Babauta and Sablan consult on Northern Mariana Islands issues prior to Assistant Secretary’s visit
Sep 18, 2009
Babauta and Sablan consult on Northern Mariana Islands issues prior to Assistant Secretary’s visit
Washington, D.C. — Newly sworn-in Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs, Anthony Babauta, and U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan have discussed the numerous issues confronting the Northern Mariana Islands. The consultations preceded Babauta’s first trip to the Northern Marianas in his new position with the Obama Administration.
“I invited Mr. Babauta to go to the Northern Mariana Islands as soon as he was sworn in,” said Sablan. “And I appreciate that he will be visiting my district the week after next.”
Among the topics that the two leaders discussed was the increasing difficulty the CNMI Department of Public Health is having meeting patient needs and paying for health care costs.
“I don’t believe we should expect the federal government to bail us out of every difficulty,” said Sablan. “But people’s lives are at stake here. So I am asking Assistant Secretary Babauta to ask Governor Fitial, the Legislature, and CNMI Public Health officials what kind of short-term federal assistance could keep patients safe until the larger issues the Commonwealth Health Center faces are addressed.”
Sablan said that the status of capital improvement grants from the Office of Insular Affairs is another concern.
“I wrote to the Governor this week about some $9.3 million in CIP grant funds that are due to expire on September 30. And I encouraged the Governor to talk honestly with the Assistant Secretary about how the Commonwealth can use CIP grants faster and more effectively.
“I don’t want the people of the Northern Mariana Islands lose millions in infrastructure grants for Rota’s Health Center and Tinian’s landfill and CUC rehabilitation on Saipan.”
Federal immigration will also be under review when Babauta gets to the Northern Marianas. Although Interior is not directly responsible for controlling the borders, Babauta’s office will be in charge of estimating the future workforce needs in the NMI and recommending what federal policy should be regarding the long-term status of guest workers there under U.S. immigration law.
“I have encouraged the new Assistant Secretary to move up the timetable on Interior’s responsibilities in U.S. Public Law 110-229, the federal immigration law for the Northern Mariana Islands. And I think he understands the importance of giving the business community and individual workers more certainty about their future under U.S. immigration.
“Mr. Babauta was one of the key staff people helping to draft 110-229 last year,” Sablan said. “He knows how all the pieces are supposed to fit together.
“And he knows that I am relying on him to help make the transition to federal immigration control go smoothly, without damaging the economy or damaging the many families and individuals who will be affected by the law.”
Washington, D.C. — Newly sworn-in Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs, Anthony Babauta, and U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan have discussed the numerous issues confronting the Northern Mariana Islands. The consultations preceded Babauta’s first trip to the Northern Marianas in his new position with the Obama Administration.
“I invited Mr. Babauta to go to the Northern Mariana Islands as soon as he was sworn in,” said Sablan. “And I appreciate that he will be visiting my district the week after next.”
Among the topics that the two leaders discussed was the increasing difficulty the CNMI Department of Public Health is having meeting patient needs and paying for health care costs.
“I don’t believe we should expect the federal government to bail us out of every difficulty,” said Sablan. “But people’s lives are at stake here. So I am asking Assistant Secretary Babauta to ask Governor Fitial, the Legislature, and CNMI Public Health officials what kind of short-term federal assistance could keep patients safe until the larger issues the Commonwealth Health Center faces are addressed.”
Sablan said that the status of capital improvement grants from the Office of Insular Affairs is another concern.
“I wrote to the Governor this week about some $9.3 million in CIP grant funds that are due to expire on September 30. And I encouraged the Governor to talk honestly with the Assistant Secretary about how the Commonwealth can use CIP grants faster and more effectively.
“I don’t want the people of the Northern Mariana Islands lose millions in infrastructure grants for Rota’s Health Center and Tinian’s landfill and CUC rehabilitation on Saipan.”
Federal immigration will also be under review when Babauta gets to the Northern Marianas. Although Interior is not directly responsible for controlling the borders, Babauta’s office will be in charge of estimating the future workforce needs in the NMI and recommending what federal policy should be regarding the long-term status of guest workers there under U.S. immigration law.
“I have encouraged the new Assistant Secretary to move up the timetable on Interior’s responsibilities in U.S. Public Law 110-229, the federal immigration law for the Northern Mariana Islands. And I think he understands the importance of giving the business community and individual workers more certainty about their future under U.S. immigration.
“Mr. Babauta was one of the key staff people helping to draft 110-229 last year,” Sablan said. “He knows how all the pieces are supposed to fit together.
“And he knows that I am relying on him to help make the transition to federal immigration control go smoothly, without damaging the economy or damaging the many families and individuals who will be affected by the law.”
