Unfortunately your post contained some incorrect news, and I would like to ask you to post a correction.
You reported that the committee also passed Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo’s bill H.R. 4493 and that it would place a Monument visitor center and headquarters on Guam, not in the Northern Mariana Islands.
What really happened is that during the committee meeting, Chairwoman Bordallo offered an amendment to her original bill. The amendment removed language authorizing construction of a facility in Guam for purposes related to the Monument. And the amendment was adopted by the committee.
I believe these two actions, approval of the NMI Visitor Center bill and amendment of the Guam bill, completely clarify that congressional intent is for the Monument Visitor Center to be located in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Now, I look forward to getting H.R. 3511 passed by the House and the Senate and signed by the president — significant legislative steps, which require continued support from all those in the Northern Marianas who have been behind the Monument from the beginning. So, please keep up the effort.
I should also let you know that in addition to the $220,000 I earmarked for NOAA in this fiscal year, which can be used by the CNMI for scoping the uses, users, and appropriate sites for our visitor center, I have requested an additional $1,000,000 in seed money for the coming fiscal year. No guarantees there, but, as you can see, I am aggressively pushing to get the visitor center going.
GREGORIO C. SABLAN
Member, U.S. Congress
//
