Salas, R-Saipan, is no longer the vice chairman or even a member of the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations, which is chaired by Rep. Rosemond B. Santos, R-Saipan.
The committee recommended the shelving of the bill, which would have granted qualified guest workers five-year work permits.
The House “filed” the bill during its session last week after Santos got into a heated argument with Salas.
Reps. Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, and Victor B. Hocog, Ind.-Rota, also co-sponsored the bill which Santos described as giving “false hopes” to guest workes.
Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, said Salas “wasn’t happy that the JGO Committee voted against his bill.”
The speaker added, “He resigned from the committee — that was his decision and we have to go with that.”
But he hopes that Salas will continue to participate in leadership meetings.
Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, said Salas will remain a GOP member.
Torres himself gave up the chairmanship of the House Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication Committee after his colleagues railroaded the confirmation of Public Utilities Commission nominees.
