Sablan in an interview yesterday disclosed that 47 U.S. House members — Republicans and Democrats — have co-sponsored his bill.
Variety learned that Fitial has been writing letters to U.S. lawmakers urging them not to support Sablan’s bill.
Sablan said it’s not news that the governor is opposed to his legislation.
He said he is aware that Fitial has approached U.S. House members, except him, to express concern about H.R. 1466.
Sablan said the governor’s letters were shared with him, the CNMI delegate, by other U.S. lawmakers.
Sablan said it is the governor’s prerogative to campaign against the measure.
“But I’m continuing to pursue the legislation,” he added.
Sablan noted that in the previous U.S. Congress, his legislation had no co-sponsors. Now it has close to 50 from both national parties.
“We are going to work hard on that legislation,” he said.
H.R. 1466 is under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary and Natural Resources committees.
Sablan said Natural Resources already had a hearing, adding that he is now working with the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, who has three concerns about the bill.
Two of those concerns, Sablan said, had already been addressed.
The third concern requires an amendment to the legislation.
“We have already drafted the amendment and shared it with his office and he’s fine with it,” he said, adding that the legislation “is getting very good reception.”
Sablan did not disclose what Smith’s concerns were but said he also had a good conversation with a U.S. senator about his bill.
“It will take some more work and then again I’m not saying it’s guaranteed,” he said. “But compared to how it was in the last Congress, this time, the effort is becoming worthwhile.”
H.R. 1466 proposes a “CNMI-only resident status” for those married to U.S. citizens; those born here from Jan. 1, 1974 to Jan. 9, 1979; those who were given permanent residency by the CNMI government; and nonresidents who became immediate relatives as of May 8, 2008, notwithstanding the age of the U.S citizen.
