THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS -- February 5, 2010

In this issue:

• Record number of students nominated to US service academies

• It’s time for a hearing on Marianas Trench Marine National Monument bills

• Obama education initiative should be open to the NMI

• Complete budget available online

• ARRA funds awarded for prevention and wellness initiative

• US Department of Labor begins to provide answers on prevailing wage questions



Josi, Barnaby and Mari’Ann Lizama pose for a photo during their visit to the Washington, DC office.

Record number of students nominated to U.S. service academies - I have submitted 12 nominations – the most ever made for students from the Northern Mariana Islands – to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y. and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. It is great that we had so many students who met the high standards to qualify for nomination this year, because this is also the year that we have twice as many positions open at the service academies for NMI students. My proposal to increase the number of academy openings, included in the annual Defense Authorization Act, was signed into law on October 28, 2009, just in time for this year’s nomination cycle. I sincerely believe we have to increase educational opportunities for our young people today if we want to have a prosperous Commonwealth in the future. Increasing the academy slots for our students does just that; and it also gives our youth the chance to serve their country in positions of leadership. Students at the service academies receive a free college education and are commissioned as officers in their respective branch of the military after graduation.

The 12 congressional nominees are:

Matthew Anthony T. Aquino – The son of Daniel Aquino, Jr. and Joann Aquino, Matthew is currently attending Mount Carmel High School. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy and the Naval Academy.

Steven Paul Centino – The son of Marlene Centino, Steven is a senior at Saipan Southern High School. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy and the Military Academy.

Diana Choi – The daughter of Choi Young Sup and Bak Soon Hee, Diana is a senior at Marianas High School. She was nominated to the Air Force Academy and the Military Academy.

Grace Chung – The daughter of Hyun Joon Chung and Jung Me Park, Grace is a senior at the Northern Marianas Academy. She was nominated to the Air Force Academy.

Raena Pangelinan Cing – The daughter of Raynaldo Mendiola Cing and Priscilla Pangelinan Cing, Raena attends Tinian High School. She was nominated to the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy and the Naval Academy.

Federico Quintero Fernandez – The son of Fidel S. Fernandez and Josephine Q. Fernandez, Federico is a senior at Marianas Baptist Academy. He was nominated to the Naval Academy.

Min Joo Jung – The son of In Young Jung and Ae Soen Jung, Min graduated from Mount Carmel High School in 2009. He is currently attending the New Mexico Military Institute, the preparatory school of the U.S. Military Academy in Roswell, NM. He was nominated to the Merchant Marine Academy.

Denn M. Manglona – The son of Senator Paul Manglona and Lydia Manglona, Denn is a senior at Rota High School. He was nominated to the Military Academy.

Marvin Olopai Rabauliman – The son of Jose and Mercedes Rabauliman, Marvin graduated from Marianas High School last year. He has been nominated to the Air Force Academy.

John Mendiola – The son of Luise Mendiola Ramos, John is a senior at Tinian High School. He was nominated to the Military Academy and the Naval Academy.

Calvin Yang – The son of Youn Geun Yang and Sung Sook, Calvin is a senior at Mount Carmel High School. He was nominated to the Merchant Marine Academy and also recommended to the Coast Guard Academy.

John Yoon – The son of Tae Hyung Yoon and Kyung A. Hang, John is a senior at Marianas Baptist Academy. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy and the Naval Academy.

A congressional nomination is just one step toward acceptance to the service academies. Each applicant is reviewed by the academy admissions boards. Over 4,000 are nominated to each academy, but only about 1,500 nominees win appointments.

It’s time for a hearing on Marianas Trench Marine National Monument bills – I have sent a second formal request for a legislative hearing on the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument to the Chair of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife, Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam). I introduced a bill, H.R. 3511, on July 31, 2009, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to build a multipurpose visitor center in the NMI for interpretation, public education and enjoyment of the Monument. A hearing was scheduled in October, then cancelled by the Subcommittee. Two weeks ago, Chairwoman Bordallo introduced H.R. 4493, which provides for a Monument visitor and research services on Guam. Bordallo’s bill also gives the Government of Guam a role in the management of the Monument. I think it is very important to have a hearing on these two bills. I look forward to working with Chairwoman Bordallo to make sure that we take testimony from Governor Fitial, the CNMI Legislature leadership, Friends of the Monument, and all the other interested parties in the Northern Marianas who negotiated with the White House on the terms and conditions contained in the Presidential Proclamation that created the Monument. We have to be sure Congress does nothing out of line with the agreements the White House made with the people of the Northern Marianas.

The Marianas Trench Marine National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation 8335 on January 6, 2009.

Obama education initiative should be open to the NMI – President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, released on Monday, includes $1.35 billion to continue the “Race to the Top” education initiative, and I want the Northern Marianas to be eligible to compete for those funds. In anticipation of the President’s proposal I wrote to him and Education Secretary Arne Duncan last month to press for access to the program and the expected new money. Race to the Top for states was funded in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but territories were not eligible because the funds we received - including the $36.3 million for NMI schools - came through a separate ARRA account. Now that the President wants to make Race to the Top a multi-year program, however, the NMI needs to be included in the regular funding. Race to the Top encourages various types of reform, including an increased use of data to determine what programs and teaching methods are most effective and to keep parents informed. The program also seeks to attract and keep good teachers by expanding support, revising evaluation systems, and aligning compensation with effectiveness. (Note: PSS received the first installment of ARRA funds - $28.4 million - on October 16, 2009. To see the CNMI grant application with a complete plan of expenditure go to http://www2.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html).

Complete budget available online - To see the complete FY11 budget the President sent to Congress go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/. Cuttting spending is on everyone’s mind, but my office is working with federal agencies to identify funding opportunities to benefit the people of the NMI. I received twenty requests for special earmarked appropriations in time for the February 1 deadline. Those that meet requirements will be submitted to the various appropriations subcommittees over the next several weeks. Last year I was successful at getting $1.35 million in special, congressionally-requested earmarks for education and other worthy projects in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Kevin and Lynnette Castro along with daughters Kaya and Kacey visited the congressional office this week.

ARRA funds awarded for prevention and wellness initiative – The White House announced today that the Northern Mariana Islands is receiving another $99,980 dollars in Recovery Act funding. Today’s grant is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and will be used to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health. "Our goal is to help make healthy choices the easier choices for all Americans, no matter where they live," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Awards for other Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiatives, including community-based health promotion initiatives, will be announced in the coming weeks. To learn more, visit http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery.

US Department of Labor begins to provide answers on prevailing wage questions - Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis testified before the House Education and Labor Committee, of which I am a member, this week. Afterwards I received the answers to questions I have been asking about how the Department will determine the “prevailing wage” that has to be paid to foreign workers in the NMI. The prevailing wage varies by industry, profession, and location and many businesses in the Northern Mariana Islands have concerns about how it will be set here. I believe the answers I received are what we want to hear. First, minimum wage in the NMI will be considered, not the national minimum wage, in making the prevailing wage determination. Second, employers in the NMI will not be required to conduct their own private wage surveys when applying for a prevailing wage determination – an extra cost of doing business. Employers may, however, submit their own survey if they want to contest a wage determination made by the US Department of Labor. I still think that it is important for the Department to station employees in the NMI to help with the immigration transition; and I will continue to press for Labor staff on site to lessen difficulties for our businesses and for workers.

Highlights in the Legislative Program

THIS WEEK

H.Res. 960 - Expressing support for designation of January 2010 as "National Stalking Awareness Month" to raise awareness and encourage prevention of stalking (Rep. Poe) (Agreed to by voice vote)

H.R. 4532 - Social Security Disability Applicants' Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010 (Rep. Tanner) (passed 412-6)

H.J.Res. 45 - Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act (No sponsor) (passed 233 – 187)

H.R. 4061 - Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009 (Rep. Lipinksi) (passed 422 – 5)


NEXT WEEK

H.R. 2701 - Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010; and the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act (Rep. Reyes)

H.R. ____- Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009 (Rep. Perriello)

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