are urging Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin to start looking at how medical marijuana could help veterans who suffer from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We took this position because the Department’s Inspector General has reported that addiction to opioids and opioid-related deaths are widespread among veterans. One in five veterans are prescribed these narcotics for the mental and physical injuries they sustained during their military service. We must do more to find effective alternative treatments for our veterans suffering from chronic pain and PTSD. With the VA’s access to world class researchers and history of innovative treatments, the agency is well-suited to determine whether medical marijuana has a place in the treatment of our veterans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-how-we-are-using-325m-e-nap-funds | THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - How we are using $32.5M E-NAP funds | 2017-10-29 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | In this issue: October 27, 2017 ____________________________________________________________________________ VA should study medical marijuana House Veterans' Affairs Committee Democrats are urging Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin to start looking at how medical marijuana could help veterans who suffer from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We took this position because the Department’s Inspector General has reported that addiction to opioids and opioid-related deaths are widespread among veterans. One in five veterans are prescribed these narcotics for the mental and physical injuries they sustained during their military service. We must do more to find effective alternative treatments for our veterans suffering from chronic pain and PTSD. With the VA’s access to world class researchers and history of innovative treatments, the agency is well-suited to determine whether medical marijuana has a place in the treatment of our veterans. Chair agrees to Pacific vets hearing Pacific area veterans, whose needs are often neglected, will get a congressional hearing next year as a result of a request from Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Congresswoman Madeleine Z Bordallo (D-Guam), and myself. House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Dr. Phil Roe (R-Tennessee) responded affirmatively on Tuesday to the request the three of us made on October 11 for an oversight hearing on the barriers facing veterans living in the U.S. Pacific insular areas. In his response, Dr. Roe said his top priority as Chairman is to ensure that all of our nation’s veterans have access to the care and services they need to live full and healthy lives. And he promised to work with us to schedule a hearing during the second session of this Congress. I am very grateful to the Chairman for this commitment. Both Ms. Radewagen and I are members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. CW cap delay hurts business, workers Four weeks into fiscal year 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Serv… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/kilili-statement-cw-cap-delay | Kilili statement on CW cap delay | 2017-10-28 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Saipan Tribune — WASHINGTON, D.C - Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) issued the following statement yesterday on the Department of Homeland Security’s delay in announcing the CW, foreign worker permit, cap for fiscal year 2018. “My position is that the 2018 cap should go down by one—just one—to 12,997. “That would be the safest decision for the Northern Marianas economy right now. “I will not speculate on why the Trump administration has not yet made a decision on the fiscal year 2018 CW cap. “But I do know that the delay is harmful to our businesses and to workers, who are waiting for the decision and to find out whether they will get the 2018 CW permits they have applied for.” (PR) | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/keeping-h-2b-cap-exemption | Keeping the H-2B cap exemption | 2017-10-23 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | Keeping the H-2B cap exemption Oct 22, 2017 Exemption from the national cap on the number of H-2B visas for temporary workers is a key part of the strategy to ensure a sufficient labor force in the Marianas. We have been working for some months to make sure that an apparent drafting error in the Senate National Defense Authorization Act for 2018 that would remove the exemption is corrected. The House bill does not have this defect. As the House and Senate conference committee on the Defense Act moves into high gear, I put my concern in writing for the record; and we will continue to make sure that no change in current law exempting the Marianas from the H-2B cap is inadvertently enacted. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sablan.house.gov/troop-store-officially-opens | Troop Store officially opens | 2017-10-23 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Democrat | House | MP | Gregorio Sablan | S001177 | sablan.house.gov | legacy | After eight years of work, the expanded Army and Air Force Exchange Services Troop Store – serving over 4,000 Marianas veterans, active duty and Reserve service members, and their families – officially opens on October 26. The U.S. Army 9th Mission Support Command will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $2.8 million, 5,000-square-foot facility, which features more shelf space, more merchandise, a snack station, and other amenities for our service community. Improving the Troop Store has been my goal since my first term in Congress. To make it possible, I included a feasibility study in the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act; and construction completion was expected in 2013. But the need to clear the site of unexploded ordnance caused years of delay. The expanded store, which had a soft opening in August, is in addition to the $7 million Reserve Center revitalization that retrofitted structures with weather-resistant materials and tripled the current training area by adding 3,000 square feet of administration offices, classrooms and maintenance space. Additionally, solar panels, a solar water heater, and energy-efficient lighting at the Center support the Army’s energy net zero initiative. Thanks to all who made these projects a success. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
Advanced export
JSON shape: default, array, newline-delimited, object
CREATE TABLE [releases] (
[url] TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
[title] TEXT,
[date] TEXT,
[year] TEXT,
[month] TEXT,
[party] TEXT,
[chamber] TEXT,
[state] TEXT,
[member_name] TEXT,
[bioguide_id] TEXT,
[domain] TEXT,
[scraper] TEXT,
[source] TEXT,
[date_source] TEXT,
[text] TEXT,
[has_text] INTEGER,
[collected_at] TEXT,
[updated_at] TEXT
);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_date]
ON [releases] ([date]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_year]
ON [releases] ([year]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_party]
ON [releases] ([party]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_chamber]
ON [releases] ([chamber]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_state]
ON [releases] ([state]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_bioguide_id]
ON [releases] ([bioguide_id]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_has_text]
ON [releases] ([has_text]);