url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://sablan.house.gov/2015-year-review,2015 - The Year in Review,2015-12-31,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"2015 will be remembered in part as the year of Typhoon Soudelor. Complete recovery is still to be accomplished, but federal assistance helped local hands respond to the immediate emergency and will continue to aid in restoration of homes and public infrastructure. 2015 was also a year of significant accomplishment in Washington. January 16% NAP benefit increase for Saipan takes effect - Food stamp beneficiaries on Saipan received a 16 percent increase in their benefits. The Saipan increase followed a 28 percent increase for Tinian and 62 percent for Rota and the Northern Islands that took effect in 2014. Seniority pays off in Committee assignment - Six years of seniority allowed the Northern Marianas Delegate to win promotion to Vice-Ranking Member for the Natural Resources Committee. February H.R. 851 aims to increase federal funding for PSS - As it became apparent that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would finally be reauthorized, I introduced legislation to increase federal education funding for our Public School System a move that paid off in December. March Presidents budget includes funding for Rota National Park study - The study was only authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act in December 2014, but the President immediately proposed funding. April Community Health Centers, CHIP benefit from doc fix - The Kagman Community Health Center was assured of funding through 2017 in Public Law 114-10. The law also extended the CHIP program, which will provide $1.4 million for health insurance for children from low-income families in the Northern Marianas in 2016. June Geothermal explorations get green light - CUC got the go-ahead to use technical assistance funds provided by Congress to continue exploring geothermal potential on Saipan. Hot water deep below the surface could generate electricity and lower the cost of power. July Foxx-Messer-Sablan Act would help students select college - Along with Education and the Workforce Committee members Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Luke Messer (R-IN), I introduced H.R. 3178 to help students and their families get the facts they need to make decisions about college. The Sablan.house.gov website also added resources for college-bound students. August President signs disaster declaration, releasing federal aid - We worked with the White House to get a declaration within 30 hours of the request from the CNMI and federal aid quickly followed: Home repair: $24.6 million in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency reached 4,821 households. Commonwealth Health Center: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helped CUC quickly restore power to the hospital. Debris removal: U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit cleared debris from schools and roadways, making it easier to replace power poles. Water: Marines also set up a reverse osmosis purification system and gave out drinking water in villages around Saipan. Replacement food: The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved emergency food stamps helping over 12,000 households. Business recovery: The U.S. Small Business Administration loaned out $23 million to get business and individuals back on their feet. Postal services: The U.S. Post Office in Saipan resumed operations using generator power. Immigration services: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services center on Saipan maintained regular hours. Customs and Border Patrol and the Transportation Security Administration kept their airport operations up and running. Environmental protection: Along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Coast Guard contained a dangerous spill of gasoline and helped remove damaged boats blocking the Saipan harbor. EPA also provided hazardous waste disposal around the island. Establishing NMI National Guard found feasible - The report I included in the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act was issued and found that it would be feasible to have a Northern Marianas National Guard unit. Soudelor underscored the need for the Governor to have this additional resource in times of emergency. I followed up with introduction of H.R. 3649, creating an NMI Guard. September His Holiness Pope Francis addressed a joint meeting of Congress - To maintain a proper decorum as the Pope entered, sixteen Members, including the representative of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, were selected to line the corridor. October Saipan Troop Store project bids close - Contractors submitted proposals for the 5,000-square-foot expansion of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service Troop Store located at the Army Reserve Center on Saipan. Bidding had been delayed to check for unexploded ordnance. The store serves about 4,000 active and reserve service members, retirees, and their families and needs a major overhaul. First year of stretched-out CW program - Last year, I was able to get the foreign worker program extended through 2019, instead of ending in 2014. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services set the cap on workers at 12,999 for 2016, but with four years now remaining the need to convert to U.S. workers remains pressing, if growth is to continue in our islands. November College and Career workshops begin for NMI students - As part of the effort to beef up the local workforce, the congressional office began workshops for Northern Marianas high school students. We offered information on how to decide on college, in-demand jobs and options for vocational training, and opportunities for service in the military, AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps. Three academy slots added for NMI students - President Obama signed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act into law, adding three new slots for Northern Mariana Islands students at the U.S. service academies. Now, we have gone from three slots, when I came into office in 2009, to nine positions set aside for NMI young people. December Highway funds for NMI increased - Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually to the Northern Marianas and an additional $8 million in highway construction funds for the NMI, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands are included in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law 114-94. New education law means millions for NMI schools - Millions of dollars in new funding for Northern Mariana Islands schools will result from the Every Student Succeeds Act, Public Law 114-95. The new law contains proposals from my bill, H.R. 851, to raise Title I-A grant funds going to U.S. insular areas. The Congressional Research Service projects Northern Marianas funding will go up from the current $6.8 million to $11.1 million each year, beginning next October. Soudelor commendations added to the Congressional Record - In a statement before Congress, I recognized and expressed appreciation to all who made possible the recovery from Typhoon Soudelor. The hard work of the local government, charitable organizations, businesses, and many friends near and far deserves this lasting recognition. Consolidated appropriations act aids the NMI - The fiscal 2016 funding and tax extension law, P.L. 114-113 contains numerous benefits for people and programs in the Northern Marianas: Rota and Tinian harbor projects get $600,000: The law includes my request to fund the Rota and Tinian harbor improvements. This is the first year of direct funding for the two projects, which will eventually cost about $3 million each. Rota National Park study funded: The study was only authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act in December 2014, but funding is now available. $6 million for Clean Water/Safe Drinking Water: The improved formula for the NMI and other insular areas continues, bringing total funding over the last 7 years to approximately $51.6 million. Pell Grants increased. The maximum grant will be $5,915, an increase of $140 in the 2016-2017 school year for NMC students. Teacher tax credit made permanent: Teachers may continue to deduct up to $250 in out-of-pocket costs. American Opportunities Tax Credit made permanent: Families get a credit of up to $2,500 per college student per school year. Funds are covered over to the CNMI Treasury. Child Tax Credit made permanent: The credit is based on the number of children in a family. Funds are covered over to the CNMI Treasury.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/fema-obligates-12-million-cuc-soudelor-repairs,FEMA obligates $1.2 million for CUC Soudelor repairs,2015-12-31,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FEMA obligates $1.2 million for CUC Soudelor repairs Dec 30, 2015 The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week a grant of $1,194,653.70 to the Northern Mariana Islands. The funds are intended to be passed through to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for costs of restoring power on Saipan following Typhoon Soudelor. These public assistance funds are authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act and should continue to be obligated for a variety of public infrastructure that was damaged during the storm. FEMA provides 90 percent of funding; the Commonwealth provides 10 percent, a reduction of the usual 25 percent match.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/uscis-assures-action-pending-cw-petitions,USCIS assures action on pending CW petitions,2015-12-31,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"USCIS assures action on pending CW petitions Dec 30, 2015 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has responded to my calls for action on delayed renewals of Commonwealth-only worker permits by moving CW applications submitted over 90 days ago for permits that expire this week to the front of the line for processing about 800 in all. Extra staff have also been added to clear the backlog of CW applications. USCIS has told me that they expect to act on these 800 CW petitions by the end of this week. Another 2,000 applications that were not submitted before the recommended 90 days will also receive the extra staff attention I called for. I urge employers with applications that are more than 90 days old to contact the congressional office. I also recommend that employers submit applications for renewals as early as possible they may do so up to 180 days prior to expiration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/working-together-new-torres-administration,Working together with the new Torres administration,2015-12-31,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Working together with the new Torres administration Dec 31, 2015 Our new Governor, Ralph DLG Torres, led the response and recovery to Typhoon Soudelor; and the congressional office assisted by making sure that every federal resource he called for was provided fully and quickly. In a meeting with Governor Torres this week I pledged to continue that model of cooperation and partnership with his new administration for the benefit of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. I thanked the Governor, too, for leading us all through these days of grief with grace and courage.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-holds-town-hall-paducah-performing-free-eye-surgeries/,Sen. Rand Paul Holds Town Hall in Paducah Before Performing Free Eye Surgeries,2015-12-29,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"PADUCAH, KY – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul held a Town Hall in Paducah, Kentucky at the Paducah Chamber of Commerce Center. Before heading to the Ambulatory Surgery Center in Paducah to perform pro bono eye surgeries, Sen. Paul spoke with Kentuckians in attendance and took questions from the audience. Questions ranged from local issues to immigration to national defense. Following the Town Hall, Sen. Paul performed pro bono eye surgeries with Dr. Barbara Bowers. Sen. Paul regularly performs free eye surgeries for charity, and since being elected to the Senate in 2010, he has continued to use his skills to help those in need. No related posts.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-23-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 23, 2015",2015-12-28,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: Bill introduced to pay for earned income tax credit in NMI. I have introduced legislation,H.R. 4309, that would use federal funds to cover the cost of the earned income tax credit in the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. insular areas. The EITC provides extra money to U.S. workers, who have low wage jobs, up to $6,000 annually. Here in the Northern Marianas, where incomes are half the national average, the EITC would put more money into peoples pockets and into our local economy. Unlike other forms of welfare that go to people without jobs, the EITC is only paid to those who are working. It rewards work. The EITC would apply in the same way as the Child Tax Credit that many families now receive. Taxpayers file for the credit on their CNMI tax return; and then the federal government gives the money to the CNMI to cover the cost. The Commonwealth tried to provide the EITC in the 1990s, but had to stop because the program was too expensive. Getting tax law changed is not easy to do in Congress. And what I am proposing costs money, so it is even more difficult. But our new Speaker, Paul Ryan, wants to reform the tax code perhaps in the next Congress. My proposal starts the discussion and prepares us for the work that could get done in 2017 or 2018. New Marianas High School cafeteria approved. Marianas High School students will be getting a new cafeteria and kitchen valued at $1.4 million. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service approved use of 2015 Nutritional Assistance Grant funds for the project this week. The Public School System asked for approval in September. I registered support with FNS Administrator Audrey Rowe and have been working with the agency ever since to clear procedural hurdles. The present cafeteria, built in 1969, was designed to serve 450 students. The new cafeteria will be five times larger. This will allow the current enrollment of 1,604 students to all be served in two lunch periods of 30 minutes each. At the recommendation of FNS the new facility will also include a full kitchen, where students will be able to learn cooking and nutritional skills for their own benefit and as part of the MHS vocational curriculum. Federal NAG funds previously built cafeterias at San Vicente Elementary and Dandan Middle schools. Congratulations to PSS and all the MHS Dolphins. Opportunities - Federal grants, jobs for and in the Marianas Grants: State Wildlife Grant Program The State Wildlife Grants Program provides grant funds for the development and implementation of programs for the benefit of wildlife and their habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished. Eligible activities include both planning and implementation. Closing date isSeptember 30, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280580. Cancer Prevention and Control Programs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide a continuation of funds intended for grantees previously awarded under DP12-1205 - Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial and Tribal Organizations. Closing date isFebruary 26, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280676. Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks The Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks grant program provides funding to advance technological capability and promote the deployment of intelligent transportation systems applications for commercial vehicle operations, including commercial motor vehicle, commercial driver, and carrier-specific information systems and networks. Current closing date isMarch 3, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280327. Jobs: Psychiatry/Mental Health APRN The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration is accepting applications for a Psychiatry/Mental Health APRN in Guam for the Guam Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Duties include using expert clinical judgment in the management of care to complex and specialized patient populations; and guiding staff in the implementation of nursing processes and evaluation of patient care outcomes. Position is open untilJanuary 29, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424769800. Fish and Wildlife Biologist The Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting applications for a Fish and Wildlife Biologist in Guam. As a Biologist (Endangered Species) with the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office incumbent will plan, conduct, and report on ecological investigations to determine the effects of land and water development projects on the fish, botanical, and wildlife resources, and make recommendations concerning these projects which may result in decisions to oppose or modify major land and water development plans. Position is open untilDecember 31, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/419227800. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: The House is in recess for the District Work Period. Introduced H.R.4309 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reimburse each possession of United States for the cost of the earned income tax credit Co-sponsorships NEXT WEEK: The House is in recess for the District Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/new-marianas-high-school-cafeteria-approved,New Marianas High School cafeteria approved,2015-12-24,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Marianas High School cafeteria approved Dec 23, 2015 Marianas High School students will be getting a new cafeteria and kitchen valued at $1.4 million. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service approved use of 2015 Nutritional Assistance Grant funds for the project this week. The Public School System asked for approval in September. I registered support with FNS Administrator Audrey Rowe and have been working with the agency ever since to clear procedural hurdles. The present cafeteria, built in 1969, was designed to serve 450 students. The new cafeteria will be five times larger. This will allow the current enrollment of 1,604 students to all be served in two lunch periods of 30 minutes each. At the recommendation of FNS the new facility will also include a full kitchen, where students will be able to learn cooking and nutritional skills for their own benefit and as part of the MHS vocational curriculum. Federal NAG funds previously built cafeterias at San Vicente Elementary and Dandan Middle schools. Congratulations to PSS and all the MHS Dolphins.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-mrs-rand-pauls-christmas-message/,Dr. & Mrs. Rand Paul’s Christmas Message,2015-12-24,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul and his wife, Kelley Paul, delivered the following message in celebration of Christmas and the holiday season. The video and transcript can be found below. CLICK HERE TO WATCH DR. AND MRS. RAND PAUL’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TRANSCRIPT Merry Christmas! As families come together this time of year to give thanks and rejoice in the holiday season, Kelley and I would like to offer our very best wishes to the hard-working families in Kentucky, and across this great nation. With the Christmas season upon us, let us pause for a moment and remember our brave men and women serving our country and protecting our freedom at home and abroad. We thank you and your families for all the sacrifices you make. We would also like to extend our prayers and wishes to the families across the Commonwealth of Kentucky – from the horse farms to the coal mines, from the family-owned small businesses to the factories creating products shared worldwide. Your hard work makes the Bluegrass State proud. May your holiday be filled with love and your New Year rich with God’s blessings. From our families to yours, merry Christmas and happy holidays! ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-releases-special-festivus-airing-grievances-2015-edition-waste-report/,Sen. Rand Paul Releases Special ‘Festivus: Airing of Grievances for 2015’ Edition of ‘The Waste Report’,2015-12-23,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released a special ‘Festivus: Airing of Grievances for 2015’ edition of ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The ‘Festivus: Airing of Grievances for 2015’ edition highlights over 30 examples of wasteful spending, misplaced priorities, and bad management in the federal government that have cost the taxpayer more than one billion dollars. Of the 31 examples amassed from the past year, a few high-points of the ‘The Waste Report’ include: an $850,000 foreign made-for-TV cricket league in Afghanistan, a $150,000 federal government agency yoga classes, a $450,000 climate change video game, a $250,000 trip for Pakistani children to attend Space Camp and Dollywood in the U.S., and a $104 million subsidization for millionaires to live in public housing. The special ‘Festivus: Airing of Grievances’ of ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/investors-told-hire-construction-workers-through-h2b-visa-process,Investors told to hire construction workers through H2B visa process,2015-12-22,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety- U.S. Congressman Gregorio Camacho Kilili Sablan on Tuesday said new investors such as Honest Profit can hire temporary workers using the H-2B visa program if they want to proceed with construction projects. Guam hires foreign workers, including construction workers, through the H-visa process. Rep. Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero earlier asked Sablan to look into the delay in the processing of Honest Profits petitions for CW workers. The investor wants to construct a new hotel in San Antonio. Variety learned from other employers that they, too, are still waiting for a response from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for CW petitions submitted in August. Sablan said H-2B visas are for workers who are only needed for a specific project and a specific length of time. In the rest of the U.S. there is a limit on the number of H visas each year. But there is no limit here in the Marianas because of the language I put into .S.S Public Law 113-235 last December. That law allows for an unlimited number of H visa construction workers to work in the Marianas without using up any CW permits. He said CW permits for construction workers are limited. There are only 12,999 CW permits available this year. Those CW permits are too valuable to our existing businesses to use for temporary construction workers. CW permits are limited. We can have 12,999 in 2016 but by 2019 that number is supposed to go to zero, Sablan said. We may need to stretch out that transition period further. I do not know yet. But I do know that with every year that goes by CW permits will become more and more valuable and should, in my opinion, only be used for workers we cannot get through any other means. Sablan said Guerrero had not written to him or met with him to discuss the issue. But I would explain the situation to him if he asks. Sablan said there are other companies with CW permits for construction workers because the employers were able to justify their claims that no U.S. workers were available for those jobs. When an employer applies for a CW permit, they have to attest that no U.S. worker is available for the job and that they cannot use any other visa category. I would say that if anyone has evidence that people are making false attestations on their CW applications, they should give that evidence to USCIS or to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Sablan added. In a separate interview, Guerrero said that he raised this concerns with Sablans staff and asked a staffer to relay them to the congressman. He commended Sablan for responding to his appeal and added that he hopes the congressman, as a federal official, will also provide guidance to investors regarding federal labor and immigration rules. I am also asking him to address our issue with the foreign workers that new investors need. Its useless to continue inviting investors to the CNMI when there are not enough workers.We dont have enough manpower. All of us elected officials should be asking this question, Who do we work for? We work for the people of the CNMI. We need new investments so we can have more revenue to provide services, jobs and programs for our people. If we are working for the CNMI and its people and not just for ourselves then theres no reason for us to go wrong. Acting Gov. Ralph Torres, in a separate interview said: The CW program is set to be phased out in 2019 by federal law. It is in our best interests to continue training our U.S. eligible workforce to make up the shortfall in labor and to seek out more appropriate visa classifications for jobs that are needed such as construction jobs. The new developments we have in sight will require a large construction workforce. And for those positions we cannot fill locally, the H-visa classification is an opportunity for project developers to bring in foreign construction workers in a manner consistent with our responsibility to transition from the CW program by 2019. Torres added, I encourage developers to pursue the available local workforce first then seek alternative visa classifications before considering the CW program. This issue and the need to create a lasting solution for our workforce needs are things I intend to work on further and incorporate into our 902 consultation talks [with the White House.]",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-proposes-federally-funded-earned-income-tax-credit-program-nmi,Kilili proposes federally funded Earned Income Tax Credit program for NMI,2015-12-22,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety- U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has introduced a measure that will provide federal funds for the CNMI Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC program. Sablans H.R. 4309 will allow taxpayers in the Northern Marianas to receive a refundable tax credit if they have earned income in a given year. The earned income tax credit is an important public policy because it rewards people for working, Sablan said in a media statement. Even if people have to work for low wages, which many people do in the Northern Marianas, it will still be worthwhile to get a job because there will be this extra supplemental income from the government, Sablan said. Acting Gov. Ralph Torres on Tuesday praised Sablan for introducing the bill. I commend and appreciate Congressman Sablans efforts to extend a federal cover-over for the cost the CNMI would pay for the Earned Income Tax Credit. This is an important incentive for low-income residents. The EITC program is supposed to work in tandem with [other] programsto be a safety net for low-income families while supporting self-sufficiency through gainful employment, but the [EITC] has been unavailable in the CNMI. He added, This is an issue we have brought up during the formation of the Governors Special Commission on Economic Opportunity. In order to build a stronger society we need all the resources we have at our disposal to encourage greater workforce participation rates among our people and provide them the tools they need to succeed. I thank Congressman Sablan for his efforts on this issue and will follow the progress of this legislation closely. Sablan said the commonwealth tried to provide the EITC to its people in the 1990s but had to discontinue the program because it was too expensive for the CNMI government. Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have an EITC program in place and pay for it using local funds. Sablans bill would cover the cost with federal funds. This would work in the same way that families in the Northern Marianas are now getting the refundable child tax credit each year, he said. Taxpayers would file their return with the commonwealth government then the federal government would provide the money to cover the cost of the earned income tax credit. The commonwealth would make the payments to individual taxpayers. Sablan said he modeled his legislation after two provisions in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which made federal funds available to the commonwealth government to cover the cost of the Making Work Pay tax credit and the American Opportunity tax credit for families with children in college. One of the big wins in the tax extenders that was passed on Friday and signed by President Obama was making the American Opportunity tax credit permanent. The credit had been scheduled to phase out in 2017, but now families will continue to be able to claim a $2,500 tax credit each year for each of their eligible college students. That is worth $10,000 over the course of a four year undergraduate program. Sablan said changes in the federal tax code can be difficult to achieve and H.R. 4309 could be costly, but he believes it is important to put the idea on the table for consideration. In the event that we take up comprehensive tax reform legislation in the next several years, or some other legislative opportunity presents itself, I want to be ready, he said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/many-cw-permits-expiring-dec-31-kilili-uscis-working-remedy-delay,"WITH MANY CW PERMITS EXPIRING ON DEC. 31- Kilili, USCIS working to remedy delay",2015-12-22,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Saipan Tribune- A 48-year-old wait staff at a restaurant is having sleepless nights as his CW-1 permit has yet to be adjudicated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service less than a month before his current permit expires on Dec. 31, 2015. Sonny (not his real name) is one of probably hundreds of CW-1 permit holders who are on pins and needles waiting for USCIS decision on their renewal permits. Under USCIS rules, a CW-1 permit holder should stop work immediately after his permit expires. But Sonny, who hails from the Philippines, said that stopping from work is not an option as the father of six has living expenses to meet. Are we just going to stop eating and using electricity? How about the rent in our apartment and payment of utilities? How are we going to pay for gas for our cars? Whos going to pay for all of that? And besides its Christmas and the New Year. I really hope USCIS approves my permit soon, he told Saipan Tribune. For many businesses such as hotels, the idea of stopping as much as a third of their workforce from working on one of the busiest nights of the year, Dec. 31, is also not an option. As of Dec. 1, 2015, USCIS has approved a total of 9,195 beneficiaries under the CW-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker program and denied 1,092. The 9,195 counts against the 2015 cap of 12,999 set by the USCIS earlier in the year. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said he is aware of the anxiety not only on the part of CW-1 permit holders but their employers as well. He said a number of businesses have already approached him about the delay in the issuance of CW-1 renewal permits. The congressional office continues to work with employers who come seeking our help with their CW visa petitions. I cannot name the companies or petitioners because when anyone comes to us for assistance, their case is treated with complete confidentiality, he told Saipan Tribune in an email. He also confirmed what USCIS told Saipan Tribune about the current number of approved and denied CW-1 petitions. And I can report that there were 9,195 CW visa beneficiaries as of December 1, 2015. Sablan said the high number of approvals would mean that USCIS has adjudicated majority of the CW-1 permit petitions. I cannot provide you with an answer to your general statement that a lot of CW workers have stopped working because while not all 9,195 are CW-1 visas, this number of beneficiaries of CW visas certainly reflects that most petitions are approved. Sablan said he continues to push for solutions to help the CNMI, its businesses, and contract workers from the annual drama of looking at their permit deadlines in the calendar without the permit approvals in sight. I have also written to [Department of Homeland Security] Secretary [Jeh C.] Johnson urging his approval of the Proposed Rule, Enhancing Opportunities for H-1B1, CW-1, and E3 Nonimmigrants and EB-1 Immigrants, which would have provided a 240-day grace period for Departmental action on petitions reviews, he said. Sablan had proposed to DHS to have CW-1 workers be allowed to continue working for up to 240 days or eight months while their CW permit renewal applications are being processed. Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Alex Sablan said the delay in the adjudication of CW-1 permits is unfortunate and that many Chamber members are worried about its impact on businesses once the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, 2015. On his own, Sablan surmises that the reasons for the delay in the issuance of CW-1 renewals could be: USCIS waiting for the cap on CW-1 permits that now stand at 12,999; delay in the decision to extend the CW program after Dec. 31, 2014; and the jump in applications for CW permits because of new developers such as Best Sunshine International, Ltd., Honest Profit, and Alter City Group. Sablan said one solution is to have businesses petition qualified workers for U.S. visa categories other than CW-1 or have companies that need temporary workers apply for temporary visa status. Reyes Reyes, founding president of Marianas Advocates for Humanitarian Affairs Ltd., said he is calling not only on Sablan but the administration of Gov. Eloy S. Inos and the entire business community to find a solution to the impending crisis out-of-work contract workers will experience because of their expired CW-1 permits. Some have already stopped working. They dont want to name their companies because of fear that they would not be allowed to return to work once their permits are approved. Their concern is what will happen to their financial situation especially with the holidays approaching. Its almost Dec. 31 and they will be losing their status. Most of these workers I talked to also have U.S. citizen children, so the children will suffer. Reyes said that local businesses would also stand to lose a lot with the absence of experience, skilled, and long-term foreign workers. What will happen to local businesses? They will be losing skilled workers as well as experienced CWs. Their operations will be paralyzed. Its a pity because the economy is growing while the workforce is decreasing. He also requested USCIS to give some clarification on the whole situation and provide updates on why they are having delays in the processing of CW-1 permits. Were calling also on the USCIS. We understand the backlogs but at least give some positive words to all concerned employees and employers so it will not create panic, he said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-hhs-investigation-planned-parenthood-tissue-practices/,Sen. Rand Paul Announces HHS Investigation of Planned Parenthood Tissue Practices,2015-12-22,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the request initiated by U.S. Senator Rand Paul, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (OIG) Daniel R. Levinson has opened an investigation, including a full audit into the compliance of HHS grantees with the fetal tissue regulations to determine whether there have been violations of the law and how the agency verifies compliance. Originally stemming from videos showcasing Planned Parenthood’s potential violations of federal law, Sen. Paul sent a letter, signed by 34 of his colleagues, on October 6, 2015, to HHS OIG Levinson calling for an audit to specifically examine the Department’s oversight of contractor and grantee compliance with laws governing fetal tissue research. The full text of Sen. Paul’s letter can be found HERE. Sen. Paul, in response to HHS OIG Levinson’s investigation, released the following statement: “I am encouraged to see the Inspector General take action to investigate Planned Parenthood’s unconscionable practices. Planned Parenthood selling body parts of the unborn demonstrates that the organization deserves not one penny more of our taxpayer dollars, and I am confident this investigation will give further proof of that,” Sen. Paul said. In July 2015, Sen. Paul joined 49 of his Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell immediately following the release of footage from the Center for Medical Progress depicting Planned Parenthood executives discussing – in graphic detail – the organization’s involvement in the harvesting and sale of the organs of aborted babies. In the letter, the Senators asked HHS to conduct an internal review of the compliance of both HHS and their grantee, Planned Parenthood, with all applicable federal laws, including those prohibiting the sale of fetal tissue for profit. The response received from Sec. Burwell in August was unacceptable and makes clear that a thorough internal investigation of compliance was not conducted. Click HERE to read HHS OIG Levinson’s response to Sen. Paul. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/fy16-funding-tax-extenders-approved,"FY16 funding, tax extenders approved",2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FY16 funding, tax extenders approved Dec 20, 2015 On Friday, The House and Senate passed, and the President already signed, an appropriations and tax bill, providing $1.067 trillion in funding for the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2016 and extending a variety of tax provisions. Highlights of funding and tax provisions that benefit the Northern Marianas include: $22.5 billion for Pell Grants, which is the same as the 2015 enacted level. When combined with mandatory funding, these discretionary funds will enable the maximum grant to increase to an estimated $5,915, an increase of $140 in the 2016-2017 school year for NMC students. $6.35 billion to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in FY16. The amount is lower than the FY15 enacted level due to decreases in program participation and is expected to provide full benefits to participants. WIC provides nutritional foods and services to nutritionally at-risk low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children in the Northern Marianas. The Northern Marianas WIC program received $5.4 million in FY15. $638 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, an increase from the FY 2015 enacted level. The Northern Marianas received $456,074 in FY 2014 to help address the health needs of mothers, infants and children, including children with special health care needs and their families. Increases in funding for major housing programs: $19.63 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, an approximate increase of $324 million from the FY15 enacted level. Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance increases $890 to $10.62 billion. And the HOME Investment Partnership program is funded at $950 million, a $50 million increase from FY15.The Community Development Block Grant remains at the FY15 funding level of $3 billion. A total of $600,000 appropriated for the Army Corps of Engineer to conduct the feasibility studies for the Rota West Harbor and the Tinian Harbor. These studies will determine the changes needed to make the Rota harbor more accessible. The Tinian Harbor study will focus on ensuring the harbor can support increased military activity. Military personnel will receive a 1.3% pay raise beginning January 1. H.R. 2029 reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which Republicans allowed to expire on September 30, for three years. The LWCF is one of our countrys most successful outdoor recreation and conservation programs. Over the last 50 years, it has conserved national parks and forests, farms and ranches, fish and wildlife refuges, trails, and state and local parks. Extension of the $250 tax credit for teacher classroom expenses.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/nmi-educators-apply-now-loc-summer-institutes,NMI educators: Apply now for LOC Summer Institutes,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NMI educators: Apply now for LOC Summer Institutes Dec 20, 2015 The application period for the Library of Congress 2016 Summer Teacher Institutes is now open, and educators from the Northern Marianas are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is February 29, 2016. The highly acclaimed Summer Teacher Institutes provide educators with the tools and training to effectively utilize the Librarys rich collection of primary sources in the classroom. Educators will also be given the resources to share what they learn with their colleagues in their respective districts. Five weeklong institutes will be offered from June to July next year, including one institute focused on science, engineering, and technology. The week-long training is free, but participants are responsible for the costs of travel to Washington, DC, and room and board. To learn more about the Summer Teacher Institutes, and to apply, visit: https://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/teacherinstitute/.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/soudelor-commendations-added-congressional-record,Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record Dec 20, 2015 In a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives last week, I gave an account of the damage we suffered in Typhoon Soudelor and the response that followed. And I gave thanks to all who made possible our remarkable rebound from adversity. More than four months after one of the worst typhoons in memory, the initial recovery is substantially complete, and long-term rebuilding is well under way. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency transitioned its recovery operations back to the Region IX office in San Francisco this week. Assistance from FEMA and other federal agencies will continue; and when all is said and done, the Northern Marianas will have received an estimated $100 million in federal disaster aid to help us get back on our feet. But it is the hard work and charity of so many individuals within our community and from outside who have really made our recovery possible. I cannot put a dollar value on that human effort; but I wanted to recognize and thank everyone and make a permanent memorial of their accomplishment in the official record of the U.S. Congress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-18-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 18, 2015",2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: _________________________________________________________________________ Soudelor commendations added to Congressional Record. In a statement to the U.S. House of Representativesthis week, I gave an account of the damage we suffered in Typhoon Soudelor and the response that followed. And I gave thanks to all who made possible our remarkable rebound from adversity. More than four months after one of the worst typhoons in memory, the initial recovery is substantially complete, and long-term rebuilding is well under way. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency transitioned its recovery operations back to the Region IX office in San Francisco this week. Assistance from FEMA and other federal agencies will continue; and when all is said and done, the Northern Marianas will have received an estimated $100 million in federal disaster aid to help us get back on our feet. But it is the hard work and charity of so many individuals within our community and from outside who have really made our recovery possible. I cannot put a dollar value on that human effort; but I wanted to recognize and thank everyone and make a permanent memorial of their accomplishment in the official record of the U.S. Congress. FY16 funding, tax extenders approved. The House and Senate today passed, and the President already signed,an appropriations and tax bill, providing $1.067 trillion in funding for the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2016 and extending a variety of tax provisions. Highlights of funding and tax provisions that benefit the Northern Marianas include: $22.5 billion for Pell Grants, which is the same as the 2015 enacted level. When combined with mandatory funding, these discretionary funds will enable the maximum grant to increase to an estimated $5,915, an increase of $140 in the 2016-2017 school year for NMC students. $6.35 billion to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in FY16. The amount is lower than the FY15 enacted level due to decreases in program participation and is expected to provide full benefits to participants. WIC provides nutritional foods and services to nutritionally at-risk low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children in the Northern Marianas. The Northern Marianas WIC program received $5.4 million in FY15. $638 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, an increase from the FY 2015 enacted level. The Northern Marianas received $456,074 in FY 2014 to help address the health needs of mothers, infants and children, including children with special health care needs and their families. Increases in funding for major housing programs: $19.63 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, an approximate increase of $324 million from the FY15 enacted level. Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance increases $890 to $10.62 billion. And the HOME Investment Partnership program is funded at $950 million, a $50 million increase from FY15.The Community Development Block Grant remains at the FY15 funding level of $3 billion. A total of $600,000 appropriated for the Army Corps of Engineer to conduct the feasibility studies for the Rota West Harbor and the Tinian Harbor. These studies will determine the changes needed to make the Rota harbor more accessible. The Tinian Harbor study will focus on ensuring the harbor can support increased military activity. Military personnel will receive a 1.3% pay raise beginningJanuary 1. H.R. 2029 reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which Republicans allowed to expire onSeptember 30, for three years. The LWCF is one of our countrys most successful outdoor recreation and conservation programs. Over the last 50 years, it has conserved national parks and forests, farms and ranches, fish and wildlife refuges, trails, and state and local parks. Extension of the $250 tax credit for teacher classroom expenses. NMI educators: Apply now for LOC Summer Institutes. The application period for the Library of Congress 2016 Summer Teacher Institutes is now open, and educators from the Northern Marianas are encouraged to apply. The application deadline isFebruary 29, 2016. The highly acclaimed Summer Teacher Institutes provide educators with the tools and training to effectively utilize the Librarys rich collection of primary sources in the classroom. Educators will also be given the resources to share what they learn with their colleagues in their respective districts. Five weeklong institutes will be offered from June to July next year, including one institute focused on science, engineering, and technology. The week-long training is free, but participants are responsible for the costs of travel to Washington, DC, and room and board. To learn more about the Summer Teacher Institutes, and to apply, visit:https://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/teacherinstitute/. Opprtunities - Federal grants, jobs for and in the Marianas Grants: 2020 Census Integrated Communications Contract The Census Bureau is planning to award a contract to design, plan, produce, implement, and assess an integrated communications program for the 2020 Census. The contractor will be responsible for providing services in multiple communications areas to build awareness and promote self-response for the 2020 Census. For more information and important dates, go tohttps://www.census.gov/about/business-opportunities/opportunities/vender-opps/2014-10-15-2020-comm.html. Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries are a special funding opportunity within the IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries program. These small grants encourage libraries and archives to test and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks Grants support the deployment, testing, and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices. Current closing date isFebruary 1, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280610. Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program The DFC Program was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-20) and has two goals: 1. Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies; as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. 2. Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse. Current closing date isMarch 18, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280572. Jobs: Safety and Occupational Health Specialist The US Naval Base, Naval Facilities Engineering Command is accepting applications for a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist in Guam. Incumbent will monitor base operation services, conduct periodic inspections, review written plans and methods of safety programs, and coordinate with program managers, among other duties. Position is open untilDecember 21, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424012500. Clinical Nurse The Naval Hospital, Naval Medical Command, is accepting applications for a Clinical Nurse in Guam. Incumbent will initiate and retrieve reports of laboratory tests and examinations, prepare patients for surgery, provide education, assessment, teaching and care of wound for after surgery, and receive, assess, monitor and documents findings. Position is open untilDecember 22, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424004700. Materials Handler The Defense Commissary Agency, Department of Defense is accepting applications for a Materials Handler in Guam. Incumbent will receive incoming property, equipment and subsistence items, prepare shipping and inventory documents, document and report overages, shortages and damaged items, and operate forklifts, pallet jacks to receive, or deliver merchandise, among other duties. Position is open untilDecember 28, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/423901300. Park Ranger The National Park Services, Department of the Interior is accepting applications for a Park Ranger in Guam. Incumbent will work in the park's visitor center and in the field providing a variety of formal interpretive programs including orientation talks, environmental education programs, conducted walks, demonstrations, and outreach programs, among other related duties. Position is open untilDecember 21, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/423751000. Medical Officer The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services is accepting applications for a Medical Officer in Guam. Incumbent will provide support, perform non-clinical duties involving evaluations, apply epidemiological principles, research findings, make substantive courses of action, and streamline public health processes and procedures, among other duties. Position is open untilMarch 15, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420979600. Water Treatment Plant Operator The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Water Treatment Plant Operator in Guam. Incumbent will maintain waterworks system, record pressure gauge indicators, adjust water chemicals, ensure adequate supply of chlorine and other chemicals, monitor operation of plant equipment, and adhere to safety and security. Position is open untilDecember 21, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424363300. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: On the floor H.R.2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Passed, 316-113 ) / Tax Extenders (Passed, 318-109) H.R.3654 Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act (Passed, 423-0) H.R.2820 Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015 (Concurred in the Senate amendment, 421-0) H.R.4246 National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act of 2015 (Passed, 419-1) S.1090 Emergency Information Improvement Act of 2015 (Passed, 420-1) H.R.3654 Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.2297 Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (Concurred in the Senate amendments, 425-0) H.R.3750 First Responders Passport Act of 2015 (Passed, 421-2) H.R.3878 Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) NEXT WEEK: On the floor The House is in recess for the District Work Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-sends-bipartisan-bicameral-letter-president-obama-requesting-expedited/,"Dr. Rand Paul Sends Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter to President Obama Requesting Expedited Presidential Investigation for AK Steel",2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, along with Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Obama requesting an expedited presidential investigation into the accusations of steel dumping. Sen. Paul has been engaged on this issue since he was first notified of the situation. In the past month, Sen. Paul has met with community and regional leadership in Kentucky regarding layoffs at the AK Steel plant, sent a letter to the International Trade Administration (ITA) requesting them to expedite their decision making process and make a determination before layoffs occur in December, and met with Ashland Mayor Chuck Charles and other city representatives, as well as President and CEO of the Ashland Alliance Tim Gibbs last week. A copy of the letter can be found below. LETTER TEXT: President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write to bring to your attention troubling developments in the domestic steel industry and ask you to expeditiously review the situation before any permanent job losses occur. On October 16, 2015, AK Steel announced the company would temporarily layoff employees at its Ashland Kentucky facility later this month. AK Steel stated that one of the reasons for the temporarily layoff was the, “onslaught of unfairly traded imports.” Ashland has 21,335 residents and the plant is expected to temporarily layoff over 700 people. If the plant were to temporarily shut down, not only would there be hundreds of people unemployed but surrounding businesses would also be significantly impacted. Similar letters have been sent by other steel companies in other states warning of pending steel plant closures. City leaders in Fairfield, Alabama received notification from the US Steel Corporation that said it was closing its blast furnace and laying-off approximately 1,100 employees. US Steel issued a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice to 2,000 employees at its Granite City, Illinois facility in October 2015. AK Steel, U.S. Steel, and four other domestic steel producers have accused China, India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan of purposefully undervaluing their Corrosion-Resistant Steel (CORE) imports in order to increase market share in the US. AK Steel and plaintiffs have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Administration (FTA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) but a final decision isn’t expected to occur until after the temporary layoffs have occurred at the Ashland Works facility. A preliminary ruling by TPA stated that five countries are subsidizing steel imports and selling steel products in the US at under the market rate. TPA’s ruling allows for some countervailing duties to be assessed but a final ruling isn’t scheduled until March 3, 2016. Temporary layoffs are expected to begin at the Ashland steel facility between December 18th and December 30th. We ask that you review these cases expeditiously. Should your review disclose unfair practices that are harming the marketplace, the Trade Act of 1974 gives you tools to address the situation. This letter isn’t about any one steel company, but about ensuring the market is clear of actors, foreign or domestic, improperly threatening the livelihood of US citizens working hard to provide for their families and achieve the American Dream. We request that you use the tools at your disposal to inquire into this matter and have the ITC investigate the accusation in an expeditious manner. Sincerely, Sen. Rand Paul, M.D ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-reintroduces-separation-powers-restoration-and-second-amendment-protection-act/,Sen. Rand Paul Reintroduces Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul last week introduced the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act, which would void and prohibit funding for any of President Obama’s executive orders on gun control that undermines the powers reserved for Congress under the Constitution. “In the United States, we do not have a king, but we do have a Constitution. We also have the Second Amendment, and I will fight tooth and nail to protect it,” Sen. Paul said. Click HERE to read the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act in its entirety. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-releases-special-christmas-edition-waste-report/,Sen. Rand Paul Releases Special Christmas Edition of ‘The Waste Report’,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released a special Christmas edition of ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The special Christmas edition of ‘The Waste Report’ calls attention to the federal government spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to boost the sales of Christmas trees through TV commercials during Thanksgiving weekend. With retail sales of over 30 million live trees in the U.S. every year, the market for Christmas trees is hardly in a rut and not in need of government assistance. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. On Friday morning, all across the world children and parents will gather around the Christmas tree to see what Santa left. Maybe you finally got the kids got the National Science Foundation’s climate change video game they’ve been begging for. Just kidding, we know no one actually asked for that. Even though they already paid for it. But at the center of all those gifts is a stunted evergreen decorated with blinking lights and memories of Christmas past. Perhaps you and the family went out to cut down your tree this year, and maybe it was a TV commercial on Thanksgiving Day that inspired this joyous family experience. But, even if your tree is fake, your tax dollars paid for that commercial. So, why is Uncle Sam making TV commercials for Christmas trees? Well, as The Waste Report showed in our Thanksgiving edition, virtually all crops (including Christmas trees) are a “specialty” product according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This makes them eligible for special marketing assistance grants. Combine overly broad eligibility criteria, intergovernmental bureaucracy, and agencies flush with your tax dollars, and BOOM, Christmas tree commercials. In this case, the Georgia Christmas Tree Association got $50k in federal funds, “to boost the sales of Georgia Grown Christmas trees by implementing a 30 second cable TV ad that would run for four days over the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Thanksgiving weekends.” [1] One might think Georgia must have a fledgling Christmas tree industry to need Uncle Sam’s help. While Georgia is not a Christmas tree juggernaut like Oregon or North Carolina, with over 50,000 trees, they are hardly a slouch either. In fact, Georgia produces more trees than 28 other states, including Idaho and Montana.[2] True, a Christmas tree might not be an everyday purchase, but with about 30 million real trees sold every year [3] this is hardly a niche industry either, making its classification as a “specialty” all the more absurd. By the way, come Valentine’s Day, if you see an ad reminding you to get roses for your sweetheart…yep, that too could have been funded by Uncle Sam as specialty crop marketing. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/feature-nmi-gets-100-million-federal-disaster-aid,FEATURE: NMI gets $100 million in federal disaster aid,2015-12-20,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety- The following is a statement made to the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 15, 2015 and included in the U.S. Congressional Record. MISTER Speaker, on the night of August 2nd and through the early morning of August 3rd this year, Typhoon Soudelor lashed through the Northern Mariana Islands, causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, uprooting the lives of the people I represent here in Congress. Today, I want to reflect on that event, and on the exceptional grace and generosity that have made recovery possible. The typhoons impact was especially grave on Saipan, the most populated island in the Northern Marianas. Soudelor rendered hundreds of families homeless overnight. It also decimated infrastructure knocking out power and water systems, shutting down the ports, ravaging the college, schools and other public buildings. Survival is a way of life in our islands. We are accustomed to bracing ourselves through tropical storms and picking ourselves up when skies clear. But the sheer ferocity of Typhoon Soudelor caught us all off-guard. Even the National Weather Service failed to foresee the force of this storm. That there was no loss of life is testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of our people. And we are grateful to Providence for sparing us. As long as we live, those of us who experienced Soudelor will not forget the wreckage we saw the morning after. Nor will we forget the hardship that followed, the long hours in line for food and fuel and other necessities, the days of physical suffering and distress, the weeks without power and running water. Soudelor tested our infrastructure, our government, and our capacity as a community to deal with disaster. Now, however, four months after the storm, I can report that conditions are greatly improved, since that long and terrifying night in August. Electricity is restored, and residents have daily water service. Streets have been cleaned in our villages and commercial districts. Students are in school. Businesses have reopened. Workers are employed again. Families are putting their lives back together. Though there is still much to reconstruct and strengthen to be better prepared and more resilient than before, it is remarkable how far we have come on the road to recovery. So, today, I want to thank all those who contributed to this successful response to adversity. There are so many individuals and organizations. It is not possible for me to know and name each and every one. Their collective efforts prove how much can be done, when people work together towards a common goal. First we thank the American people, who gave without hesitation to fellow citizens in need. When all is said and done, American taxpayers will have contributed an estimated 100 million dollars in federal disaster aid to feed those who had no food, shelter those who lost their homes, repair residences and replace lost property, reopen shops and return the economy to life, revive the power and water systems. In doing all this, they gave us the hope that we needed to work our way to recovery. We thank President Barack Obama and Gov. Eloy Inos for their leadership in ensuring the prompt availability of resources to address the state of disaster in the Northern Marianas. We thank the Federal Emergency Management Agency team, led by Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio. FEMAs collaborative spirit set the tone for the response, working with other federal agencies and responders to aid the thousands of typhoon survivors. We thank our U.S. service members, who mobilized quickly to produce and distribute drinking water, clear debris, clean up fuel spills, and transport critical supplies and equipment. We thank our commonwealth emergency management crews, utility workers, police officers and firefighters, healthcare professionals, educators, and other local government employees, who answered the call to serve even as their own families were picking up the pieces of their shattered homes and lives. We thank our local businesses, shuttered by the storm, who nevertheless rallied together to raise funds for the recovery effort. We thank the legions of volunteers of all ages, all religions and races, many survivors themselves who came forward to share food, water, clothing, shelter, and comfort with their fellow human beings. And we thank our friends from throughout the Pacific region, and indeed throughout the world, for sending supplies, expertise, and equipment by air and by sea to help us back on our feet. Today, the marks of Typhoon Soudelor are still to be seen in homes and businesses yet to be repaired, debris yet to be removed. But beneath these physical scars, a new strength is arising. A new community-based working group known as CARE the Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts has emerged. The people in CARE from all walks of life, private and public sector, formal and informal organizations are committed to rebuilding our island home so that it is stronger and better than before. With this newborn spirit of hope, cooperation and interdependence I am confident that we will succeed.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/24-hour-water,24-hour water,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety- NOW that 96 percent of Saipans population has access to 24-hour water and the work of the Water Task Force has been handed over to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, I would like to add my congratulations and thanks to everyone responsible. I join the Acting Governor in his praise of Mr. Pete Sasamoto and his Water Task Force colleagues for a job well done. Additionally, I want to acknowledge the partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has been a guiding hand throughout this process. I understand that Saipan was the only major population area in the U.S. without 24-hour water; and Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld, Pacific Islands Program Manager John McCarroll, and the staff at EPAs Region IX office in San Francisco partnered with the congressional office and we made it our mission to fix that. Achieving 24-hour water would not have been possible without a substantial increase in funding beginning in 2009. As EPA reported in its review of Consolidated Grants program accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2014, the achievement of having the public water supply system provide 24 hour service to 95 percent of its population[is] a result of the increase in [State Revolving Fund] funding . Before 2009 the Commonwealth was getting about $1 million annually from the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund grants that Congress provides. Beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 and in every fiscal year from 2010 to today, annual funding has always exceeded $6 million a 619 percent increase over pre-2009 levels and a seven year total of $51.6 million. I made this increase a priority when I came to office in 2009 and have worked to keep the change in place in every annual appropriation since then. In fact, in the fiscal 2016 appropriation that we expect to see enacted this week there should be an additional $6.5 million, bringing the eight year total for the Northern Marianas to $58.1 million. Without this increased funding from Congress, most households on Saipan would still lack 24-hour water. Or CUC ratepayers would have had to cover those millions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades in their water and sewer bills an additional $40 per month for the average customer. There are a lot of numbers in this letter, so I have included a graph to show how much funding has improved since 2009. Regards, GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN Member, U.S. Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-senate-audit-fed-vote/,Sen. Rand Paul Announces Senate “Audit the Fed” Vote,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) today announced plans for the Senate to vote in relation to the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, widely known as “Audit the Fed,” on January 12, 2016. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture on the motion to proceed to “Audit the Fed” today, setting up the cloture vote when the Senate returns in January. The legislation, S.2232, would eliminate restrictions on the U.S. Government Accountability Office audits of the Federal Reserve and mandate that the Federal Reserve’s credit facilities, securities purchases, and quantitative easing activities be subject to congressional oversight. Sen. Paul originally introduced the legislation for the 114th Congress in January 2015. In November 2015, Sen. Paul invoked Rule XIV, which allowed “Audit the Fed” to be placed directly on the Senate Legislative Calendar so that the legislation can be called up for immediate consideration. “My legislation to conduct a complete and thorough audit of the Federal Reserve will be voted on in the Senate on January 12, 2016. The Fed operating under a cloak of secrecy has gone on for far too long. The American people have a right to know exactly how Washington is spending their money. The time to act is now,” Sen. Paul said. Cosponsors of the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 include: U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dean Heller (R-NV), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rob Portman (R-OH), James Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and David Vitter (R-LA). Click HERE to read the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 in its entirety. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-opposes-omnibus-spending-bill/,Sen. Rand Paul Opposes Omnibus Spending Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul issued the following statement today opposing the FY2016 “omnibus” spending bill: “Since coming to Washington, I have voted against every spending bill that continues to add to our nation’s mountain of debt, and this bill is no different. By adding $700 million of new debt this year, this bill will continue to fund President Obama’s priorities such as Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, and sanctuary cities. The 2,242-page bill will do nothing to stop the flow of refugees from terrorist countries and expand big government’s intrusion into every American’s internet activity. I cannot and will not support any legislation that adds debt on top of debt and enables President Obama’s lawlessness. Ultimately, this reckless spending will only be hurting the hard-working families in Kentucky and across the nation, and the American people deserve better,” Sen. Paul said. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/5-day-spending-bill-keeps-government-open,5-day spending bill keeps government open,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"5-day spending bill keeps government open Dec 15, 2015 The House passed a short-term appropriation bill last Friday and sent it to the President for signature into law. H.R. 2250 will keep the lights on in the federal government until midnight on December 16. Without enactment of H.R. 2250 funding would have ended that Friday. The President is expected to sign the bill, so critical federally-funded programs in the Northern Marianas will continue for now. Legislation providing funding for the rest of fiscal year 2016 is expected to be introduced on Monday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/new-education-law-means-millions-nmi-schools,New education law means millions for NMI schools,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Millions of dollars in new funding for Northern Mariana Islands schools will result from the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed by President Obama on Thursday, December 12, 2015. The new law reforms education policy nationwide, but also contains proposals from my bill, H.R. 851, that apply specifically to the U.S. insular areas. Section 1014 of the law raises the set-aside of Title I-A grant funds going to the islands. The Congressional Research Service projects Northern Marianas funding will go up from the current $6.8 million to $11.1 million, beginning next October. Increasing school funding was a top goal when I came to office in 2009. Our annual Title I-A grant then was just $3.6 million, so funding will have tripled by 2017. The Every Student Succeeds Act also makes the Northern Marianas eligible for Preschool Development and Education Innovation and Research grants, two competitive programs now open only to states. Thanks to Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minnesota) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Virginia) for helping me get changes I proposed into the new law. And thanks to Congresswoman Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa) for working with me in a bipartisan fashion to make sure our island youth have the education they will need to succeed in life and to contribute to the prosperity of our communities 10, 20, 30 years into the future.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/500000-cnmi-coral-reef-conservation,"$500,000 for CNMI Coral Reef Conservation",2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$500,000 for CNMI Coral Reef Conservation Dec 13, 2015 The Commonwealth government was awarded $500,000 for its Coral Reef Conservation program this week. Congress provides the funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help with protecting coral reefs against the harmful impacts of global warming, ocean acidification, degradation of water quality, and other changes in the marine environment. The grant to the Northern Marianas was part of a total of $8.5 million announced. The Commonwealth will also benefit from grants to the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Nature Conservancy. See the complete list of awards here. Congratulations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/rhodes-scholarships-open-insular-university-students,Rhodes scholarships open to insular university students,2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rhodes scholarships open to insular university students Dec 13, 2015 The prestigious Rhodes Scholarship is now open to scholars attending university in U.S. insular areas. Thanks to the efforts of Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi (D) this opportunity, previously offered only to students at universities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is now available to students throughout the U.S. The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded for graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. Thirty-two U.S. students between the ages of 18 and 24 are selected each year. The scholarship covers all university fees, a personal stipend, and airfare to and from Oxford. For more information, go tohttps://www.rhodesscholar.org/.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-highlights-us-forest-service-building-smokey-bear-laundromat-costing-taxpayers/,"Sen. Rand Paul Highlights U.S. Forest Service Building the Smokey Bear Laundromat Costing Taxpayers $25,000",2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition to ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition highlights the U.S. Forest Service spending nearly $25,000 taxpayer dollars to build the Smokey Bear Laundromat at the Lincoln National Forest in Ruidoso, N.M. – all while the closest laundromat can be found 0.2 miles away. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. Maybe you have anguished over a coffee stain on your pants or prayed an errant blotch of marinara sauce would come out of a white shirt. Well, it seems the U.S. Forest Service is concerned about laundry too, which is why earlier this year they spent almost $25,000 to build the Smokey Bear Laundromat at the Lincoln National Forest in Ruidoso, New Mexico.[1] The project solicitation calls for converting a single-car garage at the Smokey Bear Ranger House into a six-machine laundromat. However, this expense is just for the facility, the washers and dryers were not included in the $25,000 price. Some readers may be envisioning a remote outpost[2] far from civilization. However, the Lincoln National Forest abuts the town of Ruidoso, and the Ranger House itself is right off of a highway, across from a golf resort and next to commercial shopping on both sides.[3] It is basically just another business, with a giant back yard, off a city street. Even the solicitation for the project notes that lodging and meals can be found within two miles of the worksite.[4] More surprising is the proposed location for the government laundromat would be just 0.2 miles from Becker’s Mountain Laundry and just 0.3 miles to Evergreen Cleaner, which offers laundry services.[5] But when the taxpayer is footing the bill, 0.2 miles seems a lot longer. Ruidoso, by the way, is hardly a small, remote hamlet. In fact, Ruidoso is something of a tourist destination with a Micropolitan Statistical Area population of 21,223 and over 7,500 housing units.[6] Forest Service personnel can easily live in the local community and hardly need a full complement of accommodations, such as laundry services, at the Smokey Bear Ranger House. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-every-student-succeeds-act-bring-millions-dollars-more-nmi-schools,Kilili: Every Student Succeeds Act to bring millions of dollars more to NMI schools,2015-12-11,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety As a result of the Every Student Succeeds Act, public education in the Northern Mariana Islands is about to get a major boost, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced Thursday. Overall, the new law will increase Title I-A funding to the insular areas by 30 percent. The Northern Marianas, however, is expected to receive a 60 percent increase over its current funding. That will bring a total of $11.1 million to the Public School System in 2017. Further increases should continue through 2020. President Obama has indicated he will sign the Every Student Succeeds Act into law on Thursday. Public school officials have told me they will use this new money to hire more teachers and reduce student-teacher ratios in our schools, Congressman Sablan said. And we know from educational research that lower student-teacher ratios improve student performance. I remain convinced that education is key to the success of our people and our economy now, and 10, 20, 30 years into the future. Sablan has been working to strengthen education funding to the Northern Marianas since he first came into office in 2009. At that time, PSS was receiving just $3.6 million in Title I-A funds. The $11.1 million that PSS can now expect in 2017 represents a 208 percent increase. I am particularly grateful because this is the only change in the Title I-A funding formula that was included in the entire bill. This is one of the most difficult changes in law that I have worked on for the Northern Mariana Islands, said Sablan. It would not have been possible without the understanding and support of Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member Bobby Scott of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. I also owe special thanks to Ranking Member Marcia Fudge of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Earlier this year, Sablan introduced H.R. 851, which separated Title I-A funding for the insular areas and Bureau of Indian Education schools, and increased funds for both. Sablans proposals were incorporated in the Every Student Succeeds Act. Title I-A helps low-income communities like the Northern Mariana Islands by providing special federal funding for their school systems. It is the nations largest federal aid program for K-12 public education. The new law also makes the Northern Marianas eligible to compete for Preschool Development Grants and Education Innovation and Research Grants, which were previously open only to states. The additional funding for the Northern Marianas and the other insular areas is contingent on the passage of 2017 appropriations that increase Title I-A funding overall to ensure that the states do not lose funding. Sufficient appropriations to support the increase are projected for 2017. Every Student Succeeds is not the first increase for education during Sablans term in office. He also worked with the Department of Education to make adjustments in funding based on the 2010 Census, which showed a 55 percent rise in children living in poverty in the Northern Marianas since 2000. Funding did go up for NMI schools, from $3.6 million in 2009, to $4 million in 2012, and to $6.6 million in 2015. Sablan says he is now looking forward to working with the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the coming year on legislation to enhance higher education.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-time-op-ed-lets-destroy-isis-not-constitution/,TIME Op-Ed: Let’s Destroy ISIS — Not the Constitution,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"In his Oval Office address Sunday night, President Obama continued his failure of leadership and his outrageous quest to turn a necessary discussion on terrorism and national security into an unnecessary and ineffective gun control debate. Let’s be clear: disarming more law abiding citizens will not stop mass murderers and terrorists. President Obama often refers to Australia as a gun control success story. The problem is that the statistics prove otherwise. Between 1996 – 1997, Australia gained control of over 600,000 civilian guns. The country’s murder and manslaughter rates remained the same, while its armed robbery rate actually increased by nearly 10 percent. In 2003, the Australian government took possession of 50,000 more firearms, but its crime statistics still hardly budged. The truth is that the increasing use of guns in the United States has made our country safer. Though the number of firearms in the U.S. has increased by over 50 percent since 1993, our gun homicide rate has decreased by nearly 50 percent. The worst thing we could do for our national security is further trample on our civilians’ Second Amendment rights. Instead, we should be doing the opposite — advocating for more concealed carry ability for law-abiding Americans and an end to unconstitutional gun free zones. Second, we must fully examine and reform our border security, including refugee and visa programs. While the President paid lip service to this fight, he plans to keep the failed current rules in place and allow tens of thousands of refugees to enter our country. I couldn’t disagree more strongly. Today, the question is not whether the U.S. accepts refugees. It’s whether the U.S. takes refugees at this time under these conditions. We can and should accept refugees, but not until they can be properly screened. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, we currently do not have access to any type of database in Syria to track these refugees’ criminal records. As a result, over 90 percent of Syrian refugee applicants are approved, some of whom could possibly be allied with ISIS. At least one of the terrorists responsible for the Paris attack is surmised to have entered Europe as a refugee. In light of this, it should not surprise anyone that multiple Syrian refugees have reported seeing suspected ISIS fighters in their midst. For our national security’s sake, immigration, visas and refugees from countries with active terror networks must be halted while we determine how to better secure our borders and our people. Finally, we must stop doing the same foolish things overseas that the President advocated for throughout his remarks. In his remarks, Obama promised the administration will continue to flounder without a comprehensive strategy to combat ISIS. Specifically, Obama vowed to continue the failed status quo of arming the allies of ISIS. ISIS’s power is reinforced by the staggering arsenal that the movement has taken from the fleeing Iraqi and Syrian army — including tanks, Humvees and major artillery — and Obama wants to send more arms to the allies of ISIS. Obama has undertaken military action against ISIS for over a year and only wants to continue his failed policies that are the reason we fight against the very weapons U.S. taxpayers bought. We must stop arming and training allies of ISIS and al Qaeda. We must arm our allies the Kurds and insist on Arab boots on the ground for our allies in the region. Obama also said he wants cooperation with Russia without indicating how he hopes to achieve this. As long as Obama is unwavering in calling for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s removal from power, there’s realistically very little cooperation to be had with the Russians. We need a comprehensive strategy to combat ISIS, not only in Syria but around the world. The Obama administration’s fixation on the Syrian civil war as the cause and solution to ISIS is actually detrimental to destroying ISIS. ISIS is a threat that has gone well beyond Syria’s borders, into places like Libya, Egypt, France, and — as we saw last week — even the U.S. There are answers here to make our nation safe, but once again the President seems incapable of finding them. His administration is focused on enacting gun laws that won’t stop terrorists while it continues to push policies that will let more of them into the country. To defeat radical Islam once and for all, America must have confidence in our constitutional republic, our leadership and our values. I will do everything I can to protect and uphold the liberty of all Americans, all while making the country stronger and safer.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/air-force-divert-comments-due-december-15,Air Force Divert comments due by December 15,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Air Force Divert comments due by December 15 Dec 7, 2015 The public review period for the U.S. Air Force Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed divert airfield activities remains open until December 15. The purpose of the divert airfield is to give the Air Force backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event planes cannot use Andersen Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. The revised draft EIS, now open for comment, includes a Saipan-only, a Tinian-only, and a hybrid alternative that divides activities between the two islands. The original deadline of December 1 was extended by the Air Force at the request of Acting Governor Ralph Torres because of the disruption caused by Typhoon Soudelor. The revised draft EIS is available at https://www.pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/docs.html. Comments can be submitted at https://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/congress-passes-5-year-highway-bill-increases-nmi-funding,"Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding",2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next five years are part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, passed by both the House and Senate on Thursday, December 3, 2015. The five-year, $305 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill retained a provision, Section 1115, to increase annual funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 to $42 million, which the Northern Mariana Islands shares with American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The $2 million increase in annual THP funds was contained in the House reauthorization bill, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act, but not the Senate bill, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act. I am thankful that conferees decided that funding increases, though relatively small, should apply to all areas of our country and not just the states. The measure now heads to the White House, and President Obama is expected to sign shortly.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/house-passed-education-bill-boost-funds-nmi-schools,House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools Dec 7, 2015 A major increase in federal education funding for our schools is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed the Every Student Succeeds Act last Wednesday and the Senate is expected to do the same this week. The bipartisan bill, S. 1177, includes a provision I have been working on intensely all year that increases Title I funding for the Northern Mariana Islands and other insular areas. Title I assists areas with a high percentage of students from low-income families. My provision is designed to give the insular areas about 30 percent more funding than we have been receiving. For the Northern Marianas, the Congressional Research Service estimates Title I to increase to $11.1 million in 2017, up by $4.3 million from the 2016 funding of $6.7 million. The change is contingent upon overall Title I funding increasing so that states, as a whole, do not lose funding because of the change for insular areas. But appropriations for education are expected to rise in 2017. Every Student Succeeds also makes the NMI eligible to compete for Preschool Development Grants and Education Innovation and Research Grants, two competitive grant programs previously open only to states. The President has signaled he will sign the bill into law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-18,Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 18,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"As our community continues to heal from Typhoon Soudelor, FEMA and SBA made some important announcements this week. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) has relocated to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor on Isa Drive in Capitol Hill, Saipan. The DLOC hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Additionally, FEMA is winding down recovery operations on Saipan and closing the Joint Field Office on December 18, 2015. Approximately 20 personnel will remain until that time to coordinate the transition with the Commonwealth government and various volunteer agencies. Your congressional office will continue to work with residents requiring assistance with respect to FEMA issues. As of December 4, FEMA has granted more than $24 million in assistance to individuals and households and obligated nearly $5 million for public assistance. As of November 30, SBA has approved 361 home loans totaling approximately $13 million, and 104 business loans totaling more than $10 million. FHWA announces $609,000 in highway repair funding. The Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation has awarded the CNMI Department of Public Works $609,063 in Emergency Relief program grant funds. Emergency Relief funds may be issued for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways that are seriously impacted by natural disaster. Typhoon Soudelor caused widespread damage to traffic signal heads, poles, signs and guardrail across the island. Program funds will be used to help make permanent repairs necessary to restore highways to pre-disaster conditions. Congratulations to DPW. Volunteer debris cleanup in Kagman last Saturday. The Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts, or C.A.R.E., and United 4 Saipan continued their community cleanup efforts last Saturday, December 5 in Kagman from 8:30am - 12:00pm. Volunteers assistted in sorting storm debris that was then collected and disposed of by the CNMI Department of Public Works and the Saipan Mayors office. To help with the project, volunteers were asked to meet at Kagman High School at 8:30am. They will be assigned to a team leader who will direct cleanup activities at pre-identified sites. For more information on future cleanups, contact C.A.R.E. at (670) 783-7790 or visit www.cnmicare.com.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/new-aafes-troop-store,New AAFES Troop Store,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"New AAFES Troop Store Dec 7, 2015 About 4,000 service members and families in the Northern Marianas can look forward to a new, improved Army & Air Force Exchange Troop Store on Saipan. The AAFES is expected to announce the winning bidder shortly. Construction of the 5,000-square-foot facility will take about one year. I have been working on expanding the store since my first days in Congress. A feasibility study in the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act was an early milestone. But the possibility of unexploded ordnance on the site has caused delays. Now the project is really moving forward. (Image credit: Building elevations drawing for the AAFES troop store, developed by EMCE Consulting Engineers and Architects Pacific, Inc. Additional plans and drawings are available here.)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-december-07-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - December 04, 2015",2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding Air Force Divert comments due by December 15 Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 18 OPPORTUNITIES - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas Highlights in the Legislative Program House-passed education bill to boost funds for NMI schools. A major increase in federal education funding for our schools is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed theEvery Student Succeeds Acton Wednesdayand the Senate is expected to do the same next week. The bipartisan bill, S. 1177, includes a provision I have been working on intensely all year that increases Title I funding for the Northern Mariana Islands and other insular areas. Title I assists areas with a high percentage of students from low-income families. My provision is designed to give the insular areas about 30 percent more funding than we have been receiving. For the Northern Marianas, the Congressional Research Service estimates Title I to increase to $11.1 million in 2017, up by $4.3 million from the 2016 funding of $6.7 million. The change is contingent upon overall Title I funding increasing so that states, as a whole, do not lose funding because of the change for insular areas. But appropriations for education are expected to rise in 2017. Every Student Succeeds also makes the NMI eligible to compete for Preschool Development Grants and Education Innovation and Research Grants, two competitive grant programs previously open only to states. The President has signaled he will sign the bill into law. Congress passes 5-year highway bill, increases NMI funding. Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next five years are part of theFixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, passed by both the House and Senateon Thursday. The five-year, $305 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill retained a provision, Section 1115, to increase annual funding for theTerritorial Highway Programfrom $40 to $42 million, which the Northern Mariana Islands shares with American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The $2 million increase in annual THP funds was contained in the House reauthorization bill, theSurface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act, but not the Senate bill, theDeveloping a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act. I am thankful that conferees decided that funding increases, though relatively small, should apply to all areas of our country and not just the states. The measure now heads to the White House, and President Obama is expected to sign shortly. Air Force Divert comments due by December 15. The public review period for the U.S. Air Force Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for proposed divert airfield activities remains open untilDecember 15. The purpose of the divert airfield is to give the Air Force backup capacity in the Marianas region in the event planes cannot use Andersen Air Force Base on Guam because of a natural disaster or military attack. The revised draft EIS, now open for comment, includes a Saipan-only, a Tinian-only, and a hybrid alternative that divides activities between the two islands. The original deadline of December 1 was extended by the Air Force at the request ofActing Governor Ralph Torresbecause of the disruption caused by Typhoon Soudelor. The revised draft EIS is available athttps://www.pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/docs.html. Comments can be submitted athttps://pacafdivertmarianaseis.com/comment-form.html. Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 18: As our community continues to heal from Typhoon Soudelor, FEMA and SBA made some important announcements this week. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) has relocated to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor on Isa Drive in Capitol Hill, Saipan. The DLOC hours areMondaythrough Friday,8 a.m. 4:30 p.m.Additionally, FEMA is winding down recovery operations on Saipan and closing the Joint Field Office on December 18, 2015. Approximately 20 personnel will remain until that time to coordinate the transition with the Commonwealth government and various volunteer agencies. Your congressional office will continue to work with residents requiring assistance with respect to FEMA issues. As of December 4, FEMA has granted more than $24 million in assistance to individuals and households and obligated nearly $5 million for public assistance. As of November 30, SBA has approved 361 home loans totaling approximately $13 million, and 104 business loans totaling more than $10 million. FHWA announces $609,000 in highway repair funding. The Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation has awarded the CNMI Department of Public Works $609,063 in Emergency Relief program grant funds. Emergency Relief funds may be issued for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways that are seriously impacted by natural disaster. Typhoon Soudelor caused widespread damage to traffic signal heads, poles, signs and guardrail across the island. Program funds will be used to help make permanent repairs necessary to restore highways to pre-disaster conditions. Congratulations to DPW. Volunteer debris cleanup in Kagman on Saturday. The Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts, or C.A.R.E., and United 4 Saipan will continue their community cleanup efforts this Saturday, December 5 in Kagman from8:30am - 12:00pm. Volunteers will assist in sorting storm debris that will then be collected and disposed of by the CNMI Department of Public Works and the Saipan Mayors office. To help with the project, volunteers are asked to meet at Kagman High School at 8:30am. They will be assigned to a team leader who will direct cleanup activities at pre-identified sites. For more information, contact C.A.R.E. at (670) 783-7790 or visitwww.cnmicare.com. OPPORTUNITIES - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas: Grants: FY 2015 Assistance to Firefighters Grants- The AFG program provides financial assistance to help fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Service organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically needed resources to protect the public, to train emergency personnel, and to foster interoperability and support community resilience. Current closing date isJanuary 15, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280249. National Fish Passage Program- The National Fish Passage Program is a voluntary program that provides direct technical assistance and financial assistance in the form of cooperative agreements to partners to provide fish (and other aquatic organisms) passage and restore aquatic connectivity for the benefit of federal trust resources. Current closing date isSeptember 1, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280260. R1 Endangered Species Sec 6 Traditional- Funds in the amount of $300,000 are available to implement conservation projects for state-listed, candidate, federally listed, and recently recovered species. This grant program was established by the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Current closing date isMarch 9, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280253. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part D Grants- The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to assist currently funded RWHAP Part D WICY recipients in their efforts to strengthen their organizational interventions to improve health outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Current closing date isFebruary 1, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280269. Digital Humanities Implementation Grants- The Digital Humanities Implementation Grants program awards substantial grants to support the implementation of experimental projects that have successfully completed a start-up phase and demonstrated their value to the humanities. The program can support innovative digital humanities projects that address multiple audiences, including scholars, teachers, librarians, and the public. Current closing date isFebruary 17, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280266. National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative- The purpose of this program is to provide and increase access to effective trauma-focused treatment and services systems in communities for children, adolescents, and their families who experience traumatic events throughout the nation. Current closing date isFebruary 4, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280297. Jobs: Clinical Nurse (Mother Baby Unit)- The Department of the Navy, Naval Medical Command is accepting applications for a Clinical Nurse in Guam. Incumbent will observe and report changes in patient conditions, document patient care, prepare patients for delivery, help with recovery, and evaluate and provide professional, comprehensive nursing care. Position is open untilDecember 7, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/422702300. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: On the floor S.611 Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.3490 Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.3279 Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.1755 To amend title 26, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the congressional charter of the Disabled American Veterans (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.1541 Preservation Research at Institutions Serving Minorities Act or the PRISM Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.22 Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (Conference report agreed to in House, 359-65) S.1177 To reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves (Conference report agreed to in House, 659-64) NEXT WEEK: On the floor S.614 Federal Improper Payments Coordination Act H.R.2241 Global Health Innovation Act of 2015 Concur in the Senate Amendment toH.R.2297 Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 Possible Consideration of the Conference Report to AccompanyH.R.644 Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 Possible Consideration of Legislation to Extend Certain Provisions of the Tax Code Possible Consideration of a Consolidated Appropriations Act Possible Consideration of the Senate Amendment toH.R. 3762- Restoring Americans Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Committee Hearings December 7 Committee on Natural Resources Oversight Field Hearing on Restoring Atlantic Fisheries and Protecting the Regional Seafood Economy December 8 Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Legislative Hearing (Part II) on H.R. 3764, Tribal Recognition Act of 2015 December 9 Committee on Natural Resources Oversight Hearing on the Department of the Interiors role in the EPAs Animas Spill",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-full-expensing-act-2015/,Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Full Expensing Act of 2015,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"Permanently Expands Section 179 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul introduced S.2350, the Full Expensing Act of 2015. This legislation would level the playing field for all U.S. industries by expanding and extending Section 179 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (tax code) to permanently allow businesses to deduct 100% of their business expenses within the year of purchase. According to the Tax Foundation, this simple tax reform will boost the gross domestic product (GDP) by 5.13%, increase wages by 4.36% percent, create nearly 900,000 jobs, and raise federal revenues by $121.3 billion. Currently, under Section 179, businesses are able to deduct the purchase price of certain qualified business expenses from their taxable income. Section 179’s current deduction limits of $25,000 on purchases of up to $200,000 fail to reflect high costs in the agriculture, food and beverage, and manufacturing industries that make up the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s economy. Hefty startup costs and routine equipment purchases ranging from $35,000 to $400,000 per item continue to act as an unnecessary barrier for young entrepreneurs and aspiring farmers. Full expensing is a vital part of supporting small business and job creation. “By eliminating the need for continual tax extenders and removing the complicated depreciation schedule, the Full Expensing Act will act to promote economic growth and capital investment and, ultimately, bring stability to our nation’s tax code,” Sen. Paul said. Click HERE to read the legislation in its entirety. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-uncovers-400000-grant-reduce-regulations-armenia-latest-waste-report/,"Sen. Rand Paul Uncovers $400,000 Grant to Reduce Regulations in Armenia in Latest ‘The Waste Report’",2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition to ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition reveals the U.S. Agency for International Development’s expenditure of approximately $400,000 in grants to reduce and streamline the regulatory burdens for businesses in Armenia. However, at the same time, other agencies of the government are increasing the pace of expanding regulations at home and spending tens of billions of dollars to enforce them every year. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. After years of complaints from across the country about the burdens of over-regulation, the federal government is finally cracking down and taking a “guillotine” to the regulatory colossus—only in Armenia, and not in the United States. In a glaring display of contradiction, the U.S. Agency for International Development has backed approximately $400,000 in grants to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to reduce and streamline the regulatory burdens on businesses in Armenia.[1] It should be noted, of course, that eliminating burdensome regulations is generally a good thing. In fact, the “guillotine,” as it is known, applies important criteria to regulations, such as whether a regulation is legal, necessary, and business-friendly.[2] This is obviously criteria that our own federal government should be applying to regulations here at home. Unfortunately, the American taxpayer will have to wait to see their tax dollars support U.S. regulatory reform at home. In fact, while the federal government is funding a “regulatory guillotine” in foreign countries, the Obama administration is adding approximately 81 major regulations annually, which is just slightly worse than the 62 added annually under President Bush.[3] And what is a major regulation? Well, according to law, it costs the economy at least $100 million in economic activity, creates a major cost increase for consumers, or has an adverse effect on employment and the competitiveness of American businesses.[4] In total, it is estimated that regulations cost the American economy $1.88 trillion annually.[5] Aside from the cost to the economy, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University estimates that the federal government itself spends almost $50 billion creating and enforcing regulations.[6] One would justifiably assume that Armenia is suffering under a terrible regulatory climate if it requires intervention from our government. Armenia is trying to address about 25,000 laws and regulations hindering business. Project documents note this number is burdensome and that, “[o]bviously, the creation of open competitive market[s] require simple and transparent rules for doing business.” How, then, does the U.S. stack up? According to Regdata.org, the U.S. has over 1.04 million regulations,[7] or over 40 times the number of crushing regulations as Armenia. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-defend-our-capital-act-amendment-reconciliation-bill/,Sen. Rand Paul Introduces “Defend Our Capital Act” Amendment to Reconciliation Bill,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today introduced the Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 as an amendment to H.R.3761, Restoring American’s Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. The legislation would remove existing restrictive firearm ownership laws in the District of Columbia, and require the District of Columbia to issue and grant reciprocity for concealed weapons permits for both residents and non-residents. “For too long the Americans who live in and visit their nation’s capital have been prevented from defending themselves and their loved ones. No longer should our citizens have to choose between safety or visiting Washington, D.C.,” Sen. Paul said. Click HERE to read the text of the Defend Our Capital Act in its entirety. Top-line bullet points and background information for the legislation can be found below. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Requires the District of Columbia to issue both resident and non-resident conceal and carry weapons (CCW) licenses. The District of Columbia will honor any CCW license issued by any other state or commonwealth. Allows for the national reciprocity of CCW licenses between all states in accordance with local states regulations. Active duty members of the Armed Forces may carry a concealed weapon on Department of Defense property. In addition, members of the Armed Forces would be allowed to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, similar to retired law enforcement officers. Legislation repeals many of the D.C. requirements and policies that hinder firearms ownership, that includes registration of weapons and ammunition, removal of the ban on semiautomatic weapon possession, and restores the right to self-defense within a home. Legislation allows for the purchase of handguns across state lines in the same manner as long rifles and shotguns. Allows for the carrying of a concealed weapon on publically accessible, non-sensitive areas of federal property. This can include post offices, Veterans Affairs parking facilities, Federal Bureau of Prisons Correction Officer parking lots, and the National Mall. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-secure-act-amendment-prevent-terrorists-entering-us-refugees/,Sen. Rand Paul Introduces “SECURE Act” Amendment to Prevent Terrorists From Entering the U.S. as Refugees,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"SECURE Act: Stop Extremists Coming Under Refugee Entry Act WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today introduced the Stop Extremists Coming Under Refugee Entry Act (SECURE Act) as an amendment to H.R.3761, Restoring American’s Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. The legislation would suspend visa issuance for countries with a high risk of terrorism and impose a waiting period for background checks on visa issuance from other countries until the American people can be assured terrorists cannot enter the country through our immigration and visa system. This legislation is based off language first proposed by Sen. Paul in 2013. Sen. Paul introduced S.2329, the SECURE Act, as a stand-alone bill earlier this year. Sen. Paul also introduced today three amendments to H.R.3761 that would restrict funding to resettle refugees in the U.S. Click HERE to read the text of the SECURE Act in its entirety. Top-line bullet points and background information for the SECURE Act offered as an amendment can be found below. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Enhances Screening for High-Risk Refugees Designates 33 countries as “high-risk” and places an immediate moratorium on refugee and asylum approvals from those countries; Within 30 days, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will provide to Congress a comprehensive assessment of the status of refugees and the screening process, including numbers and countries of origin, failed security checks, information on refugees that do not comply with requests related to security screening, or who cannot be located; The Secretary of Homeland Security shall certify to Congress within 30 days that enhanced background checks and monitoring have been implemented, and that Congress has been supplied with all necessary information on the status of refugee screening; Once the Secretary of Homeland Security has completed the 3 requirements below, Congress can review whether satisfactory progress has been made and hold a separate vote to resume approvals for refugees from high-risk countries. Submit the DHS refugee screening assessment; Certify that an enhanced screening capability has been implemented; and Certify to the elimination of any existing security screening backlogs. Improves Security in Non-Immigrant and Visa Waiver Travel For all non-immigrant visas, the bill specifies that 30 days of security review are required prior to approval for entry to the United States; For those from “high risk” countries, there is an immediate moratorium on approvals for entry to the United States until the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence jointly certify that a national security screening process is implemented, and that the new process significantly improves our ability to identify potential security risks. Requires DHS to certify once it has completed and implemented the 1990’s requirement set forth in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act for full biometric entry and exit tracking of U.S. visitors. Once the certifications are made, Congress may consider resumption of regular approvals from high-risk countries. Expands Enrollment Opportunities for Trusted Traveler Programs Trusted travelers are not subject to additional security reviews once approved for enrollment; DHS may accept and consider applications, and may approve qualified applicants, to enroll from any country; DHS will give preference to applications for enrollment filed in order: U.S. citizens; U.S. legal permanent residents; Citizens of Visa Waiver participant countries; Aliens with significant documented travel history to and from the U.S.; All remaining applicants. All application fees collected by DHS for enrollment in a trusted traveler program are specifically designated to pay for the cost of enhanced screening. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senate-votes-sen-rand-pauls-defend-our-capital-act-amendment-budget-reconciliation-bill/,Senate Votes on Sen. Rand Paul’s “Defend Our Capital Act” Amendment to Budget Reconciliation Bill,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor tonight urging his colleagues to support his amendment No. 2915 to H.R.3761, Restoring American’s Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. The amendment, known as the Defend Our Capital Act of 2015, would remove existing restrictive firearm ownership laws in the District of Columbia, and require the District of Columbia to issue and grant reciprocity for concealed weapons permits for both residents and non-residents. The vote, which needed 60 to pass, was 54-45. Click HERE to read the Defend Our Capital Act in its entirety. Top-line bullet points and background information for the legislation can be found HERE. The video and transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks can be found below. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S FLOOR SPEE CH TRANSCRIPT Sen. Paul: Last week, the District of Columbia Police Chief said that if you see an active shooter, take them down. The problem is it’s very difficult to own a gun in D.C., and it’s nearly impossible to be able to have a gun with you if you were to see an active shooter. So my amendment would create a District of Columbia concealed carry permit program. It would also allow national reciprocity for concealed carry. And it would also allow active duty forces to carry concealed carry on Department of Defense properties. And I ask the Senate and those Senators who believe in self-defense to vote for this amendment. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senate-votes-sen-rand-pauls-secure-act-amendment-prevent-terrorists-entering-us-refugees/,Senate Votes on Sen. Rand Paul’s “SECURE Act” Amendment to Prevent Terrorists From Entering the U.S. as Refugees,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"SECURE Act: Stop Extremists Coming Under Refugee Entry Act WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the U.S. Senate floor today, Senator Rand Paul delivered the following remarks urging his colleagues to support his amendment to H.R.3761, Restoring American’s Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. Amendment No. 2899, known as the Stop Extremists Coming Under Refugee Entry Act (SECURE Act), would suspend visa issuance for countries with a high risk of terrorism and impose a waiting period for background checks on visa issuance from other countries until the American people can be assured terrorists cannot enter the country through our immigration and visa system. This legislation is based off language first proposed by Sen. Paul in 2013, and was introduced as a stand-alone bill, S.2329, earlier this year. The amendment failed passage with a vote of 10-89. Click HERE to read the text of the SECURE Act in its entirety. The video and transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks can be found below. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S FLOOR SPEECH TRANSCRIPT Sen. Paul: Mr. President, we spend hundreds of billions of dollars defending our country, and yet we cannot really truly defend our country unless we defend our border. My bill would place pause on issuing Visas to countries that are at a high risk for exporting terrorists to us. My bill would also say to Visa waiver countries that in order to come and visit, you would have to go through Global Entry, which would require a background check. I would urge Senators who truly do want to defend our country to have increased border security by voting for this amendment. Thank you. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-requests-expedited-ruling-international-trade-administration-ashlands-ak-steel/,Dr. Rand Paul Requests Expedited Ruling from International Trade Administration for Ashland’s AK Steel Plant,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul announced today that he sent a letter to the International Trade Administration (ITA) requesting an expedited ruling on whether or not China, India, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan are guilty of depressing the price of foreign steel introduced into U.S. markets. The letter advocates for the ITA to make a determination prior to the announced layoffs so AK Steel Holding Corporation, and the Ashland community, can incorporate ITA’s final decision into the status of layoffs at the steel plant. Sen. Paul met with community and regional leadership in Kentucky last Monday regarding layoffs at the AK Steel plant, and on Tuesday sent the letter to the ITA requesting them to expedite their decision making process and make a determination before layoffs occur in December. Sen. Paul has been engaged on this issue since he was first notified of the situation. He released the following statement: “This is an issue incredibly important to the hard-working families in Ashland and the surrounding areas, as well as Kentucky as a whole. Since first learning of the situation, my office has been engaged and in touch with all parties to do whatever we can to help. I will continue to stay involved with this issue and sincerely hope for a favorable outcome,” Sen. Paul said. A copy of the letter can be found below. LETTER TEXT: The Honorable Penny S. Pritzker Secretary of Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Secretary Pritzker: I urge the International Trade Administration to issue a final ruling before December 18th on corrosion resistant steel (CORE) imports. Previous rulings from the ITA and the U.S. International Trade Commission have indicated there is substantial evidence China, India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan are providing CORE imports at an unfair market price. AK Steel and five other domestic steel producers have accused China, India, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan of purposefully undervaluing their CORE imports in order to increase market share in the U.S. AK Steel and plaintiffs filed their complaint on June 3, 2015. The ITC commission issued a unanimous preliminary decision on July 16, 2015, making a determination that five import countries are causing harm to the domestic steel industry. In November, ITA makes a determination that five countries are devaluing the price of their CORE imports. On October 16, 2015, AK Steel sent a letter to the mayor of Ashland, Kentucky, stating the company would temporarily layoff employees at the local steel plant and said the, “onslaught of unfairly traded imports, “was one of the reasons for the layoffs. The plant employs over 700 people from the local area. If the plant were to shutdown, not only would there be hundreds of people unemployed but surrounding businesses would also be affected. The temporary layoffs are to occur between December 18th and December 30th. I respectfully request that you give a determination on this case before December 18th. This will allow the company, and the community in general, to incorporate your response into the decisions regarding the status of the layoffs in Ashland. Rand Paul, M.D. United States Senator ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:33:33Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-25-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 25, 2015",2015-11-30,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 25, 2015 Nov 29, 2015 In this issue: BREAKING NEWS: Three new academy slots now available. President Obama signed the2016 National Defense Authorization Actinto law this afternoon, adding three new slots for Northern Mariana Islands students at the U.S. service academies. Section 556 of the new law increases academy positions for NMI students by one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This is the second time openings for the Northern Marianas have been increased. I included language in the2010 Defense Authorization (527)doubling the total slots at the time from three to six. All but one of those are currently filled, a testament to the high caliber of applicants from our islands. With the Presidents action, we now have nine positions set aside for the Northern Marianas with four openings available now for applicants in this years admissions cycle. For information about applying for a congressional nomination to a service academy, visit the congressional website athttps://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominationsor contact yourlocal congressional office. The deadline to apply for my nomination isFriday, December 11, 2015. Erratum:In last week's e-newsletter, we mistakenly identified the school mascot of the Tinian Elementary School as the Stallion. The Colt is the mascot of Tinian Elementary School, while the Stallion is the mascot of the Tinian Junior Senior High School. Our apologies for the error. OPPORTUNITIES: Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas: Grants: 2016 Marine Education and Training Mini Grant Program- The National Marine Fisheries Service is soliciting competitive applications for the 2016 Pacific Islands Region Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program. Projects are being solicited to improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues throughout the region and increase scientific education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents, including indigenous Pacific islanders, Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented groups in the region. Current closing date isFebruary 3, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279985. Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities- The EPAs Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization is soliciting proposals from eligible entities to provide technical assistance to assist communities facing brownfields challenges. Grants awarded under the Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities announcement will help communities tackle the challenge of assessing, cleaning up and preparing brownfields sites for development, especially underserved/rural/small and otherwise distressed communities. The technical assistance provided through this grant will cover technical support on various brownfields subject areas. Current closing date isDecember 21, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279966. Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Regionalization of Care- The goal of the EMSC Program is to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity caused by severe illness or trauma. The EMSC Program intends to enhance the pediatric capabilities of EMS systems originally designed primarily for adults. EMS for Children broadly means a continuum of care that includes the following components: prevention, pre-hospital care, hospital-based emergency care, and rehabilitation and reentry of the child from the emergency care environment into the community. The overall purpose of this grant program is to reduce pediatric morbidity and mortality by developing regionalized systems of care thus increasing access to pediatric specialists for children in rural, territorial, insular and/or tribal communities. Current closing date isJanuary 20, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280007. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Health Professions Student Training (SBIRT- Student Training)- The purpose of this program is to develop and implement training programs to teach students in health professions (physician assistants, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and medical students and residents) the skills necessary to provide evidence-based screening and brief intervention and refer patients who are at risk for a substance use disorder (SUD) to appropriate treatment. Additionally, the training will develop the leadership skills needed in order to champion the implementation of SBIRT throughout the United States healthcare system with the ultimate goal of helping clients avoid substance use disorders. Current closing date isJanuary 4, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279965. Jobs: Principal- The Defense Education Activity, Department of the Defense is accepting applications for a Principal in Guam. Incumbent will monitor the delivery and evaluation of the education program and manages the facilities, personnel matters, and budget, and logistical support for a school. Position is open untilDecember 31, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/401432700. Assistant Principal- The Defense Education Activity, Department of Defense is accepting applications for an Assistant Principal in Guam. Incumbent will monitor the delivery and evaluation of the education program and manages the facilities, personnel matters, and budget, and logistical support for a school. Position is open untilDecember 31, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/401433000. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: On the floor The House is in recess for the District Work Period. Co-sponsorships H.Res.523 Supporting the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month NEXT WEEK: On the floor S.611 Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act H.R.3490 Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act H.R.3279 Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act H.R.1755 To amend title 26, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the congressional charter of the Disabled American Veterans H.R.1541 Preservation Research at Institutions Serving Minorities Act or the PRISM Act Possible Consideration of the Conference Report to AccompanyH.R.22 Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 Possible Consideration of the Conference Report to AccompanyH.R.5 Student Success Act Committee Hearings December 2 Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Hearing on Principles for Ensuring Retirement Advice Serves the Best Interests of Working Families and Retirees",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-uncovers-national-science-foundation-450000-global-warming-video-game-latest/,"Sen. Rand Paul Uncovers National Science Foundation $450,000 Global Warming Video Game in Latest ‘The Waste Report’",2015-11-30,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition to ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition uncovers a $450,000 project at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to produce a video game aimed to educate students about global climate change and how to prevent it. The initiative, known as the Climate Change Narrative Game Education (CHANGE), creates a video game set 110 years in the future, which the NSF claims to be “scientifically realistic.” ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. A whole generation remembers the thrill of strolling into an elementary school computer lab, firing up an Apple II computer, and playing The Oregon Trail. Well, thanks to an almost $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, it appears a whole new generation of students will have their own iconic game…on climate change.[1] Apparently “[e]ducating young people about Global Climate Change (GCC) is challenging because they have difficulty relating to its slow pace, with larger effects 10s-100s years in to the future.”[2] How to solve that problem? A video game aimed at indoctrinating kids into the climate change way of thinking. The Climate Change Narrative Game Education (CHANGE), which is being developed by researchers at the University of South Florida and piloted at Hillsborough County high schools, aims to counter this morass by, “develop[ing] a place-based futuristic gaming simulation model…”[3] Of course, the CHANGE project is all supposed to be “scientifically realistic.” The game will involve a science fiction narrative of the effects of climate change on the students’ community as told by virtual persons from the future. This, “focus on the built environment will help students attach a ‘human face’ and a sense of immediacy to hitherto abstract issues of global warming.” The first part of the game will ask students to deal with simulations like severe weather and sea-level rise, while the second part of the game will group students in teams to create plans to “save the future.”[4] How far in the future? Well, 110 years. Recall that Doc Brown and Marty only went 30 years in the future; and while Back to The Future was a great movie trilogy, accurately predicting just 30 years in the future proved pretty hard. Perhaps the government, instead of Hollywood is better at predicting the future? Take for example Dr. John Holdren, who is the President’s Chief Science Advisor and was a technical advisor on former Vice President Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth. In 1986, he predicted 1 billion people would die as a result of global warming by the year 2020. At his 2009 confirmation hearing he was asked if he still believed climate change would kill 1 billion by 2020. He said, “I think it could happen.”[5] Scared yet? Here’s a prediction: the real science behind this game is psychology and political science. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/three-new-academy-slots-now-available,Three new academy slots now available,2015-11-29,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Obama has signed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act into law, adding three new slots for Northern Mariana Islands students at the U.S. service academies. Section 556 of the new law increases academy positions for NMI students by one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This is the second time we have been able to increase the openings for the Northern Marianas. I first included language in the 2010 Defense Authorization (Section 527) doubling the total slots at the time from three to six. All but one of those are currently filled, a testament to the high caliber of applicants from our islands. Now, with enactment of the 2016 Defense Authorization, we have nine positions set aside for the Northern Marianas; and four of those are immediately available for applicants in this years admissions cycle. For information about applying for a congressional nomination to a service academy, visit the congressional website at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply for my nomination is Friday, December 11, 2015.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-20-2015-1,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 20, 2015",2015-11-25,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: High school students invited to Service Academy Workshop. High school students interested in applying to a U.S. service academy are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the congressional office onWednesday, November 25, 10am - 11am at the Napu Room, Pacific Islands Club on Saipan. A congressional nomination is the first step in applying for the service academies, and by law I am able to nominate up to ten students per available slot for the Northern Marianas. There are currently two slots available for Northern Marianas students for the 2016-2017 school year one each at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Additional slots may soon open up for NMI students at the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Military Academy in West Point, New York, if theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016that was sent to President Obamas desk this week becomes law. For more information about the Service Academy Workshop, contact the congressional office at(670) 323-2647or email kilili@mail.house.gov. To learn more about requesting a congressional nomination to the service academies, visit https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations. Applications are dueDecember 11, 2015. Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 16: SBA Relocates Disaster Office to Capital Hill. The Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center relocates to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor, on Capitol Hill as of Monday, November 23. The Center, which has processed and approved $22.1 million in federal disaster loans to businesses, nonprofits, and individual residents, has been located at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe since Typhoon Soudelor. Although the deadline to apply for property damage loans has expired, businesses and private nonprofit organizations may still apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to provide working capital. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center is open8 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Monday Friday. No appointments are necessary. Opportunities - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for and in the Marianas: Grants: Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment- These cooperative agreements will support outreach strategies and grantee participation in key outreach initiatives coordinated by the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign. The Campaign provides a full range of outreach and enrollment materials including customizable posters and flyers, as well as radio and TV public service announcements, videos featuring successful outreach strategies and outreach strategy guides that suggest effective ways to use the materials produced by the Campaign. Current closing date isJanuary 20, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280091. Tech Hire Partnership Grants- This grant program is designed to equip individuals with the skills they need through innovative approaches that can rapidly train workers for and connect them to well-paying, middle- and high-skilled, and high-growth jobs across a diversity of H-1B industries such as Information Technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, financial services, and broadband. Projects funded by this grant program will help participants begin careers in H-1B occupations and industries which are in-demand and/or high growth in the area applicants are proposing to serve. On a limited basis, this grant program will also enable applicants to work with companies on increasing the skills of existing workers in lower-skilled jobs to move into more highly skilled positions requiring technology-related skills. Current closing date isMarch 11, 2016. For more information, gohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280094. Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants- This notice solicits proposals from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver environmental workforce development and job training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment in the environmental field, with a focus on solid and hazardous waste remediation, environmental health and safety, integrated pest management, and wastewater-related training. Current closing date isJanuary 14, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280040. National Fish Habitat Action Plan- Funds appropriated to implement the Action Plan will be utilized in collaboration with the National Fish Habitat Board and Fish Habitat Partnerships. Fish Habitat Partnerships are the primary work units of the Action Plan, formed around distinct geographic areas, ""keystone"" fish species, or system types (e.g. large lakes, impoundments, estuaries). Funds will support national and regional science and coordination activities to protect, restore, or enhance fish habitats. All or a portion or project funds may be transferred to partner organizations if the Service lacks the capability to implement a project. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280034. Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program- The Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program of the USGS is offering a two-year cooperative agreement opportunity to state or local water-resources agencies that collect groundwater data to participate in the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network. The USGS is working with the Federal Advisory Committee on Water Information and its Subcommittee on Ground Water to develop and administer a National Ground-Water Monitoring Network. This funding opportunity is to support data providers for the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network. Current closing date isJanuary 19, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280077. Advanced Nursing Education Program- Funded projects will implement creative academic-practice partnerships within advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) primary care programs. Partnerships between academic institutions and rural and/or underserved primary care practice sites will promote APRN students readiness to practice upon graduation by improving training and competencies for both students and preceptors. Working collectively, these partnerships will: facilitate the meaningful exchange of information to identify the needs of the community and the clinical workforce; use this information to enhance curriculum, preceptor recruitment, training and evaluation; and shape the experiential training of advance practice nursing students to be better prepared upon graduation to provide care for rural and underserved populations. Current closing date isJanuary 15, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280099. Oral Health Service Expansion- This announcement solicits applications for Fiscal Year 2016 Oral Health Service Expansion funding. The purpose of this supplemental funding opportunity is to increase access to oral health care services and improve oral health outcomes for Health Center Program patients. Eligible applicants must be existing Health Center Program award recipients funded under section 330(e), (g), (h) and/or (i) of the Public Health Service Act. Current closing date isJanuary 19, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280107. Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program- The purpose of this program is to support the delivery of coordinated and comprehensive high-quality voluntary early childhood home visiting services to eligible families. This program is administered by HRSA in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families. Current closing date isJanuary 19, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280143. Statewide Consumer Network Program- The purpose of this program is to improve mental health services for people with serious mental illness. In doing so, the program seeks to enhance statewide mental health consumer-run and controlled organizations to promote service system capacity and infrastructure that is consumer-driven, recovery-focused, trauma-informed, culturally relevant, holistic, and resiliency-oriented. Current closing date isJanuary 20, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280080. Statewide Family Network Program- The purpose of this program is to enhance state capacity and infrastructure to better respond to the needs of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families by providing information, referrals, and support to families who have a child, youth, or adolescent with mental health challenges, and to create a mechanism for families to participate in state and local mental health services planning and policy development. Current closing date isJanuary 21, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280108. Summer Seminars for K-12 and College Educators- The list of NEHs Summer Seminars, Institutes and Landmarks Workshops for K-12 teachers and 2- and 4-year college faculty is available. Educators will have until early March to apply to attend a professional development summer program. For more information, and to view campuses and deadlines, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/divisions/education/summer-programs. Scholarly Editions and Translations Grants- Scholarly Editions and Translations grants support the preparation of editions and translations of pre-existing texts of value to the humanities that are currently inaccessible or available in inadequate editions. Typically, the texts and documents are significant literary, philosophical, and historical materials; but other types of work, such as musical notation, are also eligible. Current closing date isDecember 9, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/research/scholarly-editions-and-translations-grants. Collaborative Research Grants- Collaborative Research Grants support interpretive humanities research undertaken by two or more collaborating scholars, for full-time or part-time activities for periods of one to three years. Support is available for various combinations of scholars, consultants, and research assistants; project-related travel; field work; applications of information technology; and technical support and services. Current closing date isDecember 9, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/research/collaborative-research-grants. Media Projects: Development Grants- Development grants enable media producers to collaborate with scholars to develop humanities content and to prepare programs for production. Grants should result in a script or detailed treatment and may also yield a plan for outreach and public engagement. Current closing date isJanuary 13, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/public/media-projects-development-grants. Media Projects: Productions Grants- Media Projects: Production Grants support film, television, and radio projects for general audiences that encourage active engagement with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. All projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship in disciplines such as history, art history, film studies, literature, drama, religious studies, philosophy, or anthropology. Projects must also demonstrate an approach that is thoughtful, balanced, and analytical (rather than celebratory). Current closing date isJanuary 13, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/public/media-projects-production-grants. Museums, Libraries, and Cultural Organizations: Planning Grants- This grant program supports projects for general audiences that encourage active engagement with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. Many different formats are supported, including permanent and traveling exhibitions, book or film discussion programs, historic site or district interpretations, living history presentations, and other face-to-face programs in public venues. Current closing date isJanuary 13, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/public/museums-libraries-and-cultural-organizations-planning-grants. Museums, Libraries, and Cultural Organizations: Implementation Grants- Implementation grants are for projects in the final stages of preparation to go live before the public. Grants support final scholarly research and consultation, design development, production, and installation of a project for presentation to the public. Current closing date isJanuary 13, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/public/museums-libraries-and-cultural-organizations-implementation-grants. National Digital Newspaper Program- NEH is soliciting proposals from institutions to participate in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). NDNP is creating a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1836 and 1922, from all the states and U.S. territories. This searchable database will be permanently maintained at the Library of Congress (LC) and will be freely accessible via the Internet. Current closing date isJanuary 14, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/national-digital-newspaper-program. Public Scholar Program- The Public Scholar program supports well-researched books in the humanities intended to reach a broad readership. Although humanities scholarship can be specialized, the humanities also strive to engage broad audiences in exploring subjects of general interest. They seek to deepen our understanding of the human condition as well as current conditions and contemporary problems. Current closing date isFebruary 2, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/research/public-scholar-program. Digital Humanities Implementation Grants- This program is designed to fund the implementation of innovative digital-humanities projects that have successfully completed a start-up phase and demonstrated their value to the field. Such projects might enhance our understanding of central problems in the humanities, raise new questions in the humanities, or develop new digital applications and approaches for use in the humanities. Current closing date isFebruary 17, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.neh.gov/grants/odh/digital-humanities-implementation-grants. Jobs: Store Associate- The Defense Commissary Agency, Department of Defense is accepting applications for a Store Associate in Guam. Incumbent will assist customers, operate electronic checkout system, perform duties related to preparing and maintain stock levels of grocery and produce items, review stock levels, prepare and maintain documents, and maintain security, safety and sanitation practices and procedures. Position is open until November 24, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/421595500. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: On the floor H.R.308 Keep the Promise Act (Failed, 263-146) H.R.1694 Fairness to Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act of 2015 (Passed, 285-138) H.R.3114 To provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic preservation activities, and for other purposes (Passed, 422-3) H.R.1073 Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.3144 Partners for Aviation Security Act, as amended (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.1338 Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act of 2015 (Passed, 409-0) H.R.1384 Honor Americas Guard-Reserve Retirees Act (Passed, 407-0) H.R.1478 Policyholder Protection Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.511 Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 (Passed, 249-177) H.Res.524 Condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Paris, France on November 13, 2015m, that resulted in the loss of at least 129 lives (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.1737 Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act (Passed, 241-185) H.R.3189 Fed Oversight Reform and Modernization (FORM) Act of 2015 (Passed, 241-185) H.R.4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015 (Passed, 289-137) Co-sponsorships H.R.3711 Chicano Park Preservation Act NEXT WEEK: The House is in recess for the District Work Period",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/push-dc-15k%E2%80%9335k-foreign-workers,Push in DC for 15K35K foreign workers,2015-11-24,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Saipan Tribune- A casino investor, among other business interests, are lobbying in Washington, D.C. for as much as 15,000 to 35,000 foreign nationals to be allowed employment as contract workers in the CNMI, according to Delegate Gregoro Kilili C. Sablan yesterday. That 35,000-worker demand, he said, would amount to about 65 percent of the CNMIs population and result in irrevocable changes to the Commonwealth that should be questioned. How much is enough for us? and Who will it benefit? are questions that should be asked, Sablan told reporters yesterday. The federal government in October set the annual limit for contract worker permits for next fiscal year at 12,999, a one-thousand drop from last year, as federal immigration officials looks to phase out the contract worker program that federal law mandates an end in 2019. In an interview with reporters yesterday at his office in Susupe, Sablan compared the $13 billion reported investment on the table to the The Wharf in Washington, D.C., a mega-project that he said would amount to several buildings, restaurants, apartments and condos, office streets, boat slips, 27 acres of land, 50 acres of waterall coming with six years of permitting. Its going to cost $1.5 billion. And here in the Northern Marianas, we are talking about $13 billion, he said. Sablan said there have been conversations in the Capitol about increasing the number of CW workers. Some have suggested 15,000 workers, he said, while others have gone up to as many as 35,000. Those are numbers being tossed at meby different business interests primarily, Sablan said when asked. When pressed for more details, he said, I am aware that a casino has retained lobbyists in D.C. Yes. To work on both the CW workers and the Chinese visa-waiver [program]. He was responding to a question from Saipan Tribune on whether Imperial Pacific CNMI (LLC)the owner of the Saipan casino that has reported project demands requiring more than 10,000 workerswere lobbying in the Capitol. However, as this develops, Sablan said he has taken a backseat to the contract worker issue for now out of respect for Gov. Eloy S. Inos request for 902 negotiations with the White House to hammer out a worker program packagebelieved to be a new visa class for the CNMIfor eventual introduction in the U.S. Congress. While the governor is going through the 902 effort, these people are going through another effort. Out of respect for the governor and his request for 902 consultation, I have taken a pause in my approach to this 2019 problem, but of course, if there is a free-for-all, then I am going to start doing my part. On the visa-waiver programwhich allows thousands of Chinese to travel as tourists into the CNMI without a visaSablan noted this is discretionary and dependent on the Secretary of Homeland Security. I have not heard anything recently that would alarm me to its being discontinued, he said. Right-sizing development Sablans comments yesterday echo recent concerns of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, which has expressed unease about the roughly six large developments in the CNMI that are nascent or ongoing despite a clear lack of a sufficient local, foreign, or national workforce. The Chamber has been asking for a deep look at this, Chamber president Alex Sablan said last month, after the recent cut in contract worker limit. What weve been asking for is planned development. I think we need to right-size some of these projects like the Best Sunshine project. We believe its way too bigbecause of the lack of resourceshuman resources, infrastructure, many different facets of our islands. Some Inos administration officials have also expressed concern about rampant development, Saipan Tribune learned, noting that approving every project that wishes to invest in the CNMI would be irresponsible. However, they urge that solutionsand not necessarily anti-casino or anti-development solutionsmust be developed, as there will remain a shortage of workers even without future development after 2019, Saipan Tribune gathered recently.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/high-school-students-invited-service-academy-workshop,High school students invited to Service Academy Workshop,2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"High school students interested in applying to a U.S. service academy are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the congressional office on Wednesday, November 25, 10am - 11am at the Napu Room, Pacific Islands Club on Saipan. A congressional nomination is the first step in applying for the service academies, and by law I am able to nominate up to ten students per available slot for the Northern Marianas. There are currently two slots available for Northern Marianas students for the 2016-2017 school year one each at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Additional slots may soon open up for NMI students at the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Military Academy in West Point, New York, if the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 that was sent to President Obamas desk this week becomes law. For more information about the Service Academy Workshop, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 or email kilili@mail.house.gov. To learn more about requesting a congressional nomination to the service academies, visit https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations. Applications are due December 11, 2015.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-%E2%80%93-week-16,Typhoon Soudelor update week 16,2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"FEMAs Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton, Deputy Regional Administrator Ahsha Tribble, and Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio visited the congressional office this week. FEMA has issued more than $24 million in financial assistance to individuals and households to help replace or repair damaged property. The agency anticipates providing an additional $30 million to rebuild public infrastructure, $13 million for hazard mitigation, and additional grants to the Commonwealth for long-term disaster case management and crisis counseling.Though the agency is winding down operations in the NMI in December, Mr. Fenton reiterated FEMAs commitment to following through on the long-term recovery, mitigation, and planning work that will continue into 2016 and beyond, so that we are better prepared for the next storm. Thank you, FEMA, for all that you have done to help the people of the Northern Marianas get back on their feet. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX Pacific Islands Manager John McCarroll (left) and NMI Program Manager Carl Goldstein (right) gave me a Soudelor recovery update this week. Mr. McCarroll reported on one crisis that we escaped, a sewage backup. Because we increased the Clean Water Fund appropriations from Congress from about $600,000 to $3.4 million in each of the last six years, the vast majority of wastewater pump stations on Saipan has been upgraded and continued operating throughout the storm. Out of 40 pump stations the only 5 that failed were the ones that have not been upgraded. EPA also helped with hazard waste removal and restoration of the drinking water system in the weeks after Soudelor. Thank you. SBA Relocates Disaster Office to Capital Hill The Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center relocates to the Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building, Office of the Governor, on Capitol Hill as of Monday, November 23. The Center, which has processed and approved $22.1 million in federal disaster loans to businesses, nonprofits, and individual residents, has been located at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe since Typhoon Soudelor. Although the deadline to apply for property damage loans has expired, businesses and private nonprofit organizations may still apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to provide working capital. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center is open 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m., Monday Friday. No appointments are necessary.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-releases-special-thanksgiving-edition-waste-report/,Sen. Rand Paul Releases Special Thanksgiving Edition of ‘The Waste Report’,2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"Report Calls Attention to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released a special Thanksgiving edition of ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The special edition of ‘The Waste Report’ calls attention to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program. Over 300 specialty crops are eligible for federal support from the $72.5 million program. A sampling of the specialty crops eligible includes: apples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, sweet corn, potatoes, green beans, peas, broccoli, grapes, almonds, pears, cherries, carrots, and brussels sprouts. The special edition of ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. On Thursday, millions of Americans will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner. While you enjoy Thanksgiving staples of sweet potatoes and green beans, you might not realize that according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the turkey and stuffing, just about everything else on your table is considered a “specialty crop” and eligible for federal support from the $72.5 million Specialty Crop Block Grant program (SCBGP). [1] According to USDA, “The SCBGP focuses on projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops…the block grants are designed to increase the long-term success of producers and broaden the market for specialty crops.”[2] Allowable activities under these grants include some types of marketing, travel, consultants, attending conferences, development of websites or mobile apps, and more. So what exactly qualifies as a specialty crop? You may be envisioning some exotic herb or something new to the market. It would probably something rare, atypical, and thus in need of competitive enhancement. You will probably be surprised to learn that according to USDA, just about everything is “special.” In fact, the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in his April 18, 2014 blog post, “Specialty crops make up the bulk of what we eat—all of our fruits and vegetables, tree nuts and dried fruits—as well as things like cut flowers and nursery crops.”[3] It seems when Congress created the program, the definition of “specialty” was wide enough you could drive a truck through it… and it is a big truck. But the bulk of what we eat? Yes, USDA lists over 300 special crops and only 36 non-qualified crops. So what exactly is on the list? Here is just a sampling: • apples • strawberries • raspberries • blueberries • blackberries • peaches • sweet corn • potatoes • green beans • peas (all varieties) • broccoli • grapes • almonds • pears • cherries • carrots • Brussels sprouts (yuck) •[4] Seems these are hardly new and unheard of crops. In a USDA blog post a Deputy Administrator said of one specialty crop, “[w]hether purchased fresh, frozen, or pureed, the blueberry has long been a staple in the diets of many people.” A specialty-staple, who knew? Even more weird is quinoa is on the non-qualified list of crops.[5] Oh, and it is not just food. Turf grass (sod) makes the cut and so do live Christmas trees. So even after Thanksgiving dinner is over your pocketbook is not safe – your tax dollars might have gone to support the football field you see on TV or the tree the family cuts down at the local u-cut place. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-lauds-customs-division-its-anti-drug-efforts,Kilili lauds Customs Division for its anti-drug efforts,2015-11-20,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Saipan Tribune- U.S. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) honored the CNMI Division of Customs yesterday for their diligence against the spread of methamphetamine, or ice, in the Commonwealth, presenting division officials with a congressional commendation for the largest ice bust in CNMI history that took place last July. I am very grateful and happy. This is Congressman Kilili showing appreciation for our efforts at the ports of entry, Customs director Jose Mafnas told reporters. The Customs officers will be very happy that they are recognized for their efforts. It will push us to do our job more effectively. I thank all of them, Sablan said, also noting efforts of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and CNMI Department of Public Safety. I do acknowledge Customs because they are the ones who first made the interdiction. Thats very important, Sablan added. In July, Customs uncovered 12 kilos of ice in a 40-foot container from China. Mafnas said yesterday that the container was full of various violations, like pesticides, that he believed were meant to distract them from the 12 kilos of icean amount akin to a 25-lb bag of ricethat was hidden in an air compressor. When our law enforcement officers are able to prevent 12 kilos of crystal methamphetaminefrom entering our community, we need to stop and say thank you, Sablan said. Sablan also recently introduced legislation in Congress to allow the CNMI governor or Secretary of the Army to establish a National Guard unit. That unit, Sablan said, could be a partner in fighting drugs. The nice thing about this is that the Department of the Army will pay for that additional cost. It will not cost the Commonwealth, [or] the National Guard operational budget itself. It will be money set aside just for this additional work.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-demands-vote-amendment-block-taxpayer-benefits-new-refugees-high-risk-countries/,Sen. Rand Paul Demands Vote on Amendment to Block Taxpayer Benefits for New Refugees from High-Risk Countries,2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today on the Senate floor demanded a vote on his amendment to the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act. Amendment 2843, introduced earlier this week, would block taxpayer benefits for new refugees from high-risk countries. The transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks and clips of both floor speeches are available below. Click HERE to read the amendment in its entirety. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S FIRST FLOOR SPEECH CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S SECOND FLOOR SPEECH TRANSCRIPT First Floor Speech Mr. Paul: Reserving the right to object. Over a thousand Americans have called my office in the last couple of days and they’re very concerned about admitting people to the Middle East that we’re not sure of what their intentions are. The Boston bombers were here under the refugee program. Two Iraqi refugees came to my state with the intent to buy stinger missiles to attack us. I’ve asked for a very simple amendment. I would like to have an amendment placed in the queue for a vote that lets the American people vote on whether or not we want to bring more people to here from the Middle East, whether we’re doing an adequate job screening these people. I think it’s a very reasonable request to have a vote on that. And, therefore, until I am allowed to have a vote for which I think the American people are clamoring for, I will continue to object. I object. The Presiding Officer: Objection is heard. Mr. Paul: I also ask unanimous consent that I bring forward my amendment to limit and end the subsidized housing for new people to come here from the Middle East. My amendment is 2843. And I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to set aside the current business and bring my amendment forward. Second Floor Speech Mr. Paul: Madam president? The Presiding Officer: The senator from Kentucky. Mr. Paul: The biggest issue of the day is how we protect ourselves from terrorism. My amendment goes to the heart of the matter. Are we sufficiently vetting those who might come here and attack us from the Middle East? Mr. Inhofe: Would you yield? Mr. Paul: I don’t think we are. The two Boston bombers were here during the refugee program. Two Iraqi refugees came to my hometown in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Mr. Inhofe: Parliamentary inquiry. Mr. Paul: I have an amendment that is not only pertinent to the biggest issue of the day, I have an amendment that is germane for those who make a mockery of this process by saying we’re going to have regular order. We’re not going to have regular order. The Presiding Officer: Is there objection? Mr. Paul: Until we address the issues of the day on a germane amendment. I object. The Presiding Officer: Objection is heard. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduce-defend-our-capital-act-2015/,Sen. Rand Paul to Introduce Defend Our Capital Act of 2015,2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul announced plans to introduce the Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 in the coming days. This legislation would remove existing restrictive firearm ownership laws in the District of Columbia, and require the District of Columbia to issue and grant reciprocity for concealed weapons permits for both residents and non-residents. “For too long the Americans who live in and visit their nation’s capital have been prevented from defending themselves and their loved ones. No longer should our citizens have to choose between safety or visiting Washington, D.C.,” Sen. Paul said. Top-line bullet points and background information for the Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 can be found below. BACKGROUND INFORMATION · Requires the District of Columbia to begin issuing concealed weapons permits for both residents and non-residents. · Requires the District of Columbia to grant reciprocity of concealed weapons permits issued by other states and commonwealths. · Eliminates existing District of Columbia laws that restrict firearms and ammunition ownership. · Allows for national reciprocity of conceal and carry weapons permits between states and for carry by active duty military. · Allows for the carrying of firearms on public, non-sensitive areas of federal property. · Allows for the purchase of firearms across state lines. No related posts.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-floor-speech-sen-rand-paul-offers-amendment-block-taxpayer-benefits-new-refugees-high-risk/,FLOOR SPEECH: Sen. Rand Paul Offers Amendment to Block Taxpayer Benefits for New Refugees from High-Risk Countries,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the U.S. Senate floor today, Senator Rand Paul introduced an amendment to the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act to block taxpayer benefits for new refugees from high-risk countries. Below is the video and transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks. Click HERE to read the amendment in its entirety. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S FLOOR SPEECH TRANSCRIPT Sen. Paul: Mr. President, make no mistake, we have been attacked in the past by refugees or by people posing as refugees. The two Boston bombers were here as refugees. They didn’t take very kindly to what we gave them – education, food, clothing, and they chose to attack our country. In Bowling Green, Kentucky, we had two Iraqi refugees who came through the refugee program, posing as refugees and then promptly decided to buy stinger missiles. Fortunately, they got them from an F.B.I. Agent and we caught them, but when we caught them, we discovered that their fingerprints were already on bomb fragments in Iraq in our database, and yet we had no clue and admitted them anyway. I think we have an insufficient process for knowing who’s here legally and illegally. There are eleven million people in our country illegally, 40% of them have overstayed their Visa. Do we know who they are? Do we know where they are? If we extrapolate those statistics to those who are visiting our country from the Middle East, do we know where the 150,000 students are who say they’re going to school in our country from the Middle East? I don’t think we do. I don’t think we should continue adding people to the rolls of those coming from the Middle East until we absolutely know who is in our country and what their intentions are. So my amendment says this that we’re not going to bring them here and put them on government assistance. When the poem beneath the statue of liberty says give me your tired, give me your poor, it didn’t say come to our country and we’ll put you on welfare. In those days, you came for opportunity. Many Christian churches have supported refugees. My church has supported refugees coming here. That’s charity. But when you put them on welfare, that is not charity. We borrow a million dollars a minute. We don’t have enough money to do this. It’s a threat to our national security. And my amendment would end the housing assistance for refugees in order to send a message to the President the people have spoken, we are unhappy with your program. If you will not listen to the American people, we will take the money from the purse. Thank you, Mr. President. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-amendment-block-taxpayer-benefits-new-refugees-high-risk-countries/,Sen. Rand Paul Announces Amendment to Block Taxpayer Benefits for New Refugees from High-Risk Countries,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today announced plans to introduce an amendment to the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act to block taxpayer benefits for new refugees from high-risk countries. Text of the amendment will be available shortly. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-november-13-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 13, 2015",2015-11-17,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill. The Senate passed a revised2016 National Defense Authorization Actthis week, retaining three new service academy slots for Northern Mariana Island students. President Obama had vetoed a previous 2016 NDAA over spending concerns. So the bill was revised to conform with the budget deal forged last month between Congress and the White House. The revised bill kept the increase in academy positions for NMI students, one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The President is now expected to sign the bill into law. There will then be nine permanent slots for the Northern Marianas at the service academies. Five are currently filled, so four openings will be available for applicants this year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from three to six inSection 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates and filled available openings. It was time to add more. For information on how to apply for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy go to https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply is December 11. We call for investigation of racial profiling. Race, ethnicity, or national origin should not be the primary reason for suspecting a person of committing a crime. Yet that appears to have happened to a number of Asian Americans who were wrongly arrested and charged with espionage. That is why I joined over 40 of my Democratic colleagues incalling on U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to launch an independent investigation on whether any federal agency has a pattern or practice of using these civil rights classifications to single out minorities for arrest and indictment. We also urge a full investigation into recent cases of Asian Americans arrested and indicted for spying only to have the charges dropped several months later for lack of evidence. It is important to protect our country against those who wish to do us harm. We must ensure, however, that racial profiling is not the basis for targeting any individual. Supporting access to higher education for all. Earlier this month, 84 of my House Democratic colleagues and I fileda friend of the court brief, with the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting the idea that colleges and universities should be open to a broad range of students from many social, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. The case, Fisher v University of Texas at Austin, No. 14-981, looks at how the University decides who to admit. Our amicus brief urges the Supreme Court to uphold a lower courts decision in favor of the Universitys use of race and ethnicityamong many other factorsto help ensure a diverse student body. The Supreme Court ruled 7-1 in Fisher I that diversity in higher education was a compelling state interest that could justify race and ethnicity as factors among many in a carefully crafted admissions policy. I also joinedan amicus briefin that case in the belief that a diverse learning environment benefits students, our workforce, and our economy. Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 15: Our community continues to recover from the devastation of Typhhon Soudelor with the assistance of U.S. taxpayers and the federal government, as well as groups of community volunteers, the local government, and countless acts of individual charity. FEMA seeks public input on changes to Individual Assistance. With the experience of getting Individual Assistance from FEMA still fresh, people in the Northern Mariana Islands are especially qualified to comment on new rules proposed for how the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles this aid program. Congress required that FEMA review, update, and revise the factors it uses to measure the severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster in the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act in 2013; and FEMA has now published its proposals. Sharing the understanding you have gained from federal response to the storm and to our community's needs could help other Americans in similar situations in the future. Comments are due byJanuary 11, 2016and may be submitted online athttps://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FEMA_FRDOC_0001-4824. OPPORTUNITIES - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for/in the Marianas: Grants: 2016 Marine Education and Training Mini Grant Program-The National Marine Fisheries Service is soliciting competitive applications for the 2016 Pacific Islands Region Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program. Projects are being solicited to improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues throughout the region and increase scientific education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents, including indigenous Pacific islanders, Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented groups in the region. Current closing date isFebruary 3, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279985. Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities- The EPAs Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization is soliciting proposals from eligible entities to provide technical assistance to assist communities facing brownfields challenges. Grants awarded under the Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities announcement will help communities tackle the challenge of assessing, cleaning up and preparing brownfields sites for development, especially underserved/rural/small and otherwise distressed communities. The technical assistance provided through this grant will cover technical support on various brownfields subject areas. Current closing date isDecember 21, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279966. Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Regionalization of Care- The goal of the EMSC Program is to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity caused by severe illness or trauma. The EMSC Program intends to enhance the pediatric capabilities of EMS systems originally designed primarily for adults. EMS for Children broadly means a continuum of care that includes the following components: prevention, pre-hospital care, hospital-based emergency care, and rehabilitation and reentry of the child from the emergency care environment into the community. The overall purpose of this grant program is to reduce pediatric morbidity and mortality by developing regionalized systems of care thus increasing access to pediatric specialists for children in rural, territorial, insular and/or tribal communities. Current closing date isJanuary 20, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280007. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Health Professions Student Training (SBIRT- Student Training)- The purpose of this program is to develop and implement training programs to teach students in health professions (physician assistants, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and medical students and residents) the skills necessary to provide evidence-based screening and brief intervention and refer patients who are at risk for a substance use disorder (SUD) to appropriate treatment. Additionally, the training will develop the leadership skills needed in order to champion the implementation of SBIRT throughout the United States healthcare system with the ultimate goal of helping clients avoid substance use disorders. Current closing date isJanuary 4, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279965. Jobs: Attorney-Advisor (General)- The Department of the Air Force is accepting applications for an Attorney Advisor in Guam. The primary purpose of this position is to support the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) as a senior attorney, providing legal advice and counsel for the most complex, often precedential, installation level cases in administrative law, claims, environmental law, contract law, labor law, international law, and operations law to the 36 WG and tenant units. Position is open until November 16, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/421024800. Industrial Hygienist- The Naval Medical Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for an Industrial Hygienist in Guam. Incumbent will conduct professionally written industrial hygiene surveys, contact command or facility management, examine worksites, interpret results of the site surveys, and determine sampling methods, among other duties. Position is open until November 12, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420848500. Telecommunications Specialist- The US Atlantic Fleet, Commander in Chief, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Telecommunications Specialist in Guam. Incumbent will direct actions at the National or International level, provide technical guidance, prepare engineering data, and prepare written and oral reports. Position is open until November 16, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/421239700. Fire Protections Inspector- The US Naval Base, Fire & Emergency Services, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Fire Protections Inspector in Guam. Incumbent will review building plans, inspect a variety of fire protections systems, maintain reports for inspections, determine remedial measures, develop fire exit plans, and provide recommendations for protections and prevention programs. Position is open until November 16, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/421132300. Principal- The Defense Education Activity, Department of the Defense is accepting applications for a Principal in Guam. Incumbent will monitor the delivery and evaluation of the education program and manages the facilities, personnel matters, and budget, and logistical support for a school. Position is open untilDecember 31, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/401432700. Assistant Principal- The Defense Education Activity, Department of Defense is accepting applications for an Assistant Principal in Guam. Incumbent will monitor the delivery and evaluation of the education program and manages the facilities, personnel matters, and budget, and logistical support for a school. Position is open untilDecember 31, 2015. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/401433000. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK The House is in recess for the District Work Period. NEXT WEEK: On the floor H.R.1694 Fairness to Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act of 2015 H.R.3114 To provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic preservation activities, and for other purposes H.R.1073 Critical Infrastructure Protection Act H.R.3144 Partners for Aviation Security Act, as amended H.R.1338 Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act of 2015 H.R.1384 Honor Americas Guard-Reserve Retirees Act H.R.1478 Policyholder Protection Act of 2015 Possible Consideration of a Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2262 SPACE Act of 2015 Possible Consideration of a Short-Term Extension to the Highway Trust Fund Possible Consideration of a Motion to Go to Conference on ESEA Reauthorization Legislation Committee Hearings November 18 Comidmittee on Natural Resources Legislative Hearing on a Discussion Draft of the Protecting Americas Recreation and Conservation Act",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senate-passes-resolution-disapproval-protecting-kentuckys-coal-industry-co-sponsored-sen-rand/,"Senate Passes Resolution of Disapproval Protecting Kentucky’s Coal Industry, Co-Sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul",2015-11-17,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today voted through the Congressional Review Act on two resolutions of disapproval, S.J.Res. 23 and S.J.Res. 24, both co-sponsored by Senator Rand Paul. The resolutions would halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) destructive implementation of the Clean Power Plan, which would require Kentucky to reduce its carbon emissions by 39 percent. Upon voting on the resolutions, Senator Paul released the following statement: “Protecting Kentucky’s coal miners and families from President Obama’s overreach has always been a priority of mine, and I will continue fighting every day to stop the destruction of Kentucky coal,” Sen. Paul said. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-uncovers-15000-grant-conference-balding-latest-waste-report/,"Dr. Rand Paul Uncovers $15,000 Grant for Conference on Balding in latest “The Waste Report”",2015-11-16,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition of ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition calls attention to $15,000 granted by the National Institutes of Health to the 9th World Congress for Hair Research. This year’s conference is being held in Miami, Fla., and includes sessions like: Growing Better Hair: Impacting Pre-Emergent Hair via Scalp Condition, Hair Dye, Hair Care, and Robotic Hair Transplants. Hair loss treatment is a whopping $3.5 billion industry and the conference is partially funded by numerous corporate sponsors. Why, then, are your tax dollars needed as well? It would take an average American two years, two months and two weeks before their taxes would pay for this grant. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. Maybe the comb runs through your hair a little easier than it used to, or trips to the barber take less time these days. But whether you have just accepted it, are trying to fight it, or are not even losing your hair at all, your tax dollars are going to combat baldness. The National Institute of Health (NIH) spent $15,000 on a grant to put on the 9th World Congress for Hair Research which is being held in Miami, Florida this week.[1] Hair research is not uncommon for NIH and the National Science Foundation to fund. But usually that research falls in one of two more metritis categories, the study of hair for forensic identification purposes, or the study of inner-ear hair and how it contributes to hearing loss. But make no mistake the 9th World Congress is definitely about baldness. The theme this year’s conference is Reflect, Rejuvenate, and Regenerate, and includes sessions like, Growing Better Hair: Impacting Pre-Emergent Hair via Scalp Condition; Hair Dye; Hair Care; and Robotic Hair Transplants.[2] Hair loss treatment by the way is a booming $3.5 billion industry.[3] So, aside from the obvious question, of why is the federal government is funding a hair loss conference, one has to wonder if this funding was needed in the first place. In fact the World Congress has over twenty general sponsors including companies like Proctor and Gamble and Women’s Rogaine, who together contributed at least $125,000 in general sponsorship dollars, and more in event specific sponsorships. In addition to the sponsors, participants in the conference must pay between $675 and almost $1,200, and just one booth in the exhibit hall costs $3,500.[4] Some may argue that with a $3.7 trillion budget and hundreds of millions of dollars of waste already identified in The Waste Report, $15,000 is not that bad. But consider the average American would have to work two years, two months, and almost two weeks before their taxes would pay this conference. That’s enough to make you pull your hair out. The Federal Government: Guaranteed to Grow Waste on Any Surface.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-legislation-prevent-terrorists-entering-us-refugees/,Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Legislation to Prevent Terrorists From Entering the U.S. as Refugees,2015-11-16,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today announced legislation that would suspend visa issuance for countries with a high risk of terrorism and impose a waiting period for background checks on visa issuance from other countries until the American people can be assured terrorists cannot enter the country through our immigration and visa system. This legislation is based off language first proposed by Sen. Paul in 2013. “The time has come to stop terrorists from walking in our front door. The Boston Marathon bombers were refugees, and numerous refugees from Iraq, including some living in my hometown, have attempted to commit terrorist attacks. The terrorist attacks in Paris underscore this concern that I have been working to address for the past several years. My bill will press pause on new refugee entrants from high-risk countries until stringent new screening procedures are in place,” Sen. Paul said. Sen. Paul’s legislation would suspend issuance of visas to nationals of countries with a high risk of terrorism until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies and Congress votes to approve that: 1) Aliens already admitted from high-risk countries have been fingerprinted and screened, pose no terrorist risk, and are being monitored for terrorist activity 2) Enhanced security measures are in place to screen future applicants and prevent terrorists from entering the country 3) DHS’ visa entry-exit system is 100 percent complete and a tracking system is in place to catch attempted overstays Additionally, the legislation would impose a 30-day waiting period for all entries to the U.S. in order for background checks to be completed, unless the traveler has been approved through the Global Entry program. This requirement will be lifted after DHS certifies and Congress approves that: 1) Screening of entrants is sufficient to prevent terrorists from entering the country 2) DHS’ visa entry-exit system is 100 percent complete and a tracking system is in place to catch attempted overstays ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/more-nmi-academy-slots-closer-senate-passes-defense-bill,More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill,2015-11-15,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"More NMI academy slots closer as Senate passes Defense bill Nov 15, 2015 The Senate passed a revised 2016 National Defense Authorization Act this week, retaining three new service academy slots for Northern Mariana Island students. President Obama had vetoed a previous 2016 NDAA over spending concerns. So the bill was revised to conform with the budget deal forged last month between Congress and the White House. The revised bill kept the increase in academy positions for NMI students, one each at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The President is now expected to sign the bill into law. There will then be nine permanent slots for the Northern Marianas at the service academies. Five are currently filled, so four openings will be available for applicants this year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from three to six in Section 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates and filled available openings. It was time to add more. For information on how to apply for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy go to https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form or contact your local congressional office. The deadline to apply is December 11.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/supporting-access-higher-education-all,Supporting access to higher education for all,2015-11-15,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Supporting access to higher education for all Nov 15, 2015 Earlier this month, 84 of my House Democratic colleagues and I filed a friend of the court brief, with the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting the idea that colleges and universities should be open to a broad range of students from many social, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. The case, Fisher v University of Texas at Austin, No. 14-981, looks at how the University decides who to admit. Our amicus brief urges the Supreme Court to uphold a lower courts decision in favor of the Universitys use of race and ethnicityamong many other factorsto help ensure a diverse student body. The Supreme Court ruled 7-1 in Fisher I that diversity in higher education was a compelling state interest that could justify race and ethnicity as factors among many in a carefully crafted admissions policy. I also joined an amicus brief in that case in the belief that a diverse learning environment benefits students, our workforce, and our economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-15,Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 15,2015-11-15,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 15 Nov 15, 2015 Our community continues to recover from the devastation of Typhoon Soudelor with the assistance of U.S. taxpayers and the federal government, as well as groups of community volunteers, the local government, and countless acts of individual charity. FEMA seeks public input on changes to Individual Assistance With the experience of getting Individual Assistance from FEMA still fresh, people in the Northern Mariana Islands are especially qualified to comment on new rules proposed for how the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles this aid program. Congress required that FEMA review, update, and revise the factors it uses to measure the severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster in the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act in 2013; and FEMA has now published its proposals. Sharing the understanding you have gained from federal response to the storm and to our community's needs could help other Americans in similar situations in the future. Comments are due by January 11, 2016 and may be submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FEMA_FRDOC_0001-4824.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/veterans-day-nmi,Veteran's Day in the NMI,2015-11-15,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Veteran's Day in the NMI Nov 15, 2015 Ceremonies honoring the contributions of all our veterans were held across the Northern Mariana Islands this week. On Tinian (top left), Major Adrian Evangelista, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and currently a pilot of a Marine MV-22B Osprey, posed with the JROTC cadets of his alma mater Tinian Jr. Sr. High School after giving the keynote address. On Rota (top right), Major Annan Mae Mendiola participated in the ceremony at the Tomb of Fallen Soldiers in Rota. On Saipan (bottom), veterans, government officials, and community members attended the laying of the wreath at American Memorial Parks Flag Circle, Court of Honor. Happy Veterans Day to all who served and thank you for your bravery. Thank you to all our Veterans!!",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/we-call-investigation-racial-profiling,We call for investigation of racial profiling,2015-11-15,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"We call for investigation of racial profiling Nov 15, 2015 Race, ethnicity, or national origin should not be the primary reason for suspecting a person of committing a crime. Yet that appears to have happened to a number of Asian Americans who were wrongly arrested and charged with espionage. That is why I joined over 40 of my Democratic colleagues in calling on U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to launch an independent investigation on whether any federal agency has a pattern or practice of using these civil rights classifications to single out minorities for arrest and indictment. We also urge a full investigation into recent cases of Asian Americans arrested and indicted for spying only to have the charges dropped several months later for lack of evidence. It is important to protect our country against those who wish to do us harm. We must ensure, however, that racial profiling is not the basis for targeting any individual.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-decries-43-million-spent-build-gas-station-afghanistan/,Dr. Rand Paul Decries $43 Million Spent To Build Gas Station in Afghanistan,2015-11-12,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released a special edition of ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. This special edition draws attention to a gas station built by the United States’ Department of Defense (DOD) in Afghanistan that cost the American taxpayer an eye-popping $43 million. Many media outlets have already reported on this egregious example of government waste, but it is important to draw attention to the peculiar lack of planning put into this project that caused such a significant sum of money to be wasted, as well as, the apparent stonewalling of the DOD special inspector general’s investigation into the project. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. Several news outlets have reported on a $43 million gas station built by the Department of Defense in Afghanistan. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction issued a Special Report in late October on the compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station, which cost at least 86 times more than similar projects.[1] FSO dug deeper into the report and found the ridiculous price tag just scratches the surface. To begin with, the IG found no evidence that DOD ever did a feasibility study before moving forward with the project. Had they done so, they would have found that Afghanistan, “[l]acks the natural gas transmission and local distribution infrastructure necessary to support a viable market for CNG vehicles.” But even if getting CNG to the station was not a problem, it seems no one in Afghanistan can afford vehicles that run on the fuel. CNG conversion costs as much as $800, in a country where the average annual income is about $690. This may explain why the U.S. government paid to convert at least 120 Afghan vehicles to CNG. What is strange is one of the project goals was to expand CNG usage to Mazar-e Shariff because of its 100,000 cars. But DOD failed to do its home work, mischaracterized the city as the 2nd largest in the country (it is actually 4th) and ignoring the economics of transitioning those cars to CNG. Even more troubling is that DOD seemed to have stonewalled the whole investigation. The IG noted that they discovered the vehicle conversions in a video on a contractor’s website (where they noted the U.S. government footed the bill). DOD simply did not respond to IG inquiries on that subject. In fact, DOD did not answer any of the IG’s questions, saying the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO-the $800 million program through which the project was funded) was shuttered in March of this year and no one knows anything about the program anymore. As the IG rightly said in the report’s cover letter, “Frankly, I find it both shocking and incredible that DOD asserts that it no longer has any knowledge about TFBSO, an $800 million program that reported directly to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and only shut down a little over six months ago.” These are the ingredients of waste: An unaudited bureaucracy[2] flush with (your) cash, a rebuilding effort, and an environmental angle in a warzone halfway around the world.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/kilili-invites-nmi-veterans-join-veterans-history-project,Kilili invites NMI veterans to join Veterans History Project,2015-11-11,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Marianas Variety Washington, D.C. (Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) - On this Veterans Day and in the weeks and months ahead veterans of the Northern Mariana Islands will be able to add the stories of their wartime service to the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced this week that the congressional office has launched an outreach initiative to promote the Project. Sablan will be helping veterans and members of the community who want the Northern Marianas to be included. The Veterans History Project has collected stories from about 100,000 veterans so far, but none from veterans currently residing in the Northern Marianas, Congressman Sablan said. We want to change that. Congress began the Veterans History Project in 2000 to honor Americas war veterans by collecting and preserving their remembrances of service to the country. The Project relies on volunteers nationwide to interview veterans and send their stories to the Library of Congress. The congressional office has already begun reaching out to veterans in the Northern Marianas and community groups to let them know about the Project and show them how to join, Sablan said. Students, researchers, Scout troops, civic groups, family members of veterans, neighbors, and friends anyone can participate. The first step to participating in the Veterans History Project is to learn more about it. The Project website, www.loc.gov/vets/, provides a field kit and other resources for conducting interviews, hosting community events, and submitting stories. Hard copies of these materials, and additional information and assistance are also available at the congressional offices on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The wartime service of Northern Marianas veterans is an important part of the history of our Commonwealth and our country, Congressman Kilili said. We can honor that service by chronicling our veterans experiences, learning from them, and preserving their stories for future generations. Recorded audio or video interviews, written memoirs, photographs, manuscripts, letters, diaries, and original works of art may all be made part of the collection. About 15,000 veterans stories have now been digitized and are available online. The stories span World War I and World War II, to the wars in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf, and the post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though there are no archived stories from veterans in the Northern Marianas yet, the Project has collected powerful first-hand accounts of service members who fought in the Battles of Saipan and Tinian during World War II. For more information about how to get involved, or for assistance, contact the congressional office at kilili@mail.house.gov or call 323-2647 (Northern Marianas); (202) 225-2646 (Washington, DC); or Toll-Free at (877) 446-3465.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-novermber-06-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - November 06, 2015",2015-11-10,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: College and Career workshops begin for NMI students. Making sure young people have the information they need to continue their education is why your congressional office began a series of workshops for Northern Marianas high school students this week. Beginning with Tinian Jr. Sr. High School and Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr. Sr. High School in Rota, the workshops include an overview of federal and local financial aid resources for college, offer student tips on using the U.S. Department of Educations College ScoreCard to help schools, highlight in-demand jobs and options for vocational training, and discuss opportunities for military service and congressional nomination to the U.S. service academies. Students are also encouraged to look at volunteer service through organizations such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps as a way to gain valuable experience and educational benefits while giving back to their communities and nation. As I explained to the students in a video message from Washington, DC, I believe any problem our community faces will be more easily solved, if we are all well-educated. For more information or to request a workshop for a school group, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 (Saipan), 433-2647 (Tinian), or 532-2647 (Rota) or email kilili@mail.house.gov. NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots. The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 this week, again, maintaining the increase of three more service academy slots for Northern Marianas students. President Obama vetoed the original bill last month because it increased defense spending above budget caps without any increase in domestic spending. The revised bill reduces defense spending, but retains the increased academy positions for NMI students. Once the revised bill is signed, we will have three positions at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs 9 in all with 4 openings for the coming year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from 3 to 6 in Section 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates, and those positions are almost full. So its time to add more. The bill now goes to the Senate, where quick passage is expected. Share your story with the national Vaterans History Project. On this Veterans Day, Northern Marian Islands vets are invited to add their experiences to the Veterans History Project. Created by Congress in 2000, the Veterans History Project is a richand growingcollection of stories of veterans from all across the nation. The project relies on volunteersstudents, Scout troops, JROTC cadets, family members, neighbors, friendsto interview the veterans in their lives and submit their stories to the Library of Congress. About 100,000 veterans stories have been collected so far. 15,000 are available online. The collection includes first-hand accounts through audio or video interviews, written memoirs, photographs, manuscripts, letters, and even original works of art. If you want to participate, the Project website provides a field kit and other resources for conducting interviews, hosting community events, and submitting stories. For more information about how to get involved, visit www.loc.gov/vets or contact your congressional office at kilili@mail.house.gov or (670) 323-2647 (Northern Marianas), (202) 225-2646 (Washington, DC) or Toll-Free at (800) (877) 446-3465. House passes highway bill, ups funding for NMI. Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1.2 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next six years are part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 the House passed this week. Section 1112 of the bill increases annual funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 to $42 million, from which the Department of Transportation gives the NMI and American Samoa ten percent each and Guam and the Virgin Islands forty percent each. I have introduced H.R. 3877, requiring Transportation to reassess this arbitrary distribution set in 1992. And Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and I offered the language of my bill as an amendment during floor debate on the surface transportation reauthorization. But Guam and the Virgin Islands objected; and 173 Republicans and 137 Democrats voted against our proposal to use quantifiable measures, such as road mileage, as the basis for sharing the funds. Typhoon Soudelor - EPA Update: The Environmental Protection Agency reports that it continues to work closely with the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation on collection and disposal of damaged transformers. More than 650 transformers have already been assessed, evacuated of oil, and shipped off island for recycling. Special shipping containers are needed, however, for the larger transformers, and EPA has determined that the required equipment would take several weeks to arrive on island. EPA additionally reports having identified 8 sites on Saipan where transformers containing PCBs may have spilled. Assessment of these sites was complicated by Tropical Storm Champi, which caused flooding in some of these areas, so additional sampling and investigation are now underway. Meanwhile, EPA is also working with the Public School System to coordinate electronic waste collection, which has become more feasible as power has been restored to the schools and assessments, inventories and other procedures required for disposal of public equipment can now be conducted. Opportunites - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for and in the Marianas: Grants: WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grants - The objective of this Funding Opportunity is to invite those with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with the Bureau of Reclamation on projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency, benefit endangered and threatened species, facilitate water markets, or carry out other activities to address climate-related impacts on water. Closing date is January 20, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279957. Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program - System contact can have a significant impact on adolescent lives and their prospects for long-term success in adulthood in obtaining academic degrees, finding work, and securing housing. This program will support these activities through Public Housing Authorities working with stakeholders in the community, including courts, prosecutors, public defenders, and community-based organizations. Closing date is January 4, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279942. Rural Health Network Development Planning Program - The purpose of the Network Planning program is to assist in the development of an integrated healthcare network. Health care networks can be an effective strategy to help smaller rural health care providers and health care service organizations align resources and strategies, achieve economies of scale and efficiency, and address challenges more effectively as a group than as single providers. Closing date is on January 8, 2016. For more information, go to. Current closing date is December 18, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279931. White House Fellows Program - Founded in 1964 by Lyndon B. Johnson, the White House Fellows program is one of America's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. White House Fellowships offer exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. Selected individuals typically spend a year working as a full-time, paid Fellow to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries and other top-ranking government officials. Fellows also participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors, and trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and internationally. Fellowships are awarded on a strictly non-partisan basis. Applications will be accepted until January 12, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/participate/fellows/application. Jobs: Credentialing Assistant - The Naval Medical Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Credentialing Assistant in Guam. Incumbent will review education, training and licensure, verify healthcare providers, validate professional education and specialized training and provide briefing to supervisors. Position is open until November 9, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420607100. Supervisory IT Specialist - The Department of the Navy, Joint Region Marianas is accepting applications for a Supervisory IT Specialist in Guam. Incumbent will monitor system and application compliance, maintain messaging software, manage staff, and instruct employees on video teleconferencing systems. Position is open until November 9, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420696400. Physician - The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for a Physician in Guam. The incumbent provides psychiatric care to an adult outpatient population and coordination of care with local and Department of Veterans Affairs inpatient facilities, and provides supervision and support for staff members of the Guam Community Based Outpatient Clinic Mental Health team. Position is open until November 18, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420701900. Psychiatry/Mental Health APRN - The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for a Psychiatry/Mental Health APRN in Guam. Duties include organizing care delivery in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team in a manner that promotes continuity and accountability for patient care. Position is open until November 18, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420727100. Social Worker - The Department of the Air Force is accepting applications for a Social Worker in Guam. Incumbent will provide professional social work services, develop and manage prevention, provide professional advisory services, serve as community liaison, and assign individual victim advocates. Position is open until January 31, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/419669700. Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic - The Department of the Air Force is accepting applications for an Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic in Guam. Incumbent will provide prompt initial care, respond to accidents and other emergencies, provide transportation of patients, operate emergency vehicles, and assist in lifting and carrying patients. Position is open until January 31, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420053500. Health System Specialist - The Department of the Air Force is accepting applications for a Health System Specialist in Guam. Incumbent will implement efforts to improve systems and processes, fact-finding, analyzing data, participate in process redesign teams, administer the internal review, advise senior leaders on policies and procedures and other related duties. Position is open until January 31, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420273600. Clinical Nurse - US Naval Hospital Guam, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Clinical Nurse. Incumbent will assess patients to coordinate examinations, facilitate the management of life threatening situations, administer routine fluids and/or medications, observe and record vital signs, and coordinate health care needs. Position is open until November 9, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/420198700. Highlights in the legislative program THIS WEEK: On the floor H.R. 22 DRIVE Act (Passed, 363-64) H.R. 1356 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Passed, 370-58) H.R. 3361 Department of Homeland Security Insider Threat and Mitigation Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R. 2494 Global Anti-Poaching Act (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R. 1853 To direct the President to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, and for other purposes (Passed, 392-0) Sponsorships H.R. 3877 To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to the territorial highway program, and for other purposes Co-sponsorships H.R. 3696 Medicare Premium Fairness Act of 2015 H.R. 3862 Community College to Career Fund Act H.R. 3919 To authorize the Secretary of Labor to award special recognition to employers for veteran-friendly employment practices H.R. 3920 To direct the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to issue an order withdrawing approval for Essure System H.R. 505 Honoring the 50th anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965 H.R. 506 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of considering legislation that would reinforce the goals of the working family agenda NEXT WEEK: The House is in recess for the District Period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-seeks-answers-fed-inspector-general-about-fed-lobbying-activities/,Sen. Rand Paul Seeks Answers from Fed Inspector General About Fed Lobbying Activities,2015-11-10,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today sent a letter to the inspector general of the Federal Reserve (Fed) outlining his concerns with lobbying by the Fed and its officials against legislation to bring transparency to the Fed. This letter comes on the heels of new legislation announced last week by Sen. Paul, the Bring Accountability Now to the Fed Act, which would prohibit lobbying by the Fed and Fed officials. A copy of the letter can be found below. LETTER TEXT: Mark Bialek Inspector General Office of Inspector General Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Mail Stop K-300 Washington, DC 20551 Dear Inspector General Bialek, I am troubled that the Board of Governors, as well as Board members and employees, appear to be lobbying Congress and the public against legislation pending before Congress to bring greater transparency and accountability to the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve, as an entity of the government and operating under authority granted by Congress, should not use its funds to lobby members of Congress or influence Congress’s efforts to create a more transparent and fundamentally sound monetary policy. I request your office investigate whether the Board, any Board members, or Board employees have engaged in improper or illegal lobbying, as well as respond to the following questions: 1. How much does the Federal Reserve spend on public relations? 2. How much does the Federal Reserve spend on lobbying Congress? 3. How much does the Federal Reserve spend on conferences, travel, or other entertainment? Sincerely, Sen. Rand Paul No related posts.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-exposes-medicare-overpaying-estimated-175-million-sleep-apnea-studies-latest/,Dr. Rand Paul Exposes Medicare Overpaying an Estimated $175 Million on Sleep Apnea Studies in Latest ‘The Waste Report’,2015-11-09,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition to ‘The Waste Report,’ which is an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition exposes Medicare overpaying as much as $175 million annually on sleep studies seeking to determine if the individual suffers from sleep apnea – a condition that causes an individual to momentarily stop breathing during sleep. At the root of the problem, Medicare is paying bills for services that are missing proper documentation, such as a doctor’s referral. Furthermore, the estimated $175 million could be used to actually treat patients suffering from sleep apnea or other conditions, if corrected. ‘The Waste Report’ can be found HERE or below. You have probably heard of sleep apnea, the condition where a person momentarily stops breathing during sleep. In fact, Medicare alone spends almost $300 million a year on sleep studies determining if patients have this condition. Unfortunately, it seems Medicare has a problem with overpaying for these important studies, which costs taxpayers as much as $175 million a year. In a recent report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) noted that one provider of sleep studies recently agreed to repay $15.3 million resulting from false claims.[1] The OIG report delved into another sleep study provider from Orlando that was estimated to have been overpaid more than $1 million, or almost 60 percent of all payments they received. Specifically, the OIG found, that in a sample of 100 patients, 74 percent of items billed were not allowable under Medicare guidelines. In addition, nearly one-third of those payments were made without supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s referral. And, in one instance, Medicare paid for a procedure that was not even done.[2] Shockingly, roughly 60 percent of payments made to this particular provider were over 3-years old. Which means Medicare paid the bill for services without the required documentation and never followed up again.[3] This never would have been noticed if it were not for the Inspector General. If this is the trend, then the government could be improperly paying as much as $175 million a year just on sleep studies. It is no wonder that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated earlier this year that Medicare makes over $45 billion, or roughly 12.7 percent of its outlays, in improper payments annually. Further GAO lists a root cause of Medicare improper payments as “[i]nsufficient documentation for home health claims…”[4] For those keeping score, earlier this year, the Waste Report reported how Coast Guard members were able to use a medical travel program to take vacations. What made this waste possible? Travel approvals made without required documentation, including missing doctor referrals. See a trend? ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/college-and-career-workshops-begin-nmi-students,College and Career workshops begin for NMI students,2015-11-08,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"College and Career workshops begin for NMI students Nov 8, 2015 Making sure young people have the information they need to continue their education is why your congressional office began a series of workshops for Northern Marianas high school students this week. Beginning with Tinian Jr. Sr. High School and Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr. Sr. High School in Rota, the workshops include an overview of federal and local financial aid resources for college, offer student tips on using the U.S. Department of Educations College ScoreCard to help schools, highlight in-demand jobs and options for vocational training, and discuss opportunities for military service and congressional nomination to the U.S. service academies. Students are also encouraged to look at volunteer service through organizations such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps as a way to gain valuable experience and educational benefits while giving back to their communities and nation. As I explained to the students in a video message from Washington, DC, I believe any problem our community faces will be more easily solved, if we are all well-educated. For more information or to request a workshop for a school group, contact the congressional office at (670) 323-2647 (Saipan), 433-2647 (Tinian), or 532-2647 (Rota) or email kilili@mail.house.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/house-passes-highway-bill-ups-funding-nmi,"House passes highway bill, ups funding for NMI",2015-11-08,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House passes highway bill, ups funding for NMI Nov 8, 2015 Transit and safety programs worth $1.2 million annually and an additional $1.2 million in highway construction funds for the Northern Mariana Islands over the next six years are part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 the House passed this week. Section 1112 of the bill increases annual funding for the Territorial Highway Program from $40 to $42 million, from which the Department of Transportation gives the NMI and American Samoa ten percent each and Guam and the Virgin Islands forty percent each. I have introduced H.R. 3877, requiring Transportation to reassess this arbitrary distribution set in 1992. And Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and I offered the language of my bill as an amendment during floor debate on the surface transportation reauthorization. But Guam and the Virgin Islands objected; and 173 Republicans and 137 Democrats voted against our proposal to use quantifiable measures, such as road mileage, as the basis for sharing the funds.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/ndaa-passes-house-again-increase-nmi-academy-slots,"NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots",2015-11-08,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"NDAA passes House, again, with increase in NMI academy slots Nov 8, 2015 The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 this week, again, maintaining the increase of three more service academy slots for Northern Marianas students. President Obama vetoed the original bill last month because it increased defense spending above budget caps without any increase in domestic spending. The revised bill reduces defense spending, but retains the increased academy positions for NMI students. Once the revised bill is signed, we will have three positions at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs 9 in all with 4 openings for the coming year. When I came to office in 2009 I quickly got the number of Northern Marianas slots doubled from 3 to 6 in Section 527 of Public Law 111-84. The Northern Marianas has produced good candidates, and those positions are almost full. So its time to add more. The bill now goes to the Senate, where quick passage is expected.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/share-your-story-national-veterans-history-project,Share your story with the national Veterans History Project,2015-11-08,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"On this Veterans Day, Northern Marian Islands vets are invited to add their experiences to the Veterans History Project. Created by Congress in 2000, the Veterans History Project is a richand growingcollection of stories of veterans from all across the nation. The project relies on volunteersstudents, Scout troops, JROTC cadets, family members, neighbors, friendsto interview the veterans in their lives and submit their stories to the Library of Congress. About 100,000 veterans stories have been collected so far. 15,000 are available online. The collection includes first-hand accounts through audio or video interviews, written memoirs, photographs, manuscripts, letters, and even original works of art. If you want to participate, the Project website provides a field kit and other resources for conducting interviews, hosting community events, and submitting stories. For more information about how to get involved, visit www.loc.gov/vets or contact your congressional office at kilili@mail.house.gov or (670) 323-2647 (Northern Marianas), (202) 225-2646 (Washington, DC) or Toll-Free at (800) (877) 446-3465.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-epa-update,Typhoon Soudelor - EPA Update,2015-11-08,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Typhoon Soudelor - EPA Update Nov 8, 2015 The Environmental Protection Agency reports that it continues to work closely with the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation on collection and disposal of damaged transformers. More than 650 transformers have already been assessed, evacuated of oil, and shipped off island for recycling. Special shipping containers are needed, however, for the larger transformers, and EPA has determined that the required equipment would take several weeks to arrive on island. EPA additionally reports having identified 8 sites on Saipan where transformers containing PCBs may have spilled. Assessment of these sites was complicated by Tropical Storm Champi, which caused flooding in some of these areas, so additional sampling and investigation are now underway. Meanwhile, EPA is also working with the Public School System to coordinate electronic waste collection, which has become more feasible as power has been restored to the schools and assessments, inventories and other procedures required for disposal of public equipment can now be conducted.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-announces-legislation-ban-federal-reserve-lobbying/,Sen. Rand Paul Announces Legislation to Ban the Federal Reserve from Lobbying,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today announced plans to introduce legislation that would ban the Federal Reserve (Fed), and all of its personnel, from lobbying Congress and the American people against legislation to bring transparency to the Fed or other matters. The legislation, known as the Bring Accountability Now to the Fed Act, prohibits anyone acting on behalf of the Fed from actively supporting or opposing legislation before Congress. “The Fed has used its immense power to bailout Wall Street and print money to finance our debt. When anyone rises up to challenge them, Fed officials use taxpayer dollars to lobby for more power and against oversight of their activities. It is time for Congress and the American people to say enough is enough,” Sen. Paul said. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-reintroduces-audit-fed/,Sen. Rand Paul Reintroduces “Audit the Fed”,2015-11-04,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today reintroduced the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, widely known as “Audit the Fed,” taking steps to place it directly on the Senate Legislative Calendar. The bill eliminates restrictions on Government Accountability Office audits of the Federal Reserve and mandates that the Federal Reserve’s credit facilities, securities purchases, and quantitative easing activities be subject to congressional oversight. Sen. Paul originally introduced the legislation for the 114th Congress in January 2015. Rule XIV allows Audit the Fed to be placed directly on the Senate Legislative Calendar so that the legislation can be called up for immediate consideration. “Today, I reintroduced my legislation to conduct a complete and thorough audit of the Federal Reserve and am seeking a vote soon. The Fed operating under a cloak of secrecy has gone on for far too long. The American people have a right to know exactly how Washington is spending their money. The time to act is now,” Sen. Paul said. Cosponsors of the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 include: U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dean Heller (R-NV), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rob Portman (R-OH), James Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and David Vitter (R-LA). Click HERE to read the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 in its entirety. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/190086-liheap-grant-nmi,"$190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI",2015-11-02,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI Nov 1, 2015 Households in the Northern Mariana Islands, who need help paying their CUC bills, will benefit from the $190,086 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds announced this week. The money is a partial payment of fiscal year 2016 LIHEAP, until Congress passes an appropriation for the entire year. This energy assistance goes to about 400 families in the NMI. The grant is four times higher than when I started work in Washington as a result of my efforts to get the Department of Health and Human Services to allocate the full amount authorized by law. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the decision to provide the maximum in 2014. With median household incomes less than half the national average and with the price of electricity in our islands two to four times more than most Americans pay, LIHEAP remains an important federal program for the Northern Marianas. The CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs administers locally.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/supporting-clean-extension,Supporting a clean extension,2015-11-02,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Supporting a clean extension Nov 1, 2015 As of 3:00 a.m. Friday, October 30th, the House and Senate have both passed a Bipartisan Budget Agreement that increases the borrowing authority of the U.S. government, ensuring we can pay our bills after November 5. A week ago, I joined other Democratic Members in urging Speaker Boehner to lift the debt ceiling in a clean bill without any of the politically charged provisions that could result in America defaulting on our obligations. The Budget Agreement, negotiated by the outgoing Speaker in a final gesture of bipartisanship with the President, is not clean. But many of the provisions added are commendable, including an increase in both domestic and defense spending and relief for seniors on Medicare, who were facing as much as a 54 percent increase in their premiums starting in January.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-uncovers-usaids-plan-spend-6-million-promote-tourism-albania/,Dr. Rand Paul Uncovers USAID’s Plan to Spend $6 Million to Promote Tourism in Albania,2015-11-02,2015,2015-11,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"Uncle Sam: “Come Visit the US…or go to Albania” WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition of “The Waste Report,” an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition draws attention to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). As part of Tourism as a Leading Edge, a joint venture with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, USAID is planning to spend six million hard-earned taxpayer dollars to study and promote the Albanian tourism industry. As if spending American taxpayer dollars to promote another nation’s economy is not bad enough, Albania’s tourism industry, as a percentage of GDP, is already larger than that of the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. government already contributes approximately $100 million to Brand USA, a public-private partnership, promoting the U.S. tourism industry to foreign vacationers. In other words, one effort is spending money to get foreign tourists to vacation in America and the other to get them to vacation in Albania. Essentially our federal government is working against itself. The latest edition of “The Waste Report” can be found HERE or below. Have you ever dreamed of a European vacation? Maybe you would like to check out England, France, Germany, or…Albania? Well, if you have not thought of spending your money on a trip to Albania, you might be surprised to learn the federal government is spending your tax dollars to study and promote the Albanian tourism industry. That is right! The U.S. Agency for International Development is currently planning to award as much as $6 million as part of Tourism as a Leading Edge, a joint venture with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, for studies and work to improve tourism in Albania.[1] The problem, it seems, is that the Eurozone economic crisis is having a negative ripple effect on the Albanian economy which previously relied heavily on remittances of earnings abroad, particularly from Greece. To restart their economy, the Albanian government is hoping to capitalize on the country’s tourism potential, but it is the U.S. taxpayer who is footing at least part of the bill. Amazingly, tourism is already a major contributor to the Albanian economy. According to the grant description, tourism (in total) currently accounts for 17 percent of the nation’s economy. By comparison, The World Travel and Tourism Council reports that tourism contributes 9.5 percent to the worldwide economy and 8.4 percent to the U.S. economy.[2] This means Albania’s tourism economy, as a percent of GDP, is already larger than the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department contributes approximately $100 million to Brand USA, a joint public-private effort to promote the U.S. tourism industry by attracting foreign vacationers to America.[3] In other words, one part of the federal government is working against another; one effort spending money to get foreign tourists to vacation in American, the other to get them to vacation in Albania. What next? Provide public housing to people who already own their own homes? Oh wait, we do that too. At the least, one must wonder: If this is a priority for the Albanian government, why is the U.S. taxpayer footing the bill? Uncle Sam: “Come Visit the U.S. …or go to Albania” ### __________________________________",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:30:58Z http://sablan.house.gov/bill-help-train-northern-marianas-workers-fill-jobs-introduced,Bill to help train Northern Marianas workers fill jobs introduced,2015-11-01,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Bill to help train Northern Marianas workers fill jobs introduced Nov 1, 2015 This week, along with 36 of my Democratic colleagues, I introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act, which is designed to train people for the jobs businesses need. Written by Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), H.R. 3862 sets up a competitive grant to fund partnerships between businesses and two-year colleges, like our Northern Marianas College, to address local shortages of skilled workers. The recent reduction in the number of foreign, CW workers allowed in the Northern Marianas means employers must find ways to hire more U.S. workers, if growth is to continue in our islands. The Community College to Career Fund Act would respond to that problem by helping NMC close the skills gap between local workers and businesses.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/house-democrats-introduce-working-families-resolution,House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution,2015-11-01,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution Nov 1, 2015 In our local culture, family is a top priority. That is why I joined 108 House Democrats in introducing H. Res. 506, the Working Families Resolution. The resolution calls on Congress to pass legislation to increase wages, provide for paid family and medical leave when necessary, provide flexible, predictable, and stable work schedules, and give workers access to quality learning opportunities and affordable child care. October is National Work and Family Month, a time to call attention to the challenges working families face in balancing family and work responsibilities. We in the Northern Marianas are very fortunate to have extended family and friends we can call upon for help when family and work responsibilities conflict. Many have to do so more than they would like in order to earn enough for their families to live on. The Working Families Resolution outlines an agenda aimed at boosting wages, helping families achieve a better work-life balance, and removing barriers that prevent hard working families from getting ahead.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/typhoon-soudelor-update-week-13,Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 13,2015-11-01,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Many people are feeling that life is returning to normal. But we will continue to include a recovery update in the weekly e-news as long as we are receiving questions from constituents about aspects of the repairs or as new problems arise that need answers. American Memorial Park restoration will take time As we reported on September 4, the National Park Service provided $120,000 in fiscal year 2015 emergency funds to help repair the damage to American Memorial Park with another $140,000 set aside from fiscal 2016. But damage was extensive and recovery is slow because the work is technical and sometime dangerous, according to National Park Service Superintendent Jim Richardson. Richardson estimates that the Park lost 90% of its trees in Typoon Soudelor. Three months later, the popular park pathway remains inaccessible, covered in debris. The tennis courts are also still closed. And mold associated with the storm has shut down the Visitors Center Auditorium. The good news is that the Visitors Center Museum and Gift Shop have reopened at regular hours - 9am to 6pm daily, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Public access to the Flag Circle and the marinas has also been cleared. The American Memorial Park Visitors Center Museum and Gift shop is open once again to the general public. FEMA accepting appeals to replace damaged appliances As power is restored, families are discovering electrical appliances that no longer work because they were damaged in the storm. FEMA has provided a way for those families to file appeals to their initial claims for assistance, so they can get help repairing or replacing the damaged appliances. You will need: A written appeal letter specifying that the appliances were damaged by the typhoon, but could not be tested until power was restored; A letter from the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation indicating the date when power was restored to your area; and A letter from a qualified technician certifying that the appliance(s) need to be repaired or replaced, that the damages were related to the typhoon, and the cost of repair or replacement. For more information, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-30-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 30, 2015",2015-11-01,2015,2015-11,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: ________________________________________________________________ $190,086 in LIHEAP grant for NMI. Households in the Northern Mariana Islands, who need help paying their CUC bills, will benefit from the $190,086 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds announced this week. The money is a partial payment of fiscal year 2016 LIHEAP, until Congress passes an appropriation for the entire year. This energy assistance goes to about 400 families in the NMI. The grant is four times higher than when I started work in Washington as a result of my efforts to get the Department of Health and Human Services to allocate the full amount authorized by law. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the decision to provide the maximum in 2014. With median household incomes less than half the national average and with the price of electricity in our islands two to four times more than most Americans pay, LIHEAP remains an important federal program for the Northern Marianas. The CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs administers locally. Supporting a clean extension. As of 3:00 a.m. this morning, the House and Senate have both passed a Bipartisan Budget Agreement that increases the borrowing authority of the U.S. government, ensuring we can pay our bills after November 5. A week ago, I joined other Democratic Members in urging Speaker Boehner to lift the debt ceiling in a clean bill without any of the politically charged provisions that could result in America defaulting on our obligations. The Budget Agreement, negotiated by the outgoing Speaker in a final gesture of bipartisanship with the President, is not clean. But many of the provisions added are commendable, including an increase in both domestic and defense spending and relief for seniors on Medicare, who were facing as much as a 54 percent increase in their premiums starting in January. Typhoon Update - Week 13: Many people are feeling that life is returning to normal. But we will continue to include a recovery update in the weekly e-news as long as we are receiving questions from constituents about aspects of the repairs or as new problems arise that need answers. American Memorial Park restoration will take time. As we reported on September 4, the National Park Service provided $120,000 in fiscal year 2015 emergency funds to help repair the damage to American Memorial Park with another $140,000 set aside from fiscal 2016. But damage was extensive and recovery is slow because the work is technical and sometime dangerous, according to National Park Service Superintendent Jim Richardson. Richardson estimates that the Park lost 90% of its trees in Typoon Soudelor. Three months later, the popular park pathway remains inaccessible, covered in debris. The tennis courts are also still closed. And mold associated with the storm has shut down the Visitors Center Auditorium. The good news is that the Visitors Center Museum and Gift Shop have reopened at regular hours - 9am to 6pm daily, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Public access to the Flag Circle and the marinas has also been cleared. FEMA accepting appeals to replace damaged appliances. As power is restored, families are discovering electrical appliances that no longer work because they were damaged in the storm. FEMA has provided a way for those families to file appeals to their initial claims for assistance, so they can get help repairing or replacing the damaged appliances. You will need: A written appeal letter specifying that the appliances were damaged by the typhoon, but could not be tested until power was restored; A letter from the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation indicating the date when power was restored to your area; and A letter from a qualified technician certifying that the appliance(s) need to be repaired or replaced, that the damages were related to the typhoon, and the cost of repair or replacement. For more information, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution. In our local culture, family is a top priority. That is why I joined 108 House Democrats in introducing H. Res. 506, the Working Families Resolution. The resolution calls on Congress to pass legislation to increase wages, provide for paid family and medical leave when necessary, provide flexible, predictable, and stable work schedules, and give workers access to quality learning opportunities and affordable child care. October is National Work and Family Month, a time to call attention to the challenges working families face in balancing family and work responsibilities. We in the Northern Marianas are very fortunate to have extended family and friends we can call upon for help when family and work responsibilities conflict. Many have to do so more than they would like in order to earn enough for their families to live on. The Working Families Resolution outlines an agenda aimed at boosting wages, helping families achieve a better work-life balance, and removing barriers that prevent hard working families from getting ahead. Bill to help train Northern Marianas workers fill jobs introduced. This week, along with 36 of my Democratic colleagues, I introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act, which is designed to train people for the jobs businesses need. Written by Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), H.R. 3862 sets up a competitive grant to fund partnerships between businesses and two-year colleges, like our Northern Marianas College, to address local shortages of skilled workers. The recent reduction in the number of foreign, CW workers allowed in the Northern Marianas means employers must find ways to hire more U.S. workers, if growth is to continue in our islands. The Community College to Career Fund Act would respond to that problem by helping NMC close the skills gap between local workers and businesses. Opportunities - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for and in the Marianas: Grants: Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging (SUAs) and Tribal Organizations in National Disasters Declared by the President Grants awarded under this announcement are to provide disaster reimbursement and assistance funds to those State Units on Aging and federally recognized Tribal organizations who are currently receiving a grant under Title VI of the Older Americans Act, as amended. These funds only become available when the President declares a National Disaster and may only be used in those areas designated in the Disaster Declaration issued by the President of the United States. Eligible SUAs and Title VI grantees should discuss all disaster applications with ACL/AoA Regional staff before submitting a formal application. Current closing date is September 12, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Department of the Interior Maintenance Assistance Program MAP funding is used to support, develop, improve and, as much as possible, institutionalize infrastructure maintenance practices in the seven insular areas. Current closing date is March 1, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... FY 2016 Economic Development Assistance Programs - Application submission and program requirements for EDAs Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs Under this FFO, EDA solicits applications from applicants in rural and urban areas to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDAs Public Works and EAA programs. Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities. EDA provides strategic investments on a competitive- merit-basis to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. There are no submission deadlines under this opportunity. Proposals and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new EDAP FFO. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Department of Health and Human Services Service Area Competition The Health Center Program supports patient-directed public and private nonprofit organizations that provide primary and preventive health care services to the Nations medically underserved. The purpose of the SAC funding opportunity is to ensure continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services for communities and vulnerable populations served by the Health Center Program. Current closing date is January 6, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Specialty Crop Research Initiative Request for Pre-Applications (RFPA) The purpose of the USDA SCRI grant program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics; Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing); new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops. Current closing date is December 3, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program The purpose of the USDA beginning farmer and rancher development program is to develop and offer education, training, outreach and mentoring programs to enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. Current statistics show that the rising average age of U.S. farmers, the 8% projected decrease in the number of farmers and ranchers between 2008 and 2018, and the growing recognition this new program is needed to address the needs of the next generation of beginning farmers and ranchers. Current closing date is January 21, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Assistance to High Energy Cost Rural Communities The USDA Rural Utilities Service announces the availability of up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeding 275 percent of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and implementation of energy efficiency, and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. Current closing date is December 14, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Jobs: Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist - The Naval Medical Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist. Incumbent will perform radiographic examinations, keep up to date and review new developments, assist in performing procedures, provide patient support, and perform/maintain quality assurance test. Position is open until October 26, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. The Home Based Primary Care NP is responsible for assessment, planning, coordinated provisions, and evaluation of individual treatment plans for patients receiving care from the HBPC program of the PIHCS. Position is open until November 6, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Research Ecologist - The Geological Survey, Department of the Interior is accepting applications for a Research Ecologist. Incumbent will organize and conduct research, write research reports, provide technical assistance and other related duties. Position is open until November 16, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Nurse Consultant - The Naval Medical Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for a Nurse Consultant in Guam. Incumbent will ensure US Naval Hospital Guams Risk Management, review and monitor policies, serve as RM model, and other related duties. Position is open until November 9, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - The CHCI is seeking full-time college undergraduate students who are interested in participating in the 2016 Spring Congressional Internship Program in Washington, D.C. Selected individuals will receive an unmatched experience, learning first-hand about our nations legislative process while working for a member of Congress. Students of ALL majors that have an interest in the development of public policy and who have demonstrated leadership abilities should apply. For more information, go to https://www.chci.org/internships/. Highlights in the Legislative Program THIS WEEK: On the floor H.R. 1090 Retail Investor Protection Act (Passed, 245-186) H.R. 597 Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015 (Passed, 313-118) H. Res. 495 Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R. 1314 Motion that the House Concur in the Senate Amendment with a House Amendment to H.R. 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (Passed, 266-167) Election of the Speaker Ryan: 236, Pelosi: 184, Webster: 9, Cooper: 1, Lewis: 1, Colin Powell: 1, Answered Present: 0, Not Voting: 3 NEXT WEEK: On the floor H.R. 3361 Department of Homeland Security Insider Threat and Mitigation Act of 2015 H.R. 3144 Partners for Aviation Security Act H.R. 2494 Global Anti-Poaching Act H.R. 1853 To direct the President to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, and for other purposes Consideration of Legislation Related to the Highway Trust Fund Consideration of Legislation Related to the National Defense Authorization Act Committee hearings November 4 Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Legislative Hearing",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-remarks-prepared-delivery-sen-rand-paul-floor-speech-senate-votes-continuing-his-filibuster/,REMARKS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY: Sen. Rand Paul Floor Speech Before Senate Votes on Continuing his Filibuster on Budget Agreement,2015-10-30,2015,2015-10,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today will deliver a speech on the U.S. Senate floor regarding his opposition to the two-year federal budget agreement. Sen. Paul has been a strong and vocal advocate against an unlimited debt limit increase in the budget deal. This morning, Senate leadership will attempt to end Sen. Paul’s filibuster with a cloture vote. However, the filibuster will continue if 41 Senators vote with Sen. Paul against the budget deal. Below is a transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks prepared for delivery. The number one threat to our country’s future is our debt. The number one threat to our national security is our debt. This deal gives the President the power to borrow unlimited amounts of money. This deal represents the worst of the Washington culture. The Left and the Right have come together in an unholy alliance to explode the debt. The Left gets more welfare, the Right gets more military contracts, and the Taxpayer is stuck with the bill! This a bipartisan busting of the budget caps that will further indenture the next generation. I promised the voters of Kentucky to oppose deficits, to oppose budgets that don’t balance, and to spend only what we have. I will not give this President or any President to power to borrow unspecified amounts of money. Our debt now equals our entire economy. Not raising the debt ceiling means we would be forced to only spend what comes in – also known as a balanced budget. I could accept that. But I also could accept a balanced budget amendment that brings us into balance over five years. The debt threatens us like never before and now is the time to take a stand. I have travelled far and wide across America and I have not met one Republican outside of DC who supports adding an unlimited increase in the debt ceiling. I hope my colleagues will listen to their constituents before voting for this terrible, no good, rotten deal. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:28:00Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-pauls-late-night-filibuster-nearly-derails-debt-increase/,Sen. Rand Paul’s Late Night Filibuster Nearly Derails Debt Increase,2015-10-30,2015,2015-10,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul delivered multiple speeches on the U.S. Senate floor regarding his opposition to the two-year federal debt and spending bill. In the dead of night, Senate leadership gathered the 60 votes needed to stop Sen. Paul’s filibuster and proceed to legislation raising the debt ceiling and breaking the spending caps promised in the Budget Control Act of 2011. Since coming to Washington in 2010, Sen. Paul has been an ardent opponent of Washington’s continued, reckless spending. Furthermore, Sen. Paul was opposed to any deal that gave the President an unlimited debt limit increase. After cloture was invoked, Sen. Paul concluded his filibuster with a one-hour speech against the unholy alliance of right and left. At the end of his final speech, he raised a budget point of order that the bill violates Senate budget rules adopted earlier this year that protect the Social Security trust fund, ensuring we meet our obligations to seniors and not take that money to spend elsewhere. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill did exactly that. With this point of order Sen. Paul was appealing to his colleagues to remember our obligation to seniors. Unfortunately, Senators voted 64-35 to waive their own rules adopted earlier this year and proceed with spending the money. A transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks prepared for delivery and clips of his floor speeches are available below. SEN. PAUL SPEAKS AGAINST BUDGET DEAL SEN. PAUL SPEAKS AGAINST BUDGET DEAL PRIOR TO CLOTURE VOTE SEN. PAUL SPEAKS AGAINST BUDGET DEAL POST CLOTURE Transcript: Sen. Paul: The number-one threat to our country’s future is our debt. The number-one threat to our national security is our debt. This deal gives the president the power to borrow unlimited amounts of money. This deal represents the worst of Washington culture. The left and the right have come together in an unholy alliance to explode the debt. The left gets more welfare. The right gets more military contracts. And the taxpayer is stuck with the deal. This is a bipartisan busting of the budget caps that will further indenture our next generation. I promised the voters of Kentucky to oppose deficits, to oppose budgets that don’t balance and to spend only that which comes in. I will not give this president any power to borrow unspecified amounts of money. Our debt now equals our entire economy. Not raising the debt ceiling means we would be forced to only spend what comes in, also known as a balanced budget. I could accept that. But I could also accept a balanced budget that brings us to balance over five years. The debt threatens us like never before and now is the time to take a stand. I have traveled far and wide across America and I have not met one voter outside of D.C. Who supports adding an unlimited increase to the debt ceiling. I hope my colleagues will listen and will listen very clearly to their constituents before voting for this terrible, rotten, no-good deal. The time is now to take a stand. The time is now to say enough is enough, no more debt. The very foundation of our country is threatened by the addition of debt. This is precisely the time when we should be using the leverage of raising the debt ceiling to exact budgetary reforms. In 2011, that’s exactly what we did. We had the compromise that worked in the right direction. We had a compromise that said, we will set limits on both the military and the domestic spending. Instead what we have today is an unholy alliance of right and left. We wonder why the deficit grows no matter which party is involved, no matter which party is in charge. The deficit continues to grow because, frankly, many are not serious about reducing the debt. Many up here are serious only about increasing spending for their sacred cow. The true compromise that is necessary in America is for both right and left to say, enough is enough. To say that the particular interest they have in spending money is hurting the country. It is time for the right to say, you know what? The country is not stronger by going further in debt. The country actually I believe is weaker. We do not project power from bankruptcy court. I think the time is now. Enough is enough. We shouldn’t be adding more debt. The left needs to acknowledge this as well. The left may say, this is for humanitarian purposes. We want to help people. And I don’t doubt their motives but I do doubt whether you can help people from bankruptcy court. I think we are weakening our country. One of the reasons why we’ve been able to help so many people in our country is that we are the richest, most humanitarian country in the history of mankind. In the year 2014 alone, we gave away nearly $400 billion in private charity in this country. I fear that will not continue to last. I fear as this deficit mounts, as the debt mounts that it will drag us down. Already some economists estimate that we’re losing a ton of medical jobs a year because of the burden of debt. I think what we need to do is have compromise in Washington but the compromise needs to be that the right and the left need to say we don’t have enough money at this point. Some say, well, we need to have military readiness, but this week in the defense committee and the armed services committee, they talked about $20 billion of waste in one program within the military. We’ve had secretaries of the cabinet departments, the secretary of the Navy saying that, you know what? We can save money within the Pentagon. But if we keep adding to the top line, if we keep adding more money, if we keep spending good money after bad, we’re going to bankrupt the country. So I hope my colleagues will listen to their constituents because I’ve been in 40 of the 50 states and I have yet to meet a single voter who says keep adding to the debt, keep spending more money. What I find is the opposite. They say, work together to save the country. Work together not to add more debt. This debt-ceiling vote does something that is unprecedented. It doesn’t even add a certain amount to the debt. It adds an unspecified amount. Over the next year, year and a half, we will add as much debt as can be crammed into the debt, as much money that can be spent. There will be no limits. We are giving an unspecified amount of borrowing power to the president. I don’t care whether it’s a Democrat president or a Republican president. It’s unconscionable to give unlimited borrowing authority to the president. As we contemplate this decision, we need to think beyond the short term, we need to think beyond the short term of self-constituencies on either side of the aisle and say enough’s enough. We don’t have the money. Let’s take a stand now and try to reform the process before it’s too late. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:28:00Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-floor-speech-sen-rand-paul-speaks-out-against-budget-agreement/,FLOOR SPEECH: Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against Budget Agreement,2015-10-29,2015,2015-10,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul delivered the following remarks on the U.S. Senate floor today regarding his opposition to the two-year federal budget agreement. For a point of clarification: after Sen. Paul announced his filibuster of the debt bill earlier this week, Senate Leadership moved to end the filibuster by filing cloture. Cloture is the mechanism in the rules to end debate, and thus end a filibuster. If 41 Senators vote with Sen. Paul, the filibuster will continue. Below is video and transcript of Sen. Paul’s remarks. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S REMARKS ON THE SENATE FLOOR TRANSCRIPT Sen. Rand Paul: I rise today in opposition to raising the debt ceiling. I rise in particular in opposition to raising the debt ceiling without getting any sort of spending reform or budgetary reform in return. In fact, it will be completely the opposite. We will be raising the debt ceiling in an unlimited fashion. We will be giving President Obama a free pass to borrow as much money as he can borrow in the last year of his office. No limit, no dollar limit. Here you go, President Obama. Spend what you want. We do this while also exceeding what are called budget caps. We have been trying to have spending restraint in Washington. It hasn’t worked very well, but at least there are some numbers that government is not supposed to exceed. These include spending caps for military spending as well as domestic spending. When I first arrived, I was part of a movement called the tea party movement. We came into prominence and I was elected primarily because I was concerned about the debt, worried about the debt that we were leaving to our kids and our grandkids, worrying that we were destroying the very fabric of the country with debt. We came here in 2010 and we negotiated and negotiated, and the president said, President Obama said I won’t negotiate with you. He says I won’t negotiate with a gun to my head. The media all said you just always have to raise the debt ceiling. It’s irresponsible to use that as leverage to get reform. But you know what? We did get reform. The conservatives put forward something called Cut, Cap, and Balance. It was passed overwhelmingly in the House, blocked in the Senate, but ultimately there was something passed called sequestration, which put caps on both military and domestic spending. And it did slow down the rate of growth of government for a little while. This is the problem with Congress. Congress will occasionally do something in the right direction, and then they take one step forward and two steps back. In 2013, we gave up on this sequestration when we added back in about $60 billion worth of money. Now we’re doing the same thing again. We’re going to add back in this time $80 billion, $50 billion in 2016, another $30 billion in 2017. We’re doing the opposite of what we should be doing. We should be using the leverage of the debt ceiling, saying we’re not raising it again until you reform your ways, until you begin spending only money you have. Instead, we’re doing the opposite. We’re saying here, Mr. President, you can raise the debt as much as you want. You can spend as much as you want while you’re in office, and we’re going to do nothing. In fact, we’re going to help you. We’re going to exceed the caps so everybody gets what they want. So everyone in Washington’s is going to get something. The right’s going to get more military money, the left’s going to get more welfare money. The secret handshake goes on, and the American public gets stuck with the bill. Now, I think one of the most important things we do is defend the country. If you ask me to prioritize it’s spending, I would say we have to defend the country above and beyond and before all else. But that doesn’t mean we’re stronger or safer if we’re doing this from bankruptcy court. I any the number-one threat to our country, the number-one threat to our security is debts, piling on of debt. The debt threatens our national security, and yet we just want to pile it on, pill it on. This deal will do nothing but explode the debt. In fact, it doesn’t even limit how much the debt can go up. We’re giving the president a blank check. We’re in the middle of a filibuster. This filibuster will go on to about 1:00 in the morning and then we will find out who the true conservatives in this town are. If you are conservative, you will say there is no way I’m going to vote to give an unlimited power to the president to borrow money. If you are a conservative, you’re going to say we shouldn’t be exceeding the budget caps. If anything, we should be passing more stringent budget caps. It disappoints me greater than I can possibly express that the party that I belong to that should be the conservative party doesn’t appear to be conservative. This is a big problem. I’m traveling the country and I ask Republicans everywhere. I have yet to meet a single Republican who supports this deal. In the house, they voted on this yesterday. Do you know what the vote was? Two to one among Republicans to say this is a God-awful deal and we shouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. It’s a terrible deal. House Republicans understood this. We should be doing the opposite. We should be taking the leverage of saying we’re not going to raise the debt ceiling unless we get reform. Instead, we went to the president and said here, raise the debt ceiling as much as you can possibly spend over the next year, and we’ll let you exceed the budget caps. It’s irresponsible, it shows a lack of concern for our country, for the debt, and it should go down in defeat. When I ran for office in 2010, the debt was an enormous issue and the debt was $10 trillion. Some of us in the tea party were concerned because it had doubled in the last eight years. It doubled from five to ten under a Republican administration. And many of us were adamant that Republicans needed to do a better job. We had added new entitlement programs, we had added new spending, and the deficit got worse under Republicans. Now we’re under a Democrat president, and it’s set to double again. This president will add more to the debt than all of the previous presidents combined. So we’re going to go from $10 trillion now to nearly $20 trillion. We may get close to $20 trillion. Now that we have increased the debt ceiling in an unspecified amount, we may well get to $20 trillion by the time this president leaves. Is it a problem? Some people say it’s just a big number. I don’t know what a trillion dollars is. Well, if you want to imagine a trillion dollars, take $1,000 bills and put them in your hand. $1,000 bills four inches high is a million dollars. But if you want to have a trillion dollars in $1,000 bills, it would be 63 miles high. We’re talking about an amount of money that is hard to fathom, and you say what does that mean? How does that hurt me or my family? Economists say that we are losing a million jobs a year to the burden of debt. The economists also say when your debt becomes as large as your economy, that you are in a worrisome place, that when the debt is as large as the economy, there’s a possibility that you may enter into a period when you might suffer a panic or a collapse or a burden so great that your economy can’t withstand it. 2008, we were very close to a panic. I think we get closer with each day. The number-one priority up here shouldn’t be trying to scrounge around and find new money to spend. It should be trying to conserve. It should be doing something that some say is radical but I say is the absolute essence of common sense, and that is we should spend what comes in. So often up here things become partisan and people just want to point fingers and say it’s that party that did it, they’re the ones responsible for the debt, but I want to let you in on a secret. This is a secret that goes on and on and on up here. It is something I call the unholy alliance. It is the unholy alliance between right and left. They both have sacred cows they want to spend money on. So instead of saying you know what, the debt is a real problem and we both have to conserve in both areas, they both get together and raise the money for the secret cows. On the right we are busting the limits because the right wants more military spending, the left wants more for welfare, the unholy alliance a secret handshake, and what gets worse? The debt. We’re borrowing $1 million every minute, and it’s not going to end in a pretty way. What do other conservatives have to say about this deal? Steve Moore at the Heritage Foundation writes “it’s the worst budget deal to be negotiated by the G.O.P. since George H.W. Bush violated his no new taxes pledge in 1990.” Rush Limbaugh says, “the Republican party cannot campaign by running around blaming the Democrats for destroying the budget for overspending, for threatening the very fabric of the country. They can’t do it because they’re now complicit.” Here’s the thing. We can’t point fingers and say oh, the Democrats are the big spenders. We now by this deal become complicit. We become equally guilty of supporting new debt. Now, some say well, gosh, you’ve got to raise the debt ceiling, right? If you don’t raise the debt ceiling, there will be default. Hogwash. Do you know how much money comes into this place every month? Through taxes, about $250 billion comes in in taxes. Do you know what our interest payment is? About $30 billion. It might be as high as $60 billion, $70 billion, $80 billion. There is never not enough revenue to pay for interest. People say well, we couldn’t pay for everything. I say well, maybe we shouldn’t spend it on everything. We have plenty of money that comes in every month to spend on interest, to spend on Medicare, to commend on Social Security and to spend on sailors and soldiers salaries and veterans’ affairs. Maybe the federal government shouldn’t be doing much else. These are the questions we have to ask. What would happen if the debt ceiling didn’t go up? You would have a balanced budget. How bad would that be? If your debt ceiling didn’t go up, you would spend what comes in. That’s what every American family does, you spend what comes in. I think this is absolutely what we need to do. But even myself, I’m willing to compromise, so I’ve put forward a compromise. I’ve put forward a compromise that we tried in 2011. It’s called Cut, Cap, and Balance. My compromise would cut the deficit in half in one year, a dramatic lessening of the burden of debt. That’s the cut. The cap is that my bill would actually cap spending at 18% of G.D.P. What does that mean? 18% of the total amount of money spent in the economy. Why do we pick 18? Because that leads to a balanced budget. The last part of my bill, the Cut, Cap, and Balance, is that we would pass a balanced budget amendment to the constitution. And I have kind of jokingly said but probably seriously, if we pass a balanced budget amendment to the constitution, we pass term limits, I will go back to being a doctor, which is my first love anyway, but we’ve got to fix the country. We’re destroying the country with debt. We’re drowning in a sea of debt, and neither party seems to be concerned with it anymore. So what I would do is I would say yes, I’ll compromise. I’ll raise the debt ceiling under those three conditions – cut the deficit in half, cap the spending and pass a balanced budget amendment to the constitution, and people say well, there aren’t the votes for that. Why don’t we have a vote? Why don’t we allow a vote on Cut, Cap, and Balance, the conservative alternative to this deal that we’ve got on the floor? Why don’t we vote on an alternative, because there won’t be any amendments allowed? This will be pushed through without amendments. And I really object to that. This is supposed to be the body of deliberation. We’re supposed to be able to deliberate over whether or not how we’re going to fix the problems of the country. And I think this is the number-one threat to us. We’re accumulating debt at a million dollars every minute. Someone’s got to stand up and do something about it. Taxpayers for common sense say about this we’re not a fan of this new agreement. Cato writes the gipper, Ronald Reagan’s ghost, is probably to go down from heaven at the new budget deal between Congressional leaders and the Obama administration and saying there they go again. So let’s rephrase the question. What do advocates of fiscal restraint get in exchange for raising these spending caps? Well, if you peruse this agreement, it’s apparent they don’t get anything. So what we have traded is not just an increase, an unspecified increase in the debt ceiling. We have said to President Obama, you can spend as much money as you want throughout the rest of your presidency, no limits. The National Taxpayers Union writes, “If the question on the budget and debt ceiling package is deal or no deal, taxpayers should clearly opt for the latter.” While the agreement contains a few meritorious provisions, it fails other savings and reforms necessary to address our nation’s $18.1 trillion debt problem. The debt is, without question, the number-one problem in the country. We will have a vote this evening and that vote will be, do you care? Are you willing to do something to slow it down? Do you think we ought to use the leverage of the debt ceiling to slow down spending, or are you a profligate spender who will vote to bust the caps and who will vote to give President Obama unlimited borrowing authority? I think it is a clear-cut question. I will vote “No,” and I will continue this filibuster as long as there are enough votes here to allow it to continue. At this point, I’d like to ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of my bill, Cut, Cap, and Balance, which is calendar number 274, S. 2182. I further ask that there be an hour of debate equally divided in the usual form, that following the use or yielding back of time, the bill be read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be made and laid upon the table. I agree with the senator from Oregon that bipartisan agreement is necessary in this body, but I think we have in this agreement, bipartisan agreement in the wrong direction. The bipartisan agreement we need is to conserve across the board, for both sides to say that our sacred cow, whether it is military on the right or domestic spend on the left that they all will have to be conserved. We won’t be able to spend money that we don’t have. And I think we’re becoming weaker and a nation the more we borrow. If we pass this bill, it isn’t a difference or a choice between calamity and continuing to add to the debt, which this bill will do. I fully believe that we can continue to make our payments. We have $250 billion a month that comes in, interest payment $30 billion. There’s absolutely no reason why we would ever default. I have a bill called default protection act, which would ensure that Social Security, and Medicare and our soldiers’ salaries and the interest on the debt were paid for. So I think what we should be doing is doing the opposite kind of compromise. Right and left should come together and say, you know what? I really want spending on this. And the right says I really want spending on the military. And they should come together and say, we don’t have any money. We’re borrowing $1 million a minute. So I think this bipartisan compromise goes in the wrong direction. What I would ask for is a bipartisan compromise to actually save money and borrow less. Thank you, Mr. President.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:28:00Z http://sablan.house.gov/9-m-awarded-water-sewer-environmental-protection,"$9 m. awarded for water, sewer, environmental protection",2015-10-26,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"$9 m. awarded for water, sewer, environmental protection Oct 25, 2015 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a total fiscal year 2015 award of $9 million to the Northern Mariana Islands this week. The consolidated grant includes $6.7 million to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and sewer projects and $2.3 million to the Commonwealths Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality for environmental programs. The water and sewer money reflects the increase in funding that began after the Northern Marianas obtained representation in Congress and the funding formula was increased. The Commonwealth has received an additional $41 million as a result. That money is responsible for the achievement of having the public water supply system provide 24-hour service to 95 percent of its population up from 25 percent in 2006, according to EPA. This year the money that Congress has appropriated will be used for water storage tanks, waterline replacements, improvements to the sewer system, and work to make water and sewer infrastructure more able to withstand storms, like Typhoon Soudelor. Congratulations to CUC and BECQ. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/apply-today-nomination-us-service-academy,Apply today for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy,2015-10-26,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Young women and men from the Northern Marianas, interested in a high quality education and committed to serving our country, can apply now for a congressional nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. At this time, there are two openings available: one at the Merchant Marine Academy and one at the Naval Academy. The first step in applying for a nomination is to fill out the form at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nomination-form. At the same time, applicants should open an application at their academy or academies of choice: the Merchant Marine Academy (https://www.usmma.edu/admissions) and/or the Naval Academy (https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/index.php).More information and nomination applications are available at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you/academy-nominations and at the district offices on Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. While Members of Congress make nominations, the final selection from among nominees is made by academy admission officials.They look for strong grades in high school, high SAT or ACT scores, physical ability, and leadership potential. Requests for nomination are due December 11, 2015. Deadlines for completing academy applications are March 1, 2016 for the Merchant Marine Academy and January 31, 2016 for the Naval Academy. Those interested are strongly encouraged to start now. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-october-23-2015,"THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - October 23, 2015",2015-10-26,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"In this issue: ________________________________________________________________ Apply today for nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. Young women and men from the Northern Marianas, interested in a high quality education and committed to serving our country, can apply now for a congressional nomination to a U.S. Service Academy. At this time, there are two openings available: one at the Merchant Marine Academy and one at the Naval Academy. The first step in applying for a nomination is to fill out the form at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you.... At the same time, applicants should open an application at their academy or academies of choice: the Merchant Marine Academy (https://www.usmma.edu/admissions) and/or the Naval Academy (https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/inde...). More information and nomination applications are available at https://sablan.house.gov/serving-you... and at the district offices on Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. While Members of Congress make nominations, the final selection from among nominees is made by academy admission officials. They look for strong grades in high school, high SAT or ACT scores, physical ability, and leadership potential. Requests for nomination are due December 11, 2015. Deadlines for completing academy applications are March 1, 2016 for the Merchant Marine Academy and January 31, 2016 for the Naval Academy. Those interested are strongly encouraged to start now. $9 m. awarded for water, sewer, envonmental protection. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a total fiscal year 2015 award of $9 million to the Northern Mariana Islands this week. The consolidated grant includes $6.7 million to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation for water and sewer projects and $2.3 million to the Commonwealths Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality for environmental programs. The water and sewer money reflects the increase in funding that began after the Northern Marianas obtained representation in Congress and the funding formula was increased. The Commonwealth has received an additional $41 million as a result. That money is responsible for the achievement of having the public water supply system provide 24-hour service to 95 percent of its population up from 25 percent in 2006, according to EPA. This year the money that Congress has appropriated will be used for water storage tanks, waterline replacements, improvements to the sewer system, and work to make water and sewer infrastructure more able to withstand storms, like Typhoon Soudelor. Congratulations to CUC and BECQ. CW cap is a call for more U.S. wokers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announcement this week that it will permit 12,999 foreign CW workers in the Northern Marianas in fiscal year 2016 means employers must find ways to hire more U.S. workers, if growth is to continue in the islands. The agency cut the number of Commonwealth-only Transitional Worker permits by 1,000 from the fiscal 2015 level. The law requires phasing out the special CW workers program completely by the end of 2019. USCIS has taken a gradual approach to the reductions in keeping with the requirement of P.L. 110-229, which extended federal immigration to the Marianas, that the law must be implemented in a way that minimizes adverse effects and maximizes the potential for future growth. But now everyone in the Marianas business, government, and the educational system has to work overtime to replace CWs in the labor force with U.S. citizens or green card holders, with workers holding H or other employment-based visas, or with citizens of the Freely Associated States, who have the ability to work and live in the Northern Marianas. The CW program began with a cap of 22,417 in 2009, based on the number of workers that had been permitted by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands prior to the extension of U.S. immigration law. By 2013, USCIS officials have testified to Congress, the number of CW workers was down to 10,071. Earlier this year, the Commonwealth government reported to U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez an unemployment rate of 16.8 percent in 2014, with 4,674 persons out of work. Increase in NMI highway funds passes House committee. This week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 which includes an increase in federal-aid highway funding for the Northern Mariana Islands of $1.2 million over the next six years. H.R. 3763 also reauthorizes transit and highway safety programs worth another $1.2 million to the NMI annually. Authorization for surface transportation programs expires on October 29, next week, so the House is expected to move quickly on the Committee-approved bill so that negotiations can begin with the Senate, which passed its own version of a six-year transportation bill in July. Insular Delegates: protect Close Up funding. Congress funds the Close Up program in order to bring young people a real experience of how their government works and to gain a deeper understanding of our national history. So, insular area Delegates were concerned to learn that the Office of Insular Affairs at the Department of Interior has notified the Close Up Foundation that it will need to compete for federal grant funds this year. This is a change from what the Department proposed in its budget justification submitted to Congress earlier this year. In response, insular area Delegates have requested that the Department reconsider its action and maintain funding for Close Up at the $1.1 million amount specified to Congress. Reminder: Library of Congress online conference for teachers next week. The Library of Congress first online conference for teachers is slated for October 28-29, 6am to 10am CHST (October 27-28, 4pm 8pm EST), and educators in the Northern Marianas and across the nation are invited. This free, two-day conference will equip teachers to enhance student learning through the use of primary sources in the classroom, drawing on the Librarys extensive collections. For more information and to register for the conference, visit https://www.loc.gov/teachers/profess.... CMS Open Enrollment Begins. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Medicare Open Enrollment period for 2016 is open through December 7, 2015. If you are satisfied with your current coverage and feel it will meet your needs for 2016, you do not need to do anything. However, individuals who need to enroll or need additional information regarding their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in the Northern Marianas can visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY 1-877-486-2048. You may also view the 2016 Medicare & You handbook online at: www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf. Typhoon Soudelor Update - Week 12: The steady recovery from Typhoon Soudelor continues. In addition to the reports on approval of assistance to individuals and households (table below), FEMA is now updating its accounting for public assistance, which includes both the initial emergency response, but also, and increasingly, the amount spent helping rebuild water, power, and other public infrastructure. That total is now $905,041. Farm Service Agency continues helping farmers and ranchers. The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports this week that 32 farmers and ranchers have now contacted the Agency for recovery assistance. 21 have requested FSA loan applications and a team of loan officers arrived on Saipan Monday to continue taking applications and process the requests for loan assistance. The team is on island through November 10. Call 670-234-0896 to schedule an appointment or e-mail Doreen Rivera at doreen.rivera@pb.usda.gov. OPPORTUNITIES - Federal contracts, grants, jobs for and in the Marianas Grants: CRCP Coral Reef NGO Partnership - The purpose of this notice is to invite Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with demonstrated expertise and experience in supporting coral reef management in the United States to submit proposals to establish partnerships with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) to further the conservation of U.S. coral reefs. Current closing date is January 21, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants - EPA provides funding through Brownfields Assessment Grants to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning (including cleanup planning) and community involvement related to brownfield sites. Current closing date is December 18, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Guidelines for Brownfields Cleanup Grants - EPA provides funding through Brownfields Cleanup Grants to conduct cleanup activities at a specific brownfield site owned by the applicant. Current closing date is December 18, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Promoting Caregiver Health Using Self-Management - The purpose of this initiative is to stimulate research in promoting caregiver health using self-management. This concept focuses on informal caregivers. Informal caregivers (lay caregivers) are defined as unpaid individuals (spouses, partners, family members, friends, or neighbors) involved in assisting others with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks. Current closing date is March 3, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... NIH Directors Early Independence Awards - The NIH Directors Early Independence Award Program supports exceptional investigators who wish to pursue independent research directly after completion of their terminal doctoral/research degree or clinical residency, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career. Current closing date is January 29, 2016. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... MBDA Business Centers - MBDA Business Centers are established to provide technical assistance and business development services. The technical assistance and business development services are provided through federal financial assistance awards to generate increased financing and contract opportunities for minority business enterprises (MBEs). In addition, the services provided will assist MBEs in creating and retaining jobs. Current closing date is December 21, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... WaterSMART: Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program Funding - Reclamation works to identify and investigate opportunities to reclaim and reuse wastewater and naturally impaired ground and surface water in the 17 Western States and Hawaii. Title XVI also provides authority for Reclamation to provide up to the lesser of 25 percent of, or the Federal appropriations ceiling (typically $20 million), for the cost of planning, designing, and constructing specific water recycling projects. The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to invite sponsors of congressionally authorized Title XVI Projects to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those authorized projects. Current closing date is December 10, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/vi.... Jobs: Emergency Management Specialist - The U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security is accepting applications for an Emergency Management Specialist. The incumbent will serve as the Sectors expert in Emergency Management and will be responsible for producing related plans as necessary and serving as a liaison to promote coordination between the Sector and other local emergency management response agencies. Position is open until November 2, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Clinical Psychologist - The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for a Clinical Psychologist. The incumbent will be assigned to the Guam Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) and provide leadership, guidance and/or consultation to the Guam VA clinic and the Saipan Outreach clinic staff specific to psychological aspects of evaluation and treatment of veterans, with particular attention to the OEF/OIF veterans and their families. Position is open until November 2, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Utilities Analyst - The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Department of the Navy, is accepting applications for a Utilities Analyst. Duties include resolving discrepancies, collecting information, analyzing utilities raw data, modifying administrative approaches and resolving billing disputes. Position is open until October 26, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Audiologist - The Naval Hospital, Naval Medical Command, Department of the Navy is accepting applications for an Audiologist. Incumbent will perform clinical audiometric services, consult customers on effective hearing, develop operational standards, and identify commonly unrecognized hearing loss trends. Position is open until October 23, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Psych-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist - The Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for a Psych-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. Incumbent will provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, and serve as primary case manager/mental health treatment coordinator to a defined panel of patients, among other duties. Position is open until October 30, 2015. For more information, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/View.... Highlights in the legislative program THIS WEEK: On the floor H.R.1428 Judicial Redress Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.3493 Securing the Cities Act of 2015 (Passed, 411-4) H.R.3350 Know the CBRN Terrorism Threats to Transportation Act (Passed, 416-0) H.R.1315 To amend section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, to require that annual budget submissions of the President to Congress provide an estimate of the cost per taxpayer of the deficit, and for other purposes (Agreed to by voice vote) H.R.692 Default Prevention Act (Passed, 235 194) H.R.10 SOAR Reauthorization Act (Passed, 240-191) H.R.1937 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015 (Passed, 254-177) H.R.3762 Restoring Americans Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 (Passed, 240-189) NEXT WEEK: On the floor H.R. 3033 - Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia (READ) Act H.R. 623 - DHS Social Media Improvements Act of 2015 H.R. 1317 - To amend the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to specify how clearing requirements apply to certain affiliate transactions, and for other purposes H.R. 3032 - Security and Exchange Commission Reporting Modernization Act of 2015 Consideration of Legislation Related to the Debt Limit Committee Hearings October 27 Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Hearing on ""Improving Career and Technical Education to Help Students Succeed in the Workforce"" October 28 Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Legislative Hearing - H.R. 3764, Tribal Recignition Act of 2015 ________________________________________________________________",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-uncovers-156-million-spent-free-community-college-foreign-students/,Dr. Rand Paul Uncovers $15.6 Million Spent on Free Community College for Foreign Students,2015-10-26,2015,2015-10,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today released the latest edition of “The Waste Report,” an ongoing project cataloguing egregious examples of waste within the U.S. government. The latest edition draws attention to the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program that is administered by the United States’ State Department Office of Global Educational Programs at the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA). This fiscal year, the CCI program is slated to spend an astounding $15.6 million to bring foreign students to America to attend community college for free. For comparison’s sake, the same amount of money is enough to pay for approximately 2,330 semesters at an average-priced community college. The latest edition of “The Waste Report” can be found HERE or below. For millions of Americans, community colleges offer an affordable and convenient opportunity to begin a college career or to gain a competitive edge in the job market. But it turns out the federal government thinks community colleges should not be limited to, well, the community. Thu, it is planning to spend $15.6 million to bring foreign students to America to attend these institutions for one year.[1] The FY2016 Community College Initiative (CCI) Program that is run by the State Department’s Office of Global Educational Programs at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) plans to target poor students from several countries including India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Pakistan.[2] India’s inclusion in the CCI is particularly interesting. Last year, the University Grants Commission of India (something of a national board of education) approved the creation of 98 new community colleges across India.[3]Meaning, American community colleges will now be in competition with Indian community colleges for students. Even more shocking about the Indian case is that earlier this year the State Department issued a $70,000 grant opportunity to put on a traveling photo exhibition of American community colleges throughout India.[4] It seems Indian parents are not too sure about the concept of community college so the State Department has to put in an extra effort to sell the idea…with pictures. Two State Department boondoggles rolled in one. The kids that do get to come to U.S. community colleges may select from only eight fields of study, including, Applied Engineering, Business Management and Administration, Media, and Public Safety. But with only one year of study they will not be able to take a two-year associate’s degree with them back to their home countries. Also, missing are staples of community college curricula such as nursing or vocational skills, which would prove useful in developing economies. At least the National Science Foundation’s winemaking classes do not appear to have made the cut either. In case you were wondering, $15.6 million is enough to pay for 2,330 semesters at the average community college.[5] ### _______________________________ [1] FY 2016 Community College Initiative Program; Department of State; Washington, DC; Funding Opportunity Number: ECA-ECAAS-16-008 [2] Ibid [3] UGC approves 98 community colleges from five states, IndiaToday.IN; New Delhi, India; May 2014 [4] Photographic Exhibit on Community Colleges in the U.S.; Department of State, Mission to India; New Delhi, India; May 2015; Funding Opportunity Number: NDRFP16-07",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:28:00Z http://sablan.house.gov/cms-open-enrollment-begins,CMS Open Enrollment Begins,2015-10-25,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"CMS Open Enrollment Begins Oct 25, 2015 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Medicare Open Enrollment period for 2016 is open through December 7, 2015. If you are satisfied with your current coverage and feel it will meet your needs for 2016, you do not need to do anything. However, individuals who need to enroll or need additional information regarding their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in the Northern Marianas can visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY 1-877-486-2048. You may also view the 2016 Medicare & You handbook online at: www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/farm-service-agency-continues-helping-farmers-and-ranchers,Farm Service Agency continues helping farmers and ranchers,2015-10-25,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Farm Service Agency continues helping farmers and ranchers Oct 25, 2015 The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports this week that 32 farmers and ranchers have now contacted the Agency for recovery assistance. 21 have requested FSA loan applications and a team of loan officers arrived on Saipan Monday to continue taking applications and process the requests for loan assistance. The team is on island through November 10. Call 670-234-0896 to schedule an appointment or e-mail Doreen Rivera at doreen.rivera@pb.usda.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/increase-nmi-highway-funds-passes-house-committee,Increase in NMI highway funds passes House committee,2015-10-25,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Increase in NMI highway funds passes House committee Oct 25, 2015 This week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 which includes an increase in federal-aid highway funding for the Northern Mariana Islands of $1.2 million over the next six years. H.R. 3763 also reauthorizes transit and highway safety programs worth another $1.2 million to the NMI annually. Authorization for surface transportation programs expires on October 29, next week, so the House is expected to move quickly on the Committee-approved bill so that negotiations can begin with the Senate, which passed its own version of a six-year transportation bill in July. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/insular-delegates-protect-close-funding,Insular Delegates: protect Close Up funding,2015-10-25,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Insular Delegates: protect Close Up funding Oct 25, 2015 Congress funds the Close Up program in order to bring young people a real experience of how their government works and to gain a deeper understanding of our national history. So, insular area Delegates were concerned to learn that the Office of Insular Affairs at the Department of Interior has notified the Close Up Foundation that it will need to compete for federal grant funds this year. This is a change from what the Department proposed in its budget justification submitted to Congress earlier this year. In response, insular area Delegates have requested that the Department reconsider its action and maintain funding for Close Up at the $1.1 million amount specified to Congress. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/reminder-library-congress-online-conference-teachers-next-week,Reminder: Library of Congress online conference for teachers next week,2015-10-25,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Library of Congress first online conference for teachers is slated for October 28-29, 6am to 10am CHST (October 27-28, 4pm 8pm EST), and educators in the Northern Marianas and across the nation are invited. This free, two-day conference will equip teachers to enhance student learning through the use of primary sources in the classroom, drawing on the Librarys extensive collections. For more information and to register for the conference, visit https://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/webinar/online-conference-2015.html.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://sablan.house.gov/press-release/cw-cap-call-more-us-workers,CW cap is a call for more U.S. workers,2015-10-22,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Northern Mariana Islands Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan says that todays announced cap of 12,999 on the number of foreign, CW workers who can be permitted in the Northern Mariana Islands this fiscal year means that employers must continue to find more ways to hire U.S. workers, if growth is to continue. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services lowered the cap for fiscal year 2016 by 1,000 from the 2015 limit of 13,999 in a pre-publication notice today. Todays moderate reduction by USCIS reflects the agencys understanding that the need for labor to develop the Northern Marianas economy may grow and that there continues to be a need for access to foreign workers to accommodate that growth and current economic activity, Congressman Sablan said. USCIS has taken a reasonable approach consistent with the requirement set out in the ConsolidatedNatural Resources Act that federal immigration be implemented in a way that minimizes adverse effects and maximizes the potential for future growth. Todays action, however, also reminds us that the number of CW workers will continue to decrease over the next four years and that everyone in the Marianas business, government, and the educational system will have to work overtime to replace this foreign labor with U.S. workers or with foreign workers who have some status other than CW. That means workers with H or other employment-based visas. That means workers from the Freely Associated States, who have the ability to immigrate to and live in the Northern Marianas. The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 extended U.S. immigration law to the Northern Marianas and provided the special CW category of foreign workers for the islands during an initial transition period of five years. That initial period ended last December, but was extended through 2019 by enactment of Public Law 113-235 to allow more time for the program to be phased out. The CW program began with a cap of 22,417in 2009, based on the number of workers that had been permitted by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands prior to the extension of U.S. immigration law. By 2013, USCIS officials have testified to Congress, the number of CW workers was down to 10,071. Earlier this year, the Commonwealth government reported to U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez an unemployment rate of 16.8 percent in 2014, with 4,674 persons out of work. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-resolution-senate-review-upcoming-climate-agreement/,Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Resolution for Senate Review on Upcoming Climate Agreement,2015-10-21,2015,2015-10,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul yesterday introduced Senate Resolution 290, a resolution calling for the U.S. Senate to reassert its constitutional role in treaty review. Specifically, the resolution highlights the need for any agreement reached at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, to follow the past precedent for congressional review, established by the Senate’s call to review the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. “One of the most important duties as a Senator is to uphold and defend the Constitution. My resolution will reassert the Senate’s constitutional role in treaty review and protect the balance of power within our government,” Sen. Paul said. Earlier this week, Sen. Paul issued a Dear Colleague letter urging Senate colleagues to cosponsor Senate Resolution 290. Click HERE to read the Dear Colleague letter. To read the resolution in its entirety, click HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T20:28:00Z http://sablan.house.gov/%E2%80%98navy-order-supplemental-deis-small-victory-nmi%E2%80%99,Navy order for supplemental DEIS small victory for NMI,2015-10-19,2015,2015-10,Independent,Senate,MP,Gregorio Sablan,S001177,sablan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Saipan Tribune- Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) calls the U.S. Department of Navys recent decision to order a supplemental environmental impact statement for live-fire training and bombing on Tinian and Pagan a win for the Northern Marianas. Those are small victories, but one after another it helps, Sablan said in an interview last week. And thats why people who disagree with the NEPA process need to understand that the NEPA process is making all of this reviews and re-reviews and change of plans possible, he said. The Navy two weeks ago called for a second round of review for the CNMI Joint Military Training or CJMT plans. Without the NEPA process, the military doesnt have to explain any of its actions, Sablan said. Whether its the [Marianas Islands Training and Testing EIS], or the [Divert Airfield Project EIS], or the CJMT, he added, referring to other voluminous impact statements that the CNMI has been forced to review in recent years. Two years ago, I was allowed to sit in with the [U.S. House of Representatives] Armed Services Committee and we were talking about some of these environmental impact studies and my suggestion then was why are you having different environmental impact studies? Whether its MITT, or CJMT, or the Divertwhy dont you just have one? So [that] its easier for us in the Northern Marianas to addressinstead of these different parts. This divide and conquer thing is not in the best interest of the Northern Marianas, Sablan added. The CJMT is the fifth major military training project proposed for the CNMI in recent years, among others, like the U.S. Air Forces proposed divert airfield project, the U.S. Navys expansive bombing and sonar training projects, and the Guam Buildup EIS, which when first announced included Tinian in its scope. Each of the five projects has involved the preparation of an EIS, Dentons, a firm hired by the CNMI to review the CJMT project, has said. None of the five EIS fully evaluates any alternatives located outside the CNMI. Based on the documents we have reviewed to date, it appears the Navy has consistently singled out the CNMI for inappropriate treatment under NEPA.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z