Manglona, Ind.-Rota, however said the Senate will review House Bill 17-7 as soon as the more pressing issues at hand are discussed and addressed.
Introduced by Rep. Stanley T. Torres, Ind.-Saipan, H.B. 17-7 creates an 11-member political status commission that will “reexamine the present political status of the NMI as the commonwealth of the U.S., and examine the interpretation of the U.S. in the Covenant that establishes CNMI in political union with the U.S.”
The commission will “assess the performance of the U.S. in meeting its obligations under the Covenant.” It will also study future political and economic ties with the U.S., including complete independence.
The bill which passed the House by 15 to 0 vote last week will be referred to the Senate Committee on Federal Relations & Independent Agencies chaired by Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, who declined to comment yesterday because he has yet to read the measure.
Sen. Ralph DLG Torres, R-Saipan, also declined to say anything because he, too, had not seen the bill yet.
The bill will authorize the governor to reprogram $50,000 as an “advance to the commission to begin operations.”
The Legislature can also “appropriate such additional funds as may be necessary….”
