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/18608-puafpuc-claims-pending,"18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending Dec 20, 2020 18,608 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation applications remain unprocessed by the Commonwealth as of December 12, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). This is a down from the 27,446 pending applications the Commonwealth's Department of Labor self-reported to the federal agency in November. USDOL tells the congressional office up to 18,000 of the unprocessed applications are under investigation for potential fraud, because they were filed from outside the Marianas. USDOL expects the Commonwealth to conclude review of the suspected fraudulent claims by the end of December. The PUA and FPUC programs cover unemployment that occurs in 2020, but Congress has provided enough funding so claims for that period can still be processed and paid in 2021.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/covid-19-vaccine-here,COVID-19 vaccine is here,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"COVID-19 vaccine is here Dec 20, 2020 The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation received an initial 4,875 of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. This first shipment is comparable to what Vermont, Wyoming, and other smaller population states are receiving. CHCC plans to give priority to healthcare workers, first responders, and high-risk patients, but the goal is to have everyone in the Marianas inoculated as vaccine deliveries continue over the coming months. To ensure that happens, CHCC officials have asked me to take the new vaccine to show the public it is safe. I agreedas long as everyone in the priority groups is taken care ofand will get my first shot next week.If we want to keep our community healthy and get our economy moving again, all of us will need to get vaccinated.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/larger-grants-vets-cemeteries,Larger grants for vets cemeteries,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Larger grants for vets cemeteries Dec 20, 2020 The Marpi cemetery and veterans cemeteries across America stand to receive more federal maintenance funds now that myVeterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Acthas been sent to the President for signature. My bill, H.R. 5487, was wrapped into a larger package of veterans measures,H.R. 7105, which the House passed on Wednesday. It doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for cemetery maintenance and should help the Commonwealth keep our Marianas veterans' final resting place clean and beautiful.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/nmc-wins-107m-eda-grant,NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant Dec 20, 2020 Congratulations to Northern Marianas College on the award of $10,681,796 from the 2019 Disaster Supplemental Appropriation, US Public Law 116-20. The money will be used for a Workforce Development and Training Center at the College with fully-equipped classroom, laboratory, and office spaces. The typhoon-resilient Center will be powered by solar panels and be used for teaching and research in food science, plant biotechnology, entomology, and anthropometry. EDA says the project will spur private investment and increase employment opportunities. This grant has been a long time coming. NMC applied on July 3, 2019, just one month after Congress made the disaster recovery funds available for Super Typhoon Yutu recovery. But it has taken the Trump administration 18 months to issue approval two years after Yutu struck. EDA still has six more disaster recovery grant applications from the Marianas it has not acted on, worth about $85 million.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/not-yet-covid-relief,Not yet on COVID relief,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Not yet on COVID relief Dec 20, 2020 Talks continue, as we go to press, on an omnibus appropriation for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 and for additional economic relief as our nation struggles with the COVID pandemic. The bipartisan group of eight Senators, who have taken the lead on COVID relief, released two draft bills this week. The first contains an extension of unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Program, additional food aid including extra money for the Marianas, and funding for schools, housing assistance, airports, and broadband expansion. The second draft bill is a holding place for two, more controversial proposals: funding to help states pay for policing and other basic services and liability protections for businesses. Republicans generally oppose helping states. Democrats are skeptical of shielding businesses that do not protect workers and customers from the coronavirus. Your congressional office is in direct communication with leadership, who are negotiating a final package, and with the bipartisan Senate Gang of 8, advocating for inclusion of the Marianas in all forms of relief.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/uscis-extends-response-times,USCIS extends response times,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today it is extending the response time flexibilities for certain Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent. The agency originally announced the extra time on March 30, 2020 in consideration of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. USCIS will continue to consider a response to the following requests and notices received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before the agency takes any action: Requests for Evidence; Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14); Notices of Intent to Deny; Notices of Intent to Revoke; Notices of Intent to Rescind; Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant; Filing date requirements for Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA); or Filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. This flexibility applies to the above documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021, inclusive.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-18-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 18, 2020",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue COVID-19 vaccine is here Not yet on COVID relief NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant Larger grants for vets cemeteries 18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending Congratulating young artists A room with a view Visitors Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights COVID-19 vaccine is here The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation received an initial 4,875 of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine early Thursday morning. This first shipment is comparable to what Vermont, Wyoming, and other smaller population states are receiving. CHCC plans to give priority to healthcare workers, first responders, and high-risk patients, but the goal is to have everyone in the Marianas inoculated as vaccine deliveries continue over the coming months. To ensure that happens, CHCC officials have asked me to take the new vaccine to show the public it is safe. I agreedas long as everyone in the priority groups is taken care ofand will get my first shot next week.If we want to keep our community healthy and get our economy moving again, all of us will need to get vaccinated. Not yet on COVID relief Talks continue, as we go to press, on an omnibus appropriation for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 and for additional economic relief as our nation struggles with the COVID pandemic. The bipartisan group of eight Senators, who have taken the lead on COVID relief, released two draft bills this week. The first contains an extension of unemployment benefits and the Paycheck Protection Program, additional food aid including extra money for the Marianas, and funding for schools, housing assistance, airports, and broadband expansion. The second draft bill is a holding place for two, more controversial proposals: funding to help states pay for policing and other basic services and liability protections for businesses. Republicans generally oppose helping states. Democrats are skeptical of shielding businesses that do not protect workers and customers from the coronavirus. Your congressional office is in direct communication with leadership, who are negotiating a final package, and with the bipartisan Senate Gang of 8, advocating for inclusion of the Marianas in all forms of relief. NMC wins $10.7m EDA grant Congratulations to Northern Marianas College on the award of $10,681,796 from the 2019 Disaster Supplemental Appropriation, US Public Law 116-20. The money will be used for a Workforce Development and Training Center at the College with fully-equipped classroom, laboratory, and office spaces. The typhoon-resilient Center will be powered by solar panels and be used for teaching and research in food science, plant biotechnology, entomology, and anthropometry. EDA says the project will spur private investment and increase employment opportunities. This grant has been a long time coming. NMC applied on July 3, 2019, just one month after Congress made the disaster recovery funds available for Super Typhoon Yutu recovery. But it has taken the Trump administration 18 months to issue approval two years after Yutu struck. EDA still has six more disaster recovery grant applications from the Marianas it has not acted on, worth about $85 million. Larger grants for vets cemeteries The Marpi cemetery and veterans cemeteries across America stand to receive more federal maintenance funds now that my Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act has been sent to the President for signature. My bill, H.R. 5487, was wrapped into a larger package of veterans measures, H.R. 7105, which the House passed on Wednesday. It doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for cemetery maintenance and should help the Commonwealth keep our Marianas veterans' final resting place clean and beautiful. 18,608 PUA/FPUC claims pending 18,608 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation applications remain unprocessed by the Commonwealth as of December 12, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). This is a down from the 27,446 pending applications the Commonwealth's Department of Labor self-reported to the federal agency in November. USDOL tells the congressional office up to 18,000 of the unprocessed applications are under investigation for potential fraud, because they were filed from outside the Marianas. USDOL expects the Commonwealth to conclude review of the suspected fraudulent claims by the end of December. The PUA and FPUC programs cover unemployment that occurs in 2020, but Congress has provided enough funding so claims for that period can still be processed and paid in 2021. USCIS extends response times The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today it is extending the response time flexibilities for certain Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent. The agency originally announced the extra time on March 30, 2020 in consideration of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. USCIS will continue to consider a response to the following requests and notices received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before the agency takes any action: Requests for Evidence; Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14); Notices of Intent to Deny; Notices of Intent to Revoke; Notices of Intent to Rescind; Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant; Filing date requirements for Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA); or Filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion. This flexibility applies to the above documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021, inclusive. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Public Comments Intercountry adoption rule changes Coral critical habitats LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THISWEEK S. 2174 - Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2020, as amended (passed by voice vote) NEXTWEEK The House is in recess.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-september-11-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - September 11, 2020",2020-09-16,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Help decide fate of ancestral sites $73.6m in unemployment paid Medicaid cap repeal gets a boost Compact renewals necessary CW-1 employers on notice $545k CDBG award to NMHC HVAC mark-up Military academy nominations open Welcome, Joshua Masga Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ________________________________________________________________ Help decide fate of ancestral sites Two virtual public meetings next week will help decide how we honor our ancient Chamorro heritage. Preliminary results of the Rota Special Resource Study will be discussed; and ideas from the meetings and from comments submitted in writing will be incorporated into a final report to the Secretary of the Interior next year. Honoring our Chamorro heritage is important to us all, which is why I began work on legislation authorizing study of the historical, archaeological, and cultural artifacts on Rota in 2010 during my first term in office. The original idea for a Rota National Park came from Rota's then-Senator Diego Songao; and I was able to get a law authorizing study of the suitability and feasibility of a park in 2014 and funding the year after. The preliminary finding is that Rota contains resources found nowhere else in our nation and that a Chamorro National Historical Park could be added to the 57 other historical parks nationwide, if the people agree. Over 200 participated in the initial public meetings in the Marianas, when the Park study began in 2017, demonstrating significant interest and support. Now, everyone is invited to continue that conversation. The public meetings will be held on Zoomto maintain safety in thepandemicon the following dates: Thursday, September 17, 9:00 to 11:00 am Chamorro Standard Time, at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85655125375 Saturday, September 19, 9:00 to 11:00 am Chamorro Standard Time, at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86120394552 More information on the virtual public meetings is available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/meetingNotices.cfm?projectID=65104. Comments may also be submitted to the National Park Service through October 26, 2020, in the following ways: Mail: National Park Service Planning & Compliance 333 Bush Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94104 Email: Rota_study@nps.gov Online: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/rotastudy Medicaid cap repeal gets a boost Repeal of the cap on Medicaid for the Marianas and other insular areas my bill, H.R. 6495 has now been piggybacked on a larger bill addressing health inequities nationwide. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Illinois) introduced H.R. 8200, the Ending Health Disparities during COVID-19 Act of 2020 on Friday, September 11 and agreed to include my Medicaid cap repeal language. We learned from testimony in a June 22 hearing in the House Education and Labor Committee that the people hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic are those historically subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity, gender, physical and mental impairment, socioeconomic class, or place of residence, like people in the insular areas. And they are the most impacted because they are also in the groups with the least access to healthcare. Rep. Kelly's bill addresses that inequity and already has 33 co-sponsors. Compact renewals necessary As Natural Resources Committee Vice Chair for Insular Affairs, I hosted a briefing by the Departments of State and Interior on Tuesday to update Congress on the ongoing negotiations on extensions of the Compacts of Free Association between the U.S. and the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Co-Chair negotiators, State Department Ambassador Karen Stewart and Interior Assistant Secretary Douglas Domenech, reported they are hopeful negotiations can be finalized by the end of this year. Economic provisions of the compacts do not expire until 2023 for FSM and RMI, and in 2024 for Palau. However, we want to avoid a repeat of Palau's last compact renewal, which was agreed to in 2010 but not funded until FY2018. The delay raised concerns about the U.S. commitment to our Pacific allies. With foreign powers eager to exert influence in the FAS, we should ensure that the U.S. helps advance their economic development and self-sufficiency, while U.S. national security strategy and diplomacy is maintained in the region. We must also make sure significant additional funding is made available to territories and states to help defray health, education, and infrastructure costs associated with hosting COFA migrants. CW-1 employers on notice The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the issuance of Notices to Intent to Revoke for CW-1 employers, who failed to comply with the semiannual reporting requirement for workers with start dates from October 1, 2019 through December 18, 2019. The deadline to file was August 17, 2020. Employers who receive a Notice should read it carefully, however, for one-time instructions to avoid revocation. The NMI U.S. Workforce Act of 2018 (USWA), Public Law 115-118, established the semiannual reporting requirement in part to stop the ghost employee practice that had made it difficult for legacy businesses in the Marianas to obtain CW-1 workers. The interim final rule, implementing the U.S. Workforce Act, gives employers a 60-day window to file Form 1-129CWR, the Semiannual Report for CW-1 Employers that begins 30 days before and closes 30 days after the six-month anniversary of the start date of an approved CW petition. $545k CDBG award to NMHC Today, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development announced an additional $545,858 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation. The money will help eligible persons pay their rent for up to 6 months. This grant is the final allocation of the $1.4 million Congress provided for the Marianas CDBG program in the CARES Act. The Marianas previously received a grant of $274,635 and another of $549,270 that is being used to procure a mobile clinic to bring primary and preventive health services to Saipan residents. Extra year of health care for vets Service members would be eligible for VA health care for one year after discharge under terms of my legislation, H.R. 5024, included in the Veterans COMPACT bill approved by the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday. The extended eligibility includes members of the Reserve and National Guard, as well. Ensuring health care coverageincluding mental health carein this way will help ease the transition to civilian life for service members and their families. The Veterans COMPACT bill will also improve Vet Centers nationwide. I used the mark-up meeting to advocate making Vet Center services available to Marianas veterans. Ours is the only U.S. jurisdiction without a Vet Center. You can listen to my exchange with witnesses here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai9EE4wVeoU. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants NEH Care: Cultural Organization Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THISWEEK The House was in recess for the District Work Period. NEXTWEEK The House is in recess for the Committee Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/545k-cdbg-award-nmhc,$545k CDBG award to NMHC,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$545k CDBG award to NMHC Sep 14, 2020 Today, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development announced an additional $545,858 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation. The money will help eligible persons pay their rent for up to 6 months. This grant is the final allocation of the $1.4 million Congress provided for the Marianas CDBG program in theCARES Act. The Marianas previously received a grant of $274,635 and another of $549,270 that is being used to procure a mobile clinic to bring primary and preventive health services to Saipan residents.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/736m-unemployment-paid,$73.6m in unemployment paid,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$73.6m in unemployment paid Sep 14, 2020 $73,675,365 has been paid to Marianas workers laid off from their jobs due to the coronavirus, according to this week's data from the U.S. Department of Labor. We do not have new information on the number of applications that are still waiting to be processed and paid. Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor reported a backlog of 7,133 cases. Labor also reported that $1,526,373 is still available to the Commonwealth government to hire more staff, so the unemployment assistance we included for the Marianas in theCARES Actgets quickly to those in need. They have been waiting now for months and many are desperate for help.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/compact-renewals-necessary,Compact renewals necessary,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Compact renewals necessary Sep 14, 2020 As Natural Resources Committee Vice Chair for Insular Affairs, I hosted a briefing by the Departments of State and Interior on Tuesday to update Congress on the ongoing negotiations on extensions of theCompacts of Free Associationbetween the U.S. and the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Co-Chair negotiators, State Department Ambassador Karen Stewart and Interior Assistant Secretary Douglas Domenech, reported they are hopeful negotiations can be finalized by the end of this year. Economic provisions of the compacts do not expire until 2023 for FSM and RMI, and in 2024 for Palau. However, we want to avoid a repeat of Palau's last compact renewal, which was agreed to in 2010 but not funded until FY2018. The delay raised concerns about the U.S. commitment to our Pacific allies. With foreign powers eager to exert influence in the FAS, we should ensure that the U.S. helps advance their economic development and self-sufficiency, while U.S. national security strategy and diplomacy is maintained in the region. We must also make sure significant additional funding is made available to territories and states to help defray health, education, and infrastructure costs associated with hosting COFA migrants.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/cw-1-employers-notice,CW-1 employers on notice,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"CW-1 employers on notice Sep 14, 2020 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services todayannouncedthe issuance of Notices to Intent to Revoke for CW-1 employers, who failed to comply with the semiannual reporting requirement for workers with start dates from October 1, 2019 through December 18, 2019. The deadline to file was August 17, 2020. Employers who receive a Notice should read it carefully, however, for one-time instructions to avoid revocation. TheNMI U.S. Workforce Act of 2018 (USWA), Public Law 115-118, established the semiannual reporting requirement in part to stop the ghost employee practice that had made it difficult for legacy businesses in the Marianas to obtain CW-1 workers. Theinterim final rule, implementing the U.S. Workforce Act, gives employers a 60-day window to fileForm 1-129CWR, the Semiannual Report for CW-1 Employersthat begins 30 days before and closes 30 days after the six-month anniversary of the start date of an approved CW petition.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/extra-year-health-care-vets,Extra year of health care for vets,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Extra year of health care for vets Sep 14, 2020 Service members would be eligible for VA health care for one year after discharge under terms of my legislation, H.R. 5024, included in the Veterans COMPACT bill approved by the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday. The extended eligibility includes members of the Reserve and National Guard, as well. Ensuring health care coverageincluding mental health carein this way will help ease the transition to civilian life for service members and their families. The Veterans COMPACT bill will also improve Vet Centers nationwide. I used the mark-up meeting to advocate making Vet Center services available to Marianas veterans. Ours is the only U.S. jurisdiction without a Vet Center. You can listen to my exchange with witnesses here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai9EE4wVeoU",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/help-decide-fate-ancestral-sites,Help decide fate of ancestral sites,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Help decide fate of ancestral sites Sep 14, 2020 Two virtual public meetings next week will help decide how we honor our ancient Chamorro heritage. Preliminary results of theRota Special Resource Studywill be discussed; and ideas from the meetings and from comments submitted in writing will be incorporated into a final report to the Secretary of the Interior next year. Honoring our Chamorro heritage is important to us all, which is why I began work on legislation authorizing study of the historical, archaeological, and cultural artifacts on Rota in 2010 during my first term in office. The original idea for a Rota National Park came from Rota's then-Senator Diego Songao; and I was able to get a law authorizing study of the suitability and feasibility of a park in 2014 and funding the year after. The preliminary finding is that Rota contains resources found nowhere else in our nation and that a Chamorro National Historical Park could be added to the 57 other historical parks nationwide, if the people agree. Over 200 participated in the initial public meetings in the Marianas, when the Park study began in 2017, demonstrating significant interest and support. Now, everyone is invited to continue that conversation. The public meetings will be held on Zoomto maintain safety in thepandemicon the following dates: Mail: National Park Service Planning & Compliance 333 Bush Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94104 Email: Rota_study@nps.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/medicaid-cap-repeal-gets-boost,Medicaid cap repeal gets a boost,2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Medicaid cap repeal gets a boost Sep 14, 2020 Repeal of the cap on Medicaid for the Marianas and other insular areas my bill,H.R. 6495 has now been piggybacked on a larger bill addressing health inequities nationwide. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Illinois) introducedH.R. 8200, theEnding Health Disparities during COVID-19 Act of 2020on Friday, September 11 and agreed to include my Medicaid cap repeal language. We learned from testimony in aJune 22 hearing in the House Education and Labor Committeethat the people hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic are those historically subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity, gender, physical and mental impairment, socioeconomic class, or place of residence, like people in the insular areas. And they are the most impacted because they are also in the groups with the least access to healthcare. Rep. Kelly's bill addresses that inequity and already has 33 co-sponsors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/welcome-joshua,"Welcome, Joshua!",2020-09-14,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Welcome, Joshua! Sep 14, 2020 Joshua San Nicolas Masga, 18-years-old, joined the Tinian District Office as an intern this week. Mr. Masga is majoring in Business Administration and he would like to take over his family business in the future. He enjoys fishing and spending time with his friends. Welcome, Joshua.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/2092-apply-permanent-residence,"2,092 apply for permanent residence",2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"2,092 apply for permanent residence Sep 8, 2020 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says 2,092 persons have applied for the CNMI Long-Term Resident Status established under my legislation, P.L. 116-24. The President signed my bill in June 2019 and the deadline for application was this August. Approximately 1,000 applicants have been living in the Marianas under humanitarian parole status. USCIS extended their parole and work authorization last month, while the applications for permanent residence is being processed. Processing has been delayed, because of the closure of the Guam Application Support Center, until at least September 14 due to the coronavirus. For non-parolee applicants, USCIS stated in frequently asked questions from a July 2 virtual information session, aliens are not allowed to remain in the Marianas without legal status, even if they have a pending petition for permanent residence. However, USCIS also says unlawful presence, for purposes of inadmissibility, will not accrue for such persons while the petition is pending. Unlawful presence will only begin to accrue for such persons, if their permanent resident application is denied and they have no other legal basis to remain in the Marianas. The State Department has not confirmed whether it will provide the same consideration should a CNMI long-term resident applicant later apply for a visa.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/210k-pua-fraud-prevention,$210k for PUA fraud prevention,2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$210k for PUA fraud prevention Sep 8, 2020 The Commonwealth's Department of Labor will receive $210,000 to enhance efforts to combat unemployment insurance fraud and recover payments that may have been issued improperly. The U.S. Department of Labor announced the funding award concurrently with Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 28-20 to remind states and territories of their responsibility to prevent and address fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The Commonwealth's Government has never enacted an unemployment compensation program for Marianas workers, but is still responsible for addressing unemployment fraud in its administration of the PUA program.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/244k-end-domestic-violence,$244k to end domestic violence,2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$244k to end domestic violence Sep 8, 2020 The Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence was awarded a $242,217 grant. The federal funding supports the Coalition's work to end violence in the Marianas through community outreach activities, training service providers and first responders, and collaboration with other local groups and organizations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/750k-rota-airport-apron-rehab,$750k for Rota airport apron rehab,2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Commonwealth Ports Authority is receiving $750,000 in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, theDepartment of Transportation announced Tuesday. Funds will be used to design the rehabilitation of 52,202 square yards of existing apron pavement at the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport in Rota to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris. The grant award includes $675,000 from theAirport Improvement Programand $75,000 inCoronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Actfunding. Congratulations to CPA.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/8m-hsem-covid-19-response,$8m to HSEM for COVID-19 response,2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$8m to HSEM for COVID-19 response Sep 8, 2020 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced an $8,191,525 grant to the Commonwealth Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for emergency response and protective measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are for personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and equipment for staff and for testing persons presumed exposed to COVID-19. The grant requires a 25 percent match from the Commonwealth. FEMA obligates these funds to the Commonwealth, which is then responsible for issuing payments to sub-recipients, when they have submitted appropriate billing documents.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/close-micronesian-trust-funded,"Close Up, Micronesian Trust funded",2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Close Up, Micronesian Trust funded Sep 9, 2020 It is critical each year to include language in the Interior Appropriation report directing the Office of Insular Affairs to use technical assistance funds provided by Congress to support civic education programs, like Close Up. We made sure that language Close Up is receiving $672,978 this year for its civic education programs for island students. And the Micronesian Conservation Trust is receiving $212,000 to build natural resource management capacity in the Northern Marianas, other U.S. territories, and freely associated states. The Department of Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced the awards Tuesday. TheClose Up Foundationprovides civics education programs for students and teachers and helps bring high school students from the insular areas to experience Washington, DC and other historic cities. The next trip is planned for the summer of 2021. A portion of the funds also helps fund annual educational summits held in the islands and organized by Close Up and supports virtual learning programs and professional development for teachers. TheMicronesia Conservation Trustsupports capacity development for natural resources management and related careers in the islands by providing fellowships to graduate students from the Northern Marianas, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau. Funds also support the Micronesia Challenge Young Champions program for undergraduate students working with organizations focused on natural resource conservation. Congress appropriated $20.8 million for technical assistance grants of this kind for FY20, despite the Trump administration's repeated attempts to reduce funding. For FY21 the Trump administration proposed cutting to $14.7 million, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 with an increase to $22.8 million. We made sure to include instructions to continue supporting civic education programs, like Close Up.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/pua-fpuc-backlog-increases,"PUA, FPUC backlog increases",2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"PUA, FPUC backlog increases Sep 9, 2020 The U.S. Department of Labor reports that nearly 13,000 people in the Marianas have applied for federal unemployment assistance. Less than half have received this desperately-needed help. The backlog for unemployment assistance increased in August by 2,403. According to the U.S. Department of Labor there were 7,133 unprocessed applications at the end of the month, more than the July backlog. Congress provided $1,770,584 to hire processing staff, set up a website, and otherwise assure that Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation quickly got to those in need. But the Commonwealth leadership continues to fall farther behind.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/public-meetings-begin-rota-park,Public meetings begin on Rota Park,2020-09-09,2020,2020-09,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Public meetings begin on Rota Park Sep 9, 2020 Creation of a Chamorro National Historical Park and other alternatives for protecting our cultural heritage and bringing more visitors to Rota will be open for discussion at virtual public meetings beginning Thursday, September 17. Public meetings, giving everyone opportunity to comment on theRota Special Resource Study, begin next week. The virtual meetingsto maintain safety in the pandemicwill cover the Study's alternative ideas for how Rota's ancient Chamorro sites, rare limestone forests, and other nationally-important resources can be cared for and opened to a wider public. The public meetings will be held on Zoom on the following dates: Mail: National Park Service Planning & Compliance 333 Bush Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94104",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/1m-distributed-marianas,$1m distributed to the Marianas,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Northern Marianas is receiving $1,005,119 in Maintenance Assistance Program (MAP) funds, Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced. Grant funds will be used for the following four projects: $492,652 to the Department of Public Works for a stormwater sanitation system; $220,652 to the Department of Public Lands to install safety railings at the Maagaha Pier; $156,815 to the Rota Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services for the purchase of a wildland firefighting brush truck and emergency diving equipment; and $135,000 to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and wastewater certification training. OIA also announced a MAP grant award of $246,050 to the Yap State Public Services Corporation for the Pacific Lineman Training Program to provide powerline operation and maintenance certification training to linemen from the Marianas, Guam, Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Appropriated annually by Congress to be administered by OIA, the Maintenance Assistance Program promotes and develops institutions and capabilities that improve the operation and maintenance of infrastructure in the insular areas. The program was funded at $4.4 million for FY 2020. The Trump administration proposed cutting that to $1 million for FY 2021, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 maintaining the program at $4.4 million.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/250k-opioid-response,$250k for opioid response,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$250k for opioid response Aug 30, 2020 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced the release of first year funds in the amount of $250,000 to the Marianas under the State Opioid Response (SOR) program. The Marianas was awarded this two-year grant to support the development of an opioid intervention program to prevent opioid abuse, improve access to treatment, and aid in patient recovery from opioid use disorders.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/4730-still-waiting-pua,"4,730 still waiting for PUA",2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"4,730 still waiting for PUA Aug 30, 2020 Despite authorization to spend over $2 million in federal funds to administer the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation programs, authorized by Congress in the CARES Act in March, the Commonwealth government has yet to process 4,730 applications out of the 8,312 received. I have again asked Governor Torres to do everything within his power to get this needed assistance to the thousands of Marianas workers, who have been jobless for months because of the coronavirus. The unemployment programs have already pumped $119,770,584 into the Marianas economy. That money helps keep businesses afloat and puts people back to work.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/capital-advance-insular-areas,Capital Advance for the Insular Areas,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Capital Advance for the Insular Areas Aug 30, 2020 I introduced H.R. 8116, the Insular Areas Liquidity Act which would require any department or agency rewarding a grant to any of the four smaller insular areas, to provide at least 50 percent of the award amount up front in an advance payment as defined in 2 CFR 200.3. My bill will also require the awarding department or agency to provide enhanced grant management assistance and technical assistance to the recipients. Grant recipients are often required to provide their own capital to fund projects and are reimbursed later. But in the insular areas, capital is already limited, even more so with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis. By providing an advanced payment of at least 50 percent, we will ensure that projects and programs would not be delayed, and that the entirety of any grant award will be spent. My insular area colleagues Mr. San Nicolas, Ms. Plaskett, and Radewagen signed on as original cosponsors of my bill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/rota-park-h%C3%A5fa-siha-hinason-mu,Rota Park: Hfa siha hinason-mu,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rota Park: Hfa siha hinason-mu Aug 30, 2020 The National Park Service preliminary report released yesterday that a Rota National Historical Park is both suitable and feasible, and is a post-COVID economic opportunity for the Marianas. But a park is only feasible with the partnership of the Commonwealth government, the Rota municipal government, and, especially, public agreement that this is the right step for Rota. The ancient Chamorro sites on Rota, the island's uniquely intact limestone forests, and historical artifacts of the Japanese colonial period are found nowhere else in the National Park system, the report says. It proposes three alternatives for a public discussion that will formally begin in September with virtual meetings and opportunities for written comment. After the public makes its views known, the Park Service will send a final report to the Secretary of the Interior, who will in turn make a recommendation to Congress. Only Congress can create a national park.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/school-reopens-leave-clarification-parents,School reopens: leave clarification for parents,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"School reopens: leave clarification for parents Aug 30, 2020 On August 19, I sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) requesting further clarification about when parents of school-aged children have a right to paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), with particular concern for parents who must care for children attending school on alternate day, remote-learning, or other hybrid-attendance bases. Since then, USDOL's Wage and Hour Division has updated their guidance. Parents will be considered eligible for leave only on the days that their child is required to attend class remotely. Read the updated guidance here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/uscis-reconsiders-touchback,USCIS reconsiders touchback,2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"USCIS reconsiders touchback Aug 30, 2020 CW-1 workers and their employers will not have to worry about the touchback provision of the U.S. Workforce Act this year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced. Touchback, a minimum 30-day departure from the Commonwealth, is required by the Act after an employee has received three consecutive CW permits. USCIS had previously decided that prior years' permits would count against the three-year limit. This week, the agency reconsidered and said CW-1 petitions approved after June 17, 2020 would be considered the first of three. Given the difficulties of traveling safely in and out of the Marianas because of the pandemic, this is a practical decision and good news for CW-1 workers and their employers. We wrote the touchback provision into the U.S. Workforce Act, however, to open up opportunities for local workers. Delaying the application of touchback for another two years delays that help we wanted to give local workers. USCIS, also, still needs to rethink when the touchback is to occurduring the third year or after the third year. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Representatives Ral Grijalva and Rob Bishop, and I, whose working group drafted the U.S. Workforce Act have made clear we intended touchback to occur during the third year. We knew it would be economically disruptive for the Act to require the majority of workers to depart at almost the same time, after their third permit expired. Now that USCIS has decided it can be flexible on how it reads the touchback provision, I hope the agency will listen to the people who wrote the law on how it should be implemented. And I hope the extra training funds for local workers and the spending requirements we wrote into the US Workforce Act will be successfully put to use by the Commonwealth government. We need to stay focused on jobs for local workers, especially with so many laid off because of the coronavirus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-august-28-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - August 28, 2020",2020-08-31,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Rota Park: Hfa siha hinason-mu 4,730 still waiting for PUA USCIS reconsiders touchback School reopens: leave clarification for parents $1m distributed to the Marianas Capital advance for the insular areas $250k for opioid response Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ___________________________________________________________________ Rota Park: Hfa siha hinason-mu The National Park Service preliminary report released yesterday that a Rota National Historical Park is both suitable and feasible, and is a post-COVID economic opportunity for the Marianas. But a park is only feasible with the partnership of the Commonwealth government, the Rota municipal government, and, especially, public agreement that this is the right step for Rota. The ancient Chamorro sites on Rota, the island's uniquely intact limestone forests, and historical artifacts of the Japanese colonial period are found nowhere else in the National Park system, the report says. It proposes three alternatives for a public discussion that will formally begin in September with virtual meetings and opportunities for written comment. After the public makes its views known, the Park Service will send a final report to the Secretary of the Interior, who will in turn make a recommendation to Congress. Only Congress can create a national park. 4,730 still waiting for PUA Despite authorization to spend over $2 million in federal funds to administer the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation programs, authorized by Congress in the CARES Act in March, the Commonwealth government has yet to process 4,730 applications out of the 8,312 received. I have again asked Governor Torres to do everything within his power to get this needed assistance to the thousands of Marianas workers, who have been jobless for months because of the coronavirus. The unemployment programs have already pumped $119,770,584 into the Marianas economy. That money helps keep businesses afloat and puts people back to work. USCIS reconsiders touchback CW-1 workers and their employers will not have to worry about the touchback provision of the U.S. Workforce Act this year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Tuesday. Touchback, a minimum 30-day departure from the Commonwealth, is required by the Act after an employee has received three consecutive CW permits. USCIS had previously decided that prior years' permits would count against the three-year limit. This week, the agency reconsidered and said CW-1 petitions approved after June 17, 2020 would be considered the first of three. Given the difficulties of traveling safely in and out of the Marianas because of the pandemic, this is a practical decision and good news for CW-1 workers and their employers. We wrote the touchback provision into the U.S. Workforce Act, however, to open up opportunities for local workers. Delaying the application of touchback for another two years delays that help we wanted to give local workers. USCIS, also, still needs to rethink when the touchback is to occurduring the third year or after the third year. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Representatives Ral Grijalva and Rob Bishop, and I, whose working group drafted the U.S. Workforce Act have made clear we intended touchback to occur during the third year. We knew it would be economically disruptive for the Act to require the majority of workers to depart at almost the same time, after their third permit expired. Now that USCIS has decided it can be flexible on how it reads the touchback provision, I hope the agency will listen to the people who wrote the law on how it should be implemented. And I hope the extra training funds for local workers and the spending requirements we wrote into the US Workforce Act will be successfully put to use by the Commonwealth government. We need to stay focused on jobs for local workers, especially with so many laid off because of the coronavirus. School reopens: leave clarification for parents On August 19, I sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) requesting further clarification about when parents of school-aged children have a right to paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), with particular concern for parents who must care for children attending school on alternate day, remote-learning, or other hybrid-attendance bases. Since then, USDOL's Wage and Hour Division has updated their guidance. Parents will be considered eligible for leave only on the days that their child is required to attend class remotely. Read the updated guidance here. $1m distributed to the Marianas The Northern Marianas is receiving $1,005,119 in Maintenance Assistance Program (MAP) funds, Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced. Grant funds will be used for the following four projects: $492,652 to the Department of Public Works for a stormwater sanitation system; $220,652 to the Department of Public Lands to install safety railings at the Maagaha Pier; $156,815 to the Rota Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services for the purchase of a wildland firefighting brush truck and emergency diving equipment; and $135,000 to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and wastewater certification training. OIA also announced a MAP grant award of $246,050 to the Yap State Public Services Corporation for the Pacific Lineman Training Program to provide powerline operation and maintenance certification training to linemen from the Marianas, Guam, Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Appropriated annually by Congress to be administered by OIA, the Maintenance Assistance Program promotes and develops institutions and capabilities that improve the operation and maintenance of infrastructure in the insular areas. The program was funded at $4.4 million for FY 2020. The Trump administration proposed cutting that to $1 million for FY 2021, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 maintaining the program at $4.4 million. Capital Advance for the Insular Areas I introduced H.R. 8116, the Insular Areas Liquidity Act which would require any department or agency rewarding a grant to any of the four smaller insular areas, to provide at least 50 percent of the award amount up front in an advance payment as defined in 2 CFR 200.3. My bill will also require the awarding department or agency to provide enhanced grant management assistance and technical assistance to the recipients. Grant recipients are often required to provide their own capital to fund projects and are reimbursed later. But in the insular areas, capital is already limited, even more so with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis. By providing an advanced payment of at least 50 percent, we will ensure that projects and programs would not be delayed, and that the entirety of any grant award will be spent. My insular area colleagues Mr. San Nicolas, Ms. Plaskett, and Radewagen signed on as original cosponsors of my bill. $250k for opioid response The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced the release of first year funds in the amount of $250,000 to the Marianas under the State Opioid Response (SOR) program. The Marianas was awarded this two-year grant to support the development of an opioid intervention program to prevent opioid abuse, improve access to treatment, and aid in patient recovery from opioid use disorders. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THISWEEK The House was in recess for the District Work Period. NEXTWEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-national-park-rota-people-decide,Kilili: National Park for Rota for the people to decide,2020-08-27,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says the National Park Service findings that a Rota National Historical Park is both suitable and feasible is a post-COVID economic opportunity for the Marianas. This is good news at a time when the economic future of the Marianas is uncertain, Congressman Sablan said. But, as the Park Service draft report indicates, a National Park is only feasible with the partnership of the Commonwealth government, the Rota municipal government, and, especially, public agreement that this is the right step to take. The National Park Service issued preliminary results of a special resource study of the island of Rota today. The study was authorized by Congress in 2014, after four years of work by Congressman Sablan. In 2015, he secured funding; and the Park Service began its study. The preliminary report released today determined that the ancient Chamorro sites on Rota, the island's uniquely intact limestone forests, and historical artifacts of the Japanese colonial period were found nowhere else in the National Park system. The study proposes three alternative courses of action for a public discussion that will formally begin in September with virtual meetings and opportunities for written comment. The study lays our three alternatives: The first is to continue the current management by the Commonwealth and Rota municipal government agencies. The second and third alternatives are for the Commonwealth and the Rota municipal governments to enter into a management agreement with the Park Service for a Chamorro National Historical Park (about 526 hectares), or for a Chamorro, limestone forest, and WWII sites National Historical Park (about 1,780 hectares).All lands would remain in Commonwealth ownership consistent with Article XII. Currently there are only 57 National Historical Parks nationwide. These include such places of importance as Abraham Lincoln's birthplace, Valley Forge, and the Appomattox Court House, where the Civil War ended. After the public makes its views known, the Park Service will send a final report to the Secretary of the Interior, who will in turn transmit a recommendation to Congress. Only Congress can actually create a national park. Importance of public input A Rota National Park is an idea that started in Rota, Congressman Sablan explained. Senator Diego Songao suggested it to me, when I was first elected in 2009; and I immediately pushed a bill authorizing the resource study through the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate was less interested in the idea. However, Sablan persisted. In his second term in 2012, he again introduced and passed a bill in the House, and then again in his third term in 2013. Both bills received a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Sablan was then able to piggyback his legislation on the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015,P.L. 113-291. And he got the study funded in the FY16 Consolidated Appropriations Act,P.L. 114-113. Throughout the long process the people of Rota have been supporters. At the House hearing in 2010, then-Representative Teresita A. Santos, showed the Natural Resources Committee slides of Mochon Latte Stone Village, Chugai Pictorial Cave, and the Taga Latte Stone Quarry, during her testimony. Sablan asked Santos to testify in her capacity as Chair of the Northern Marianas Legislature's Committee on Natural Resources. After Santos' presentation, Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-California) called Rota a jewel. And the Obama administration, too, supported a Park Service suitability and feasibility study. During the study there has been further public comment. The preliminary report says that politicians and business owners view a new unit of the national park system as a driver of tourism on Rota where there are limited economic opportunities. Overall, residents who attended public meetings and/or provided comments viewed a unit of the national park system on Rota as beneficial and supported NPS management and programming of the nationally significant sites. The study also noted public concerns about limits on traditional hunting, collecting, and agricultural practices. We know what happens when the government takes action like approving the Imperial Pacific casino that do not have the support of the people or disrespect our culture, Congressman Sablan said. So, I encourage everyone to take a look at the Park Service report and provide input. We will have copies at the congressional offices. Rota has the kind of unique and beautiful sites that people from around the world would come to see a permanent source of economic activity in the future that would be based on our Chamorro heritage that stretches back 3,000 years. Now, we need to hear from the people of Rota and the people of the Marianas: What do the people want to do? That is next question to answer. Sablan is a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, which will have jurisdiction over any legislation creating a Rota National Park. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/11m-manage-coastal-resources,$1.1m to manage coastal resources,2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$1.1m to manage coastal resources Aug 23, 2020 The Division of Coastal Resources Management is receiving $1,133,000 in National Coastal Zone Management Program grant funds, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management announced. Funds will be used to help administer the Commonwealth's federally approved coastal management program by supporting staff salaries, an annual internship program to help college students prepare for careers in coastal resource management, and other coastal management initiatives including coastal permitting, enforcement, and public outreach events, including the annual international coastal cleanup. The grant will also help fund improvements to ensure safe and sustainable tourism can continue in the Northern Marianas. The National Coastal Zone Management Program is a voluntary federal-state partnership that protects, restores, and responsibly develops coastal communities and resources by balancing economic development, coastal uses, and natural resource protection. Congratulations to DCRM.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/mail-delays-threaten-vets%E2%80%99-health,Mail delays threaten vets health,2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mail delays threaten vets' health Aug 23, 2020 I signed on to a second letter Postmaster General Louis DeJoy this time highlighting the harm recent mail delays are having on veterans, who receive prescription medications by mail. This is particularly a problem for veterans in remote and rural areas, such as the Marianas. The Department of Veterans Affairs fills approximately 80 percent of prescriptions by mail, approximately half a million prescriptions every day. The VA will not process a refill until 7-10 days before a veteran's current supply is scheduled to run out and new Postal Service policies and procedures are forcing veterans to wait up to three weeks or longer to receive life-saving medications. It is also reported that medications are sitting at post offices for days prior to delivery, potentially impacting the effectiveness and safety of these drugs. The Postal Service must address the delays immediately to reduce the risk to veterans' health.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/protect-our-mail,Protect our mail!,2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Protect our mail! Aug 23, 2020 Marianas residents rely on the U.S. Postal Service to stay connected with family and friends, ship essential items, and provide maximum participation in local elections through the delivery of absentee ballots. That is why I joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chair Carolyn Maloney, and 172 of my Democratic colleagues in a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy raising concerns about his policies that undermine postal operations and increase mail delivery delays. I have also cosponsored H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, introduced by Chair Maloney, that bars any reduction in postal services, provides $25 billion in emergency funding to ensure timely delivery, and requires all election mail be treated as First Class. Despite Postmaster DeJoy's recent suspension of his policies to cripple mail delivery, there was no promise to roll back the changes he already put in place. So, the House will vote on the Delivering for America Act on Saturday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/school-reopens-parents-need-leave,School reopens: parents need leave,2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congress provided in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that some employers must offer employees paid leave, when their childrens' schools are closed because of the virus. But Trump administration rules implementing the Act are unclear on whether that leave is available when schools are using a hybrid model, like the Marianas Public School System, with a mix of online and in-person education. So, in my capacity as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, along with Rep. Alma Adams, who chairs the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection I wrote the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division requesting they amend their guidance to cover the hybrid model. Working parents need maximum flexibility in dealing with the impact of coronavirus on their children.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/tools-safe-return-school,Tools for a safe return to school,2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Tools for a safe return to school Aug 23, 2020 Resources are now available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to keep students, their families, and school staff coronavirus-free as school resumes. Parents can review the CDC's Back-to-School checklist on how to protect the health of students, who may be attending some classes in-person under the Marianas Public School System's hybrid learning structure, and how to help students attending online to structure their days for effective learning. Teachers and administrators may consult CDC guidance and frequently asked questions about classroom hygiene and reopening schools safely. The Public School System plans to resume most classes beginning September 8.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-august-21-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - August 21, 2020",2020-08-24,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Schools reopen: parents need leave Tools for a safe return to school Legislative consultations Protect our mail! Mail delays threaten vets' health $1.1m for coastal resources Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights _______________________________________________________ School reopens: parents need leave Congress provided in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that some employers must offer employees paid leave, when their childrens' schools are closed because of the virus. But Trump administration rules implementing the Act are unclear on whether that leave is available when schools are using a hybrid model, like the Marianas Public School System, with a mix of online and in-person education. So, this week in my capacity as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, along with Rep. Alma Adams, who chairs the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection I wrote the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division requesting they amend their guidance to cover the hybrid model. Working parents need maximum flexibility in dealing with the impact of coronavirus on their children. Tools for a safe return to school Resources are now available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to keep students, their families, and school staff coronavirus-free as school resumes. Parents can review the CDC's Back-to-School checklist on how to protect the health of students, who may be attending some classes in-person under the Marianas Public School System's hybrid learning structure, and how to help students attending online to structure their days for effective learning. Teachers and administrators may consult CDC guidance and frequently asked questions about classroom hygiene and reopening schools safely. The Public School System plans to resume most classes beginning September 8. Protect our mail! Marianas residents rely on the U.S. Postal Service to stay connected with family and friends, ship essential items, and provide maximum participation in local elections through the delivery of absentee ballots. That is why I joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chair Carolyn Maloney, and 172 of my Democratic colleagues in a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy raising concerns about his policies that undermine postal operations and increase mail delivery delays. I have also cosponsored H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, introduced by Chair Maloney, that bars any reduction in postal services, provides $25 billion in emergency funding to ensure timely delivery, and requires all election mail be treated as First Class. Despite Postmaster DeJoy's recent suspension of his policies to cripple mail delivery, there was no promise to roll back the changes he already put in place. So, the House will vote on the Delivering for America Act on Saturday. Mail delays threaten vets' health Thursday, I signed on to a second letter Postmaster General Louis DeJoy this time highlighting the harm recent mail delays are having on veterans, who receive prescription medications by mail. This is particularly a problem for veterans in remote and rural areas, such as the Marianas. The Department of Veterans Affairs fills approximately 80 percent of prescriptions by mail, approximately half a million prescriptions every day. The VA will not process a refill until 7-10 days before a veteran's current supply is scheduled to run out and new Postal Service policies and procedures are forcing veterans to wait up to three weeks or longer to receive life-saving medications. It is also reported that medications are sitting at post offices for days prior to delivery, potentially impacting the effectiveness and safety of these drugs. The Postal Service must address the delays immediately to reduce the risk to veterans' health. $1.1m to manage coastal resources The Division of Coastal Resources Management is receiving $1,133,000 in National Coastal Zone Management Program grant funds, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management announced Friday. Funds will be used to help administer the Commonwealth's federally approved coastal management program by supporting staff salaries, an annual internship program to help college students prepare for careers in coastal resource management, and other coastal management initiatives including coastal permitting, enforcement, and public outreach events, including the annual international coastal cleanup. The grant will also help fund improvements to ensure safe and sustainable tourism can continue in the Northern Marianas. The National Coastal Zone Management Program is a voluntary federal-state partnership that protects, restores, and responsibly develops coastal communities and resources by balancing economic development, coastal uses, and natural resource protection. Congratulations to DCRM. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THISWEEK The House was in recess for the District Work Period. NEXTWEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/26m-distributed-marianas,$2.6m distributed to Marianas,2020-08-18,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Northern Marianas is receiving $2,571,650 in Technical Assistance Program grant funds, Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced. The awarded funding will be used to support various operations and public services throughout the Marianas: $623,563 to the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services to train firefighter cadets in Tinian, Rota, and Saipan, and to acquire breathing apparatus equipment and supplies $430,828 to the Department of Public Safety to increase the capacity of local law enforcement through the employment of new cadets or the rehiring of retired/former police officers $334,360 to the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation to upgrade outdated diagnostic imaging equipment with a full field digital mammography system and training of CHCC Radiology staff $232,706 to the Saipan Mayor's Office to help fund staff positions in the mayor's office necessary for maintaining cleanliness and upkeep of public areas $202,598 to the Marianas Visitors Authority for the purchase of new hardware and software to update and improve existing arrivals data collection and processing $153,605 to the Commonwealth Zoning Board to digitize and automate zoning operations and to purchase equipment, travel, and geographic information system licensing $146,826 to the Department of Commerce, Statistical Division to conduct a prevailing wage study to help determine the types of existing occupations and wage rates required by the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act, Public Law 115-218 $101,613 to the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs for the Rota Historical Sites Maintenance and Improvement Project established to safeguard Rota's historical sites including ancient Chamorro village sites, latte stone quarry, cave with pictographs, and World War II historical sites $120,117 to the Department of Lands and Natural Resources to fund an invasive species coordinator position and to support a tree-planting and beautification project in Saipan $79,015 to the Department of Public Works to acquire necessary equipment for advanced technological support for architectural and engineering projects and services $77,745 to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to train personnel in Social Security Administration retirements and benefit planning $68,674 to the Tinian Mayor's Office to repair or replace playground equipment at the Tinian Children's Park and purchase maintenance equipment, perimeter fencing, and related supplies Appropriated annually by Congress to be administered by OIA, the Technical Assistance Program was funded at $20.8 million for FY 2020. The Trump administration proposed cutting that to $14.7 million for FY 2021, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 with an increase to $22.8 million.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/56m-planned-solid-waste,$56m planned for solid waste,2020-08-18,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$56m planned for solid waste Aug 17, 2020 The Environmental Protection Agency and the Commonwealth's Office of Planning and Development continue to plan improvements to solid waste management on Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and the Northern Islands using the $56 million I included for that purpose in last year's disaster relief act, Public Law 116-20. EPA now reports the funds will be awarded in phases over the next five years. A first grant application from OPD, totaling $565,980, to form an inter-island solid waste taskforce is currently under review; and staff for each municipality are expected to be hired by May 2021. The taskforce, which includes the Department of Public Works and the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, will start developing plans for Zero Waste projects with comprehensive proposals for each island expected by March 2022. OPD also plans to submit a proposal for emergency repair of the Marpi landfill by January 2021, and a subsequent proposal for the comprehensive waste management needs for the Marianas by January 2022.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/nmi-teacher-awards-bill-intro%E2%80%99d,NMI teacher awards bill introd,2020-08-18,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NMI teacher awards bill intro'd Aug 17, 2020 Marianas math and science teachers will have more opportunities to be recognized for their achievements, if a new bill I introduced is enacted. The STEM Educator Awards Equity Act expands the annual Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching so teachers from each insular area will be represented. Those selected receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and participate in expert-led training and collaboration opportunities during their visit to Washington. Currently, finalists from the Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, and Virgin Islands are chosen as a group unlike the fifty states, Puerto Rico and Department of Defense schools. No teacher from the Marianas, for instance, was selected this year. And this lack of recognition defeats the purpose of the program, which is to inspire excellence within each area and provide a role model for other local STEM educators to emulate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/veterans-bill-becomes-law,Veterans bill becomes law,2020-08-18,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Veterans bill becomes law Aug 17, 2020 Veterans and their eligible family members will now be able to use their GI Bill educational benefits to cover the cost of preparatory courses for license and certification exams. The legislation I introduced as H.R. 2934, which was added to the Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Special Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019, was signed into law by the President. H.R. 2934 allows the Veterans Administration to pay the fees for courses that prepare students for license and certification tests. Northern Marianas College, for instance, has offered a $400 course to help prepare for the NCLEX nurse licensing exam. Latte Training Academy offers CompTIA certification exam courses for those entering IT professions. The new law allows the GI bill to cover those costs. Before, only the test fees themselves were covered by the GI Bill. Making more benefits available to returning service members and their families has been a key goal in my service on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Up to 30 percent of Marianas high school graduates enter the military each year, according to the Public School System.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/any-marianas-benefit-trump-memos,Any Marianas benefit in Trump memos?,2020-08-17,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"With the Trump administration and Senate Republicans unwilling to extend beyond July the $600 weekly unemployment benefit people in the Marianas are finally receiving, many are asking whether the memorandum on this issue, which the President issued on August 8, will make any difference. The simple answer is no. But let me share with you more details from a briefing I attended on Friday, looking closely at the three memos and one executive order from the President last weekend, dealing with unemployment and other expiring provisions of the CARES Act: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation The HEROES Act the House passed in May would extend the additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits through the end of January 2021. The President's weekend memo only provides half, $300 in federal funds. But that money is only available if each state and territory agrees to match with another $100. And, even if a cash-strapped government like the Commonwealth could find the local match, the federal money the President earmarked would run out after five weeks. Housing assistance and eviction moratorium The HEROES Act provides $100 billion in rental assistance, $75 billion to assist homeowners with mortgage payments and other housing costs, and extends the eviction moratorium for up to a year. The moratorium lapsed on July 24. The President's Executive Order does not provide any actual funding assistance to homeowners or renters. And, instead of extending the eviction moratorium, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are simply asked to consider whether the eviction moratorium is necessary to the coronavirus from spreading from one State or possession into any other State or possession. Compared to the year-long relief under the HEROES Act House approved in May, the Trump memo only offers a three-month freeze on federal student loan payments. And all student loan borrowers will once again be subject to involuntary collections. Unlike the president's order, the Heroes Act provides up to $10,000 in student debt relief for more than 20 million federal student loan borrowers with the greatest need. The HEROES Act expanded the Employee Retention Tax Credit, a refundable payroll tax credit created in the CARES Act. The expansion allows employers to receive a refundable tax credit of up to 80 percent of qualified wages or health care expenses per employee to help businesses retain employees and stay open during this coronavirus crisis. In contrast, the President's memorandum directs the U.S. Treasury to defer collection of payroll taxes for employees earning less than $104,000 beginning September 1 through the end of December. This action does not guarantee any measurable benefit for workers. Furthermore, the payroll tax liability will still accrue and businesses will have to pay up at the end of December. View the full briefing here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/bermudes-castro-new-district-director,Bermudes-Castro is new District Director,2020-08-17,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Bermudes-Castro is new District Director Aug 17, 2020 Long-time congressional office manager Paula Bermudes-Castro has been promoted to the position of District Director. Ms. Bermudes fills the position left vacant by the recent passing of Mike Tenorio, who served as District Director since January 2009. The District Director is responsible for a staff of seven and the congressional offices on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. Paula will coordinate the work of all three offices responding to inquiries and requests for assistance, help me in meetings with constituents, and is my representative in the Marianas, when I am working in Washington. Congratulations, Paula!",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/long-term-resident-applicants%E2%80%99-parole-extended,Long-term resident applicants parole extended,2020-08-17,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Long-term resident applicants' parole extended Aug 17, 2020 Persons who applied for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status will have their parole and employment authorization automatically extended while their application is being adjudicated, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced. The extension applies through December 31 or the date USCIS issues a final decision on their petition. To prove identity and work authorization, persons covered by this announcement will need a copy of the web alert, Form I-766 (EAD) with the C-11 category code and expiration date on or before June 29, 2020, and proof of filing Form I-955 and Form I-775 on or before the August 17 deadline. Filing evidence may be Form I-797C, Notice of Action reflecting the filing of Form I-765 requesting the classification code of (c)(37) or a copy of Form I-955 and Form I-765 with a mail receipt. Parole and employment authorization will end on August 17 for parolees who do not timely file Forms I-955 and I-765; and they must then depart the Marianas.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/501m-unemployment-paid,$50.1m in unemployment paid,2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$50.1m in unemployment paid Aug 9, 2020 Marianas workers laid off from their jobs because of the coronavirus have received $50,191,171 in unemployment aid so far, according to information your congressional office received from the U.S. Department of Labor this week. We made sure workers in the Marianas would be eligible for the assistance in the CARES Act last March, even though the Commonwealth has never set up the unemployment insurance system that other U.S. jurisdictions use to get the federal money to those in need. USDOL also reports the Commonwealth is required to report on workload activity, but has not done so to date. This missing report would include the number of claims, the number of weeks claimed, the number of subject employers, and information about non-monetary determinations and appeals. We will bring you this data when it becomes available.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/conservation-park-funds-now-law,"Conservation, park funds now law",2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Conservation, park funds now law Aug 9, 2020 The annual Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to the Marianas is now permanently increased. President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law on Tuesday setting aside $900 million in offshore oil and gas revenues each year to Fund. That will mean about $1.6 million for the Marianas each year to safeguard natural areas or plan, develop, and maintain public outdoor recreation projects. Our annual grant increased from $75,000, on average, to $1,634,057 million this year with passage of the John J. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. The Dingell Act gives each of the five insular areas a full state-share of LWCF funding. Previously, together with the District of Columbia, we split one state share. But the Fund itself was still subject to annual appropriation limits. That is why I also voted for the permanent $900 million set-aside of the oil and gas money, when H.R. 3195 came before the House Natural Resources Committee last June. 21 Democrats voted in favor; 13 Republicans opposed. The Great American Outdoors Act also establishes the National Park and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to help pay for long overdue maintenance needs at parks managed by the National Park Service, including the American Memorial Park on Saipan. Over the next five years, $6.65 billion will be allocated for repairs at facilities run by the Park Service. American Memorial Park is on the agency's list for $10.6 million in repairs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-funding-benefits-marianas-1,FY21 funding benefits Marianas,2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, I reported that the House passed H.R. 7617, the second minibus package. The minibus included six, not fiveFY 2021 spending bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. Additional highlights benefitting the Marianas include: $423.4 million for Legal Services Corporation Basic Field Grants which provides funding for the Micronesian Legal Services. $525 million for the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program which may be used for a number of purposes such as technical assistance, training, personnel and equipment with eight program areas including law enforcement, the prosecution and the courts, corrections, and victim assistance. $50 million for training programs on racial profiling implicit bias de-escalation use the force in a duty to intervene and procedural justice. $21.7 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance and $13.05 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance, the two programs that provide much needed assistance for Marianas families. $3.5 billion for the Community Development Block Grant which funds revitalization and economic development projects. $1.7 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership for affordable housing initiatives that benefit low-income households such as home buying and home rehabilitation assistance. $3.4 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants to aid homeless persons or those at-risk of being homeless. $5.34 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which manages coastal resilience and management grants and the Coral Reef Conservation Program. These programs help the Marianas prepare for and recover from severe weather events, evolving climate hazards, and support the preservation of our coral reef ecosystems.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/student-aid-restrictions-opposed,Student aid restrictions opposed,2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Student aid restrictions opposed Aug 9, 2020 The CARES Act provided more than $14 billion in emergency aid to colleges, including $1.8 million to Northern Marianas College, and required half of that funding to be used for emergency grants to students. Despite the law including no restrictions on student eligibility, the Trump Administration issued an interim final rule that excludes NMC students who don't meet the eligibility requirements for federal financial aid programs, including international students, those with a federal loan in default, and other vulnerable students. The rule also causes disproportionate harm to populations of students less likely to have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), including student veterans and students who self-finance their education through full- or part-time work. I have joined other Education and Labor Committee members in opposing the Trump rule's cruel and unauthorized restrictions. Read our letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/usdol-cw-1-not-eligible-pua,USDOL: CW-1 not eligible for PUA,2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"USDOL: CW-1 not eligible for PUA Aug 9, 2020 The U.S. Department of Labor is standing firm, that CW-1 workers are not eligible for PUA. This is a bad decision. It creates a hardship for the unemployed workers; and it means the loss of millions of dollars to the Marianas economy and lost government tax revenues. I asked Secretary Scalia to personally review this decision on June 12. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D- Massachusetts) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), followed up on my request with their own letter on June 30. However, the Department maintains that PUA benefits as a Federal public benefit as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1611(c). It argues that since CW-1 workers are not considered qualified aliens under 8 U.S.C. 1641, they would therefore not qualify for PUA. It is unfortunate that the Department is choosing to ignore the PUA eligibility clauses in the CARES Act and is administering the program, in a manner contrary to the very intent of the CARES Act. That intent is to provide assistance to workers who have been displaced by the coronavirus crisis. This is not the first time that a federal agency, responsible for implementing the laws Congress passes, interprets the law in a way that is directly at odds with the intention of Congress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-august-07-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - August 07, 2020",2020-08-10,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: $50.1m in unemployment paid US DOL: CW1s not eligible for PUA Conservation, park funds now law Student aid restrictions opposed FY21 funding benefits Marianas Deadline nears for permanent residence Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights _______________________________________________________ $50.1m in unemployment paid Marianas workers laid off from their jobs because of the coronavirus have received $50,191,171 in unemployment aid so far, according to information your congressional office received from the U.S. Department of Labor this week. We made sure workers in the Marianas would be eligible for the assistance in the CARES Act last March, even though the Commonwealth has never set up the unemployment insurance system that other U.S. jurisdictions use to get the federal money to those in need. USDOL also reports the Commonwealth is required to report on workload activity, but has not done so to date. This missing report would include the number of claims, the number of weeks claimed, the number of subject employers, and information about non-monetary determinations and appeals. We will bring you this data when it becomes available. USDOL: CW-1 not eligible for PUA The U.S. Department of Labor is standing firm, that CW-1 workers are not eligible for PUA. This is a bad decision. It creates a hardship for the unemployed workers; and it means the loss of millions of dollars to the Marianas economy and lost government tax revenues. I asked Secretary Scalia to personally review this decision on June 12. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D- Massachusetts) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), followed up on my request with their own letter on June 30. However, the Department maintains that PUA benefits as a Federal public benefit as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1611(c). It argues that since CW-1 workers are not considered qualified aliens under 8 U.S.C. 1641, they would therefore not qualify for PUA. It is unfortunate that the Department is choosing to ignore the PUA eligibility clauses in the CARES Act and is administering the program, in a manner contrary to the very intent of the CARES Act. That intent is to provide assistance to workers who have been displaced by the coronavirus crisis. This is not the first time that a federal agency, responsible for implementing the laws Congress passes, interprets the law in a way that is directly at odds with the intention of Congress. Conservation, park funds now law The annual Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to the Marianas is now permanently increased. President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law on Tuesday setting aside $900 million in offshore oil and gas revenues each year to Fund. That will mean about $1.6 million for the Marianas each year to safeguard natural areas or plan, develop, and maintain public outdoor recreation projects. Our annual grant increased from $75,000, on average, to $1,634,057 million this year with passage of the John J. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. The Dingell Act gives each of the five insular areas a full state-share of LWCF funding. Previously, together with the District of Columbia, we split one state share. But the Fund itself was still subject to annual appropriation limits. That is why I also voted for the permanent $900 million set-aside of the oil and gas money, when H.R. 3195 came before the House Natural Resources Committee last June. 21 Democrats voted in favor; 13 Republicans opposed. The Great American Outdoors Act also establishes the National Park and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to help pay for long overdue maintenance needs at parks managed by the National Park Service, including the American Memorial Park on Saipan. Over the next five years, $6.65 billion will be allocated for repairs at facilities run by the Park Service. American Memorial Park is on the agency's list for $10.6 million in repairs. Student aid restrictions opposed The CARES Act provided more than $14 billion in emergency aid to colleges, including $1.8 million to Northern Marianas College, and required half of that funding to be used for emergency grants to students. Despite the law including no restrictions on student eligibility, the Trump Administration issued an interim final rule that excludes NMC students who don't meet the eligibility requirements for federal financial aid programs, including international students, those with a federal loan in default, and other vulnerable students. The rule also causes disproportionate harm to populations of students less likely to have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), including student veterans and students who self-finance their education through full- or part-time work. I have joined other Education and Labor Committee members in opposing the Trump rule's cruel and unauthorized restrictions. Read our letter here. FY21 funding benefits Marianas Last week, I reported that the House passed H.R. 7617, the second minibus package. The minibus included six, not fiveFY 2021 spending bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. Additional highlights benefitting the Marianas include: $423.4 million for Legal Services Corporation Basic Field Grants which provides funding for the Micronesian Legal Services. $525 million for the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program which may be used for a number of purposes such as technical assistance, training, personnel and equipment with eight program areas including law enforcement, the prosecution and the courts, corrections, and victim assistance. $50 million for training programs on racial profiling implicit bias de-escalation use the force in a duty to intervene and procedural justice. $21.7 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance and $13.05 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance, the two programs that provide much needed assistance for Marianas families. $3.5 billion for the Community Development Block Grant which funds revitalization and economic development projects. $1.7 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership for affordable housing initiatives that benefit low-income households such as home buying and home rehabilitation assistance. $3.4 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants to aid homeless persons or those at-risk of being homeless. $5.34 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which manages coastal resilience and management grants and the Coral Reef Conservation Program. These programs help the Marianas prepare for and recover from severe weather events, evolving climate hazards, and support the preservation of our coral reef ecosystems. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Public Comments ESSE Relief Fund questionnaire GEER Relief Fund questionnaire PREP data Stormwater grants formula input LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK The House was in recess for the District Work Period. NEXT WEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/366k-finance-building-upgrades,$366k for Finance building upgrades,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$366k for Finance building upgrades Aug 2, 2020 $366,000 in Capital Improvement Program funding initially obligated as local cost share for FEMA disaster assistance in response to Super Typhoon Yutu will now be used to improve CNMI Department of Finance facilities, the Office of Insular Affairs announced.On January 31, 2020, FEMA granted the Northern Marianas a full 100 percent federal cost share of total eligible costs for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program disaster assistance. This freed up the previously reserved matching funds which will now be used to repair and renovate Finance facilities to improve resilience against future typhoons. Funded building improvements include window and door replacements, new ADA-compliant restrooms, roof repairs, new plumbing, emergency lights, and replacement of electrical wiring and fixtures to comply with the latest National Electrical Code. Congress appropriates $27.72 million annually in mandatory Capital Improvement Project funds to address various infrastructure needs in the U.S. insular areas.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/976k-coral-grant-recommended,$976k coral grant recommended,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$976k coral grant recommended Aug 2, 2020 The Northern Marianas is the beneficiary of one of four proposals recommended to receive a new Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grant, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday. Johnston Applied Marine Sciences proposes to test a novel method to scale up coral restoration efforts through the outplanting of propagated juvenile corals in the Northern Mariana Islands. The three-year, $975,944 project will also build local capacity to implement coral sexual propagation methods as part of a broader restoration strategy in the Marianas. While the proposal has been recommended for funding, approval of the application and obligation of funds is not yet final. Funded projects aim to enhance coral resilience and improve the long-term success and efficiency of shallow-water coral reef restoration in a changing climate. Project funding is provided annually by Congress to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program which received $29.5 million in FY2020.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/emergency-funding-uscis,Emergency funding for USCIS,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Emergency funding for USCIS Aug 2, 2020 The Trump administration has announced fee increases for CW-1 applications from $460 to $695 and for many other services the U.S. CItizenship and Immigration Services provides. USCIS is a fee-based agency and the pandemic has caused a sharp drop in applications and its revenues, the administration argues. That is why I joined 77 of my Democratic colleagues, urging House and Senate leaders to provide emergency funding for USCIS in the next coronavirus package. A direct appropriation may help keep fees from rising again. A direct appropriation in the next relief act will also keep USCIS from furloughing some 13,000 of its employees. That loss would delay processing of employment and family petitions and green card and refugee applications.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-funding-benefits-marianas-0,FY21 funding benefits Marianas,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House passed H.R. 7617, a minibus package of five FY 2021 spending bills: Defense, Energy-Water, Transportation-Housing, Labor-Health-Education and Financial Services-General Government. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. Some highlights benefitting the Marianas include: Bill language permitting the outlying areas to submit consolidated grant applications for the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula grants from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Title I-A schools grants, the biggest block of federal funding for the Marianas Public School System, go up $254 million. I revised the Title I-A funding formula in 2015 to increase the annual grant for PSS. As a result, this year our schools get $12 million; and that amount will go up again, when the $254 million nationwide increase is enacted. My requests to increase funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for Pell Grants, and Head Start were also included in the bill. Compared to last year, the bill raises IDEA funding by $208 million, maximum Pell grant awards to $6,495, and Head Start by $150 million. Funding to support a 3 percent pay raise for service members $310 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income families improve the energy efficiency of their homes",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/heroes-vs-heals-you-decide,HEROES vs HEALS - you decide,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Republicans have finally put forward their response to the HEROES Act the House passed in May to keep helping everyone get through the coronavirus crisis. Some key takeaways and contrasts between the House-passed bill, HEROES Act, and what Republicans call the HEALS Act. Unemployment.. The Republican HEALS Act proposal will cut Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation from $600 to $200 per week for workers laid off in the Marianas and around the country. The Democratic HEROES Act keeps FPUC at $600 at least through the end of January 2021. The HEALS Act also counts both the FPUC and the $345 per week Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, PUA, as income. That means the Republican proposal would disqualify some unemployed workers and their families from income-based Medicaid insurance and the Children's Health Insurance Program. More stimulus checks The Democratic HEROES Act allows income tax payers to collect another $1,200 economic impact payment, whether they file using a Social Security number or the alternative Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN. The Republican HEALS Act bars those who use the ITIN. The Democratic HEROES Act also, retroactively, makes families with college students or adult dependents eligible for $500 for each of these dependents. The Republican HEROES Act does not. Schools To get federal assistance under the Republican HEALS Act, kindergartens, elementary, and high schools would have to reopen fully, regardless of local conditions, putting the health of students, teachers, and staff at risk. The Republican bill offers $70 billion. The Democratic HEROES Act allows local authorities to run local schools and make reopening decisions. Together with school funding in the Moving Forward Act, H.R. 2, House Democrats have approved $200 billion to help the Marianas and schools nationwide keep teaching, one way or another, during the pandemic. The Democratic HEROES Act also provides $8 billion more for colleges than the Republican HEALS Act, which fails to extend the payment and interest moratorium for federal student loan borrowers, due to expire at the end of September. Aid to local government The Democratic HEROES Act recognizes the huge hit to state and territorial government revenues, as long as the coronavirus is out of control. The Commonwealth would receive $2.14 billion in general revenues, one-quarter of which would keep schools in operation. Cuts to retirees and essential services could be restored. And the funds remain available until expended, which is necessary because our tourism-based economy is not likely to recover until visitors can be tested comfortably and quickly and there is renewed willingness to risk air travel. The Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Northern Islands municipalities would share about $29 million in the HEROES Act. The Republican HEALS Act contains no money to replace lost state, territorial, or municipal revenues. Small Business Small businesses would have less flexibility to stay afloat under the Republican HEALS Act. The Democratic HEROES Act extends the Paycheck Protection Program, which 476 Marianas businesses are participating in, to the end of 2020. And the HEROES Act gives these businesses 24 weeks to use PPP money (up from the original 8 weeks) and eliminates the requirement that 60 percent of PPP money go towards labor costs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/house-approves-more-child-care-aid,House approves more child care aid,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House approves more child care aid Aug 2, 2020 The Marianas received $3.25 million from the CARES Act Child Care and Development Block Grant to help working families and keep childcare providers operating. But more federal support is needed to keep care available and affordable. That's why the House passed the Child Care is Essential Act. I cosponsored the legislation, which sets up a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund within the CCDBG program. Grants from the Stabilization Fund would help child care centers cover operating expenses, keep staff on the job, and provide tuition and copayment relief for working families. Learn more about the bill here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/islands%E2%80%99-army-corps-waiver-upped,Islands Army Corps waiver upped,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Islands' Army Corps waiver upped Aug 2, 2020 Cost-share waivers for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' projects in the Marianas will keep pace with inflation under a provision in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 which passed the House by unanimous consent. The original Marianas waiver was set in 1986 at $200,000, but I was able to increase that to $455,000 in WRDA 2014, arguing the waiver needed to account for inflation. The inflation adjustment was renewed in WRDA 2018 totalling $484,000. Now, WRDA 2020 would mandate an annual adjustment, so the Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Native American Tribes would get a bigger waiver of the local cost-share every year. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps to carry out water resources development projects and studies, and provides policy direction for the Corps' civil works missions including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/lift-medicaid-cap-next-relief-bill,Lift Medicaid cap in next relief bill,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Lift Medicaid cap in next relief bill Aug 2, 2020 The coronavirus crisis is only worsening the disparities in health care between regions and racial groups in our country. I joined 36 of my House colleagues in a bicameral letter to leadership, asking that provisions of the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA), which address those disparities, be included in the next coronavirus relief legislation. One provision, particularly important to the Marianas, is repeal of the cap on how much federal Medicaid assistance our area can receive. Medicaid is uncapped for U.S. states. I also have stand-alone legislation, lifting the cap, with 39 cosponsors. My Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act, H.R. 6495, gained the support of the Bipartisan Policy Center Action this week, which wrote: These unprecedented times have clearly demonstrated that the health of all Americans is interconnected and that we must invest in building strong, resilient health care systems in every community the Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act seeks to address that challenge, and we support its passage.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/making-sure-you-can-vote,Making sure you can vote,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Barriers to the ballot box in the U.S. territories was the subject of Tuesday's hearing by the House Subcommittee on Elections. I testified along with other Delegates and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. They spoke at length about voting rights U.S. citizens living in the insular areas cannot vote for President and are not fully represented in Congress I focused on making sure this November's election is not disrupted by the coronavirus. The President threatened to delay elections; and Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle said that had never been done and the President had no such authority. In my testimony, I noted the November 2018 federal election in the Marianas was delayed by Governor Torres, because of Super Typhoon Yutu. Fortunately, Congress has provided $1.2 million to the Commonwealth to make our election system more resilient this time around. Half the money was appropriated for FY20 in December and half in the CARES Act in March. I have asked Governor Torres for a full, public accounting of how that money is being used. I also asked the Subcommittee to take up my legislation extending all federal election laws to the Marianas and other territories, making it illegal to intimidate voters or use official authority to interfere in elections. Subcommittee Chair Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) agreed to work with me on this issue.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/ppp-deadline-88-eidl-1231,PPP deadline 8/8; EIDL 12/31,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Office 2411 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2646, Toll Free: 1-877-446-3465 Fax: (202) 226-4249 Hours: M-F 9AM-6PM EST",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/testing-and-training-eis-signed,Testing and training EIS signed,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Testing and training EIS signed Aug 2, 2020 The U.S. Navy has issued a Record of Decision for the Mariana Islands Testing and Training (MITT) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that assesses potential environmental impacts associated with ongoing military training and testing activities at sea and at Farallon de Medinilla. The Preferred Alternative will allow the military to continue conducting readiness activities within the Mariana Islands Range Complex, which covers readiness requirements into the foreseeable future, including adjustments to training and testing activities. The 2020 update is needed to support the Navy's request for federal regulatory permits and authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The Record of Decision, Environmental Impact Statement, and supporting documents are available online at www.MITT-EIS.com. Printed copies are also available at the mayors' offices in Tinian, Rota, and Saipan for public viewing.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/vets-cemetery-grants-boost-ok%E2%80%99d,Vets cemetery grants boost okd,2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Vets cemetery grants boost ok'd Aug 2, 2020 The House Veterans' Affairs Committee favorably reported my bill increasing federal maintenance funds available for the Marpi vets cemetery and others nationwide. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs. H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. At the committee markup, I spoke about the challenges the Commonwealth faces in preventing the defacing of our veterans' final resting places. The bill, along with other measures to assist veterans, now goes to the full House for consideration. Watch the markup here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-july-31-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - July 31, 2020",2020-08-03,2020,2020-08,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Vets cemetery grant boost ok'd Making sure you can vote HEROES vs. HEALS? You decide Lift Medicaid cap in next relief bill Emergency funding for USCIS House approves more child care aid FY21 funding benefits Marianas Islands' Army Corps waiver upped $976k coral grant recommended Testing and training EIS signed CARES Act: PPP deadline 8/8; EIDL 12/31 Deadline nears for permanent residence $366k for Finance building upgrades Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights __________________________________________________________ Vets cemetery grants boost ok'd On Thursday, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee favorably reported my bill increasing federal maintenance funds available for the Marpi vets cemetery and others nationwide. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs. H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act, doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. At the committee markup, I spoke about the challenges the Commonwealth faces in preventing the defacing of our veterans' final resting places. The bill, along with other measures to assist veterans, now goes to the full House for consideration. Watch the markup here. Making sure you can vote Barriers to the ballot box in the U.S. territories was the subject of Tuesday's hearing by the House Subcommittee on Elections. I testified along with other Delegates and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. They spoke at length about voting rights U.S. citizens living in the insular areas cannot vote for President and are not fully represented in Congress I focused on making sure this November's election is not disrupted by the coronavirus. This week, the President threatened to delay elections; and Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle said that had never been done and the President had no such authority. In my testimony, I noted the November 2018 federal election in the Marianas was delayed by Governor Torres, because of Super Typhoon Yutu. Fortunately, Congress has provided $1.2 million to the Commonwealth to make our election system more resilient this time around. Half the money was appropriated for FY20 in December and half in the CARES Act in March. I have asked Governor Torres for a full, public accounting of how that money is being used. I also asked the Subcommittee to take up my legislation extending all federal election laws to the Marianas and other territories, making it illegal to intimidate voters or use official authority to interfere in elections. Subcommittee Chair Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) agreed to work with me on this issue. HEROES vs HEALS - you decide Republicans have finally put forward their response to the HEROES Act the House passed in May to keep helping everyone get through the coronavirus crisis. Some key takeaways and contrasts between the House-passed bill, HEROES Act, and what Republicans call the HEALS Act. Unemployment.. The Republican HEALS Act proposal will cut Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation from $600 to $200 per week for workers laid off in the Marianas and around the country. The Democratic HEROES Act keeps FPUC at $600 at least through the end of January 2021. The HEALS Act also counts both the FPUC and the $345 per week Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, PUA, as income. That means the Republican proposal would disqualify some unemployed workers and their families from income-based Medicaid insurance and the Children's Health Insurance Program. More stimulus checks The Democratic HEROES Act allows income tax payers to collect another $1,200 economic impact payment, whether they file using a Social Security number or the alternative Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN. The Republican HEALS Act bars those who use the ITIN. The Democratic HEROES Act also, retroactively, makes families with college students or adult dependents eligible for $500 for each of these dependents. The Republican HEROES Act does not. Schools To get federal assistance under the Republican HEALS Act, kindergartens, elementary, and high schools would have to reopen fully, regardless of local conditions, putting the health of students, teachers, and staff at risk. The Republican bill offers $70 billion. The Democratic HEROES Act allows local authorities to run local schools and make reopening decisions. Together with school funding in the Moving Forward Act, H.R. 2, House Democrats have approved $200 billion to help the Marianas and schools nationwide keep teaching, one way or another, during the pandemic. The Democratic HEROES Act also provides $8 billion more for colleges than the Republican HEALS Act, which fails to extend the payment and interest moratorium for federal student loan borrowers, due to expire at the end of September. Aid to local government The Democratic HEROES Act recognizes the huge hit to state and territorial government revenues, as long as the coronavirus is out of control. The Commonwealth would receive $2.14 billion in general revenues, one-quarter of which would keep schools in operation. Cuts to retirees and essential services could be restored. And the funds remain available until expended, which is necessary because our tourism-based economy is not likely to recover until visitors can be tested comfortably and quickly and there is renewed willingness to risk air travel. The Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Northern Islands municipalities would share about $29 million in the HEROES Act. The Republican HEALS Act contains no money to replace lost state, territorial, or municipal revenues. Small Business Small businesses would have less flexibility to stay afloat under the Republican HEALS Act. The Democratic HEROES Act extends the Paycheck Protection Program, which 476 Marianas businesses are participating in, to the end of 2020. And the HEROES Act gives these businesses 24 weeks to use PPP money (up from the original 8 weeks) and eliminates the requirement that 60 percent of PPP money go towards labor costs. Lift Medicaid cap in next relief bill The coronavirus crisis is only worsening the disparities in health care between regions and racial groups in our country. This week, I joined 36 of my House colleagues in a bicameral letter to leadership, asking that provisions of the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA), which address those disparities, be included in the next coronavirus relief legislation. One provision, particularly important to the Marianas, is repeal of the cap on how much federal Medicaid assistance our area can receive. Medicaid is uncapped for U.S. states. I also have stand-alone legislation, lifting the cap, with 39 cosponsors. My Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act, H.R. 6495, gained the support of the Bipartisan Policy Center Action this week, which wrote: These unprecedented times have clearly demonstrated that the health of all Americans is interconnected and that we must invest in building strong, resilient health care systems in every community the Insular Area Medicaid Parity Act seeks to address that challenge, and we support its passage. Emergency funding for USCIS The Trump administration has announced fee increases for CW-1 applications from $460 to $695 and for many other services the U.S. CItizenship and Immigration Services provides. USCIS is a fee-based agency and the pandemic has caused a sharp drop in applications and its revenues, the administration argues. That is why I joined 77 of my Democratic colleagues, urging House and Senate leaders to provide emergency funding for USCIS in the next coronavirus package. A direct appropriation may help keep fees from rising again. A direct appropriation in the next relief act will also keep USCIS from furloughing some 13,000 of its employees. That loss would delay processing of employment and family petitions and green card and refugee applications. House approves more child care aid The Marianas received $3.25 million from the CARES Act Child Care and Development Block Grant to help working families and keep childcare providers operating. But more federal support is needed to keep care available and affordable. That's why the House on Wednesday passed the Child Care is Essential Act. I cosponsored the legislation, which sets up a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund within the CCDBG program. Grants from the Stabilization Fund would help child care centers cover operating expenses, keep staff on the job, and provide tuition and copayment relief for working families. Learn more about the bill here. FY21 funding benefits Marianas Today, the House passed H.R. 7617, a minibus package of five FY 2021 spending bills: Defense, Energy-Water, Transportation-Housing, Labor-Health-Education and Financial Services-General Government. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. Some highlights benefitting the Marianas include: Bill language permitting the outlying areas to submit consolidated grant applications for the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula grants from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Title I-A schools grants, the biggest block of federal funding for the Marianas Public School System, go up $254 million. I revised the Title I-A funding formula in 2015 to increase the annual grant for PSS. As a result, this year our schools get $12 million; and that amount will go up again, when the $254 million nationwide increase is enacted. My requests to increase funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for Pell Grants, and Head Start were also included in the bill. Compared to last year, the bill raises IDEA funding by $208 million, maximum Pell grant awards to $6,495, and Head Start by $150 million. Funding to support a 3 percent pay raise for service members $310 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income families improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Islands' Army Corps waiver upped Cost-share waivers for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' projects in the Marianas will keep pace with inflation under a provision in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 which passed the House on Wednesday by unanimous consent. The original Marianas waiver was set in 1986 at $200,000, but I was able to increase that to $455,000 in WRDA 2014, arguing the waiver needed to account for inflation. The inflation adjustment was renewed in WRDA 2018 totalling $484,000. Now, WRDA 2020 would mandate an annual adjustment, so the Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Native American Tribes would get a bigger waiver of the local cost-share every year. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps to carry out water resources development projects and studies, and provides policy direction for the Corps' civil works missions including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration. $976k coral grant recommended The Northern Marianas is the beneficiary of one of four proposals recommended to receive a new Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grant, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday. Johnston Applied Marine Sciences proposes to test a novel method to scale up coral restoration efforts through the outplanting of propagated juvenile corals in the Northern Mariana Islands. The three-year, $975,944 project will also build local capacity to implement coral sexual propagation methods as part of a broader restoration strategy in the Marianas. While the proposal has been recommended for funding, approval of the application and obligation of funds is not yet final. Funded projects aim to enhance coral resilience and improve the long-term success and efficiency of shallow-water coral reef restoration in a changing climate. Project funding is provided annually by Congress to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program which received $29.5 million in FY2020. Testing and training EIS signed The U.S. Navy has issued a Record of Decision for the Mariana Islands Testing and Training (MITT) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that assesses potential environmental impacts associated with ongoing military training and testing activities at sea and at Farallon de Medinilla. The Preferred Alternative will allow the military to continue conducting readiness activities within the Mariana Islands Range Complex, which covers readiness requirements into the foreseeable future, including adjustments to training and testing activities. The 2020 update is needed to support the Navy's request for federal regulatory permits and authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The Record of Decision, Environmental Impact Statement, and supporting documents are available online at www.MITT-EIS.com. Printed copies are also available at the mayors' offices in Tinian, Rota, and Saipan for public viewing. PPP deadline 8/8; EIDL 12/31 Congress has extended the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8. Funding remains available. Marianas financial institutions acting as lenders are listed here. Download an application here. Economic Injury Disaster Loans are, also, available through December 31. Download the EIDL application here. $366k for Finance building upgrades $366,000 in Capital Improvement Program funding initially obligated as local cost share for FEMA disaster assistance in response to Super Typhoon Yutu will now be used to improve CNMI Department of Finance facilities, the Office of Insular Affairs announced Thursday. On January 31, 2020, FEMA granted the Northern Marianas a full 100 percent federal cost share of total eligible costs for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program disaster assistance. This freed up the previously reserved matching funds which will now be used to repair and renovate Finance facilities to improve resilience against future typhoons. Funded building improvements include window and door replacements, new ADA-compliant restrooms, roof repairs, new plumbing, emergency lights, and replacement of electrical wiring and fixtures to comply with the latest National Electrical Code. Congress appropriates $27.72 million annually in mandatory Capital Improvement Project funds to address various infrastructure needs in the U.S. insular areas. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK H.R. 7575 - Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (passed by voice vote)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-july-24-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - July 24, 2020",2020-07-28,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Schools need more aid to safely reopen GI bill goes to President's desk Conservation, park repairs funded NMI Small Biz Act clears House, Senate NMI STEM, Career Ed Act closer to law House green lights NMI AMBER Alert More NDAA highlights FY21 funding benefits Marianas Don't hide COVID-19 data CARES Act: More NMI PPP/EIDL ok'd Beware COVID-19 Medicare scams U.S. Workforce Act info session scheduled Deadline nears for permanent residence $2.5m for preparedness, response $3.6m to CUC for Yutu costs Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights __________________________________________________________ Schools need more aid to safely reopen Examining the obstacles schools are facing to reopening safely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how Congress can help was the focus of a hearing I called Thursday as chair of the subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. School leaders, parents, and pediatricians, who testified, encouraged Congress to send schools more money so students can return to learning safely. In fact, the House has already done just that with the Heroes Act passed in May. The HEROES Act provides $81 million for Marianas schools. Funding can cover teacher and staff pay, distance learning technology, sanitation of schools, transportation, and health services. The White House, which threatened to defund schools that do not reopen, blocked experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from testifying at my subcommittee's hearing. Watch here. GI Bill goes to President's desk Veterans and their families will be able to use the GI bill to pay for preparatory courses for professional license and certification exams once the President signs a package of bills Congress sent to the White House on Monday. The package includes my bill, H.R. 2934, the GI Bill Access to Career Credentials Act, which is designed to help veterans and eligible family members get into nursing, teaching, technology and other careers that require government-recognized licenses and certifications by making it easier for them to pass the necessary tests. The package I piggybacked on also increases Special Adaptive Housing grant funding for disabled veterans and expedites VA work-study payments for students. Conservation, park repairs funded Increased, permanent funding of the annual Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to the Marianas is set to become law after the Great American Outdoors Act passed the House on Wednesday. H.R. 1957 provides full, permanent funding of $900 million in offshore oil and gas revenues each year to the LWCF which in turn means about $800,000 annually for the Marianas to safeguard our natural areas or to plan, develop, and maintain public outdoor recreation projects. Annual funding increased ten-fold last year with passage of the John J. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. That Senate bill packaged over a hundred separate legislative proposals together, including legislation I worked on for years, giving each insular area a state-share of LWCF funding. Previously, the five insular areas and the District of Columbia all split one state-share. But even with a full share funding was subject to annual appropriation limits. That is why I also voted for the permanent $900 million in funding when that legislation came before the House Natural Resources Committee, as H.R. 3504, on June 22, 2019. 21 Democrats voted in favor; 13 Republicans opposed. The Great American Outdoors Act also funds long-overdue maintenance needs at parks managed by the National Park Service, including the American Memorial Park on Saipan. Over the next five years, $6.65 billion will be allocated for repairs at facilities run by the Park Service. American Memorial Park is on the agency's list for $10.6 million in repairs. NMI Small Biz Act clears House, Senate Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to Small Business Administration programs under terms of my Small Business Development Act, which both the House and Senate included in their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act this week. My bill makes the Marianas eligible for grant funding to establish an SBDC Lead Center and provides technical assistance to small businesses interested in seed funding from the SBIR and STTR programs. The House and Senate now go to a conference committee to resolve differences before final passage. Provisions like mine that are in both bills are not subject to removal. NMI STEM, Career Ed Act closer to law Two of my bills - one expanding STEM education in the Marianas and the other helping for military spouses' career training - took another step toward enactment this week. H.R. 6786 includes the Marianas in the Defense Department's STARBASE education program. STARBASE aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) by partnering military installations with schools having a high proportion of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. My second bill, the Military Spouse Career Education Act, will help wives and husbands of service members finish their college degrees more quickly and get training needed to re-license in their professions, when they must move to a new location under military orders. The House and Senate both approved both measures as part of their annual defense bills. The National Defense Authorization Acts in the House (H.R. 6395) and Senate (S. 4049) now go to a conference committee. House green lights NMI AMBER Alert The House passed my bill adding the Marianas and other insular areas to the national AMBER alert system for finding missing children. AMBER alerts mobilize the community via radio, TV, and text messages and have helped locate almost one thousand children, since the system was created in 1996. Attached to H.R. 6395, the House's annual defense bill, my AMBER Alerts Nationwide Act will give law enforcement in the Marianas the financial and technical resources from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation to implement AMBER alerts in our community, hopefully saving lives. H.R. 6395 now goes to a conference committee to resolve differences with the Senate's defense bill approved on Thursday. More NDAA highlights The annual defense policy bills authorize over $730 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense to maintain military readiness, enhance capabilities, improve personnel initiatives, and prioritize technological security. Additional provisions include: A second consecutive 3% pay raise for service members Continued oversight to ensure quality housing for military families Hazardous duty pay for troops responding to the COVID-19 pandemic Funds efforts to proactively increase the country's ability to prepare for and respond to future pandemics Enhanced military justice and sexual assault prevention and response initiatives Continued efforts to address contamination associated with per-and polyfluorinated compounds in military communities Funding to support research for climate crisis response Requires a review and change of the names of all military bases and infrastructure named for individuals who served in the Confederacy Prohibits the display of the Confederate flag on Defense installations FY21 funding benefits Marianas On Friday the House passed H.R. 7608, a minibus package of four FY 2021 spending bills: State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. Some highlights benefitting the Marianas include: Interior and Environment: Continuation of the 1.5 percent set-asides for the insular areas in Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act funds over the statutory set-asides of 0.25 and 0.33 percent, respectively. The increase, which I started during my first term in Congress, has resulted in $85 million for the Northern Marianas through FY 2020 and brought 24-hour water to most Saipan households. $2.76 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the FY 2020 level which brought $7.2 million for the Northern Mariana Islands $22.8 million for Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance grants, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2020 enacted level and $8.1 million above the President's budget request $12 million for the Energizing Insular Communities Program, $5.75 million above the FY20 level and $9.2 million above the budget request, to develop and implement action plans to help lower energy costs in the insular areas. Report language also directs Interior to improve reporting requirements of the program as prescribed in Public Law 113-235 $4.38 million in Maintenance Assistance grants $3.5 million for the Brown Tree Snake Interdiction Program $2.6 million for the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program Agriculture $12 million for the Commonwealth's Nutrition Assistance Program $10 million for grants to the Marianas and other insular areas to increase production of locally grown food Military Construction and Veterans Affairs VA must report on the feasibility to assign full-time, permanent VBA, Vet Center, and VHA staff in the Marianas and other underserved areas. VA's hiring practices will be audited to determine whether the VA is fully using its existing authorities to recruit and retain qualified staff to serve Pacific veterans. Don't hide COVID-19 data The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance on July 10 taking over COVID-19 data collection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suddenly requiring the Commonwealth Health Center and hospitals around the country to take time and resources away from treating the pandemic and to develop a new reporting system is dangerous and irresponsible policy. In addition, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has made no guarantee the public will have access to the HHS data, as we do with CDC's. So, I joined 88 of my Democratic colleagues in a letter to the Secretary, asking for an explanation of this decision and calling for transparency. Public health departments, providers, and researchers rely on the public availability of this data to track trends and make evidence based recommendations. CARES Act: More NMI PPP/EIDL ok'd Marianas businesses and non-profits continue to be approved to receive CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program loans. As of July 17, 476 PPP loans worth $38,701,183 had been okayed. A list of those that received more than $150,000 is available here. And a list of Marianas financial institutions acting as lenders is listed here. Congress has extended the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8 and funding remains available. Meanwhile, the entire $20 billion Congress appropriated for grant advances to Economic Injury Disaster Loan applicants has been allocated. Through July 14, 274 EIDL grand advances worth $1,337,000 and 231 EIDLs worth $14,818,300 have been approved. The House-passed Heroes Act, however, adds another $10 billion for EIDL grants. To learn more about these programs visit the PPP website here and the EIDL website here. Download a PPP application here, and the EIDL application here. A step-by-step guide on the application process can be viewed here. EIDL applications are due by December 31. Beware COVID-19 Medicare scams Scammers are now calling, texting, and emailing Medicare beneficiaries with offers of free face masks, COVID-19 test kits, and other protective equipment in an attempt to get Medicare numbers. Our recommendation: Never give out your Medicare number or personal information in exchange for items; it could be a scam. Visit Medicare.gov/fraud for more tips on how to protect yourself. And, if you suspect fraud, please, call 1-800-Medicare to report it. $2.5m for preparedness, response The Department of Interior released $2,518,897 to the Commonwealth to fund preparedness and response improvement projects. $2,147,097 will go directly to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation to improve parking lots, retrofit and renovate emergency rooms, upgrade sterilization systems, acquire critical infection control equipment, and purchase medical imaging systems and other supplies. $371,800 will also be available to transition the Marianas Resort Property into a 100-room non-congregate shelter to house quarantined individuals. The Marianas has kept cases low, so far. Should a surge in cases occur, however, improvements at the Resort could be put to use. $3.6m to CUC for Yutu costs The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $3,627,835.14 award to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for management costs associated with administering and managing the Public Assistance Program for Super Typhoon Yutu. Eligible costs include any indirect costs, direct administrative costs and expenses incurred by the Commonwealth. The grant represents 5 percent of the total estimated eligible project costs to CUC. There is no local match required for these funds. OPPORTUNITIES Grants LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK H.R. 6395 - William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (passed, 295-125)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/cares-act-more-nmi-pppeidl-ok%E2%80%99d,CARES Act: More NMI PPP/EIDL okd,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"CARES Act: More NMI PPP/EIDL ok'd Jul 27, 2020 Marianas businesses and non-profits continue to be approved to receive CARES ActPaycheck Protection Programloans. As of July 17,476 PPP loans worth $38,701,183 had been okayed. A list of those that received more than $150,000 is availablehere. And a list of Marianas financial institutions acting as lenders is listedhere.Congress has extended the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8 and funding remains available. Meanwhile, theentire$20 billion Congress appropriated for grant advances toEconomic Injury Disaster Loanapplicants has been allocated. Through July 14,274 EIDL grand advances worth $1,337,000and231 EIDLs worth $14,818,300have been approved. The House-passedHeroes Act, however, adds another $10 billion for EIDL grants. To learn more about these programs visit the PPP websitehereand the EIDL websitehere.Download a PPP applicationhere,and the EIDL applicationhere.A step-by-step guide on the application process can be viewedhere. EIDL applications are due by December 31.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/conservation-park-repairs-funded,"Conservation, park repairs funded",2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Conservation, park repairs funded Jul 27, 2020 Increased, permanent funding of the annual Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to the Marianas is set to become law after theGreat American Outdoors Actpassed the House on Wednesday. H.R. 1957 provides full, permanent funding of $900 million in offshore oil and gas revenues each year to the LWCF which in turn means about $800,000 annually for the Marianas to safeguard our natural areas or to plan, develop, and maintain public outdoor recreation projects. Annual funding increased ten-fold last year with passage of theJohn J. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. That Senate bill packaged over a hundred separate legislative proposals together, including legislation I worked on for years, giving each insular area a state-share of LWCF funding. Previously, the five insular areas and the District of Columbia all split one state-share. But even with a full share funding was subject to annual appropriation limits. That is why I also voted for the permanent $900 million in funding when that legislation came before the House Natural Resources Committee, asH.R. 3504, on June 22, 2019. 21 Democrats voted in favor; 13 Republicans opposed. The Great American Outdoors Act also funds long-overdue maintenance needs at parks managed by the National Park Service, including the American Memorial Park on Saipan. Over the next five years, $6.65 billion will be allocated for repairs at facilities run by the Park Service. American Memorial Park is on the agency's list for $10.6 million in repairs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/don%E2%80%99t-hide-covid-19-data,Dont hide COVID-19 data,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Don't hide COVID-19 data Jul 27, 2020 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance on July 10 taking over COVID-19 data collection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suddenly requiring the Commonwealth Health Center and hospitals around the country to take time and resources away from treating the pandemic and to develop a new reporting system is dangerous and irresponsible policy. In addition, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has made no guarantee the public will have access to the HHS data, as we do withCDC's.So,I joined 88 of my Democratic colleagues in a letter to the Secretary, asking for an explanation of this decision and calling for transparency. Public health departments, providers, and researchers rely on the public availability of this data to track trends and make evidence based recommendations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-funding-benefits-marianas,FY21 funding benefits Marianas,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY21 funding benefits Marianas Jul 27, 2020 On Friday the House passedH.R. 7608,a minibus package of four FY 2021 spending bills: State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. Some highlights benefitting the Marianas include: Continuation of the 1.5 percent set-asides for the insular areas in Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act funds over the statutory set-asides of 0.25 and 0.33 percent, respectively. The increase, which I started during my first term in Congress, has resulted in $85 million for the Northern Marianas through FY 2020 and brought 24-hour water to most Saipan households. $2.76 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the FY 2020 level which brought $7.2 million for the Northern Mariana Islands $22.8 million for Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance grants, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2020 enacted level and $8.1 million above the President's budget request $12 million for the Energizing Insular Communities Program, $5.75 million above the FY20 level and $9.2 million above the budget request, to develop and implement action plans to help lower energy costs in the insular areas. Report language also directs Interior to improve reporting requirements of the program as prescribed inPublic Law 113-235 $4.38 million in Maintenance Assistance grants $3.5 million for the Brown Tree Snake Interdiction Program $2.6 million for the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program $12 million for the Commonwealth's Nutrition Assistance Program $10 million for grants to the Marianas and other insular areas to increase production of locally grown food VA must report on the feasibility to assign full-time, permanent VBA, Vet Center, and VHA staff in the Marianas and other underserved areas. VA's hiring practices will be audited to determine whether the VA is fully using its existing authorities to recruit and retain qualified staff to serve Pacific veterans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/gi-bill-goes-president%E2%80%99s-desk,GI Bill goes to Presidents desk,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"GI Bill goes to President's desk Jul 27, 2020 Veterans and their families will be able to use the GI bill to pay for preparatory courses for professional license and certification exams once the President signsa package of billsCongress sent to the White House on Monday. The package includes my bill,H.R. 2934, the GI Bill Access to Career Credentials Act, which is designed to help veterans and eligible family members get into nursing, teaching, technology and other careers that require government-recognized licenses and certifications by making it easier for them to pass the necessary tests. The package I piggybacked on also increasesSpecial Adaptive Housing grantfunding for disabled veterans and expeditesVA work-studypayments for students.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/house-green-lights-nmi-amber-alert,House green lights NMI AMBER Alert,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House green lights NMI AMBER Alert Jul 27, 2020 The House passedmy billadding the Marianas and other insular areas to the national AMBER alert system for finding missing children. AMBER alerts mobilize the community via radio, TV, and text messages and have helped locate almost one thousand children, since the system was created in 1996.Attached to H.R. 6395, the House's annual defense bill,myAMBER Alerts Nationwide Actwill give law enforcement in the Marianas the financial and technical resources from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation to implement AMBER alerts in our community, hopefully saving lives.H.R. 6395now goes to a conference committee to resolve differences with the Senate's defense bill approved on Thursday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/more-ndaa-highlights,More NDAA highlights,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"More NDAA highlights Jul 27, 2020 The annual defense policy bills authorize over $730 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense to maintain military readiness, enhance capabilities, improve personnel initiatives, and prioritize technological security. Additional provisions include: A second consecutive 3% pay raise for service members Continued oversight to ensure quality housing for military families Hazardous duty pay for troops responding to the COVID-19 pandemic Funds efforts to proactively increase the country's ability to prepare for and respond to future pandemics Enhanced military justice and sexual assault prevention and response initiatives Continued efforts to address contamination associated with per-and polyfluorinated compounds in military communities Funding to support research for climate crisis response Requires a review and change of the names of all military bases and infrastructure named for individuals who served in the Confederacy Prohibits the display of the Confederate flag on Defense installations",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/ndaa-helps-marianas,NDAA Helps Marianas,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NDAA Helps Marianas Jul 27, 2020 The annual National Defense Authorization has never failed to be enacted over half a century. So, this must-pass bill is one of the best opportunities to piggyback legislation that may not be directly defense related. Proving the point, House members offered 741 amendments when the bill hit the floor this week. Here is how I used the NDAA for the Marianas: NMI Small Biz Act clears House, Senate Businesses in the Marianas will have more access to Small Business Administration programs under terms of mySmall Business Development Act,which both the House and Senate included in their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act this week. My bill makes the Marianas eligible for grant funding to establish an SBDC Lead Center and provides technical assistance to small businesses interested in seed funding from theSBIR and STTR programs.The House and Senate now go toa conference committee to resolve differences before final passage. Provisions like mine that are in both bills are not subject to removal. NMI STEM, Career Ed Act closer to law Two of my bills - one expanding STEM education in the Marianas and the other helping for military spouses'career training -took another step toward enactment this week.H.R. 6786includes the Marianas in theDefense Department's STARBASE education program. STARBASE aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) by partnering military installations with schools having a high proportion of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. My second bill, theMilitary Spouse Career Education Act,willhelp wives and husbands of service members finish their college degrees more quickly and get training needed to re-license in their professions, when they must move to a new location under military orders. The House and Senate both approved both measures as part of their annual defense bills. The National Defense Authorization Acts in the House(H.R. 6395) and Senate (S. 4049) now go to a conference committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/schools-need-more-aid-safely-reopen,Schools need more aid to safely reopen,2020-07-27,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Schools need more aid to safely reopen Jul 27, 2020 Examining the obstacles schools are facing to reopening safely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how Congress can help was the focus of a hearing I called Thursday as chair of the subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. School leaders, parents, and pediatricians, who testified, encouraged Congress to send schools more money so students can return to learning safely. In fact, the House has already done just that with theHeroes Actpassed in May. The HEROES Act provides$81 million for Marianas schools.Funding can cover teacher and staff pay, distance learning technology, sanitation of schools, transportation, and health services. The White House, which threatened to defund schools that do not reopen, blocked experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from testifying at my subcommittee's hearing. Watchhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-school-reopening-needs-even-more-help-congress,Kilili: School reopening needs even more help from Congress,2020-07-24,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan submitted the following op-ed today on what is needed to safely reopen schools in the Marianas and nationwide. Greetings With 70,106 new cases the coronavirus daily count is greater today than in March, when local officials around the country decided to close schools to protect students, teachers, and staff from the spreading disease The shutdown has been a terrible hardship for all. But it has reminded us how essential schools are to life in the Marianas and throughout America. Our schools are where working parents can be confident their children are cared for. Where families fallen on hard times know their children can be fed. Where our polarized communities find common ground cheering at sporting events and applauding artistic performances. And where the future of our nation is being formed by the knowledge and values we impart to the next generation. We all want our schools reopened. But as we have seen elsewhere in America, reopening too quickly, without proper precaution, in the middle of pandemic, can set us back and cost lives. That is why I held a hearing today, as Chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, to ask what more Congress can do to bring America's schools to life. We have already provided $28 million to Marianas schools and $13 billion nationwide in the CARES Act to pay teachers' salaries and cover the transition to an online learning environment. In May, the House passed the HEROES Act with another $60 billion in emergency school funding to help schools buy personal protective equipment, sanitize classrooms, and make special arrangements for students and teachers in high-risk categories, so schools can safely reopen. $81million goes to Marianas schools. And this month, the House passed the Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act with another $130 billion that can be used to reconfigure and modernize schools to protect the health of students and staff. The Marianas would receive about $90 million. Unfortunately, our Republican friends in the Senate have taken no action on the latest House proposals to help America's schools safely reopen. And the President has threatened, if they don't reopen, he will defund schools. But he has it backwards. In a national survey published Monday, 86 percent of America's school principals said it is extremely important to get more funding, so their schools can safely reopen. Just the opposite of the President's threat to defund schools. To be clear, the President has no legal authority to withhold school money Congress appropriated. And neither the President nor Congress can take on the role of a national school board, forcing schools into opening, regardless of local health conditions. Because the coronavirus threat looks much different in places like the Marianas than in hotspots like Texas and Florida, we have to recognize that how to reopen, when to reopen, and what the proper mix of physical and virtual classroom instruction will be, is best left to local decision-makers. What the experts at today's hearing told usand what I intend to keep working foris to give America's schools the financial resources they need, so our young people can get back to learning in a way that keeps students, their families, teachers and school staff, all healthy and safe during this terrible pandemic. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. He chairs the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, and is Vice Chair for Insular Affairs on the House Natural Resources Committee. - 30 -",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/kilili-house-passes-permanent-increase-conservation-funding,Kilili: House passes permanent increase in conservation funding,2020-07-23,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC A multi-year effort to increase the Land and Water Conservation Fund annual grant to the Marianas is one presidential signature away from completion today. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act providing a permanent source of funding for the LWCF. It means about $800,000 annually for the Marianas. The money can be used for public parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and beach recreation areas. The Great American Outdoors Act also addresses long-overdue maintenance needs at parks managed by the National Park Service, including the American Memorial Park on Saipan. Over the next five years, $9.5 billion will be allocated for repairs at facilities run by the Park Service. American Memorial Park is on the agency's list for $10.6 million in repairs. Last year, Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, the Delegates from the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico all successfully worked together to include a provision in the John J. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Actto give each of their insular areas its own state-share of Land and Water Conservation Fund annual funding. Up to then the six areas split one state-share. The permanent change in how funds were allocated increased the Marianas' annual grant from $75,000 to upwards of $800,000. But the source of money for the Land and Water Conservation Fund was not permanent. The Great American Outdoors Act ends the uncertainty by locking in full funding of $900 million annually for the LWCF from oil and gas revenues on federal lands and waters. This means the Marianas state-share will now remain relatively constant at $800,000 each year. The John Dingell Act also made permanent and expanded theEvery Kid in a Park Program, which provides a one-year, free pass to national parks, national forests, and national wildlife refuges for fourth-grade students and their families. Some 800 fourth graders in the Marianas have used the program to visit American Memorial Park. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/us-house-passes-defense-bill-kilili%E2%80%99s-small-business-act,U.S. House passes defense bill with Kililis small business act,2020-07-23,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Businesses in the Marianas would have new access to two grant programs and microloans from the Small Business Administration as the result of statutory changes Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan added to the National Defense Authorization this week. Sablan amended the annual defense bill with his own Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Act, H.R. 2603, during floor debate on Monday and the House passed the Defense Act the following day. The Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Act will allow the Marianas to establish a Lead Small Business Development Center, which would make available around $600,000 in renewable funding to expand the reach and capacity of the existing SBDC service center on Saipan. With this additional funding, small businesses on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota could have access to free or low-cost services such as incubator workspaces for entrepreneurs, assistance with loan applications, business planning, operations, personnel administration, marketing, export assistance, sales, and other requirements for growth and success. Sablan's bill, also, includes the Marianas in the SBA's Federal and State Technology (FAST) partnership program. FAST grants fund outreach and technical assistance to small businesses interested in competing for the federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. And aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses owners would gain access to the SBA's Microloan program, as a result of Sablan's Small Business Act. The program provides loans up to $50,000, typically not offered by banks, for working capital or the acquisition of materials, supplies, or equipment. In addition, the microloan program, which is targeted to help women, low-income, veteran, and minority entrepreneurs, provides marketing, management, and technical assistance to borrowers Sablan introduced his legislation in May 2019 and has been working ever since to package it into a larger, must-pass bill. For over half a century, Congress has never failed to pass the annual defense measure. With the Marianas economy struggling during the pandemic, the 1,700 small businesses in our islands need all the help we can give them to survive and get back on their feet, the Congressman said. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/annual-increase-islands%E2%80%99-waiver,Annual increase of islands waiver,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Annual increase of islands' waiver Jul 19, 2020 The Marianas waiver of cost-share for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects will keep pace with inflation under a provision in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 approved by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The waiver was set in 1986 at $200,000, but I was able to increase that to $455,000 in WRDA 2014, arguing the waiver needed to account for inflation. And the inflation adjustment was renewed in WRDA 2018. Now, WRDA 2020 would mandate an annual adjustment, so the Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands would get a bigger waiver of the local cost-share every year. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps to carry out water resources development projects and studies, as well as reforms and policy direction for the Corps' civil works missions including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/cares-act-more-marianas-ppp-okayed,CARES Act: More Marianas PPP okayed,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"CARES Act: More Marianas PPP okayed Jul 19, 2020 Marianas businesses and non-profits continue to be approved to receive CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program loans. As of July 10, 475 PPP loans worth $38,689,913 had been okayed. A list of those that received more than $150,000 is available here. And a list of Marianas financial institutions acting as lenders is listed here. Congress has extended the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8 and funding remains available. Meanwhile, the entire $20 billion Congress appropriated for grant advances to Economic Injury Disaster Loan applicants has been allocated. The House-passed Heroes Act, however, adds another $10 billion for EIDL grants. To learn more about these programs visit the PPP website here and the EIDL website here. Download a PPP application here, and the EIDL application here. A step-by-step guide on the application process can be viewed here. EIDL applications are due by December 31.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fema-updates-recovery,FEMA updates on recovery,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FEMA updates on recovery Jul 19, 2020 FEMA Region IX Administrator Bob Fenton was unable to be at the virtual forum I called last week to go over the Government Accountability Office's preliminary findings on the federal response to typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu. So we got together by phone instead to discuss FEMA's recovery projects and, especially, vendor payments. Administrator Fenton reported $21,256,785 million has been reimbursed to various Commonwealth entities for debris removal and $27,752,119 million for emergency protective measures. All work has been completed and there is no local match required. So the government entitiesthe Department of Public Works, the Office of Saipan Mayor, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, among othersshould be paying the companies that did the work. Mr. Fenton also updated me on the Permanent Housing Construction and Repair program. There were initial delays due to issues with the national contractor that FEMA engaged, as well as lack of materials and equipment on-islands. But a first group of new construction homes will be turned over to families in September. And FEMA is expecting to award additional contracts for the permanent housing next month.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy-21-increase-va-pacific-staffing,FY 21: Increase VA Pacific staffing,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY 21: Increase VA Pacific staffing Jul 19, 2020 Recognizing the need to improve care and services to Marianas veterans, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs included my requests to increase Veterans Affairs benefits, health care, and Vet Center staff presence in the Marianas in its report accompanying the FY 21 spending bill. The U.S. Veterans Administration is also directed to report to the Appropriations Committee whether it is feasibility to assign full-time, permanent VBA, Vet Center, and VHA staff in the Marianas and other underserved areas. The report must include feedback from Marianas' veterans and their families about their satisfactionor lack thereofwith the care and services they are receiving. An audit of hiring practices is also required to determine whether the VA is fully using its existing authorities to recruit and retain qualified staff to serve Pacific veterans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy-21-strengthening-public-health,FY 21: Strengthening public health,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY 21: Strengthening public health Jul 19, 2020 As the current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, preparedness and response activities in the Pacific territories rely on the speed of diagnostic testing. The Marianas has done well in this area; rapidly developing the capability to test for COVID-19 and greatly reducing the reliance on the public health labs in Guam and Hawaii. But developing and maintaining lab capacity in the Pacific territories continues to be a challenge. The FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill report includes my language encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve lab capacity in the Pacific territories. The FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill provides the CDC with a $25 million increase to support state and local health departments in strengthening public health systems.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy-21-worker-safety-needs-assessment,FY 21: Worker safety needs assessment,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Worker safety continues to be an issue at the Imperial Pacific International construction site, following 4 injuries in January. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing worker safety, but does not have a permanent presence in the Marianas. Language included at my request in the FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill report will require OSHA to conduct a needs assessment on compliance and safety enforcement efforts in the Pacific territories and include the report as part of its FY2022 Congressional Budget Justification.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-coastal-erosion-impact-roads,FY21: Coastal erosion impact on roads,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY21: Coastal erosion impact on roads Jul 19, 2020 Accompanying the Committee-approved FY 2021 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development funding bill is report language directing the Federal Highway Administration to report to Congress on the impacts of coastal erosion on the roadways in the territories and Hawaii. Due to climate change and associated global sea level increases, island communities are particularly vulnerable to shoreline erosion. So, along with Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard and Delegates from the territories, I requested that directive language be added to the federal highways appropriation. FHWA is to provide a list of coastal roads most susceptible to sea level rise and provide recommendations for addressing shoreline erosion impacting these roads. FHWA is also required to provide technical assistance to the transportation departments of the affected areas.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/more-money-vets-cemeteries-0,More money for vets cemeteries,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"More money for vets cemeteries Jul 19, 2020 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other veterans organizations are backing my bill to increase federal funding for the maintenance of veterans cemeteries in Marpi and nationwide. The Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee heard their testimony on why they support H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act. The Act raises outdated statutory caps on grant funding to help ensure locally-run cemeteries meet the high appearance standards our veterans and their families deserve. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs. H.R. 5487 doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. Watch the hearing here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/student-visa-restrictions-dropped,Student visa restrictions dropped,2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Student visa restrictions dropped Jul 19, 2020 The Trump administration has backed off, after Members of Congress asked the administration to rethink its plan to force international students at Northern Marianas Colleges and other institutions of higher education to leave the U.S. Our letter of July 9 pointed out the impact that plan would have on schools that are struggling to reconfigure instruction during the coronavirus crisis. The Trump administration announced it was rescinding the new rule, which will be a great relief for students on F or M visas and for colleges, like NMC, that depend on foreign student tuition to remain financially viable.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-july-17-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - July 17, 2020",2020-07-20,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: More money for vets cemeteries Student visa restrictions dropped FEMA updates on recovery CARES Act: More Marianas PPP okayed Annual increase of islands' waiver FY21: Increase VA Pacific staffing FY21: Worker safety needs assessment FY21: Strengthening public health FY21: Coastal erosion impact on roads Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ___________________________________________________________________ More money for vets cemeteries The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other veterans organizations are backing my bill to increase federal funding for the maintenance of veterans cemeteries in Marpi and nationwide. On Thursday, the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee heard their testimony on why they support H.R. 5487, the Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act. The Act raises outdated statutory caps on grant funding to help ensure locally-run cemeteries meet the high appearance standards our veterans and their families deserve. With more veterans choosing burial near home, more state, territorial, and tribal governments in charge of cemeteries are faced with increased operations and maintenance costs. H.R. 5487 doubles the current grant limit of $5 million for these purposes. Watch the hearing here. Student visa restrictions dropped The Trump administration has backed off, after Members of Congress asked the administration to rethink its plan to force international students at Northern Marianas Colleges and other institutions of higher education to leave the U.S. Our letter of July 9 pointed out the impact that plan would have on schools that are struggling to reconfigure instruction during the coronavirus crisis. On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it was rescinding the new rule, which will be a great relief for students on F or M visas and for colleges, like NMC, that depend on foreign student tuition to remain financially viable. FEMA updates on recovery FEMA Region IX Administrator Bob Fenton was unable to be at the virtual forum I called last week to go over the Government Accountability Office's preliminary findings on the federal response to typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu. So we got together by phone this Thursday instead to discuss FEMA's recovery projects and, especially, vendor payments. Administrator Fenton reported $21,256,785 million has been reimbursed to various Commonwealth entities for debris removal and $27,752,119 million for emergency protective measures. All work has been completed and there is no local match required. So the government entitiesthe Department of Public Works, the Office of Saipan Mayor, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, among othersshould be paying the companies that did the work. Mr. Fenton also updated me on the Permanent Housing Construction and Repair program. There were initial delays due to issues with the national contractor that FEMA engaged, as well as lack of materials and equipment on-islands. But a first group of new construction homes will be turned over to families in September. And FEMA is expecting to award additional contracts for the permanent housing next month. CARES Act: More Marianas PPP okayed Marianas businesses and non-profits continue to be approved to receive CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program loans. As of July 10, 475 PPP loans worth $38,689,913 had been okayed. A list of those that received more than $150,000 is available here. And a list of Marianas financial institutions acting as lenders is listed here. Congress has extended the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8 and funding remains available. Meanwhile, the entire $20 billion Congress appropriated for grant advances to Economic Injury Disaster Loan applicants has been allocated. The House-passed Heroes Act, however, adds another $10 billion for EIDL grants. To learn more about these programs visit the PPP website here and the EIDL website here. Download a PPP application here, and the EIDL application here. A step-by-step guide on the application process can be viewed here. EIDL applications are due by December 31. Annual increase of islands' waiver The Marianas waiver of cost-share for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects will keep pace with inflation under a provision in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 approved by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday. The waiver was set in 1986 at $200,000, but I was able to increase that to $455,000 in WRDA 2014, arguing the waiver needed to account for inflation. And the inflation adjustment was renewed in WRDA 2018. Now, WRDA 2020 would mandate an annual adjustment, so the Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands would get a bigger waiver of the local cost-share every year. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps to carry out water resources development projects and studies, as well as reforms and policy direction for the Corps' civil works missions including navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration. FY 21: Increase VA Pacific staffing Recognizing the need to improve care and services to Marianas veterans, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs included my requests to increase Veterans Affairs benefits, health care, and Vet Center staff presence in the Marianas in its report accompanying the FY 21 spending bill. The U.S. Veterans Administration is also directed to report to the Appropriations Committee whether it is feasibility to assign full-time, permanent VBA, Vet Center, and VHA staff in the Marianas and other underserved areas. The report must include feedback from Marianas' veterans and their families about their satisfactionor lack thereofwith the care and services they are receiving. An audit of hiring practices is also required to determine whether the VA is fully using its existing authorities to recruit and retain qualified staff to serve Pacific veterans. FY 21: Worker safety needs assessment Worker safety continues to be an issue at the Imperial Pacific International construction site, following 4 injuries in January. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing worker safety, but does not have a permanent presence in the Marianas. Language included at my request in the FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill report will require OSHA to conduct a needs assessment on compliance and safety enforcement efforts in the Pacific territories and include the report as part of its FY2022 Congressional Budget Justification. FY 21: Strengthening public health As the current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, preparedness and response activities in the Pacific territories rely on the speed of diagnostic testing. The Marianas has done well in this area; rapidly developing the capability to test for COVID-19 and greatly reducing the reliance on the public health labs in Guam and Hawaii. But developing and maintaining lab capacity in the Pacific territories continues to be a challenge. The FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill report includes my language encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve lab capacity in the Pacific territories. The FY 2021 Labor, HHS-Education appropriations bill provides the CDC with a $25 million increase to support state and local health departments in strengthening public health systems. FY21: Coastal erosion impact on roads Accompanying the Committee-approvedFY 2021 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development funding billisreport languagedirecting the Federal Highway Administration to report to Congress on the impacts of coastal erosion on the roadways in the territories and Hawaii. Due to climate change and associated global sea level increases, island communities are particularly vulnerable to shoreline erosion. So, along with Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard and Delegates from the territories, Irequested that directive language be addedto the federal highways appropriation. FHWA is to provide a list of coastal roads most susceptible to sea level rise and provide recommendations for addressing shoreline erosion impacting these roads. FHWA is also required to provide technical assistance to the transportation departments of the affected areas. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Public Comments Renal disease payment system Business loan programs Quarterly federal returns Disability discrimination ________________________________________________________________ LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK This week has been Committee Work Week. NEXT WEEK H.R. 7608 - Child Care for Economic Recovery Act H.R. 7027 - Child Care is Essential Act",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/2m-judiciary-building-damage,$2m for Judiciary Building damage,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $1,969,874.98 award to the Commonwealth Judiciary. The money is to repair damage to the Saipan Judiciary Facility by Super Typhoon Yutu, including roofing, ceilings, walls, floor tile, carpets, lights, skylights, doors, windows, stucco, fencing and gates, exhaust fans, ducts, x-ray system, elevators and controls, HVAC systems, electric systems, interior safety glass, and nine vehicles. To mitigate future damage skylights in the building will be replaced with cast-in-place concrete roofs slabs. The grant covers 90% of the cost, as the federal share. FEMA obligates the funds to the Commonwealth government, which is then responsible for ensuring eligible subrecipients submit required documentation before receiving the award.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/375k-coral-reef-conservation,$375k for coral reef conservation,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$375k for coral reef conservation Jul 12, 2020 The Division of Coastal Resources Management is receiving $375,309 of a larger $934,000 grant in continued Coral Reef Conservation Program funding to help administer the Commonwealth's Coral Reef Initiative, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. Grant funds will be used to support jobs, increase community awareness through education and outreach, plan for restoration projects in priority watersheds, enhance management of Marine Protected Areas, monitor the health of the Marianas' coral reefs, and to support student internships in natural resource management agencies. Appropriated by Congress annually, Coral Reef Conservation Program funding helps protect, restore, and conserve our nation's coral reefs. Congratulations to DCRM.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-energy-water-money-nmi,"FY21: Energy, water money for the NMI",2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Highlights of the Interior and Environment funding bill include: Continuation of the 1.5 percent set-asides for the insular areas in Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act funds over the statutory set-asides of 0.25 and 0.33 percent, respectively. The increase, which I started during my first term in Congress, has resulted in $85 million for the Northern Marianas through FY 2020 and brought 24-hour water to most Saipan households. $2.76 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the FY 2020 level which brought $7.2 million for the Northern Mariana Islands $22.8 million for Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance grants, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2020 enacted level and $8.1 million above the President's budget request $12 million for the Energizing Insular Communities Program, $5.75 million above the FY20 level and $9.2 million above the budget request, to develop and implement action plans to help lower energy costs in the insular areas. Report language also directs Interior to improve reporting requirements of the program as prescribed in Public Law 113-235 $4.38 million in Maintenance Assistance grants $3.5 million for the Brown Tree Snake Interdiction Program $2.6 million for the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-governor-gets-loan-request,FY21: Governor gets loan request,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY21: Governor gets loan request Jul 12, 2020 At a meeting on May 20, Governor Ralph Torres asked me for a change in the law, so the Commonwealth could borrow about $90 million through the Federal Emergency Management Administration's Community Disaster Loan program. I fulfilled that request with language in Section 312 of the FY21 appropriation for the Department of Homeland Security, released this week. Inclusion in the Democratic majority's base bill means the loan provision will pass in the House. So only an objection in the Republican Senate or from the President would kill the Governor's request. Current law allows municipalities to receive Community Disaster Loans, not a state-level government like the Commonwealth. Current law also caps the loans at $5 million. The language I had added to the appropriations bill removes those two barriers. The Commonwealth suffered significant lost revenues and increased operations expenses as a result of the back-to-back typhoons in 2018; and the loan is intended to cover that difference. My language also gives three years to apply, rather than the usual two, so the Commonwealth can reach back and claim the 2018 losses.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-grant-consolidation-allowed,FY21: Grant consolidation allowed,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY21: Grant consolidation allowed Jul 12, 2020 The Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau could consolidate Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula grants they get from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act thanks to language included at my request in the FY2021 Labor HHS-Education appropriation bill. All of the insular areas have limited human resources to administer grants. Giving the option to manage a number of small grants as one large grant would cut overhead costs and put more money to work helping those in need. The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee voted on July 7 to approve the bill with my language. The full appropriations committee will consider it in the coming weeks.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/fy21-more-money-studentsschools,FY21: More money for students/schools,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY21: More money for students/schools Jul 12, 2020 Title I-A schools grants go up $254 million in the fiscal year 2021 education appropriationwas approved in subcommittee. Title I-A is the biggest block of federal funding for the Marianas Public School System and my top request to appropriators for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. I revised the Title I-A funding formula in 2015 to increase the annual grant for PSS. As a result, this year our schools get $12 million; and that amount will go up again, when the $254 million nationwide increase is enacted. My requests to increase funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for Pell Grants, and Head Start were also included in the bill. Compared to last year, the bill raises IDEA funding by $208 million, maximum Pell grant awards to $6,495, and Head Start by $150 million.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/no-%E2%80%9Cdefund-schools%E2%80%9D,No to defund schools,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"No to defund schools Jul 12, 2020 The Marianas Public School System is planning to implement a mix of learning settings with some onsite and some online instruction when school begins on September 8, I understand. But President Trump threatened to defund schools, unless they reopen completely, a loss of millions to PSS. In fact, Congress has granted the administration no authority to withhold Title 1-A grants or any other federal education funds from local school districts that are following the advice of health officials and the direction of Governors about how and when to safely reopen. As Chairman of the Subcommittee responsible for K-12 education nationwide, I will stand by local decision-makers. The next relief package Congress sends to the White House, which will have to include school funding, will also ensure this aid is delivered promptly and faithfully to our public schools.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/oversight-fema%E2%80%99s-typhoon-response,Oversight: FEMAs typhoon response,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oversight: FEMA's typhoon response Jul 12, 2020 As Vice Chair for Insular Affairs, I led the Committee on Natural Resources virtual forumon the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to Pacific Natural Disasters in 2018. Democratic Representatives Ed Case of Hawaii, Michael San Nicolas of Guam, Darren Soto of Florida, and I questioned Christopher Currie of the Government Accountability Office on GAO's preliminary findings on the federal response to Super Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, which struck the Northern Marianas and Guam, and Hurricane Lane and the Mount Kilauea eruptions in Hawai'i. Originally scheduled to appear, FEMA Region IX Administrator Bob Fenton cancelled his participation at the last minute. We required the review by GAO in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 to ensure federal funds were spent effectively and are fully accounted for. FEMA obligated about $788 million in disaster assistance, as of May 2020, to the Marianas, Guam, and Hawaii for response and recovery efforts following the 2018 disasters, of which $593 million went to the Marianas. The forum can be viewed on YouTube here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/reopening-colleges-during-covid-19,Reopening colleges during COVID-19,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Reopening colleges during COVID-19 Jul 12, 2020 How to reopen America's colleges in a way that keeps students and teachers safe was the question the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee took up. We heard from Dr. Sharon Pierce, President of the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, who explained how CARES Act funds are helping students pay for housing, food, child care, and technology costs in the wake of the pandemic. She told me that more funding is needed to defray her school's costs to provide laptops, software licenses, and internet access for students who must now turn to online learning. One answer, of course, is for the Senate to pass the HEROES Act. That bill has over $10 billion for colleges to help cover the costs of distance learning, as well as expand relief for student loan borrowers. The House passed the HEROES Act in May. Also, testifying were Timothy P. White, Ph.D., Chancellor at California State University, and President Scott Pulsipher of Western Governors University. Watch the hearing here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/student-visa-restrictions-opposed,Student visa restrictions opposed,2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Student visa restrictions opposed Jul 12, 2020 The Trump administration issued new rules on Monday for international students, such as those attending Northern Marianas College, that would force them to leave the U.S., if their courses are only online. These restrictions will put new financial burdens on colleges that count on the significant revenues that come from foreign students' tuition. Already, the State of California, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have taken the matter to court. I have joined other House committee leaders in raising concerns to the Homeland Security Department about the financial consequences of the Trump rule. Read our letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-july-10-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - July 10, 2020",2020-07-13,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: FY21: Governor gets loan request FY21: Energy, water money for the NMI FY21: Grant consolidation allowed FY21: More money for students/schools No to defund schools Reopening colleges during COVID-19 Student visa restrictions opposed $375k for coral reef conservation Oversight: FEMA's typhoon response $2m for Judiciary building damage CARES Act: will FPUC end before it begins? CARES Act: 473 Marianas PPP loans VBA virtual interviews open Lack of guidance hurts veterans Info session scheduled on U.S. Workforce Act rule Permanent residence deadline: August 17 Telework update Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights ______________________________________________________________________ FY21: Governor gets loan request At a meeting on May 20, Governor Ralph Torres asked me for a change in the law, so the Commonwealth could borrow about $90 million through the Federal Emergency Management Administration's Community Disaster Loan program. I fulfilled that request with language in Section 312 of the FY21 appropriation for the Department of Homeland Security, released this week. Inclusion in the Democratic majority's base bill means the loan provision will pass in the House. So only an objection in the Republican Senate or from the President would kill the Governor's request. Current law allows municipalities to receive Community Disaster Loans, not a state-level government like the Commonwealth. Current law also caps the loans at $5 million. The language I had added to the appropriations bill removes those two barriers. The Commonwealth suffered significant lost revenues and increased operations expenses as a result of the back-to-back typhoons in 2018; and the loan is intended to cover that difference. My language also gives three years to apply, rather than the usual two, so the Commonwealth can reach back and claim the 2018 losses. FY21: Energy, water money for the NMI Highlights of the Interior and Environment funding bill include: Continuation of the 1.5 percent set-asides for the insular areas in Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act funds over the statutory set-asides of 0.25 and 0.33 percent, respectively. The increase, which I started during my first term in Congress, has resulted in $85 million for the Northern Marianas through FY 2020 and brought 24-hour water to most Saipan households. $2.76 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, equal to the FY 2020 level which brought $7.2 million for the Northern Mariana Islands $22.8 million for Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance grants, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2020 enacted level and $8.1 million above the President's budget request $12 million for the Energizing Insular Communities Program, $5.75 million above the FY20 level and $9.2 million above the budget request, to develop and implement action plans to help lower energy costs in the insular areas. Report language also directs Interior to improve reporting requirements of the program as prescribed in Public Law 113-235 $4.38 million in Maintenance Assistance grants $3.5 million for the Brown Tree Snake Interdiction Program $2.6 million for the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program FY21: Grant consolidation allowed The Marianas, American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau could consolidate Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula grants they get from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act thanks to language included at my request in the FY2021 Labor HHS-Education appropriation bill. All of the insular areas have limited human resources to administer grants. Giving the option to manage a number of small grants as one large grant would cut overhead costs and put more money to work helping those in need. The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee voted on July 7 to approve the bill with my language. The full appropriations committee will consider it in the coming weeks. FY21: More money for students/schools Title I-A schools grants go up $254 million in the fiscal year 2021 education appropriation approved Tuesday in subcommittee. Title I-A is the biggest block of federal funding for the Marianas Public School System and my top request to appropriators for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. I revised the Title I-A funding formula in 2015 to increase the annual grant for PSS. As a result, this year our schools get $12 million; and that amount will go up again, when the $254 million nationwide increase is enacted. My requests to increase funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for Pell Grants, and Head Start were also included in the bill. Compared to last year, the bill raises IDEA funding by $208 million, maximum Pell grant awards to $6,495, and Head Start by $150 million. No to defund schools The Marianas Public School System is planning to implement a mix of learning settings with some onsite and some online instruction when school begins on September 8, I understand. But this week President Trump threatened to defund schools, unless they reopen completely, a loss of millions to PSS. In fact, Congress has granted the administration no authority to withhold Title 1-A grants or any other federal education funds from local school districts that are following the advice of health officials and the direction of Governors about how and when to safely reopen. As Chairman of the Subcommittee responsible for K-12 education nationwide, I will stand by local decision-makers. The next relief package Congress sends to the White House, which will have to include school funding, will also ensure this aid is delivered promptly and faithfully to our public schools. Reopening colleges during COVID-19 How to reopen America's colleges in a way that keeps students and teachers safe was the question the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee took up on Tuesday. We heard from Dr. Sharon Pierce, President of the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, who explained how CARES Act funds are helping students pay for housing, food, child care, and technology costs in the wake of the pandemic. She told me that more funding is needed to defray her school's costs to provide laptops, software licenses, and internet access for students who must now turn to online learning. One answer, of course, is for the Senate to pass the HEROES Act. That bill has over $10 billion for colleges to help cover the costs of distance learning, as well as expand relief for student loan borrowers. The House passed the HEROES Act in May. Also, testifying were Timothy P. White, Ph.D., Chancellor at California State University, and President Scott Pulsipher of Western Governors University. Watch the hearing here. Student visa restrictions opposed The Trump administration issued new rules on Monday for international students, such as those attending Northern Marianas College, that would force them to leave the U.S., if their courses are only online. These restrictions will put new financial burdens on colleges that count on the significant revenues that come from foreign students' tuition. Already, the State of California, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have taken the matter to court. I have joined other House committee leaders in raising concerns to the Homeland Security Department about the financial consequences of the Trump rule. Read our letter here. $375k for coral reef conservation The Division of Coastal Resources Management is receiving $375,309 of a larger $934,000 grant in continued Coral Reef Conservation Program funding to help administer the Commonwealth's Coral Reef Initiative, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday. Grant funds will be used to support jobs, increase community awareness through education and outreach, plan for restoration projects in priority watersheds, enhance management of Marine Protected Areas, monitor the health of the Marianas' coral reefs, and to support student internships in natural resource management agencies. Appropriated by Congress annually, Coral Reef Conservation Program funding helps protect, restore, and conserve our nation's coral reefs. Congratulations to DCRM. Oversight: FEMA's typhoon response As Vice Chair for Insular Affairs, I led the Committee on Natural Resources virtual forum Wednesday on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to Pacific Natural Disasters in 2018. Democratic Representatives Ed Case of Hawaii, Michael San Nicolas of Guam, Darren Soto of Florida, and I questioned Christopher Currie of the Government Accountability Office on GAO's preliminary findings on the federal response to Super Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, which struck the Northern Marianas and Guam, and Hurricane Lane and the Mount Kilauea eruptions in Hawai'i. Originally scheduled to appear, FEMA Region IX Administrator Bob Fenton cancelled his participation at the last minute. We required the review by GAO in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 to ensure federal funds were spent effectively and are fully accounted for. FEMA obligated about $788 million in disaster assistance, as of May 2020, to the Marianas, Guam, and Hawaii for response and recovery efforts following the 2018 disasters, of which $593 million went to the Marianas. The forum can be viewed on YouTube here. $2m for Judiciary Building damage The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a $1,969,874.98 award to the Commonwealth Judiciary on Thursday. The money is to repair damage to the Saipan Judiciary Facility by Super Typhoon Yutu, including roofing, ceilings, walls, floor tile, carpets, lights, skylights, doors, windows, stucco, fencing and gates, exhaust fans, ducts, x-ray system, elevators and controls, HVAC systems, electric systems, interior safety glass, and nine vehicles. To mitigate future damage skylights in the building will be replaced with cast-in-place concrete roofs slabs. The grant covers 90% of the cost, as the federal share. FEMA obligates the funds to the Commonwealth government, which is then responsible for ensuring eligible subrecipients submit required documentation before receiving the award. CARES Act: Will FPUC end before it begins? It has been 15 weeks since Congress passed the CARES Act; and the Commonwealth government has not begun to pay unemployment assistance to Marianas workers who are unable to work due to the coronavirus. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, created by the CARES Act, provides $600 weekly, but the program ends this month, leaving just Pandemic Unemployment Assistance of $345 weekly. That is a 63 percent cut. And, though both programs, when they eventually begin, are payable retroactively, losing $600 weekly will be hard for many unemployed in the Marianas. So, I joined my colleagues, Reps. Kildee (D-MI) and Davis (D-IL), in a letter to the President urging support for an extension of the FPUC program before its expiration. The Commonwealth government received an initial amount of $70,596,000 to pay unemployment benefits on June 5. $43,000,000 is specifically set aside for FPUC. The money is available now, the benefits need to be paid out. Marianas workers cannot wait any longer. CARES Act: 473 Marianas PPP loans The Small Business Administration released the names of businesses and nonprofits nationwide that have received more than $150,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Fifty-five in the Marianas made the list. As of June 30, 473 PPP loans worth $39,333,708 have been okayed, altogether. In addition, 217 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans worth $14,077,600 and 246 EIDL grant advances worth $1,183,000 were approved through July 3. Congress extended the PPP application deadline to August 8. And funding remains available for both programs to help with payroll and fixed expenses during the coronavirus crisis. To learn more, visit the SBA PPP website. Download a PPP application here. EIDL applications can be downloaded here; and a step-by-step guide on the application process can be viewed here. EIDL applications are due by December 31. Lack of guidance hurts veterans The Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability and Memorial Affairs looked into how a lack of clear guidance on discharge determinations is putting veterans at risk. Veterans with Other-Than-Honorable discharge are barred from some service-connected benefits, but what those benefits will be is determined by the Veterans Administration. And there is a lack of formal guidance on how those determinations are made and even what kind of misconduct causes loss of eligibility. Many vets in this situation are at high risk for homelessness and suicide and are often found to suffer from PTSD and Military Sexual Trauma. Many also believe they are ineligible for VA benefits. That is why I asked VA officials at the hearing to improve training for VA staff that make the determinations and do more to let veterans know what their options are. You can view our exchange here. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Public Comments Banking regulations Snail Conservation Longline-caught bigeye tuna allocations LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK This week has been Committee Work Week. NEXT WEEK This week will be a Committee Work Week.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-july-03-2020,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - July 03, 2020",2020-07-07,2020,2020-07,Democrat,House,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Marianas CIP increases in H.R. 2 Apply now for permanent status CARES Act: Where are the unemployment checks? CARES Act: Rota, Saipan airports get $2.7m CARES Act: PPP extended Senate looks at COVID-19 impact NMI STEM, AMBER Alert funding ok'd Career Education Act progresses MLSC launches legal helpline $1.9m for preparedness $300k to NMC for apprenticeships $444k to protect natural resources Need help with Social Security? USCIS extends response deadlines Telework update Calling all tech-savvy students Kilili Time Capsule Opportunities Legislative highlights _________________________________________________ Marianas CIP increases in H.R.2 Funding to reopen and rebuild island schools, maintain roads, make broadband more available, and invest in hospitals and community health centers is all part of a sweeping infrastructure bill passed by the House on Wednesday. My amendment increasing water funding for the Marianas was added during floor debate. A 1.5 percent set-aside for water and sewer systems in insular areas, approved year-by-year since 2010, would now become permanent. I am, also, a cosponsor of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which invests $1.5 trillion in our nation's infrastructure, while creating good-paying jobs and combating the climate crisis. Highlights include: $100 billion investment in schools nationwide, including $500 million for the insular areas to construct, modernize, and renovate public school facilities with special attention to the needs for social distancing and online learning because of the coronavirus, $25 billion in Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to which my amendment making permanent the 1.5 percent set-aside of Safe Drinking Water Act funds for the insular areas would apply. Current law authorizes only 0.33 percent, $40 billion in new wastewater infrastructure with permanent authorization of an 1.5 percent annual set-aside for insular areas of Clean Water Act funds, up from the current 0.25 percent, $100 million in annual Territorial Highway Funds, up from $42 million per year, An increase of $400,000 for the Marianas' new bus transit system, $100 billion for broadband internet infrastructure including $685 million for the development and implementation of digital equity plans, $50 broadband benefit for low-income households, $10 billion for the construction and modernization of our nation's hospitals and medical facilities, $10 billion for community health center capital grants, $300 million to improve insular area childcare facilities, $70 billion for renewable energy systems, $4 billion annually for Airport Improvement Program grants, and Grant eligibility for the Marianas to develop and implement AMBER Alert notifications. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is unclear what action the Republican majority will take. Although surface transportation programs expire on September 30, the White House issued a statement saying the president would veto the Moving Forward Act if it reached his desk. Apply now for permanent status Spouses and parents of U.S. citizens, in-home caregivers, certain stateless individuals, and persons given resident status under Commonwealth law in the early 1980s can live and work permanently in the Marianas thanks to my Northern Mariana Islands LongTerm Legal Residents Relief Act, U.S. Public Law 116-24. But you must apply by August 17. After that the permanent resident status will no longer be available. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services held a virtual outreach session on how to apply Thursday. 269 people participated. Agency officials emphasized that applicants must submit both Form I-955, Application for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, along with required documents and fees to be considered for status. Unless both forms are submitted together, the application will be rejected. Additional information is available at https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/cnmi-long-term-resident-status. Questions about the CNMI Long-Term Resident Status can be sent to Hawaii.CommunityRelations@uscis.dhs.gov. Remember: This is the only opportunity and August 17 is the deadline to apply. Applications postmarked after that date will not be accepted. Where are the unemployment checks? Three months after passage of the CARES Act, workers laid off in the Marianas because of coronavirus still have not received their unemployment checks$945 per week for most. Natural Resources and Education and Labor committee chairs Ral Grijalva (D-Arizona) and Robert Scott (D-Virginia) and I asked U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia this week to explain the unacceptably long delay. Very few can go for three months without income. The Commonwealth could not immediately take applications and cut checks, because there is no existing unemployment system. But Guam faced the same problem and is already paying out the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. And $70 million from the CARES Act is available right now to make the payments and pump into the Marianas economy. We also forwarded to Secretary Scalia a letter from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) confirming that everyone laid off as a result of coronavirus should be eligible for unemployment, regardless of immigration status. Their committees were responsible for writing the law. CARES Act: Rota, Saipan airports get $2.7m The Commonwealth Ports Authority is receiving two grants worth $2,700,068, the Department of Transportation announced Tuesday. One grant provides $2,144,513 for the installation of 20,625 feet of perimeter fencing around the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport in Rota. The fence will keep unauthorized persons and vehicles off the airfield. $214,451 of the grant comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which Congress passed in March. The second grant, worth $555,555, will be used for designing water system improvements in the existing aircraft rescue firefighting building at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport. The improvements will meet standards for rapid refill of aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles. $55,555 comes from the CARES Act. Congratulations to CPA. CARES Act: PPP extended The House and Senate voted this week to extend the Paycheck Protection Program through August 8. The legislation awaits the President's signature. There remain about $100 billion in PPP funds for businesses and nonprofits in need of relief. In the Marianas 461 PPP loans, worth $38,791,593, had been approved as of June 27, as well as 206 Economic Injury Disaster Loans, worth $13,154,600. 208 EIDL grant advances worth $1,022,000 have been approved.The congressional office has received numerous inquiries about the Paycheck Protection Program. For example, whether individual entities can apply for more than one PPP loan: they cannot. Whether eligible PPP borrowers may pay dividends and bonuses to directors and employees: they can. Businesses, non-profits, and lenders with other questions about the Paycheck Protection Program can find answers to frequently asked questions from the Small Business Administration here. Updated regulations resulting from the PPP Flexibility Act's enactment may be viewed here and here. NMI STEM, AMBER Alert funding ok'd Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai'i) added two of my bills, when the House Armed Services Committee marked up the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday. H.R. 4614 allows the Marianas and other insular areas to tap federal funding to build AMBER Alert systems to help find missing children. And my H.R. 6786 includes the Marianas in the Defense Department's STARBASE education program. STARBASE aims to improve students' skills in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) by partnering military installations with schools having high proportions of economically and educationally disadvantaged students. The Defense Act, H.R. 6395, now goes to the full House for consideration. Thank you, Representative Gabbard. Career Education Act progresses Expanding education assistance for military spouses took another step toward enactment this week. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania), a cosponsor of my Military Spouse Career Education Act, offered the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the House Armed Services Committee gave its okay during mark-up on Wednesday. The Career Education bill, also included in the Senate's NDAA, would help wives and husbands of service members finish their college degrees more quickly and get training needed to re-license in their professions, when they must move to a new location under military orders. The bill, H.R. 6395, now heads to the House floor for consideration. Thank you, Representative Houlahan. MLSC launches legal helpline The Micronesian Legal Services Corporation announced its new Disaster Legal Helpline to provide services to those who have unresolved legal issues related to Typhoons Mangkhut or Yutu. To reach the helpline, call 235-0027 on Saipan, 285-6410 on Tinian, 284-0581 Rota, or email disaster@mlscnet.org. View the full press release here. MLSC received $1.2 million in December through the Disaster Relief Act, US Public Law 116-20. $1.9m for preparedness On Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced final allocations for FY 20 preparedness grants. The Commonwealth was allocated $1,000,000 under the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and $920,700 under the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program. SHSP grants support the implementation of local homeland security strategies to prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist acts and other catastrophic events. By law, twenty-five percent of program funds are to be used for law enforcement prevention activities. The EMPG Program provides funds to help state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies prepare for all hazards and assist in obtaining the resources needed to support National Preparedness Goal's associated Mission Areas and Core Capabilities. $300k to NMC for apprenticeships Northern Marianas College was awarded a $300,000 State Apprenticeship Expansion grant on Wednesday to address the Commonwealth's workforce challenges. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training for young people with relevant classroom education, while getting paid at the same time. The College will partner with the Commonwealth's Department of Labor to establish the apprenticeship program. $444k to protect natural resources The Commonwealth is receiving two grants totaling $443,685 funded by the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources Program, the Department of Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced Wednesday. $205,890 is going to the Division of Coastal Resources Management to revegetate deforested areas and provide wildfire surveillance in the Laolao watershed to improve soil stability and decrease the threat of sedimentation buildup on the coral reef and nearshore ecosystems. Funds will also be used to provide outdoor science education to fourth graders. And $237,795 is going to the Department of Natural Resources to eradicate the vine species Mucuna pruriens, also known as velvet bean. This invasive non-native vine has overrun several forested areas in Saipan and has been linked to allergic reactions and hospitalizations for individuals with certain skin conditions. Funded annually by Congress, the Coral Reef Initiative and Natural Resources program received $2,625,000 in FY2020. Need help with Social Security? The Social Security Administration reported to the congressional office this week it remains ready to assist Marianas residents during the public health emergency. All Social Security offices remain closed for walk-in visits. Most services, however, are available online. You can apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits, request a replacement card, or obtain a benefit verification letter at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. You can also speak to an SSA representative by calling 1-800-772-1213. A limited number of in-person appointments for critical matters may be available, if online or phone support is not sufficient. For more information, go to the Social Security website. USCIS extends response deadlines The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending flexibility for certain requests, notices, and decisions issued between March 1 and September 11, 2020. According to Wednesday's announcement, responses received within 60 calendar days after the specified due date or date of decision will be considered before taking any action. The complete list of documents covered by this policy can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-extends-flexibility-responding-agency-requests-0. OPPORTUNITIES Grants A note to those receiving or applying for federal grants during the coronavirus crisis: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may extend for up to 12 months certain grants set to expire between March 31 and December 31, 2020. OMB is also providing some deadline flexibility for grant applications. Check out these links for OMB's March 9 and March 17 memo on these extensions. NEH Care: Cultural Organization Public Comments Fishery data Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver data SRAE Program data Marine mammals and testing LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK H.R. 2 - INVEST in America Act (passed, 233-188) NEXT WEEK Bills to be considered not ready at time of print.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z