Gov. Arnold I. Palacios met with Dr. Ely S. Ratner, right, the assistant secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at the Pentagon to talk about military activities in the CNMI, building resiliency, and other topics. Also in the meeting was Rebecca Zimmerman, the assistant secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs. Along with the nation’s other governors, Palacios is in Washington, D.C. this week for the 2024 senior plenary of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior – Office of Insular Affairs. The event is one of the important platforms for territorial governors to amplify local issues and perspectives by communicating them directly to the White House and federal agencies.
